Pfizer Says Developed Coronavirus Vaccine Candidate With Over 90% Success Rate

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Monday announced its coronavirus vaccine candidate was more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19, based on the results of the latest trials.

"Vaccine candidate was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in the first interim efficacy analysis", the company said in a press release.

The vaccine was developed by Pfizer and BioNTech SE.

According to the press release, the "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 8 November 2020 by an external, independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) from the Phase 3 clinical study".

People visit the Destiny USA mall during the reopening, as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions are eased, in Syracuse, New York, U.S., July 10, 2020.

© REUTERS / Maranie Staab

The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus has surpassed 50 million worldwide, while the global death toll is over 1,250,000. Numerous medical centres are developing vaccines, with Russia's Sputnik V being the first one registered. It is currently undergoing stage 3 trials.