Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pfizer Says Data Support Covid Booster Shots, As Efficacy Fades Over Time
The New York Times: Citing New Data, Pfizer Outlines Case For Booster Shots
Pfizer reported on Wednesday that the power of its two-dose Covid vaccine wanes slightly over time, but nonetheless offers lasting and robust protection against serious disease. The company suggested that a third shot could improve immunity, but whether boosters will be widely needed is far from settled, the subject of heated debate among scientists. So far, federal health officials have said boosters for the general population are unnecessary. And experts questioned whether vaccinated people should get more doses when so many people have yet to be immunized at all. (Zimmer, Mandavilli and LaFraniere, 7/28)
Stat: Efficacy Of Pfizer/BioNTech Covid Vaccine Slips To 84% After Six Months
The efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech fell from 96% to 84% over six months, according to data released Wednesday, a decline that could fuel Pfizer’s case that a third dose will eventually be required. The data, released in a preprint that has not been reviewed by outside scientists, suggest the vaccine was 91% effective overall at preventing Covid-19 over the course of six months. (Garde and Herper, 7/28)
Axios: Pfizer Now Expects $33.5 Billion In COVID-19 Vaccine Sales This Year
Pfizer expects revenue from the COVID-19 vaccine, co-developed by BioNTech, will reach $33.5 billion this year — a 29% jump from the previously estimated $26 billion. This vaccine, which has dramatically slowed the coronavirus pandemic, is on pace to be the world's top-selling drug of all time, by far. And now Pfizer is pushing for people to get a third "booster" shot of its vaccine to combat the growing Delta variant. (Herman, 7/28)
In updates about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine —
Reuters: J&J Says U.S. FDA Agrees To Extend Shelf Life Of Its COVID-19 Vaccine
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration extended the shelf life for Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to six months from four-and-a-half months, the company said late Wednesday. The FDA's decision is based on data from ongoing studies, which showed the vaccine is stable at six months when refrigerated at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36–46 degrees Fahrenheit), the drugmaker said. (7/28)
The Wall Street Journal: J&J Contractor Plans To Resume Covid-19 Vaccine Production At Troubled Baltimore Plant
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. plans to resume Covid-19 vaccine production at its Baltimore plant after getting the green light from the Food and Drug Administration, according to a statement from the company and an FDA letter reviewed by the Journal. “We are proud to be resuming production of bulk Covid-19 vaccine batches following additional reviews and collaboration with FDA and our manufacturing partners,” Emergent CEO Robert Kramer said in a statement late Wednesday. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help bring this global pandemic to an end.” The plant makes vaccines for Johnson & Johnson. (Burton, 7/28)
In updates on the AstraZeneca vaccine —
AP: AstraZeneca To Seek US Approval Of COVID Vaccine In 2nd Half
AstraZeneca said Thursday that it intends to seek U.S. authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine in the second half of this year, offering a new timetable for the much-delayed application. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker announced the schedule as it released second-quarter financial results, which showed that the company and its sub-licensees delivered more than 700 million doses of the vaccine to over 170 countries in the first half of this year. That includes 80 million doses that went to the COVAX initiative for low- and middle-income countries. (Kirka, 7/29)
CNBC: AstraZeneca CEO: ‘Not Clear’ If Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters Necessary
AstraZeneca is not yet sure whether a third dose of its Covid-19 vaccine will be necessary for continued protection against the virus, the company’s CEO told CNBC Thursday. Speaking to CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe,” Pascal Soriot said the company did not have a “precise answer” on whether booster shots would be needed. (Taylor, 7/29)
Fox News: AstraZeneca Finds Small Clot Risk After 1st Shot Of COVID-19 Vaccine
A study conducted by AstraZeneca regarding its COVID-19 vaccine found a small risk of blood clots following the first dose of the shot, but none after the second jab. The research, published Wednesday in The Lancet, comes following concerns about the shot’s safety and potential side effects. The shot’s rollout worldwide has been marred by pauses and advisories regarding the potential risk of blood clots in recipients, prompting some countries to recommend using it only in certain populations. The two-dose jab has not yet been approved for use in the U.S. (Hein, 7/28)
The Wall Street Journal: AstraZeneca Loses Money On Covid-19 Vaccine For Second Straight Quarter
AstraZeneca PLC narrowed losses from its Covid-19 vaccine in the second quarter, but the shot continued to weigh on the drug giant’s earnings. The British-Swedish drugmaker pledged last year to distribute the shot at no profit during the pandemic. AstraZeneca Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said Thursday the company and its manufacturing partners had released more than one billion doses of the vaccine for use in more than 170 countries. That included 700 million doses delivered by the end of June. The vaccine boosted second-quarter revenue by $894 million. (Strasburg and Butinni, 7/29)
