The Pfizer / BioNTech alliance plans to apply "in the coming weeks" for authorization for a third dose of its Covid-19 vaccine, in the United States and Europe in particular, the companies announced in a press release on Thursday 8th. July.
This booster dose aims to provide enhanced immune protection to people already vaccinated with the first two doses.
"Pfizer and BioNTech have seen encouraging results from ongoing trials for a third dose of the current vaccine," they explained.
They "plan to submit this data to the FDA (American Medicines Agency), EMA (European Medicines Agency) and other regulatory authorities in the coming weeks."
"Preliminary study data show that a booster dose given 6 months after the second dose has a consistent safety profile, while eliciting high levels of neutralizing antibodies" against the virus, including against the Beta variant , appeared in South Africa.
These levels are "5 to 10 times higher" than those seen after the initial two doses.
The results of this study will be published in a scientific journal, said Pfizer / BioNTech.
Decline
The two companies also pointed out that their vaccine had shown good results in the laboratory against the Delta variant, and that a third dose would therefore be able to boost immunity against it as well.
Tests are underway to "confirm this hypothesis," they said.
"Even though protection against severe cases of the disease remains high for six months, a decline in its effectiveness against symptomatic cases over time and the emergence of variants is expected," the statement said.
"This is why we said, and we continue to believe that it is likely, based on all of the data we have at present, that a third dose may be needed between 6 and 12 months. after vaccination ", he added.
With AFP
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