GVN Statement on Pfizer and BioNTech Data from COVID-19 Vaccine Study
Baltimore, Maryland, USA, July 23, 2020: The Global Virus Network (GVN), a coalition comprised of the world’s preeminent human and animal virologists from 57 Centers of Excellence and 10 Affiliates in 33 countries, said today that the results of the Phase 3 study by Pfizer and BioNTech on their mRNA-based vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, represents a major breakthrough in the global effort to develop an effective vaccine against COVID-19. Pfizer and BioNTech announced earlier today that the Phase 3 study of BNT162b2 has thus far demonstrated 90% efficacy against COVID-19. The GVN, which has brought together the world’s foremost virologists to collaboratively evaluate the immune response against SARS-CoV-2, congratulates Pfizer and BioNTech for their pioneering work and for achieving this milestone.
As emphasized by Pfizer, the GVN believes an important next step is to evaluate the duration of protection as well as the fine immune response characteristics. GVN scientists will continue to contribute to these important milestones to curb, and ultimately control, the COVID-19 pandemic.
About the Global Virus Network (GVN)
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is essential and critical in the preparedness, defense and first research response to emerging, exiting and unidentified viruses that pose a clear and present threat to public health, working in close coordination with established national and international institutions. It is a coalition comprised of eminent human and animal virologists from 57 Centers of Excellence and 10 Affiliates in 33 countries worldwide, working collaboratively to train the next generation, advance knowledge about how to identify and diagnose pandemic viruses, mitigate and control how such viruses spread and make us sick, as well as develop drugs, vaccines and treatments to combat them. No single institution in the world has expertise in all viral areas other than the GVN, which brings together the finest medical virologists to leverage their individual expertise and coalesce global teams of specialists on the scientific challenges, issues and problems posed by pandemic viruses. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org. Follow us on Twitter @GlobalVirusNews