An Ambitious COVID-19 Vaccine Development Plan For Pfizer And BioNtech

Pfizer said it is dosing patients now with an mRNA-based vaccine and expects human data in May/June, with a goal to have a vaccine available for emergency use possibly by October.

Doctor giving patient vaccine, flu or influenza shot or taking blood test with needle. Nurse with injection or syringe. Medicine, insulin or vaccination. Hospital office room.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is in human testing • Source: Shutterstock

Pfizer Inc. laid out an ambitious timeline to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to patients as early as the fall, potentially with an emergency use authorization. Worldwide R&D President Mikael Dolsten outlined the plan during the company's first quarter sales and earnings call on 28 April.

The company is developing a messenger RNA-based vaccine with BioNTech under a collaboration expanded in April to include an investigational COVID-19 vaccine. The two companies have already been partnered on...

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