Pfizer and BioNTech To Initiate COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trials In April

The two companies announced more details about their COVID-19 vaccine development plan, including a $185m upfront payment and $113m equity investment from Pfizer.

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE are moving forward with the development of a mRNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19, with plans to initiate human testing by the end of April. The companies aim to advance multiple candidates into human trials in the US and Europe, they announced on 9 April. The companies also revealed more details of the financial terms of the collaboration, which includes a $185m upfront payment from Pfizer to BioNTech as well as a $113m equity investment. BioNTech will be eligible to receive future milestone payments of up to $563m.

Pfizer revealed in March that it was extending a collaboration with the messenger RNA specialist BioNTech to include an investigational...

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