The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the best-selling pharmaceuticals, leading to shifts in the list with Pfizer and BioNTech’s Comirnaty surpassing AbbVie’s Humira for the No. 1 spot in 2021. That momentum continued in 2022, with Pfizer and BioNTech jointly raking in $59.1 billion in revenue from the sales of the COVID-19…
Pfizer and BioNTech secure FDA nod for omicron-adapted COVID-19 booster for kids under 5
COVID-19 vaccine developers Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and its partner BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) have won emergency use authorization (EUA) for a single booster dose of their omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 booster for kids between 6 months and 4 years of age. The booster can be administered at least two months after completing the primary vaccination series with three…
Can BioNTech’s BNT165b1 malaria vaccine stand up to Oxford’s R21?
The mRNA vaccine company BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) has begun a Phase 1 study of BNT165b1, a multi-antigen malaria vaccine candidate that belongs to its BNT165 malaria program. Researchers at Oxford University are farther along with their R21/Matrix-M vaccine. A recently completed Phase 3 trial focused on R21. It could win licensure in 2023. In a Phase…
BioNTech to partner with Polish STING agonist firm Ryvu Therapeutics
The mRNA-focused biotech BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) has partnered with Ryvu Therapeutics (Warsaw Stock Exchange:RVU), which specializes in novel small molecule therapies for emerging oncology targets. In the deal, Mainz, Germany–based BioNTech will have an exclusive global license to commercialize Ryvu’s stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist portfolio. The companies will also partner to develop small molecule…
FDA clears Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent COVID-19 boosters in children
The FDA has amended emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters from Moderna (Nasdaq:MRNA) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) to allow their use in children at least five years old. FDA authorized a single dose of either bivalent vaccine in younger age groups at least two months after completion of primary or booster vaccination.…
Moderna says Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine infringed its patents
Moderna (Nasdaq:MRNA) announced today that it is suing Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and its COVID-19 vaccine partner BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) over patent infringement in U.S. and German courts. Cambridge, Massachusetts–based Moderna said it is in the process of filing the complaints in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and the Regional Court of Düsseldorf in Germany. The suits could…
Pfizer and BioNTech seek U.S. authorization for omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech (Nasdaq:BNTX) have filed paperwork with the FDA requesting Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for an updated COVID-19 vaccine booster. Specifically, the request relates to an omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. In late June, FDA recommended including an omicron BA.4/5 component for COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Last week, the UK approved Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine…
Next-gen Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidates fare well in Phase 2/3 study
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) have released positive data regarding two omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine candidates. One is monovalent, and the other is bivalent, combining the companies’ original BNT162b5 COVID-19 vaccine with mRNA based on the BA.1 omicron variant. A Phase 2/3 study found that a booster dose of the next-gen Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine candidates led…
Fall 2022 COVID-19 vaccine candidate tracker
Approximately two-thirds of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But COVID-19 cases remain elevated following the spread of a series of omicron sublineages, which pose a threat to those vaccinated and naturally infected with various lineages of the coronavirus. A variety of companies are developing next-generation COVID-19 vaccines that could potentially…
Pfizer and BioNTech complete European submission for omicron-adapted COVID vaccine
Pfizer and BioNTech today announced they submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for an omicron-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine candidate based on the BA.1 sub-lineage. The application follows guidance from the EMA and International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) to develop an omicron-adapted bivalent vaccine candidate to address the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Pfizer recently…
CureVac files lawsuit against BioNTech over patent infringement
The mRNA-focused biopharma CureVac N.V. (Nasdaq:CVAC) has filed a lawsuit in the German Regional Court in Düsseldorf against BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) demanding compensation for infringement of CureVac’s patents. In particular, the lawsuit claims that the four German patents, EP 1 857 122 B1, DE 20 2015 009 961 U1, DE 20 2021 003 575 U1…
FDA backs COVID-19 boosters with BA.4/5 spike proteins for fall
The first-generation COVID-19 vaccines remain potent tools in protecting against severe COVID-19, but their effectiveness in protecting against infections from SARS-CoV-2 has slipped as the virus evolves. While boosters improve protection, their effectiveness wanes over time. FDA today followed the lead of its independent Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) in backing the…
Pfizer and BioNTech forge new COVID-19 vaccine deal with U.S. government
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and its partner BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) profited handsomely from COVID-19 vaccine sales in 2021. The firms raked in more than $59 billion in combined sales of the Comirnaty vaccine. The two companies have now announced a new vaccine supply agreement with the U.S. government worth $3.2 billion. Under the terms of the…
Sanofi-GSK COVID-19 vaccine effective against omicron
GSK plc (LSE/NYSE:GSK) and Sanofi (EPA:SAN) have announced that their adjuvanted bivalent vaccine candidate had 72% efficacy against omicron in adults in stage 2 of a Phase 3 study. For those with SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity, the vaccine was 93.2% effective against omicron. The vaccine is based on the original D614 virus and the beta (B.1.351) strain.…
EMA begins rolling review of Moderna’s and Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 vaccines
European Medicines Agency (EMA) has begun a rolling review for updated versions of Moderna’s and Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccines modified to optimize protection against newer variants of SARS-CoV-2. Earlier this month, Moderna (Nasdaq:MRNA) announced that its Omicron-containing bivalent COVID-19 booster candidate, mRNA-1273.21, provided an antibody response that was statistically superior to the original version of the vaccine,…
FDA authorizes Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines in young children
Until recently, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was available for all individuals 5 years of age and older, while the Moderna vaccine was authorized for individuals at least 18. Now, the FDA has authorized the use of both vaccines in children from 6 months to four years old. In addition, the agency also agreed to allow…
FDA advisors unanimously back Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in young children
An FDA panel voted 21 to 0 to authorize the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years of age. Children under the age of 5 constitute the only age group that has not been eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. “I know there are a lot…
FDA concludes Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine likely safe and effective in kids under 5
In the U.S., COVID-19 vaccines are widely available to all age groups apart from children under the age of five. However, that could change this month now that FDA has signaled that three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech (NYSE:PFE/Nasdaq BNTX) COVID-19 vaccine are likely effective against COVID-19 in an analysis ahead of a June 15 Vaccines…
FDA allows booster dose Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster had been previously limited in the U.S. to individuals at least 12 years old, but now children as young as 5 are eligible, thanks to an expanded emergency use authorization related to the vaccine. The agency agreed to expand the vaccine’s use in children to “provide continued protection against COVID-19,” said…
FDA signals careful approach in mulling COVID-19 vaccine authorization in young children
FDA is planning a series of virtual meetings of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) throughout June. In the meetings, the advisory committee will discuss authorizing the COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax (Nasdaq:NVAX) and authorizing the use of the vaccines from Moderna (Nasdaq: MRNA) and Pfizer-BioNTech (NYSE:PFE; Nasdaq:BNTX) in children aged 6 months…
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster spurs strong immune response in kids 5–11
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) have shared positive data from a Phase 2/3 clinical study testing a third 10-µg dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in healthy children aged 5 through 11. The most recent data show that a booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine led to increased neutralizing titers for the omicron variant…
BioNTech and Matinas BioPharma forge mRNA-based research alliance
BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) will partner with Matinas BioPharma (NYSE AMER:MTNB) to develop mRNA formats that use Matinas’ proprietary lipid nanocrystal (LNC) platform technology that could enable oral delivery. The two companies will partner on formulation, optimization and in vitro testing. BioNTech CEO Dr. Ugur Sahin said that the partnership could lead to the development of…
BioNTech 2021 revenue surges 39x year over year
The mRNA vaccine pioneer (Nasdaq:BNTX) announced fourth-quarter revenue of €5.5 billion and €19.0 billion in revenue for 2021. Sales of the BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine, developed jointly with Pfizer, fueled the revenue growth. Net revenues of the vaccine between Pfizer and BioNTech surpassed $59 billion. In 2020, BioNTech’s revenues were €482.3 million. “Looking back, 2021 was…
Pfizer and BioNTech seeking FDA authorization of fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose for older adults
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) have filed an application to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for an additional COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in adults 65 years of age and older. The two companies submitted two real-world data sets from Israel while the omicron variant was widespread. Pfizer notes that an additional dose…
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine moderately effective against omicron in children
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine lowered the incidence of omicron-based SARS-CoV-2 infection by 31% in children aged 5 to 15 in a recent study. The vaccine was more effective in children between the ages of 12 and 15, lowering the risk of omicron infection by 59%, according to the study from CDC and Abt Associates. Participants…