Pfizer and BioNTech announced Monday morning that one of its vaccine candidates has a more than 90% effectiveness in preventing COVID-19.
"Today is a great day for science and humanity," said Pfizer CEO Alberta Bourla. "The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19."
An independent data monitoring committee analyzed the early data and found that the contrast in caseloads between participants who were given the vaccine and those who were given a placebo "indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90%, at 7 days after the second dose," according to the press release.
"This means that protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccination, which consists of a 2-dose schedule," the release added. "As the study continues, the final vaccine efficacy percentage may vary. The DMC has not reported any serious safety concerns and recommends that the study continue to collect additional safety and efficacy data as planned. The data will be discussed with regulatory authorities worldwide."
