LinkedIn fodder... American pharma giant Pfizer has notched a few notable firsts: the first Covid vaccine authorized in the US, the first mRNA vaccine ever authorized for human use, and now... the first Covid vax profits. The Pfizer-BioNTech vax is also the most administered Covid vaccine in the US: 131M Americans have received Pfizer's shot, 109M got Moderna's, and ~8M got J&J's. And it shows...
Zoom out... Some countries have vaccinated large swaths of their populations (the US has vaxed 44%, and Israel has vaxed 60%). But globally, Covid cases are still rising. India and Brazil now account for half of new cases. India, where cases just crossed 20M, is suffering a shortage of vaccines, oxygen, and hospital beds. Brazil is setting death toll records, and its healthcare system is collapsing.
This is just the beginning... of Pfizer's vaccine journey (and its windfall). Experts are saying annual vax booster shots will likely be required. Pfizer is already making moves to deliver more shots: it's testing a third dose, and is working to make its vax easier to store, which could boost global distribution. It's also trying to fast-track vax authorization in India, and for 12- to 15-year-olds in the US. And it plans to file for the first full FDA approval this month, which would allow it to market the vax directly to consumers.