Pfizer Says Its Coronavirus Vaccine Can Be Stored In Ordinary Freezers
Pfizer mentioned exams have proven that their coronavirus vaccine can stand hotter temperatures.
Frankfurt am Main, Germany:
Germany’s BioNTech and its US accomplice Pfizer on Friday mentioned exams have proven that their coronavirus vaccine can stand hotter temperatures than initially thought, doubtlessly simplifying the jab’s complicated cold-chain logistics.
The firms mentioned they’ve requested the US Food and Drug Administration to permit for the vaccine to be saved for as much as two weeks at minus 25 to minus 15 levels Celsius (minus 13 to 5 levels Fahrenheit), temperatures generally present in pharmaceutical freezers and fridges.
Under the present tips, the BioNTech/Pfizer jab must be saved at a frigid minus 80 to minus 60 C till 5 days earlier than use, a fragile course of that requires particular ultra-cold containers for transport and dry ice for storage.
“If approved, this new storage option would offer pharmacies and vaccination centres greater flexibility in how they manage their vaccine supply,” mentioned Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in an announcement.
The BioNTech/Pfizer jab, primarily based on novel mRNA know-how, was the primary vaccine in opposition to Covid-19 to be authorized within the West late final yr.
It was quickly adopted by US agency Moderna’s vaccine, which makes use of related know-how however can stay secure at minus 20 C for six months and at regular fridge temperature for as much as 30 days.
Another authorized shot, developed by AstraZeneca/Oxford, makes use of extra conventional vaccine strategies and will be saved and shipped at commonplace fridge temperatures.
BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin mentioned BioNTech and Pfizer had been persevering with to work on “new formulations that could make our vaccine even easier to transport and use”.
The corporations have additionally began testing their Covid-19 vaccine on wholesome pregnant girls.
The trial entails some 4,000 pregnant girls within the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mozambique, South Africa, Britain and Spain.
Those within the US have already acquired their first dose, BioNTech and Pfizer mentioned earlier this week.
Separately, a examine targeted on greater than 9,000 medical employees at Sheba hospital close to Tel Aviv confirmed that the primary dose of the Pfizer vaccination is 85 % efficient in opposition to coronavirus an infection between two and 4 weeks after inoculation.
