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Transport of Biontech vaccination doses in Greece
Photo: Michalis Karagiannis / imago images / ANE Edition
The corona vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer can apparently be stored at significantly higher temperatures than before.
The Mainz-based company and the US pharmaceutical company announced on Friday that the relevant data had been sent to the US drug regulator FDA.
The new results showed the long-term stability of the active ingredient at temperatures between "minus 25 to minus 15 degrees, temperatures that are more common in pharmaceutical freezers and refrigerators".
So far, the Biontech vaccine has to be stored at temperatures between minus 80 and minus 60 degrees - a requirement that even modern hospitals are often unable to meet.
Pfizer therefore designed an ultra-cold transport box in which the vaccine can be stored for up to 30 days.
Now the storage should be made much easier.
On the basis of the new data, Biontech and Pfizer want to apply to the FDA for an update of the previous emergency approval, through which the vaccine could be stored for up to two weeks at the higher temperatures.
The data is also submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other authorities.
Biontech's top priority was a vaccine that was as safe and effective as possible, said company boss and co-founder Ugur Sahin, according to the announcement.
At the same time, data were continuously collected on storage at around 20 degrees.
"The data submitted today could make our vaccines easier to use in pharmacies and give vaccination centers more flexibility."
The new requirements would also facilitate the use of the Biontech vaccine by general practitioners in Germany.
So far, this has also been used with reference to the storage conditions, especially in vaccination centers.
In the meantime, however, Biontech also advocates vaccination in general practitioners' practices under certain conditions.
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