Pfizer study suggests vaccine works against coronavirus variant
What's the story
New research suggests that Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine can protect against a mutation found in two contagious variants of the coronavirus that erupted in Britain and South Africa. Pfizer teamed with researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for laboratory tests to see if the mutation affected its vaccine's ability to recognize the spike protein and fight it.
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Both the variants share a common mutation
Both the UK and South Africa variants share a common mutation called N501Y, a slight alteration on one spot of the spike protein that coats the virus. That change is believed to be the reason the virus can spread so easily.
Details
Researchers used blood samples from people who received the vaccine
The researchers used blood samples from 20 people who received the vaccine, made by Pfizer-BioNTech, during a large study of the shots. "Antibodies from those vaccine recipients successfully fended off the virus in lab dishes," according to the study posted late Thursday on an online site for researchers. The study is preliminary and has not yet been reviewed by experts.
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Mutation not a problem for the vaccine: Pfizer
Dr. Philip Dormitzer, Pfizer's Chief Scientific Officer said, "It was a very reassuring finding that at least this mutation, which most people are concerned about, does not seem to be a problem for the vaccine."
Pfizer study
Vaccine seemed to work against 15 possible virus mutations: Pfizer
However, British scientists have said the variant found in the UK seemed to be susceptible to vaccines. That mutant has now been found in the US and numerous other countries. The Pfizer study found that the vaccine appeared to work against 15 additional possible virus mutations, but E484K, the South-African variant, wasn't among those tested. Dormitzer said that it is next on the list.
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Vaccines are designed to recognize spike protein: Dr. Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, recently said, "Vaccines are designed to recognize multiple parts of the spike protein, making it unlikely a single mutation could be enough to block them."
Pfizer's statement
Only the beginning of ongoing monitoring of virus changes: Dormitzer
Dormitzer said, "If the virus eventually mutates enough that the vaccine needs adjusting, much like flu shots are adjusted most years, then tweaking the recipe wouldn't be difficult for his company's shot and similar ones." "This was only the beginning of ongoing monitoring of virus changes to see if any of them might impact vaccine coverage," he added.