Pfizer coronavirus vaccine 100% effective on adolescents
Pfizer Inc.
$27.81
11:10 03/05/24
Pfizer and BioNTech announced that the phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine tests on teenagers ages 12 to 15 were 100% safe and effective.
BIONTECH SP ADS
$92.72
12:55 03/05/24
In a press release published on Wednesday, the two companies said that after trialling the shot on 2,260 children with positive results it would be seeking use authorisation from regulators.
The next step was to apply for emergency use authorisation from the US Food & Drug Administration and from the European Medicines Agency.
Pfizer and BioNTech were seeking approval as soon as possible in order for the shot to be available in time for the next school year.
The tests also revealed the vaccine's effectiveness against the virus with the children dosed generating virus neutralising antibodies exceeding the levels seen in 16-25 year-olds.
“We share the urgency to expand the authorization of our vaccine to use in younger populations and are encouraged by the clinical trial data from adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15,” said Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer.
“We plan to submit these data to FDA as a proposed amendment to our Emergency Use Authorization in the coming weeks and to other regulators around the world, with the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year.
“Across the globe, we are longing for a normal life. This is especially true for our children. The initial results we have seen in the adolescent studies suggest that children are particularly well protected by vaccination, which is very encouraging given the trends we have seen in recent weeks regarding the spread of the B.1.1.7 UK variant. It is very important to enable them to get back to everyday school life and to meet friends and family while protecting them and their loved ones,” said Ugur Sahin, CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech.
The press release also included an update on the tests on children from 6 months to 11 years old saying that the first healthy child in that age range had been given the treatment.