Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Neutralizes Key SARS-CoV-2 Variants, Study Shows
Pfizer and BioNTech announced that their COVID-19 vaccine elicits antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, including key mutations found in the U.K. and South African variants, according to new in vitro study data.
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE have published data from in vitro studies in Nature Medicine demonstrating their COVID-19 vaccine generates antibodies capable of neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The findings specifically address the virus's ability to be neutralized despite key mutations present in the variants identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
The studies, conducted in collaboration with the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), assessed the vaccine's effectiveness against these mutated virus strains in a laboratory setting. Preliminary findings from this research were initially made available on the preprint server bioRxiv in late January 2021.
This publication in Nature Medicine follows the companies' ongoing commitment to transparency and sharing scientific data related to their vaccine's performance. The research aims to provide further insight into the vaccine's potential efficacy in the face of evolving virus mutations, a critical aspect of ongoing pandemic response efforts.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use in several regions, including the United States, Europe, the U.K., and Canada. The vaccine utilizes BioNTech's messenger RNA (mRNA) technology and was co-developed by both companies.