Pfizer Vaccine May Also Work Against Mutated Coronavirus

The corona vaccine developed by the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the German biotechnology company BioNTech is also likely to be effective against the mutated variant of the coronavirus that has emerged in Great Britain, says BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin.

According to him, there are enough indications from a scientific point of view.

“We have already tested the vaccine on about 20 other virus variants with different mutations. The immune response generated by our vaccine has always inactivated all virus forms,” said Sahin, also a physician and oncologist.

The virus has mutated somewhat more strongly in the current case, says Sahin. “We now have to do experimental tests with it. That will take about two weeks. However, we are confident that this will not significantly weaken the mechanism of action.”

The corona vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is made with a new technique in which the so-called messenger RNA (mRNA) plays the leading role for the first time. Vaccines that medical science has produced until now were based on the pathogens themselves. According to Sahin, the corona vaccine can, in principle, be adapted quickly to new variants of the virus.

The medical director of Pfizer-Netherlands also told Nieuwsuur on Monday evening that he is almost certain that the Pfizer vaccine is effective against the mutated variant of the coronavirus, which appears to be much more contagious and has led to the suspension of travel traffic to and from Great Britain.

“The latter mutation is currently being tested in the laboratory, but we are almost certain that the vaccine will also work against this mutated virus,” said Marc Kaptein.