BioNTech taps pDNA supplier for Omicron COVID vaccine

9 February 2022

German biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO AGC Biologics has expanded its partnership to supply more plasmid DNA (pDNA) starting material for the Pfizer (NYSE: PFE)-BioNTech (Nasdaq: BNTX) COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, at the company’s Heidelberg facility.

As reported at the end of 2021, the teams at BioNTech and Pfizer are developing vaccine candidates to help fight growing COVID-19 variants, with a particular focus on the Omicron, as it spread quickly across the world these last few months. While current research and real-world data show boosters provide a high level of protection against severe disease and hospitalization, the life sciences industry needs to be prepared if this protection wanes in the face of new variants.

According to a recent news release from Pfizer and BioNTech, the companies have started to develop an Omicron-based COVID-19 vaccine with first batches expected to be ready for delivery by end of March 2022.

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