At least two experimental COVID-19 vaccines produced a T-cell response in participants in early-stage clinical trials, which may indicate a longer-lasting form of immunity than an antibody response.
BioNTech BNTX,
and Pfizer Inc. PFE,
It said early Monday morning that an ongoing early-stage clinical trial for its coronavirus vaccine candidate, BNT162b1, reported a T-cell response in the participants, in addition to neutralizing antibody titers. BioNTech shares rose 1.8% in afternoon trading, as did Pfizer shares, which gained 0.8%.
“Importantly, today’s data includes the first evidence that the vaccine generates a T-cell response, which could be critical for patients to develop lasting immunity to the new coronavirus,” Vamil Divan, analyst at Mizuho said Monday. Securities. .
A Pfizer executive last week told Divan that a T-cell response may be a differentiating factor for his vaccine.
Read: After months of speculation, investors rave about Pfizer, BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine candidate
Then, in a highly anticipated study published in The Lancet published Monday morning, AstraZeneca AZN researchers,
AZN
and the University of Oxford said its investigational COVID-19 vaccine also produced a T-cell response, as well as antibody titers.
However, it seems investors were less satisfied with the AstraZeneca reading, with a 3.2% drop in equities in afternoon trading.
Bernstein’s Ronny Gal said this is likely due to the fact that while AZD1222 reported neutralizing antibody titers in all trial participants, they were lower than the sera of patients who have recovered from coronavirus infections.
BioNTech, Pfizer and Moderna Inc. MRNA,
They previously said that their vaccine candidates had higher titers than the sera of the recovered patients, although experts cautioned against direct comparisons of vaccine trials by different companies. Gal still said he believes AstraZeneca’s results are positive, and the data indicates that AZD1222 should move to the next phase of the investigation. “However, in the competitive context they fail to impress,” he wrote in a note to investors on Monday.
See also: Abbott, J&J results fueled by June’s surprising surge in medical procedures, even as coronavirus cases rise
Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. INO,
and Moderna, who have reported some early clinical data on their COVID-19 vaccine candidates, have not said their vaccines elicited a T-cell response. In operations Monday afternoon, Inovio’s stock fell 7, 0% and Moderna shares fell 14.1%.
Also weighing on Moderna’s shares, JP Morgan downgraded Moderna’s rating to neutral due to overweight due to concerns about the company’s valuation, with shares rising nearly five times since the start of the year.
That said, analysts are still wary of the undetermined nature of immunity with such a novel virus.
“What remains unknown is whether the antibody response translates into protection, the level of neutralizing antibodies needed for lasting protection, and the role of T-cell immunity in the process,” SVB analysts Leerink wrote Monday. .
Monday’s vaccine news sent the SPDR S&P Biotech Exchange-Traded Fund XBI,
by 0.9%, while the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF IBB,
recovered 1.1% in afternoon trading. The S&P 500 SPX,
it has dropped 0.2% so far this year.
.
