Germany approves human trials of potential vaccine by Pfizer, BioNTech

Germany on April 22 approved human clinical trials of a possible coronavirus vaccine by Pfizer and BioNTech SE, as per a report by Bloomberg.

The companies are awaiting testing approval from the US as well, which is expected shortly. BioNTech is also looking to partner with Fosun Pharma to test its vaccine programme in China. It did not however specify a timeline for when the vaccine may be available.

In the first stage, the approval is for testing on 200 healthy people between 18 to 55 years of age. In the second stage high-risk candidates will be added to the pool, it added.

Addressing reporters, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said it was a “good sign” that vaccines in Germany is at a stage of human trials. He however also cautioned that it will take months before any vaccine is fully tested and be made available for all.

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This is Germany’s first human trial for a coronavirus vaccine as it joins global efforts to crack the deadly virus. The United States and China have begun drug and vaccine tests in humans and a potential vaccine developed by Oxford University researchers is also set to gain UK government approval for human trails, it added.