Pfizer mulling over COVID-19 R&D pact with BioNTech: report

Big Pharma Pfizer is mulling over a pact with partner BioNTech to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.

This is according to an interview from the U.S. giant’s Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten, who told Reuters it could work with the mRNA biotech to develop a vaccine, potentially more quickly than other routes, to combat the disease that is spreading quickly around the globe.

Dolsten, who met with President Donald Trump this week with other Big Pharma heads to talk about industry response to the virus, told the news wire: “We will share some of our thoughts with BioNTech also on what they do on COVID-19 and evaluate whether there are things that could merit to do together.”

BioNTech, which is looking to rival Moderna with its mRNA platform (Moderna is also speeding along the COVID-19 vaccine development route), has already said it’s looking to follow suit in creating an inoculation.  

Pfizer and the European biotech have a deal dating back to 2018 using mRNA tech for flu vaccines, but this could now be expanded for the novel coronavirus fight.

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It would be joining a host of other pharmas, including Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi, that are teaming up to try to create a vaccine.