Evolution Insight: Pfizer and BioNtech: a lightspeed deal for potential Covid Vaccine.
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June 5, 2020
COVID Drug Strategies
June 9, 2020
The Pfizer and BioNTech agreement expands the research and development alliance signed by the companies in 2018 to develop mRNA-based vaccines against influenza.
With the latest collaboration, the companies aim to speed-up the development of BioNTech’s BNT162 as a potential Covid-19 vaccine via the ‘Lightspeed program.’
BioNTech also formed a strategic development and commercialisation partnership with Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical to advance BNT162 for protection from Covid-19 in China. As part of the deal, the companies will co-develop the candidate in China and perform clinical trials by utilising Fosun’s clinical development, regulatory and commercial expertise in the country.
BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine
BioNTech’s Covid-19-focused project includes four vaccine candidates. Two of these candidates consist of a nucleoside modified mRNA, one includes a uridine containing mRNA and the fourth candidate has self-amplifying mRNA. The company has included a larger spike sequence in two of the vaccine candidates and the spike protein’s smaller optimised receptor binding domain (RBD) in the remaining two.
Rationale
- Prime / boost
- Strong adjuvant effect
- Active at low doses
- Strong antibody response
- CD8 T-Cells > CD4 T-Cells
Rationale
- Prime/ boost
- Moderate adjuvant effect
- Very strong antibody response
- CD4 T-Cells > CD8 T-Cells
Rationale
- Prime (1x injection)
- Long-term activity
- Very strong antibody response
- Very strong T-Cell response (CD8 and CD4)
- Potent immune protection at low doses (approx. 60x lower dosages required to induce immunity vs. uRNA observed in preclinical models)
