At the end of November, the American FDA will launch the use of the Pfizer Bion Tech vaccine, the first vaccine that has completed human trials. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla talks about 90 percent effectiveness, far exceeding the minimum threshold of 50 percent set by the WHO.
The rations of the announcement have given some faint hope to those on the front line to fight a virus that has severely tested health facilities around the world and given a coup de grace to the economy already in crisis even before of the pandemic.
Now the official publication of the data is expected to be evaluated by the regulatory authorities of the various American states before the marketing of the Pfizer Bion Tech vaccine.
The Republic reports that the European Medicines Agency will take more time in this regard, until January. The crux is that it is not yet clear whether the vaccine eradicates the virus or protects against the symptoms of the infection.
If the immunity offered by the vaccine protected from symptoms but not from infection, the vaccinated could not get sick but harbor the virus in the body and pass it on to the unvaccinated. In other words, we should continue to wear masks and respect social distancing.
At the news not yet proven with scientific data, stock exchanges around the world reacted with exciting leaps forward. The American Dow Jones index recorded + 3,6%, the price of oil rose 8% and the stocks related to air flights took off.
On the supply side, the European Commission has already negotiated an agreement with the American Pfizer and the German BionTech which provides for the purchase of 200-300 million doses.
Manufacturers estimate that they can deliver 50 million doses to the world by 2020 and 1,3 billion by 2021, at an approximate price of $ 20 per dose. The vaccine will need a booster after one month and will be indicated between 16 and 85 years. There is only one doubt among scientists, that is, whether it will be as effective in the elderly as the young.
Pfizer and BionTech administered the vaccine to 44 volunteers in Europe, the US and South America. After the administration only 94 volunteer volunteers became infected.
But the race between the different vaccines has just begun, three other vaccines are nearing the end of the tests: AstraZeneca with Oxford, the American biotech Modern and Johnson & Johnson.
Pfizer and BionTech, writes Repubblica, use the pioneering method of messenger RNA. It consists in inoculating a fragment of artificial Rna into the body. Entered our cells, this synthetic gene orders them to produce the spike protein, the crown tip of the coronavirus, which is capable of stimulating the immune system and generating a memory. How long this memory is, however, remains to be demonstrated. Pfizer hopes it will reach at least one year. If it were lower, the game of immunizing the whole of humanity in order to have to start over immediately would make the vaccine invalid.
Another no less important unknown concerns the ability to produce and distribute a vaccine that it should be kept at minus 80 degrees until administration. Will there be refrigerators fit for purpose and needed all over the world?