Bourla, CEO of American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, has begun work on creating a new vaccine for the new mutant virus, the Omicron strain, identified in South Africa, in case the current vaccine becomes less effective. After clarifying that, he said that he would be able to do it within 100 days.
Regarding the new mutant virus "Omicron strain" confirmed in South Africa, Pfizer CEO Bourla said in an interview on an American TV program on the 29th, "If the effect of the current vaccine is reduced, do not make a new vaccine "The work to make a new vaccine has already begun," he said. "It will be possible within 100 days."
On the other hand, "I made a new vaccine against the delta strain and beta strain of the mutant virus, but the current vaccine was also highly effective against these mutant viruses, so I did not need to use it. The only time to use a vaccine is when it turns out that the current vaccine is ineffective against the Omicron strain, "he said, adding that it is not yet known if a new vaccine will be needed.
Bourla said of the drink-type antiviral drug under development, "I am confident that the effect will not change because it is not a drug that works against spike proteins with mutations in the virus." He expressed the idea that it would not affect development.