Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla
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Pfizer and BioNTech CEOs increased their Covid-19 vaccine production target to 2 billion doses in 2021, up from 1.3 billion doses. The vaccine, which uses mRNA technology, was the first to be authorized in the United States.
“It was very challenging to be able to reach that level,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, crediting a range of in-house teams, third-party partners. party, new equipment and processes. “It’s just as difficult to increase production at that level as quickly as it was to develop the vaccine. ”
As manufacturers build capacity, the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines in the U.S. has begun to rock solid, with reports of vaccines sitting in freezers or being thrown out due to restricted rules on who which can receive remaining doses. The CDC reports that nearly 9 million people have received Covid-19 vaccines in the United States since Monday, while more than 25.4 million doses have been dispensed.
As of now, only the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are authorized for use in the United States, and the companies have agreements with the federal government through Operation Warp Speed to deliver every 200 million doses. Everyone needs to receive two doses about three weeks apart. The Trump Administration is expected to issue guidelines that all Americans ages 65 and older receive the vaccine and do not withhold a second dose to accelerate the spread, according to Axios.
Another emerging issue is the presence of Covid-19 variants that appear to be more potent than existing strains, raising questions about the effectiveness of vaccines. to oppose them. Some preliminary research released by Pfizer on Friday suggests that the two companies’ vaccines are effective against the UK’s B.1.1.7 strain, but work is still ongoing.
“We will monitor these strains and assess whether our vaccine remains effective against these strains,” BioNTech CEO Uğur Şahin said at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday. Şahin said if a new strain comes out that the vaccine is not effective, the company will be able to relaunch a new vaccine in 6 weeks. “This is one of the key benefits of messenger RNA technology,” he said.
Both companies also highlight the flexibility of the mRNA platform in accepting a number of diseases, not just Covid-19. “MRNA can completely block the flu market, as it can do things in weeks instead of months,” Bourla said, adding that the company had been working on a flu claim. for nearly three years.
When asked about the price of their companies’ mRNA vaccines, which average up to $ 19.50 per dose based on its federal contract, Bourla said Pfizer, and other Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers, have “their vaccines its prices well below its value to society. ”The company will continue to monitor“ how things grow ”to continue the Covid-19 industry after the pandemic begins to subside and reach more normal levels.