Pfizer and BioNTech to supply Japan with 120 million doses of mRNA-based vaccine candidate

The companies are set to manufacture globally up to 100 million doses by the end of 2020 and approximately 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021.

The terms of the agreement were based on the timing of delivery and the volume of doses. As requested by the Government of Japan, deliveries of the vaccine candidate are planned for the first half of 2021.

The BNT162 program is based on BioNTech’s proprietary mRNA technology and supported by Pfizer’s global vaccine development and manufacturing capabilities.

The vaccine development program is evaluating at least four experimental vaccine candidates, each of which represents a unique combination of messenger RNA (mRNA) format and target antigen.

The BNT162 vaccine candidates are undergoing clinical studies and are not currently approved for distribution anywhere in the world.

Recently, two of the companies’ four investigational vaccine candidates – BNT162b1 and BNT162b2 – received Fast Track designation from the FDA, which was granted based on preliminary data from Phase I/II studies that are currently ongoing in the US and Germany, as well as animal immunogenicity studies.

On 27 July, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that following extensive review of preclinical and clinical data from Phase I/II clinical trials, and in consultation with the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and other global regulators, the companies selected the BNT162b2 vaccine candidate to move forward into a Phase II/III study.

Assuming clinical success, Pfizer and BioNTech are on track to seek regulatory review for BNT162b2 as early as October 2020 and, if regulatory authorization or approval is obtained, plan to supply up to 100 million doses worldwide by the end of 2020 and approximately 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021.