Pfizer and BioNTech said on Wednesday that an updated analysis of the phase 3 clinical trial for their COVID-19 vaccine shows that it is 95 percent effective. They plan to file for authorization with the Food and Drug Administration “within days.”
In a press release, the companies said that there were 170 cases of COVID-19 among participants in the trial. Of those cases, 162 were recorded in people who took a placebo, and eight were recorded in people who received the vaccine. Ten cases were severe — and nine of those severe cases occurred in the placebo group. That indicates that the vaccine protects against the deadliest forms of the disease. Moderna, which released data from its trial this week, had similar findings.
Pfizer also said…