Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine: All about vaccine candidate with over 90% efficacy

Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate has shown more than 90 per cent efficacy in preventing coronavirus and now the two companies are working to distribute the experimental drug. Being hailed as the major victory in the fight against the pandemic, the American drugmaker Pfizer Inc in collaboration with Germany’s BioNTech Inc has caused a stir across the world. While it gave the much-needed optimistic boost to the global research for a COVID-19 vaccine especially when most nations are gripped with the second wave, company’s November 9 has also surged the stock markets to reportedly new records. 

Here’s everything about Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

• What was Pfizer’s announcement?

While the novel coronavirus infections recently passed the grim milestone of 50 million cases, American pharmaceutical company Pfizer said on November 9 that the interim analysis of its vaccine produced along with German partner BioNTech group has shown promising results, meaning it is on track to file an emergency use application with American regulators as early as later this month. 

However, the November 9 announcement does not imply that the mRNA-based vaccine called BNT162b2, is imminent. The results are based on the interim analysis which considered at least 94 infections in a study that had enrolled at least 44,000 people in six nations including the United States with fewer than nine of them who caught the disease were also given the dose.

In a bid to confirm the similar level of efficacy, Pfizer has also said that it would continue its trial until there are 164 COVID-19 cases among volunteers. It is also the same number that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has agreed as enough to determine how efficient the vaccine is. The data is yet to be reviewed by peers and the company has assured to publish it once it is completed. 

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• How does the COVID-19 vaccine work?

Traditionally, a vaccine comprises of a dead or weakened part of the pathogen that causes the disease. The amount is such, that it won’t make the recipient sick but enough for the body to identify the virus or the bacteria as a foreign element which is followed by the generation of an immune response. Therefore, when the same individual is infected by the pathogen he or she is vaccinated, the immune response will be all set.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is mRNA-based. It means that the individual is not being injected with the parts of the virus but instead, the recipient will be administered with the part of the genetic code of the coronavirus. This further tricks the body into producing some of the viral proteins on it is own so that the immune system detects these proteins and generate a defensive response to them.

• What’s next?

The American pharmaceutical company Pfizer now expects to get two months of safety follow-up data, which is a key metric required by US regulators before an emergency authorisation is granted. The data is expected to be available in the third week in November. If the findings raise no problems, Pfizer could apply for authorisation in the US this very month. Additionally, regulators are also working with BioNTech to “further accelerate the process”.  Pfizer and BioNTech have said that the so far, the trial’s data monitoring committee has identified no serious safety concerns.

• Who have already lined up as the vaccine’s buyers?

As per reports, both drugmakers involved in the manufacture of the mRNA-based vaccine have signed a $1.95 billion contract with the US government to deliver 100 million vaccine doses. Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech have also reached similar supply agreements with the European Union (EU), the UK, Canada and Japan.

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