[News] The Coronavirus Good News thread

[driller]

Apparently Statement by the BMA tonight
Covid vaccine to be available from the beginning of Dec

Not seen itt yet
Will post if I do

 

[Bozza]

Statement by the BMA tonight
Covid vaccine to be available from the beginning of Dec
Who would like to sign up for the first batch of recipients?

1. They haven't.
2. This is the same story that has been on here for about a week or so now - scroll back a few pages.
3. This is about the NHS getting ready to rapidly distribute a vaccine when one is available.
4. ...which one isn't yet as no vaccine has passed phase 3 trials and no-one knows when one will. That said, there is optimism that this month could be the month.
5. When phase 3 trials are passed and sticking needles in arms is possible, no one gets to sign-up to receive it - there's a very clear plan for who gets it first.

Not wishing to piss on your fireworks, as the vaccine newsflow is all really positive and is likely close now, which is fantastic, but the key thing is that no trial has passed phase 3 - THE key step.

 

[LamieRobertson]

1. They haven't.
2. This is the same story that has been on here for about a week or so now - scroll back a few pages.
3. This is about the NHS getting ready to rapidly distribute a vaccine when one is available.
4. ...which one isn't yet as no vaccine has passed phase 3 trials and no-one knows when one will. That said, there is optimism that this month could be the month.
5. When phase 3 trials are passed and sticking needles in arms is possible, no one gets to sign-up to receive it - there's a very clear plan for who gets it first.

Not wishing to piss on your fireworks, as the vaccine newsflow is all really positive and is likely close now, which is fantastic, but the key thing is that no trial has passed phase 3 - THE key step.

Touch of realism is always worthwhile

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Pfizer stating that their vaccine is 90 percent effective.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/heal...cine-effective/#click=https://t.co/UpNVGiUkzj

 

[Bozza]

1. They haven't.
2. This is the same story that has been on here for about a week or so now - scroll back a few pages.
3. This is about the NHS getting ready to rapidly distribute a vaccine when one is available.
4. ...which one isn't yet as no vaccine has passed phase 3 trials and no-one knows when one will. That said, there is optimism that this month could be the month.
5. When phase 3 trials are passed and sticking needles in arms is possible, no one gets to sign-up to receive it - there's a very clear plan for who gets it first.

Not wishing to piss on your fireworks, as the vaccine newsflow is all really positive and is likely close now, which is fantastic, but the key thing is that no trial has passed phase 3 - THE key step.

As if by magic...

A vaccine against Covid-19 is in sight, with the announcement of the first interim results in large-scale trials showing the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate is 90% effective, according to the manufacturers, whose analysis shows a much better performance than most experts had hoped for.

The high percentage of those protected makes the findings compelling. Regulators have said they would approve a vaccine that is just 50% effective – protecting half those who get it. The company says there have been no serious side-effects.

“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent Covid-19,” said Dr Albert Bourla, the Pfizer chairman and CEO.

“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen.”​

 

[Uter]

More details on Pfizer announcement:

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

NEW YORK & MAINZ, GERMANY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) today announced their mRNA-based vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, against SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated evidence of efficacy against COVID-19 in participants without prior evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on the first interim efficacy analysis conducted on November 8, 2020 by an external, independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) from the Phase 3 clinical study.

After discussion with the FDA, the companies recently elected to drop the 32-case interim analysis and conduct the first interim analysis at a minimum of 62 cases. Upon the conclusion of those discussions, the evaluable case count reached 94 and the DMC performed its first analysis on all cases. The case split between vaccinated individuals and those who received the placebo indicates a vaccine efficacy rate above 90%, at 7 days after the second dose. This means that protection is achieved 28 days after the initiation of the vaccination, which consists of a 2-dose schedule. As the study continues, the final vaccine efficacy percentage may vary. The DMC has not reported any serious safety concerns and recommends that the study continue to collect additional safety and efficacy data as planned. The data will be discussed with regulatory authorities worldwide.

“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19,” said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and CEO. “We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen. With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis. We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.”

“I want to thank the thousands of people who volunteered to participate in the clinical trial, our academic collaborators and investigators at the study sites, and our colleagues and collaborators around the world who are dedicating their time to this crucial endeavor,” added Bourla. “We could not have come this far without the tremendous commitment of everyone involved.”

“The first interim analysis of our global Phase 3 study provides evidence that a vaccine may effectively prevent COVID-19. This is a victory for innovation, science and a global collaborative effort,” said Prof. Ugur Sahin, BioNTech co-founder and CEO. “When we embarked on this journey 10 months ago this is what we aspired to achieve. Especially today, while we are all in the midst of a second wave and many of us in lockdown, we appreciate even more how important this milestone is on our path towards ending this pandemic and for all of us to regain a sense of normality. We will continue to collect further data as the trial continues to enroll for a final analysis planned when a total of 164 confirmed COVID-19 cases have accrued. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to make this important achievement possible.”

The Phase 3 clinical trial of BNT162b2 began on July 27 and has enrolled 43,538 participants to date, 38,955 of whom have received a second dose of the vaccine candidate as of November 8, 2020. Approximately 42% of global participants and 30% of U.S. participants have racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds. The trial is continuing to enroll and is expected to continue through the final analysis when a total of 164 confirmed COVID-19 cases have accrued. The study also will evaluate the potential for the vaccine candidate to provide protection against COVID-19 in those who have had prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2, as well as vaccine prevention against severe COVID-19 disease. In addition to the primary efficacy endpoints evaluating confirmed COVID-19 cases accruing from 7 days after the second dose, the final analysis now will include, with the approval of the FDA, new secondary endpoints evaluating efficacy based on cases accruing 14 days after the second dose as well. The companies believe that the addition of these secondary endpoints will help align data across all COVID-19 vaccine studies and allow for cross-trial learnings and comparisons between these novel vaccine platforms. The companies have posted an updated version of the study protocol at https://www.pfizer.com/science/coronavirus.

Pfizer and BioNTech are continuing to accumulate safety data and currently estimate that a median of two months of safety data following the second (and final) dose of the vaccine candidate – the amount of safety data specified by the FDA in its guidance for potential Emergency Use Authorization – will be available by the third week of November. Additionally, participants will continue to be monitored for long-term protection and safety for an additional two years after their second dose.

Along with the efficacy data generated from the clinical trial, Pfizer and BioNTech are working to prepare the necessary safety and manufacturing data to submit to the FDA to demonstrate the safety and quality of the vaccine product produced.

Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021.

Pfizer and BioNTech plan to submit data from the full Phase 3 trial for scientific peer-review publication.

 

[LamieRobertson]

.

 

[blue-shifted]

90% is a staggering number. Once rolled out, the virus is going to find it very hard to spread.

No safety concerns as well.

Stunning success and wonderful achievement. Now the hard work really starts

 

[Mellotron]

Here we go.

 

[BLOCK F]

As if by magic...

A vaccine against Covid-19 is in sight, with the announcement of the first interim results in large-scale trials showing the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate is 90% effective, according to the manufacturers, whose analysis shows a much better performance than most experts had hoped for.

The high percentage of those protected makes the findings compelling. Regulators have said they would approve a vaccine that is just 50% effective – protecting half those who get it. The company says there have been no serious side-effects.

“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent Covid-19,” said Dr Albert Bourla, the Pfizer chairman and CEO.

“We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen.”​

I wondered why the FTSE 100 had shot up over 4% at the time of posting!
Let us hope that these positive developments re the vaccine last the course, if you know what I mean.
Great news.

 

[highflyer]

I wondered why the FTSE 100 was up over 4% at the time of posting!
Let us hope that these positive developments re the vaccine last the course, if you know what I mean.

Boom.

And I'll be surprised if Oxford don't get similar.

 

[blue-shifted]

Get your heads down, keep your family safe. Get through winter. Help is on the way

 

[Napper]

Pfizer believes it will be able to supply 50 million doses by the end of this year, and around 1.3 billion by the end of 2021.


Anyone know if we have signed up in advance from this company ?


**edit - says we ordered 30m , not sure if that is by end of 2021 though **

 

[Bozza]

Pfizer believes it will be able to supply 50 million doses by the end of this year, and around 1.3 billion by the end of 2021.


Anyone know if we have signed up in advance from this company ?

Yep - 30m doses:

NEW YORK & MAINZ, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) today announced an agreement with the United Kingdom to supply 30 million doses of their BNT162 mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, currently in development, subject to clinical success and regulatory approval. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, but the terms were based on the timing of delivery and the volume of doses.​

Full details here: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...biontech-announce-agreement-united-kingdom-30

 

[Mellotron]

The light at the end of the tunnel just got quite a bit brighter.

 

[saulth]

90%. I'm almost at a loss for words. I would have been happy even if they had said something like 65%.

 

[Napper]

Yep - 30m doses:

NEW YORK & MAINZ, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) today announced an agreement with the United Kingdom to supply 30 million doses of their BNT162 mRNA-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2, currently in development, subject to clinical success and regulatory approval. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed, but the terms were based on the timing of delivery and the volume of doses.​

Full details here: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...biontech-announce-agreement-united-kingdom-30

thanks.

Be interesting to know timescales as says 50m initially produced. If we can get the 2m vulnerable covered then hopefully life can be better/more normal than it has been since March at least.

I'd take normality March 2021 if offered , maybe being optimistic.

 

[Poojah]

Wow, this is huge, huge news, perhaps indicated by the fact that it is currently the lead story on the likes of the BBC and Sky News, rather than being buried beneath a wall of depressing negativity.

The >90% efficacy figure appears to fly in the face of 'experts' quoted in recent weeks suggesting that the first vaccines off the production line would essentially not be very good and that we'd need to continue to batten down the hatches for years to come.

I'm sure hurdles remain, not least logistical ones by the sound of it, but this could potentially be one of the greatest single scientific achievements of all time. Absolutely astounding.

 

[Uter]

To go from genome sequencing of the virus to producing a vaccine proven to be efficacious and safe in around 9 months is an astonishing achievement.

 

[Bozza]

And, just to reiterate, efficacy is determined completely independent of Pfizer themselves.