COVID-19 vaccine repeat shots better strategy against new variants, says BioNTech
Synopsis
It said that offering a third dose of its established two-shot vaccine remained the best response to concerns over fading immune protection in the wake of the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant.
In a statement, the German company BioNTech has said that repeat shots of the COVID-19 vaccine were a better strategy than tailoring the product with Pfizer to tackle new variants. It said that offering a third dose of its established two-shot vaccine remained the best response to concerns over fading immune protection in the wake of the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant. The company further said that more than one billion supply tally as of July 21 was up from 700 million-plus doses.
BioNTech said its second-quarter earnings are based on delivery contracts. It expects to receive 15.9 billion euros in revenue from the vaccine this year, including sales, milestone payments, and a share of gross profit.
Last month, Pfizer raised its forecast for its share of 2021 vaccine sales to $33.5 billion and said with time, it believes people would need a third dose of the vaccine.
Ugur Sahin, BioNTech Chief Executive, said that work was ongoing to adjust the vaccine to variants. He said that the decision made right now might be incorrect in three or six months if another variant is dominating.
In early June, both BioNTech and Pfizer sought authorization for a third dose from the United States health regulators. However, it drew rejection as they said there was insufficient data to prove the booster shots are required. Meanwhile, Germany and France said they would roll out a third dose for the citizens next month.