The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech proved to be 90% effective in protecting the people against the virus in a pivotal study.

The race in finding a cure or vaccine against COVID-19 seems to come to an end after Pfizer Inc. and its partner BioNTech proved in a study that their vaccine is 90% effective in protecting a person against COVID-19.

This is a big milestone in the hunt for a vaccine that will end the global pandemic. 

According to Fox News, the companies said on Monday that the vaccine proved to be effective during the phase 3 trials. They also claimed that the results go beyond what is expected.

The vaccine was given to 94 persons who tested positive for the virus and developed at least one symptom. After the vaccine was given, it has shown positive results with the subjects.

Trial shows promising results

Even though the data is not yet complete, they are now planning to ask health regulators permission to sell the vaccine before the end of this month if the pending data indicates that the shot is safe. 

The U.S. health regulators said that it will take them time to review if the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is safe to be distributed, according to The Guardian.

(Photo : Reutersconnect/Dado Ruvic)
A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a "Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine" sticker and a medical syringe in front of displayed Pfizer logo.

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However, the timetable suggests that if it will be approved in the country, it will be distributed before this month ends or possibly next month. 

"Hopefully now we can move on and get this vaccine out there and make sure it's doing what it's supposed to do and stop the virus," said Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer's head of vaccine research and development. 

However, there are still some doubts even if the vaccine shows promising results in the last human clinical trial.

Vaccine results came too early?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that the findings came too early for the researchers that the vaccine is safe and effective. The health regulatory said that it needs two months to monitor those who underwent in the last trial if the study's subjects show any side effects. 

Meanwhile, Pfizer said that they will continue to collect at least two months of safety data during the third week of November. If the data will show that the vaccine is safe and effective, they will immediately file for an emergency authorization. 

Moreover, the two companies claimed that there are no serious safety issues that were raised to them. They also said that there were around 44,000 subjects who participated in Phase 3 or the last trial in the U.S. and other countries. This is part of the procedure in the last human clinical trial. 

One problem that seems to hinder the approval of the vaccine is that the researchers do not know yet as to how long the vaccine can give protection.

This means that the vaccine could be safe and effective but there is no assurance yet if it gives lifetime protection. 

Dr. Jansen said, "You never know what the outcome is, but we had a feeling that we did everything we could possibly do."

This is the most-advanced vaccine developed in the West while Moderna Inc., Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca PLC is still the late-stage testing.

Read also: AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be Available by End of 2020, CEO Says