Pfizer, BioNTech release positive early data on vaccine candidate against COVID-19

US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and German company BioNTech have released additional Phase 1 safety and immunogenicity data from their ongoing study of their vaccine candidate against COVID-19.

According to a release of the companies on Thursday, in a Phase 1 study conducted in the United States, at seven days after a second dose of 30 mcg, the vaccine BNT162b2 elicited SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing geometric mean titers (GMTs) in younger adults aged between 18 and 55, that were 3.8 times the GMT of a panel of 38 sera of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent patients.

In older adults aged between 65 and 85, the vaccine candidate elicited a neutralizing GMT 1.6 times the GMT of the same panel, demonstrating strong immunogenicity in younger and older adults.

Across all populations, BNT162b2 administration was well tolerated with mild to moderate fever in fewer than 20 percent of the participants, according to the results.

"We are especially pleased to offer these early data showing our vaccine candidate's promising safety and immunogenicity profile from the US trial and we look forward to sharing T cell immune response data from the German trial in the near future," said Kathrin U. Jansen, Pfizer senior vice president and head of vaccine research and development.