Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine works against UK and South Africa variants, firms say
- The two companies said early tests ‘do not indicate the need for a new vaccine to address the emerging variants’
- The statement comes after Moderna this week announced that lab studies suggest its vaccine should protect against the new variants
Several new variants – each with a cluster of genetic mutations – have sparked fears over an increase in infectiousness as well as suggestions that the virus could begin to elude immune response, whether from prior infection or a vaccine.
Pfizer/BioNTech, which had previously said it was unlikely that the strain originally found in Britain could escape vaccine protection, said on Thursday that early tests suggest their immunisation would be similarly protective against the variant in South Africa.
In a statement, the two companies said these preliminary findings “do not indicate the need for a new vaccine to address the emerging variants”.
They said they are “prepared to respond” if a new strain is shown to be able to evade the immunity of the vaccine, adding that they can produce updates to their jab if needed.
The statement comes after US biotech firm Moderna this week announced that lab studies suggest its vaccine should protect against the variants first found in the UK and South Africa.