Pfizer and BioNTech said Thursday that trials suggest their vaccine is effective against a coronavirus variant that first emerged in South Africa, which some experts worry might evade existing shots.
The drugmakers also said in a statement that 12,000 people involved in their Phase 3 trial experienced high levels of protection against COVID-19 six months after their second dose, with no serious safety concerns, NBC News reports.
"It is an important step to further confirm the strong efficacy and good safety data we have seen so far," said Ugur Sahin, CEO and cofounder of BioNTech.
"These data also provide the first clinical results that a vaccine can effectively protect against currently circulating variants, a critical factor to reach herd immunity and end this pandemic for the global population."
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Read the full story on NBCNews.com
