Pfizer expand vaccine testing in under-12s

Pfizer has expanded its clinical trials to test the efficacy and safety of its vaccine by administering doses to a larger sample of under-12s as vaccine rollout increases to allow younger people access to inoculation.

The company confirmed on Tuesday the tests will be conducted on up to 4,500 children at sites in the US, Spain, Poland and Finland following on from preliminary tests conducted on a smaller group.

Read more: Pfizer vaccine safe for adolescents, trials suggest

The company began conducting clinical trials on under-12s late last month, selecting a lower dose of the vaccine for these earlier trials.

The vaccine has already been approved for use in children aged 16 and over in the US, EU and Canada, and preliminary trials also suggest it is suitable for adolescents aged 12-15.

Children aged 5-11 were enrolled into the trials this week. Based on results from its preliminary trials,  Pfizer will be operating on a dose a third the size of the adult shot for this younger demographic, while everyone aged 16 and over receives the full 30 microgram dose.

Additional trials including a 3 microgram shot will be tested on children aged three to six months.

A Pfizer spokesperson revealed the pharmaceutical giant are expecting the full results of these tests by September and would ask regulators to offer emergency authorisation later that month, as was done for rollout in adolescents.

Data from the 2-6 year old demographic is expected some time in October or November.

The inoculation of children is considered an essential step in the move towards "herd immunity."

The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates as many as 7 million teens have received at least one shot of the vaccine in the US.

The EU regulator has said it will soon deliver a  verdict on Moderna's vaccine for use in 12-17-year-olds.

Its vaccine has already been approved for use in those 18 and over and follows a push to ensure younger people are fully vaccinated against coronavirus.

The latest reports indicate Pfizer has made as much as $3.5 billion (€2.87 billion) from its Covid vaccine for the first quarter of 2021, according to its own annual report in May.

Read more: Pfizer generates $3.5bn in Covid vaccine revenue as US drives demand

Criticism has been levied at the company for continuing to sell their vaccine for a profit, despite many other key vaccine players choosing to break even until the pandemic is over.

Pfizer splits earnings made from Covid vaccines 50/50 with its co-developer BioNTech.

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