Pfizer moves to test COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents

Pfizer announces promising results of the latest clinical study for the COVID-19 vaccine with 2,260 adolescent participants with 100% effective results on participants between the ages of 12 and 15. Pfizer and their vaccine partner BioNTech will be submitting the results to the FDA and the European Medicines requesting regulators to expand authorization for vaccine use among young people.

Topline data from 2,260 adolescents demonstrated high antibody responses and 100% efficacy against #COVID19, and that the vaccine was well-tolerated. https://t.co/UsTd4d0mtg pic.twitter.com/hodMDoNBeX

— Pfizer Inc. (@pfizer) March 31, 2021

Following the release of results for the latest clinical trial, Pfizer will be submitting their data in the upcoming weeks with the hopes of being able to start administering shots in time before kids return to school next year. The blood tests from the clinical study indicate a strong immune system response one month following the participants receiving the second vaccine dose.

Pfizer indicates potential side effects of the vaccine were tolerated well in the Phase 3 trial with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine currently authorized for people at least 16-years-old. Pfizer and BioNTech are working towards testing the vaccine on children as young as 6 months old.

The first group of kids from 5 to 11 years old receiving their first shots last week and the second group of kids from ages 2 to 5 will be receiving their first doses by next week. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will be joining competing pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials on children.

Today, with @BioNTech_Group, we announced positive topline results in adolescents 12-15 years of age from the Phase 3 Pfizer-BioNTech #COVID19 vaccine study.

— Pfizer Inc. (@pfizer) March 31, 2021

Moderna started conducting a clinical trial for adolescent participants in December with 3,000 participants from 12 to 18 years old and started a separate study with younger children. Moderna announced in early March they administered the first doses of the vaccine to children 6 months to 12 years old.

Johnson & Johnson is also moving towards including children in clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine that was approved last month. Johnson & Johnson will start testing with a small number of adolescents with plans to expand the study if proven safe.