Paris, Nov 9 (UNI) The Novel Coronavirus vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech has been found to be 90 per cent effective in preventing people from getting the virus, the pharmaceutical major said on Monday.

'The vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis,' Pfizer chairman and chief executive Dr Albert Bourla said.

He asserted that the results demonstrate that mRNA-based vaccine can help prevent COVID-19 in the majority of people who receive it. 'This means we are one step closer to potentially providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough, to help bring an end to this global pandemic,' he said.

However, the company cannot yet apply for FDA Emergency Use Authorisation, based on these efficacy results alone.

'We estimate that a median of two months of safety data following the second and final dose of the vaccine candidate - required by the FDA's guidance for potential Emergency Use Authorization – will be available by the third week of November,' Dr Bourla said.

Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine is one of many being developed around the world in the race to end the global pandemic.

UNI JAL RJ 1832