BioNTech CEO confident vaccine will work on UK variant
The co-founder of BioNTech said Tuesday it was "highly likely" that its vaccine against the coronavirus works against the mutated strain detected in Britain, but it could also adapt the vaccine if necessary in six weeks. "Scientifically, it is highly likely that the immune response by this vaccine also can deal with the new virus variant," said Uğur Şahin.
- World
- AP
- Published Date: 12:25 | 22 December 2020
- Modified Date: 12:32 | 22 December 2020
The chief executive of BioNTech says the German pharmaceutical company is confident that its coronavirus vaccine works against the UK variant, but further studies are needed to be completely sure.
Uğur Şahin said Tuesday that "we don't know at the moment if our vaccine is also able to provide protection against this new variant," but because the proteins on the variant are 99% the same as the prevailing strains, BioNTech has "scientific confidence" in the vaccine.
Şahin said BioNTech is currently conducting further studies and hopes to have certainty within the coming weeks.
"The likelihood that our vaccine works ... is relatively high," he said.
BioNTech's vaccine, developed together with U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer, is authorized for use in more than 45 countries including Britain, the United States and the European Union.