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A vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech was 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 infections in ongoing phase 3 trials, the companies announced today.
Protection in patients was achieved seven days after the second of two doses and 28 days after the first, according to preliminary findings.
“The first set of results from our Phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial provides initial evidence of the ability of our vaccine to prevent Covid-19,” Pfizer President and CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. .
“We are a significant step closer to giving people around the world a much-needed breakthrough to help end this global health crisis.
“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most,” Bourla added.
In much of the world, Covid-19 infection rates are skyrocketing to record levels, with hospital intensive care units filling up and the number of deaths rising as well.
Based on supply projections, the companies said they expect to supply up to 50 million doses of vaccines globally in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
Phase 3 of vaccine trials is when the drug is given to thousands of people and tested for efficacy and safety.
Once approved and licensed, a vaccine will enter the ongoing Phase 4 studies.
Pfizer announced last week that it was creating some 300 jobs at its Grange Castle in Co Dublin, Newbridge in Co Kildare and Ringaskiddy in Co Cork manufacturing plants.
The American pharmaceutical company said it is investing around 300 million euros in its Irish operations to support further development of the three sites.
The advancement of the coronavirus vaccine comes as a prominent public health specialist warned that if a new strain of Covid-19 in mink in Denmark becomes dominant, much of the work done to date with vaccines will be “in vain “and its effectiveness will be reduced. .
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