Looking to expand its mRNA franchise, Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced a pact with Acuitas, which specializes in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation technology. The deal allows Pfizer to license Acuitas’ LNP technology in up to 10 targets for vaccine or therapeutic development. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech currently use Acuitas’ LNP in their Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer…
Israeli researchers release data on fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine
Early data from Israel’s Sheba Medical Center showed that an additional booster of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech (NSDQ:BNTX) led to a fivefold increase in antibodies one week after receipt of the vaccine. Pfizer had earlier announced that a third dose of the vaccine increased antibody levels 25-fold compared to a two-dose primary…
CDC’s ACIP deprioritizes Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine
CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 15 to 0 to prioritize the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines over Johnson & Johnson’s. One of the main reasons for the recommendation is a rare side effect associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that results in low blood clots and blood-platelet levels. CDC officials revealed…
California and Colorado to allow COVID-19 boosters for all adults
COVID-19 vaccine booster eligibility has gradually expanded, but a significant portion of adults don’t meet the current criteria set forth by FDA and CDC. California and Colorado have decided to sidestep the federal government by making all fully vaccinated adults in those states eligible for a booster. California will require that six months have elapsed…
White House says nearly one million younger children have received COVID-19 vaccines
In a White House COVID-19 Response Team press briefing today, government officials said that 900,000 children between the ages of 5 and 11 will have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by the end of the day. The federal government authorized shots for that demographic last week. Jeffrey Zients, counselor to the President, estimated that…
Pfizer projects $36 billion in COVID-19 vaccine revenue in 2021
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and its partner BioNTech (NSDQ:BNTX) continue to dominate the COVID-19 vaccine market. In 2021, Pfizer anticipates that the Comirnaty (BNT162b2) vaccine will generate $36 billion in sales. For the sake of comparison, the company’s overall 2020 revenue was $41.9 billion. The vaccine was the single biggest driver of revenue for the company in…
CDC authorizes fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose for some immunocompromised patients
As a growing number of Americans become eligible for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccines, CDC continues to expand its booster guidelines. The agency has amended its criteria for moderately to severely immunocompromised people to allow a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine six months after receiving the third dose. The criteria pertain to immunocompromised individuals…
Novartis to continue manufacturing Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine
Novartis (NYSE:NVS) has announced that it has reached an agreement with BioNTech (NSDQ:BNTX) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) to produce their popular COVID-19 BNT162b2 vaccine. The companies reached a new production agreement that will leave Novartis responsible for fill-and-finish operations related to the mRNA-based vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech. Under the agreement, Novartis will produce at least…
EU committee backs Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster doses
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech SE (NSDQ: BNTX) have received a positive opinion from the E.U.’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for the use of a Comirnaty booster dose in individuals at least 18 years of age at least six months after the second dose. The European Commission (EC) will likely make a formal decision on…
CDC director recommends boosters for more Americans
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky issued guidelines for COVID-19 boosters, clearing the way for tens of millions of U.S. citizens to obtain a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. While FDA and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) reached broadly similar conclusions regarding booster doses for seniors and high-risk individuals, Walensky went…