BioNTech founder confident of COVID-19 vaccine rollout before end of 2020

BioNTech co-founder Ugur Sahin on Thursday said the frontrunner COVID-19 vaccine his German firm is developing with Pfizer could be rolled out before the year is over in the United States or Europe.

“We are working at full speed,” he told AFP in a Zoom interview, confirming that the companies plan to apply for emergency use authorisation of their vaccine in the US on Friday, while European regulators will receive another batch of data “next week”.

“There is a chance that we can receive approval from the US or Europe or both regions this year,” said Sahin. “We may even start delivering the vaccine in December if everyone works together very closely,” he added.

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The BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna have taken the lead in the global chase for a vaccine, after large-scale trial data this month showed that their vaccines were around 95 percent effective against COVID-19. This has lifted spirits around the world as most countries continue to be battered by the pandemic. Many nations have placed advanced orders of the vaccines.

Health workers, caregivers and at high risk patients for severe COVID-19 are set to be first in line for getting their doses. BioNTech is confident of covering vaccinating 60 to 70% of the population by the autumn of 2021 if every involved player works in coordination.