Pfizer and Biontech choose best vaccine candidate, move to global study

CEO of Biontech said in a statement: “Today, we are starting our late-stage global study, which will include up to 30,000 participants. We selected BNT162b2 as our lead candidate for this Phase 2/3 trial upon diligent evaluation of the totality of the data generated so far. This decision reflects our primary goal to bring a well-tolerated, highly effective vaccine to the market as quickly as possible, while we will continue to evaluate our other vaccine candidates as part of a differentiated COVID-19 vaccine portfolio.”

The catchily-named vaccine candidate BNT162b2 produced a favourable immune response in the early trials. (And yes, there is BNT162b1, but it was less well tolerated and also produced a lower immune response)

The 30,000 volunteers will be from 18 to 85 years of age, and the trial will be run at 120 sites around the world, 39 in the US and sites in Germany, Argentina and Brazil. 

The goal if it’s all successful and according to the companies behind the vaccine candidate: early regulatory approval by October 2020 and supply up to 100 million doses by the end of 2020 and 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021.