The trials have “demonstrated 100 percent efficacy and robust antibody responses”
BioNTech-Pfizer has announced that their Covid-19 vaccine has shown 100 per cent efficacy against the virus in 12 to 15-year olds. The news is a huge step in getting the vaccine approved for use in adolescents.
US trials carried out on 2,260 participants in the age group “demonstrated 100 per cent efficacy and robust antibody responses,” results that exceeded those of trials carried out on 16-25 year olds. The company will now be submitting the data to the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency to get the vaccine approved for use on adolescents.
The results from the trial saw 18 cases of Covid in the group that were given the placebo, compared to zero infections in the vaccinated group. The administration of the vaccine was also well-tolerated amongst participants, with the side-effects reported “generally consistent with those observed in participants 16 to 25 years of age.”
In a statement, the CEO and co-founder of BioNTech Ugur Sahin said: “Across the globe, we are longing for a normal life. This is especially true for our children.
“The initial results we have seen in the adolescent studies suggest that children are particularly well protected by vaccination, which is very encouraging given the trends we have seen in recent weeks regarding the spread of the B.1.1.7 UK variant.
“It is very important to enable them to get back to everyday school life and to meet friends and family while protecting them and their loved ones.”
Topline data from 2,260 adolescents demonstrated high antibody responses and 100% efficacy against #COVID19, and that the vaccine was well-tolerated. https://t.co/UsTd4d0mtg pic.twitter.com/hodMDoNBeX
— Pfizer Inc. (@pfizer) March 31, 2021
The vaccine maker is also currently carrying out trials of their vaccine on younger age groups, and provided an update on these studies, stating that the “5 to 11 year-old cohort started dosing last week and the companies plan to initiate the 2 to 5 year-old cohort next week.”
