Pfizer said April 1 that data from a recent phase 3 trial showed its COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the B.1.351 coronavirus variant first detected in South Africa and offers protection for at least six months.
The drugmaker said the vaccine was 100 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 during a 12,000-participant trial in South Africa, where B.1.351 is prevalent.
Pfizer also said the vaccine was 91.3 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 six months after trial participants received their second dose.
The data has not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal, but Pfizer said it plans to submit the data to FDA and other global regulators soon. The drugmaker said it plans to file for full FDA approval in April, as the vaccine is currently only approved for emergency use, according to The Hill.
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