Positive results for Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in 12-15 year olds

Pfizer and BioNTech have revealed positive top-line data for their COVID-19 vaccine – BNT162b2 – in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years old.

The vaccine demonstrated 100% efficacy in a Phase III trial in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years old, with or without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

BNT162b2 also produced ‘robust’ antibody responses in the younger population, exceeding those reported in an earlier trial in participants aged 15 to 25 years old. The jab was also found to be well tolerated in the 12 to 15 age group.

The companies are now planning to submit the data to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to extend the use of the vaccine for this age group ‘as quickly as possible’.

Pfizer and BioNTech will also continue to monitor the participants for long-term protection and safety for an additional two years after their second dose.

“We share the urgency to expand the authorisation of our vaccine to use in younger populations and are encouraged by the clinical trial data from adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15,” said Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer.

“We plan to submit these data to FDA as a proposed amendment to our emergency use authorisation in the coming weeks and to other regulators around the world, with the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year,” he added.

The companies are planning to submit the data for scientific review and potential publication, according to a statement issued yesterday.