Pfizer to seek emergency US approval for Covid-19 vaccine in November
Pfizer, the drugs maker company with two bases in Cork, will apply for emergency US approval of the Covid-19 vaccine it is developing as early as next month.
Currently the vaccine is being tested on 38,000 people worldwide according to the drugmaker.
In an open letter published on Pfizer’s homepage, Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and CEO, said he wanted to speak directly to “the billions of people, millions of businesses and hundreds of governments around the world that are investing their hopes in a safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine to overcome this pandemic.”
“I know there is a great deal of confusion regarding exactly what it will take to ensure its development and approval, and given the critical public health considerations and the importance of transparency, I would like to provide greater clarity around the development timelines for Pfizer’s and our partner BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine.”
Pfizer’s statement showed that the company’s trial is at an advanced stage. However, the letter could be read as a warning shot to President Trump who has been loudly signalling that a vaccine would be ready “within weeks.”
Pfizer will apply for emergency approval from the FDA in America in the third week of November, weeks after the U.S. election.
According to Pfizer, Ireland is a leading manufacturing base, with medicines manufactured in Ireland distributed to more than 100 countries
Many of Pfizer’s leading and newest medicines are manufactured for global export from Irish sites, according to the company
The global pharma company has more than 3,700 employees in Ireland spread across six sites including Ringaskiddy and Little Island.
When Pfizer opened in Ringaskiddy in 1969 it was the first multinational pharmaceutical company to set up a base in Ireland.
Reference: Corkbeo.ie
