Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is prepared to immediately distribute its COVID-19 vaccine after obtaining regulatory approval, according to its chief executive officer.
In an interview with Sky News on Thursday, Pfizer CEO Dr. Albert Bourla said the pharmaceutical giant has the ability to send out its COVID-19 vaccine “within hours” after receiving approval from regulatory agencies around the world such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Bourla said, “Once they give us the green light, our goal is to start shipping in a couple of hours.” He added that it takes longer for regulators in some countries to issue approval. Therefore, some will get the COVID-19 earlier and others later.
“The major regulatory authorities of the world listen to each other, but they are powered scientifically. If someone approves faster than the other, then I believe the ethical thing to do is to start sending vaccines to the citizens of this jurisdiction because every day means lives,” according to Bourla.
Bourla said Pfizer already produced more than 20 million doses of it COVID-19 vaccine. He expects the pharmaceutical company to increase that number to 50 million doses by the end of 2020. Its plan is to produce 1.3 billion doses in 2021.
Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 95% effective
Yesterday, Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech (NASDAQ: BNTX) announced that the results of the Phase 3 study showed their mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate is 95% effective in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection.
