Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is closing in on a much needed Coronavirus vaccine as other drugmakers falter on trials. The giant drugmaker has released a video showing the rollout of the production line of what is believed to be a coronavirus vaccine. The company is reportedly planning to roll out 100 million doses before the end of the year.
Pfizer Coronavirus Milestone
The company has already confirmed the production of hundreds of thousands of doses of the drug as it eyes emergency use in the U.S. Pfizer has confirmed it is producing the vaccine candidate in Belgium. In addition to the vaccine, the drug maker has also unearthed a slate of drugs that could be used to cure COVID-19.
Amid the production frenzy, Pfizer will know whether the vaccine works at the end of the month once it collates data from all participants in the trials. The company also has to prove that the vaccine is safe and can be manufactured properly to secure emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S.
The progress made on the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine's development and manufacture is a breakthrough in the race to combat the long-running COVID-19 pandemic. The virus has already claimed over one million lives worldwide, with the U.S leading the charge with over 200,000 deaths. The number of infections has already risen to highs of 37 million.
Vaccine Setbacks
With North America and Europe heading into the cold season, the infection rate is expected to edge higher as the second wave of infection continues to gather pace. A vaccine is highly needed to combat the pandemic, which has brought the global epidemic to a standstill once and for all.
The Pfizer announcement comes just days after Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE: LLY) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) were forced to halt their Phase 3 clinical trials after participants experienced adverse effects. AstraZeneca plc. (NASDAQ: AZN) is another drugmaker that has had to halt Phase 3 trials after one of the participants developed a neurological condition.
