By
Tolu Ajiboye
December 13th, 2023
Following the positive news, Pfizer and BioNTech shares managed to jump 5% and 2.2% accordingly on Wednesday. PFE closed with a 3% rise while BTNX lost 4%.
COVID-19 vaccine race is in full swing, with biotech companies fighting for the status of a global hero. Recently, positive news about coronavirus vaccine progress has come from Pfizer Inc (NASDAQ: PFE) and BioNTech SE (NASDAQ: BNTX). Their vaccine candidate has demonstrated positive results in the early-stage human trial, which allows us to believe that we are a step closer to get the victory over the virus.
Coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by American Pfizer and German BioNTech is BNT162b1. It constitutes a so-called RNA vaccine. As the companies explained, the innocuous genetic information of the SARS-CoV-2 virus transfers into human cells with the help of lipid nanoparticles, a non-viral gene delivery system. The cells then transform this genetic information into a protein that stimulates immune reaction to the virus.
Early-Stage Pfizer and BioNTech Coronavirus Vaccine Trial Has Shown
The early-stage human trial of BNT162b1 involved 45 participants aged between 18 and 55 years. They received 10, 30, or 100 microgram doses of the vaccine or a placebo. Two vaccine dosages on 24 healthy volunteers taken with a 28-day interval led to developing higher levels of COVID-19 antibodies than typically seen in infected people. In particular, their levels were 1.8 to 2.8 times higher in trial participants than in СOVID-19 patients who managed to recover.
Ugur Sahin, M.D., BioNTech CEO, said:
“These first trial results show that the vaccine yields immune activity and causes a strong immune response. These preliminary data are encouraging in that they provide an initial signal that BNT162b1 targeting the RBD SARS-CoV-2 is able to produce neutralizing antibody responses in humans at or above the levels observed in convalescent sera – and that it does so at relatively low dose levels.”
Meanwhile, BNT162b1 is not the only coronavirus vaccine candidate Pfizer and BioNTech are gauging. They are evaluating at least four vaccines at various doses. But as of now, BNT162b1 is the most promising one. Therefore, its further trial may start as early as this month and involve 30,000 patients.
Kathrin U. Jansen, Ph.D., the senior VP of Pfizer’s Vaccine Research & Development unit, said:
“We are encouraged by the clinical data of BNT162b1, one of four mRNA constructs we are evaluating clinically, and for which we have positive, preliminary, top-line findings. We are dedicated to develop potentially groundbreaking vaccines and medicines, and in the face of this global health crisis, we approach this goal with the utmost urgency.”
PFE and BNTX Stocks’ Response
Following the positive news, Pfizer and BioNTech shares jumped 5% and 2.2% accordingly on Wednesday. PFE stock closed 3.18% up, at $33.74, and rose by 0.68% to $33.97 after-hours. Its market cap is $181.64 billion, year-to-date performance is negative 13.88%.
As for BioNTech, its stock was rising during the session but then got 3.90% down to $64.14 at the close. After hours, it jumped by 2.65% to $65.84. BioNTech market cap is $15.26 billion, year-to-date change is as much as 89.32%.