Pfizer and Valneva reported positive findings from a phase 2 clinical trial showing that their Lyme disease vaccine candidate, VLA15, induced an immune response.

Antibody levels were higher in participants who received a three-dose primary series vs. a two-dose series, the companies said, so a three-dose regimen is planned in a phase 3 study expected to begin in the third quarter of 2022.

Pfizer entered into a $308 million co-development and licensing agreement in April 2020 with the French biotech company under which Valneva will receive royalties on future sales.