We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) announced the start of a phase II/III study to evaluate its investigational, novel oral antiviral therapeutic, PF-07321332, for the prevention of COVID-19 infection.
The study called EPIC-PEP will evaluate PF-07321332 co-administered with a low dose of another antiviral medicine, ritonavir, for the prevention of illness in adults living in the same household as someone infected with COVID-19. The study’s primary objective is to assess safety and efficacy for the prevention of confirmed COVID infection and its symptoms through Day 14.
PF-07321332 is already being evaluated in separate phase II/III studies, one in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients who are at high risk of severe illness (including hospitalization or death) and another in infected patients who are at standard risk. Both the studies were initiated in mid-2021.
PF-07321332 is a protease inhibitor designed in such a way that it can be given at the first sign of infection without the patient requiring hospitalization or critical care. If successfully developed, this pill can stop the infection from spreading fast as it can be given before the virus has had a chance to replicate extensively. Most medicines that have received emergency approval for treating COVID-19 can usually be prescribed to treat hospitalized patients or those with severe infection or patients at high risk of progressing to severe disease.
Pfizer’s stock has risen 18.4% this year so far compared with an increase of 9.1% for the industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In a separate press release, Pfizer announced the start of a phase I study to evaluate a single dose quadrivalent mRNA influenza vaccine in healthy adults. The first participants in the study have been dosed.
Pfizer has plans to explore diverse mRNA-based vaccine programs after witnessing tremendous success with its and its Germany-based partner BioNTech’s (BNTX - Free Report) COVID-19 vaccine. Their COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty was developed in record time and is now approved for emergency use in several countries and has become a key contributor to the top line. Another popular mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine has been launched by Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) .
Pfizer plans to explore mRNA technology in respiratory viruses other than influenza and also eventually aims to expand to develop mRNA technology in oncology and genetic diseases.
Another stock in the large-cap pharma sector having the same Zacks Rank as Pfizer is J&J (JNJ - Free Report) . J&J’s stock has risen 3.6% this year so far while its earnings estimates have increased from $9.62 to $9.65 per share for 2021 and from $10.29 to $10.30 per share for 2022 over the past 60 days.
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
Pfizer (PFE) Begins COVID Prevention, mRNA Flu Vaccine Studies
Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) announced the start of a phase II/III study to evaluate its investigational, novel oral antiviral therapeutic, PF-07321332, for the prevention of COVID-19 infection.
The study called EPIC-PEP will evaluate PF-07321332 co-administered with a low dose of another antiviral medicine, ritonavir, for the prevention of illness in adults living in the same household as someone infected with COVID-19. The study’s primary objective is to assess safety and efficacy for the prevention of confirmed COVID infection and its symptoms through Day 14.
PF-07321332 is already being evaluated in separate phase II/III studies, one in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients who are at high risk of severe illness (including hospitalization or death) and another in infected patients who are at standard risk. Both the studies were initiated in mid-2021.
PF-07321332 is a protease inhibitor designed in such a way that it can be given at the first sign of infection without the patient requiring hospitalization or critical care. If successfully developed, this pill can stop the infection from spreading fast as it can be given before the virus has had a chance to replicate extensively. Most medicines that have received emergency approval for treating COVID-19 can usually be prescribed to treat hospitalized patients or those with severe infection or patients at high risk of progressing to severe disease.
Pfizer’s stock has risen 18.4% this year so far compared with an increase of 9.1% for the industry.
In a separate press release, Pfizer announced the start of a phase I study to evaluate a single dose quadrivalent mRNA influenza vaccine in healthy adults. The first participants in the study have been dosed.
Pfizer has plans to explore diverse mRNA-based vaccine programs after witnessing tremendous success with its and its Germany-based partner BioNTech’s (BNTX - Free Report) COVID-19 vaccine. Their COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty was developed in record time and is now approved for emergency use in several countries and has become a key contributor to the top line. Another popular mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine has been launched by Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) .
Pfizer plans to explore mRNA technology in respiratory viruses other than influenza and also eventually aims to expand to develop mRNA technology in oncology and genetic diseases.
Pfizer currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Another stock in the large-cap pharma sector having the same Zacks Rank as Pfizer is J&J (JNJ - Free Report) . J&J’s stock has risen 3.6% this year so far while its earnings estimates have increased from $9.62 to $9.65 per share for 2021 and from $10.29 to $10.30 per share for 2022 over the past 60 days.