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BioNTech says vaccine 'neutralises' key mutation in UK, S.Africa strains
3D print of a spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19—in front of a 3D print of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle. The spike protein (foreground) enables the virus to enter and infect human cells. On the virus model, the virus surface (blue) is covered with spike proteins (red) that enable the virus to enter and infect human cells. Credit: NIH
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3D print of a spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19—in front of a 3D print of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle. The spike protein (foreground) enables the virus to enter and infect human cells. On the virus model, the virus surface (blue) is covered with spike proteins (red) that enable the virus to enter and infect human cells. Credit: NIH
German company BioNTech said Friday a preliminary study shows that its vaccine works against the key mutation in coronavirus variants uncovered in Britain and South Africa which experts have said is more contagious than the original COVID-19 strain.
Tests carried out have shown that "antibodies from people who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine effectively neutralise SARS-CoV-2 with a key mutation that is also found in two highly transmissible strains," said the German company of the vaccine it developed with US group Pfizer.