BioNTech, Fosun Pharma Launch Phase 2 Trial of COVID-19 Vaccine in China

German drugmaker BioNTech and China’s Fosun Pharmaceutical Group have announced that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate, BNT162b2, will be evaluated in a phase 2 study in China, building on an agreement the companies signed in March.

The phase 2 study aims to enroll 960 noninfected participants aged 18 to 85 to assess the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in support of a filing for approval in China.

Earlier this month, Pfizer/BioNTech reported that BNT162b2 showed 95 percent effectiveness in a global phase 3 trial. The companies have filed for Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA and the agency is expected to make a decision by mid-December.