Pfizer's 90% effective COVID-19 Vaccine.
                     Pfizer's 90% 
effective COVID-19 
Vaccine
INTRODUCTION
› US drug-maker Pfizer has released preliminary data from late-
stage human trials of the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with 
German biotech firm BioNTech. 
› The vaccine has been found more than 90% effective. 
Source: indianexpress.com
What type of vaccine have Pfizer and 
BioNTech developed?
› This is a vaccine that was developed using mRNA technology it 
makes use of the messenger RNA molecules that tell cells what 
proteins to build. 
› The mRNA, in this case, is coded to tell the cells to recreate the 
spike protein of the novel coronavirus.
Source: indianexpress.com
Advantage of mRNA vaccines
› mRNA vaccines are synthetically developed they don’t need the virus to be cultivated and 
replicated, just the code for the most crucial part that the body’s immune system is to target. 
› Another advantage is that they can be manufactured at a large scale in large vats called 
bioreactors.
Source: indianexpress.com
IMMUNE RESPONSE
› Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID vaccine candidate is based on 
genetic material or mRNA that instructs human cells to make 
SARS-CoV2 antigen, eliciting an immune response.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com
What data suggests about the 
vaccine?
› Pfizer said the vaccine data indicated an efficacy rate above 90 percent, just 7 days 
after the second dose. 
› Pfizer didn't disclose how many of the confirmed cases have received the vaccine and 
how many got the placebo.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com
Pfizer phase-3 
› Pfizer phase-3 study enrolled 43,538 participants, with 42 percent having diverse 
backgrounds, and no serious safety concerns have been observed; Safety and additional 
efficacy data continues to be collected.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com
What next for Pfizer?
› Pfizer said it plans to ask the US FDA for emergency authorization of the two-dose vaccine 
later this month, after it has collected the recommended two-month safety data.
› Meanwhile, the clinical trial will continue through to final analysis at 164 confirmed cases in 
order to collect further data and characterize the vaccine candidate’s performance against 
other study endpoints.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com
What do the early results say?
› The company’s first interim efficacy analysis signals that the vaccine is able to demonstrate 
an effectiveness against Covid-19.
› The firm also said that analysis of the late-stage trial data showed that there were no serious 
safety concerns.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com
Does the vaccine will receive emergency 
approval in the US?
› It’s important to note that USA cannot apply for FDA Emergency Use Authorization based on 
these efficacy results alone. 
› More data on safety is also needed, and we are continuing to accumulate that safety data as 
part of our ongoing clinical study.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com
Will India get access to the Pfizer vaccine?
› The firms have so far inked deals for hundreds of millions of doses of the vaccine with 
countries like the US, UK, Japan and the European Union region.
› As per India’s regulatory requirements, a vaccine would have to undergo local trials in the 
country before it can receive an approval for a launch.
Source: www.moneycontrol.com