Pfizer's preliminary COVID-19 vaccine results brought encouraging news alongside a key challenge: ultra-low storage at around -70°C. To address this, the company is advancing a powder formulation.
Pfizer and BioNTech recently shared promising Phase 3 trial data for their SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, reporting 90% efficacy in preventing infection. The ongoing study positions them to seek emergency authorization soon.
While these results are groundbreaking, the vaccine's need for storage at -80°C to -70°C raises logistical concerns. France, for instance, has procured about 50 specialized superfreezers to prepare.
As reported by Business Insider on November 19, 2020, Pfizer is developing a second-generation version. Chief Scientific Officer Mikael Dolsten highlighted efforts toward a powder version of the vaccine, slated for potential launch in 2021.
This innovation offers a practical alternative, eliminating the need for extreme freezing and simplifying global distribution. It could benefit resource-limited countries unable to afford superfreezers, while easing pressures on wealthier nations competing for these costly units.
That said, the storage concerns for the initial vaccine may be overstated. New Scientist, on November 12, 2020, quoted Acuitas Therapeutics CEO Thomas Madden, who called the -70°C requirement an "excessive precaution" with "no technical temperature limit." Experts suggest it could remain stable at -20°C for two weeks or 2°C to 8°C for five days. Madden noted that Pfizer's rapid development skipped some standard stability tests.
