Pfizer and BioNTech have their own offerings for hundreds of millions of snapshots.
The first two Covid-19 vaccines out of the gate have now delivered positive news in the quest to end the pandemic. Encouraging test results from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. have set the bar high for rivals such as AstraZeneca Plc who are expected to follow soon with their own pivotal reports.
The data will likely increase confidence that more vaccines will work and that the world may soon find a way to bring the coronavirus under control. Here’s what we know about the two planes.
How do the results compare?
Moderna said on Monday his vaccine was 94.5% effective in a preliminary analysis. This compares favorably with the high level reached a week earlier by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech SE. The cliché created by American and German companies has proven to be over 90% effective. Data from Moderna showed that side effects were generally short-lived and there were no significant safety concerns, while no severe cases of Covid developed among trial participants who received the vaccine. U.S. regulators earlier this year issued guidelines that any shot should be at least 50 percent effective.
What do the two vaccines have in common?
Both injections are based on a technology called messenger RNA that has never been used before to develop an approved vaccine. The approach is designed to turn the body’s own cells into vaccine factories. Vaccines instruct cells to make copies of the coronavirus spike protein, stimulating the creation of protective antibodies.
How are they different?
Moderna received $ 955 million from the US Operation Warp Speed program. Pfizer said it had not received any federal funding to develop its vaccine, although BioNTech received up to 375 million euros ($ 444 million) in aid from the German government. Still, Pfizer has struck a supply deal with the United States worth nearly $ 2 billion. The United States has agreed to pay up to $ 1.53 billion to purchase the supply of the Moderna gun.
What are the challenges of storage and distribution?
Once vaccines are approved, the effort to immunize hundreds of millions of people will have to overcome a series of other obstacles. The storage and distribution of some products is complex. Pfizer vaccine should be stored very cold for up to a few days before use, but it can be stored at refrigerator temperature for up to five days. Moderna, meanwhile, pointed to new data showing that his vaccine is stable at refrigerator temperature for 30 days, much longer than the previously estimated seven days. It can be stored in freezers longer term and does not need the special facilities required for Pfizer vaccine.
Where will the vaccines go first?
Global vaccine demand is initially expected to far outstrip supplies despite major efforts to ramp up production ahead of time. Moderna has already made deals to deliver 100 million doses to the United States and 80 million to the European Union, among others. The UK said on Monday it was in negotiations with the company but no dose would be available in the country until next spring, at the earliest. Pfizer and BioNTech have their own offerings for hundreds of millions of snapshots.
When could they be ready to be deployed?
The results are preliminary, but Moderna and Pfizer are expected to seek emergency use authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration if further examination shows their vaccines to be safe. Moderna has said he may seek clearance from regulators in the coming weeks. Pfizer expects to get two months of safety tracking data in the third week of November. If all goes well, Pfizer could seek clearance in the United States this month.
What are the big questions that remain?
There are a number of hurdles that would need to be overcome in order to immunize hundreds of millions of people. It’s still unclear how long the protection against potential vaccines will last, and how many people would refuse to roll up their sleeves once a shot is actually deployed. Health advocates fear that growing doubts about Covid vaccines could hamper the rollout. The ramp-up of production and distribution of doses also poses challenges.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
