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The World Celebrates Pfizer's 90% COVID-19 Vaccine Efficacy Data, With Cautious Caveats

 
• By Jessica Merrill

Pfizer's vaccine for COVID-19 outpaced expectations on efficacy, driving a stock market rally and garnering reaction from Vice President Pence and President-elect Biden.

Hands clapping, applause
Positive COVID-19 vaccine data was applauded by investors and the public • Source: Shutterstock

Pfizer Inc. delivered the news the world was waiting for on 9 November, announcing its vaccine for COVID-19, developed with BioNTech SE, had a 90% efficacy rate in an interim analysis of an ongoing Phase III trial. The next step is waiting for the safety data, which could come next week and will inform a decision about regulatory filing.

At 90%, the initial efficacy rate is much higher than the 50% threshold the US Food and Drug Administration has set and surpassed the expectations of investors and the public. (Also see "COVID-19 Vaccine Should Demonstrate At Least 50% Effectiveness, US FDA Says" - Pink Sheet, 1 July, 2020.) The results, coming two days after the US Presidential election was called, helped to drive a stock market rally and garnered reaction from the Trump administration and President-elect Joe Biden

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