Pfizer to commence pilot delivery programme for COVID-19 vaccine in the US

Pfizer has launched a pilot delivery programme for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in four US states, as the company seeks to address distribution challenges due to ultra-cold storage requirements.

Pfizer’s vaccine, which was shown to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing COVID-19 based on initial data, must be shipped and stored at -70 degrees Celsius (minus 94°F), significantly below the standard for vaccines of 2-8 degrees Celsius (36-46°F).

“We are hopeful that results from this vaccine delivery pilot will serve as the model for other U.S. states and international governments, as they prepare to implement effective COVID-19 vaccine programs,” Pfizer said in a statement.

It picked Rhode Island, Texas, New Mexico, and Tennessee for the program after taking into account their differences in overall size, diversity of populations, immunisation infrastructure, and need to reach individuals in varied urban and rural settings.

The four states will not receive vaccine doses earlier than other states by virtue of the pilot, nor will they receive any differential consideration, Pfizer said.

The company expects to have enough safety data on the vaccine from the ongoing large scale late-stage trials by the third week of November before proceeding to apply for emergency use authorization (EUA).

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech have a $1.95 billion deal to supply 100 million doses of the vaccine to the US government, which has an option to acquire up to an additional 500 million doses.