Coronavirus: Pfizer and BioNtech to seek emergency US approval ‘within days’ after better-than-expected test results

Name: Moderna Covid-19 vaccine nearly 95 per cent effective in second promising trial for US drug makers
Uploaded: 2020-11-18T12:55:03.000Z
Duration: 2 min 23 s
Description: Moderna Covid-19 vaccine nearly 95 per cent effective in second promising trial for US drug makers

The two companies say it proved 95 per cent effective in final clinical trials and worked just as well for over-65s

A drug using similar technology from Moderna has also achieved similar results, raising hopes that vaccines will soon be available for use

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The interim trial results last week raised hopes the vaccine would prove effective. Photo: Reuters

Josephine MaandSarah Zheng

Published: 8:55pm, 18 Nov 2020Updated: 11:19am, 10 Dec 2020

Pfizer and BioNtech announced on Wednesday that their Covid-19 vaccine had achieved 95 per cent efficacy in its final clinical trials.

The two companies said there was sufficient data to meet the requirements of the US drug regulator and they would submit an application for emergency use authorisation “within days”.

Last week the two companies said interim results from the phase three trials showed that its efficacy level was above 90 per cent, which scientists said was above expectations.

Another US company using similar genetic technology, Moderna, also announced on Tuesday that its vaccine has an efficacy level of 94.5 per cent, raising hopes that other vaccines would also prove effective.

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Moderna Covid-19 vaccine nearly 95 per cent effective in second promising trial for US drug makers

A Russian vaccine, Sputnik V vaccine has reported a 92 efficacy rate, but scientists say it is based on just 20 Covid-19 cases in trials – a number too small to reach any firm conclusion.