Pfizer and BioNTech developed an mRNA vaccine called BNT162b1, a lipid-soluble nanoparticle preparation comprised of mRNA encoding the S protein RBD trimer[
20]. Results of its phase 1 clinical trial showed that subjects in all three dose groups produced high titers of antibody against the RBD and relatively high and moderate titers of neutralizing antibody in the serum. The vaccine was safe and well tolerated in general, although some patients had mild-to-moderate injection site pain and other mild-to-moderate adverse reactions. This study was also the first published clinical trial based on mRNA vaccine technology. Another study showed that doses of both 1 and 50 μg of vaccine induced a strong CD4
+ and CD8
+ T cell response, with Th1 CD4
+ T cells showing a strong reaction, RBD-specific CD4
+ and CD8
+ T cells being significantly amplified, and interferon γ (IFN-γ) being significantly secreted. This study provides important data on the T cell response induced by BNT162b1[
21]. Pfizeralso compared the immune efficacy of BNT162b1 to that of BNT162b2, another vaccine candidate, in subjects from two age groups[
22,
23]. The difference between BNT162b1 and BNT162b2 is that the antigen of BNT162b1 is a trimerized RBD, while BNT162b2 contains the prefusion conformation of the full-length S gene. In theory, BNT162b2 should be more immunogenic. The results showed that both BNT162b1 and BNT162b2 dose-dependently induced similar serum neutralizing antibody titers that were significantly higher than those in convalescent sera. However, BNT162b2 produced milder adverse reactions than BNT162b1 and BNT162b2 was also effective in elderly individuals. As a result, Pfizer and BioNTech will develop BNT162b1 and BNT162b2 at the same time and rapidly proceed to phase 2/3 clinical trials of BNT162b2[
23]. The results of animal trials for BNT162b2 showed that in both mice and rhesus monkeys, BNT162b2 produced strong Th1-type CD4
+ and IFN-γ
+ CD8
+ T cell responses and was able to completely protect the lungs of rhesus monkeys from SARSCoV-2 infection[
24]. Phase 3 trials of BNT162b2 are currently underway in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey, and approximately 44,000 people will be recruited[
25]. On November 9, Pfizer reported the latest progress of the phase 3 clinical trial of BNT162b2, which is the first published populationprotection data for a COVID-19 vaccine[
26]. Interim analysis indicated that 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had occurred in trial participants and that two doses of BNT162b2 at a 21-day interval reduced the infection rate of symptomatic COVID-19 by 90% compared with placebo. No serious adverse reactions have been observed so far. As a result, Pfizer announced that it had submitted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and planned to close the clinical trial after an estimated 164 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in trial participants to further characterize the vaccine candidate’s performance.