(RxWiki News) With the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, several pharmaceutical companies have said they are preparing to make large numbers of their COVID-19 vaccines.
Pfizer has stated that it is preparing to make "millions" of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine this year and "hundreds of millions" in 2021.
Pfizer and BioNTech said they were working together on a vaccine and had already started Phase I/II clinical testing in Germany. When they receive approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they plan to start testing in the US.
According to BioNTech, the data from the Phase I/II trial could be available as early as June. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla noted that the company's vaccine may be ready for emergency use by fall.
Johnson & Johnson announced that Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies (a J&J subsidiary) had also started to develop a vaccine against the coronavirus. They planned to have a vaccine ready to be tested in clinical trials by this September. And if it is approved by early next year, they said they plan to make more than 1 billion doses.
Other vaccine competitors have also announced their plans for making a COVID-19 vaccine. These companies include Sanofi and Moderna.
As of May 9, this outbreak had resulted in more than 1,248,040 reported cases and about 75,477 deaths in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said it will continue to provide information and guidance as it becomes available.
Speak with your health care provider if you have any questions.
