Pfizer is working on a new form of its coronavirus vaccine that does not require ultra-cold storage, CEO says

Pfizer Inc said it is working on a new form of it experimental coronavirus vaccine that can be kept in the refrigerator.

Currently, the vials that use messenger RNA – or part of the virus’s genetic code – must be stored between -94F (-70C) and -112F (-80C).

At an event held Tuesday by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, CEO Albert Bourla is developing a vaccine that does not need to be stored at freezing temperatures.

“We are also working on a new formulation that can avoid the -70 and keep it in a simple refrigerator,” he said.

However, he said he is confident that the company, along with its German partner BioNTech SE, will be able to distribute 50 million doses by the end of the year and 1.3 billion by 2021.

Bourla also urged Americans to get vaccinated and “not become the weak link that allows the virus to spread.”

It comes as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted an analysis of clinical trial data Tuesday that confirmed the Pfizer vaccine meets all safety and efficacy requirements and as Great Britain became the first country to use the injection and the oldest citizens got the first injections.

Bourla explained that engineers at Pfizer have developed special boxes to ship the vaccine in extreme temperatures after it is approved and shipped from Kalamazoo, Michigan.

The dry ice isothermal boxes have a GPS in each box and a meter, so that it can be determined at any time where the box is and what the temperature is.

Bourla says this allows the bottles to be shipped by any mode of transportation, including trucks, planes and boats.

UPS will be the primary distributor, but FedEx will also ship the vaccines to destinations across the country.

“Obviously having something that requires -70, which is not a normal thing, is an extra challenge,” he said.

“I am very comfortable with our ability to distribute the product by -70 now.

‘I think everyone will soon see that this is not a challenge, at least in countries with basic infrastructure such as a road or a place to store things.’

Pfizer has three storage options. The first are ultra-low temperature freezers that can keep the vaccine at -70C for up to six months.

The second option is to store the vials in temperature-controlled thermal transporters that can store the vaccine unopened for 10 days.

Once opened, they can be used for 30 days, provided dry ice is added every five days.

Finally, the vaccine can be stored in refrigerators at between 35.6F (2C) and 36.4 (8C) for five days.

By reformulating the vaccine, vials can be stored in refrigerators for several months, which is faster, cheaper and more efficient than the current model.

Bourla was asked about his reluctance to get the vaccine, reiterating that the development and testing process did not pose any safety concerns.

He also said he believes people are “confused” and “don’t know who to believe” because of the jab’s politicization, especially in the US.

However, he warned that failure to vaccinate will seriously hamper efforts to curb the pandemic.

‘I understand their concerns, but they have to think twice because the decision to vaccinate or not will affect not only your health, but the health of others, and probably people you love and often see you. met, ”said Bourla.

‘Because if you don’t vaccinate, you become the weak link that allows the virus to multiply and spread.

The FDA advisory committee will meet on December 10 to decide whether or not to recommend Pfizer’s injection.

‘I expect a very intensive meeting with the advisory committee. These are experts. They will ask a lot of questions. We have answers, we think, to every question they’ll ask, ”Bourla said.

I think they will vote ‘yes’, based on the strength of the data. And then it’s up to the FDA to complete the process and give us the license. They should take as much time as they need to to feel comfortable. ‘

He added that once the vaccine has received FDA approval, it’s important for people to get two doses to get full protection.

“This is a two dose vaccine, so people have to take two doses to make sure they are protected with a 95 percent – 95 percent chance of being protected,” Bourla said.

“It’s about 50 percent on the first dose, like that.”

He said that while it helps to have some sort of immunity after the first injection, the immune response is not complete until after two doses.

“Again, I say, it’s a very big mistake if someone tries to do it with just one dose, when you almost double the protection with two.”

It will arrive in the UK and became the first country in the world to start vaccinating with Pfizer’s shot, which is expected to vaccinate at least 5,000 people on Tuesday.

Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, was the first person ever to receive the shot at around 6:30 a.m. GMT.

She has since called it ‘the best early birthday present I could wish for’ after isolating herself since March.

The second person to get the shot was 81-year-old William Shakespeare, who joked that the vaccination was “ much ado about nothing. ”