Covid Vaccine 100% Effective On 12-15-Year-Olds: BioNTech-Pfizer

Coimbatore: BioNTech-Pfizer has announced today that their coronavirus vaccine had 100 percent efficacy against COVID-19 in 12 to 15-year-olds. The phase 3 trials carried out on 2,260 adolescents in the United States "demonstrated 100 per cent efficacy and robust antibody responses," said the companies in their statement.

"We plan to submit these data to (US regulator) FDA as a proposed amendment to our Emergency Use Authorisation 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," said Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla.

Chief executive of German company BioNTech said the results showing high protection for teens were "very encouraging given the trends we have seen in recent weeks regarding the spread of the B.1.1.7 UK variant."

The BioNTech/Pfizer shot is based on novel mRNA technology and was the first Covid-19 vaccine to be approved late last year. Both the United States and the European Union have approved its use for people aged 16 and above. It has been used in millions of adults in more than 65 countries. A study involving 1.2 million people in Israel found it to be 94 per cent effective.

BioNTech said it was on track to manufacture 2.5 billion doses of its vaccine this year. The vaccine is also being produced at a Pfizer plant in Belgium and at three sites in the United States.

With the recent launch of a new production site in the German city of Marburg, higher output is happening at the world's largest mRNA vaccine manufacturing plant. The production number has increased with BioNTech having improved efficiency and new cooperation agreements with outside partners and the regulatory nod allowing vaccinators to extract six instead of just five doses from a single BioNTech/Pfizer vial.

BioNTech and Pfizer began studies last week with the first group of five-to-11-year-olds. Two-to-five-year-olds are expected to get their first dose next week in the study which will also cover children as young as six months old.