Pharma giant reveals vaccine could reach Ireland next year

PHARMA giant Pfizer said it expects the rollout of a Covid vaccine in Ireland during 2021.

And it revealed the company could submit the medication for approval to the US before the end of this month.

Speaking at Government Buildings in Dublin yesterday,

Dr Paul Duffy said: “We are still in development phases of the vaccine but we are cautiously optimistic based upon the results we have seen in the clinical trials.

“All going well, we will have results coming through in November with a potential timing for filing to the FDA [Food and

Drug Administration] at the end of November.

“I would expect to see the availability of the vaccine during 2021 while 2020 will be very minimal circulation.

“But 2021 we should start seeing it come through.”

Dr Duffy, vice president of global supply, added Pfizer is already in talks with the European Medicines Agency and the European Commission to provide the vaccine to EU governments.

He said it currently has 44,000 people taking part in the trial and is “making good progress in the development of a Covid-19 vaccine”.

Dr Duffy added: “If this trial proves successful, we could seek emergency use authorisation in the US as early as the third week of November.

“Discussions are ongoing with the European Commission to provide a vaccine to the EU governments.

“We’ve also commenced the complex process of manufacturing the vaccine in anticipation of approval.

“There’s discussion ongoing with European regulators they’ve got to get concluded also.”

Mr Duffy joined Taoiseach

Micheal Martin to announce a £270million investment in Pfizer’s Irish operations.