US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer on Friday applied for approval for the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in Japan, local media reported
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th December, 2020) US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer on Friday applied for approval for the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in Japan, local media reported.
According to NHK broadcaster, the company is seeking fast-track approval that requires much simpler steps than conventional review.
Japan has a contract with the US company for 120 million doses of the two-component vaccine, which is enough to immunize 60 million people, or a half of its population. The rollout could reportedly begin as early as March.
In mid-November, Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 candidate vaccine, developed jointly with German company BioNTech, concluded phase 3 clinical trials, with a declared efficacy level of 95 percent. However, the vaccine comes with a significant logistical disadvantage, as its storage and transportation conditions require as cold of an environment as -70 degrees Celsius (-94 degrees Fahrenheit). The vaccine is already rolling out across the United States and United Kingdom.
