Corona vaccine: comparison of Biontech and Moderna vaccines – Coronavirus Vienna

Both agents are so-called mRNA vaccines. In the term, the “m” stands for messenger and “RNA” for ribonucleic acid (German: ribonucleic acid). No such vaccine had previously been approved for humans. With mRNA, vaccines contain the assembly instructions for a component of the Covid-19 pathogen. On this basis, the cells of the body produce the virus protein. The body develops its immune response against this. The mRNA is not incorporated into the human genome.

So far, both vaccines have achieved high levels of efficacy. The American company Moderna announced in late November that its vaccine was 94.1 percent effective, measured 14 days after the second dose. The Pfizer vaccine showed nearly identical 95 percent efficacy; here it was seven days after the second dose. Numbers refer to Phase 3 studies conducted to date.

It remains to be seen in a few months if these figures can also be achieved with the massive use of vaccines. It is also unclear how long vaccines protect exactly and whether the vaccinated person can still transmit the virus. Experts are optimistic that the vaccines will also work for the coronavirus B.1.1.7 mutation, which was discovered in the UK and is considered particularly contagious.

There is also a great deal here. Both the Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses of drug. At Biontech / Pfizer, the patient receives one dose every three weeks. The Moderna product takes about four weeks.

Biontech / Pfizer vaccine must be diluted with sodium chloride solution before injecting. Each dose contains 30 micrograms of vaccine. The Moderna product, on the other hand, is supplied ready-to-use and, at 100 micrograms, contains about three times as much vaccine per dose. It is injected into the muscle of the upper arm. The active ingredient can remain in the muscle for a few hours and the body has time to recognize and react to it, explains Rostock virologist Andreas Podbielski.

About 44,000 participants participated in the Biontech / Pfizer phase 3 study and about 30,000 in Moderna. Regardless of preparation, many study participants reported injection site pain, fatigue, and headache and muscle pain. Some also suffered from fever and chills. In general, the side effects were mild to moderate and resolved in a short time. With both vaccines, side effects occurred more frequently with the second dose of vaccine. There were more side effects compared to flu vaccines.

The Biontech / Pfizer vaccine is intended for people over 16 years of age. Moderna’s is designed for ages 18 and older, although the company recently began testing its vaccine in youth ages 12 to 17. According to the Robert Koch Institute, a vaccination recommendation for children “is not yet predictable.” However, studies are planned in this regard.

There is agreement on who should not be vaccinated. People who have an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients or who have severe allergic reactions after a previous dose.

The Biontech / Pfizer vaccine should be stored at minus 70 degrees. The preparation can be transported for up to 15 days in specially developed shipping boxes. With the Moderna vaccine, it doesn’t have to be as cold below 20 degrees Celsius.

There are also differences after thawing: Pfizer vaccine can be stored in the refrigerator, but must be used within five days. Moderna vaccine is stable for 30 days at refrigerator temperature and twelve hours at room temperature.

Both vaccines must be used within six hours of first use. One vial is sufficient for five to a maximum of six doses at Biontech / Pfizer and ten at Moderna.

The prices of the new types of mRNA vaccines from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna are probably many times higher than those of conventional products like the ones Astrazeneca wants to bring to the market. Belgian Secretary of State Eva De Bleeker temporarily posted previously kept secret prices on Twitter. Consequently, a dose of Moderna vaccine should cost the equivalent of about 15 euros, one from Biontech / Pfizer to twelve euros, one from Astrazeneca only 1.78 euros. The tweet was later deleted.

This year 300 million cans have been ordered from Biontech / Pfizer. Moderna wants to produce around 600 million doses of vaccines in 2021, of which the EU has currently insured 160 million.

That means: The current approval shouldn’t eliminate the existing shortage, at least not in the short term. The Astrazeneca vaccine could be next in the EU, as in the UK. According to experts, its approval in the EU (400 million doses) would be a big step forward. Unlike Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna, with the inexpensive vaccine, a normal refrigerator temperature is sufficient for at least six months of storage.