Pfizer and BioNtech will soon start testing a freeze-dried version of its COVID-19 vaccine that, if effective, would ease storage and handling requirements and expand access to areas without specialized equipment needed to store the vaccine, The Wall Street Journal reported March 30.
The drugmakers plan to start a clinical trial in April testing the freeze-dried vaccine in 1,100 adults ages 18 to 55 in the U.S. The trial is scheduled to last about two months, and if successful, the freeze-dried version could be ready for use by early next year, the Journal reported.
Freeze-dried vaccines only require standard refrigeration. Existing freeze-dried vaccines include those used for shingles and rotavirus, according to the Journal.
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