<div style="max-width: 100%;">
  <video-js
    data-account="1571595826001"
    data-player="c0AOssA7"
    data-video-id="6208639567001"
    data-embed="default"
    controls=""
    data-application-id=""
    class="vjs-fluid"></video-js>
</div>
<p><script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script></p>
<p>Markets continue to rally, with renewed hopes of a COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer and BioNTech announced yesterday that their vaccine candidate is 90 per cent effective, with the oil price rebounding. Angola, one of the largest producers of crude oil in Africa, has suffered due to a global drop in oil prices caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Rui Oliveira, CEO of BFA Asset Management joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Oil prices rebound: What does this mean for Angola?

<div style="max-width: 100%;">
  <video-js
    data-account="1571595826001"
    data-player="c0AOssA7"
    data-video-id="6208611953001"
    data-embed="default"
    controls=""
    data-application-id=""
    class="vjs-fluid"></video-js>
</div>
<p><script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script></p>
<p>After announcing that its COVID vaccine is over 90 per cent effective, Pfizer and BioNTech say they expect to produce up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021. Joining CNBC Africa to discuss what this news means for the world’s COVID-19 fight and economy are; Niniola Williams, Managing Director of Drasa Health Trust and Kayode Akindele, Partner at TIA Capital.</p>


Cautious optimism over Pfizer coronavirus vaccine breakthrough

<div style="max-width: 100%;">
  <video-js
    data-account="1571595826001"
    data-player="c0AOssA7"
    data-video-id="6196359268001"
    data-embed="default"
    controls=""
    data-application-id=""
    class="vjs-fluid"></video-js>
</div>
<p><script src="//players.brightcove.net/1571595826001/c0AOssA7_default/index.min.js">
</script></p>
<p>Pfizer and BioNTech have started its enrolment of participants in South Africa for its phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials.</p>


Pfizer & BioNTech phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials resume in SA


<p><strong>Key Points</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Over the last 48 hours, three biotech companies, in particular, have been thrust into the spotlight for their promise: BioNTech, CureVac and Moderna.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>All three of these firms specialize in messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>These mRNA molecules are used to instruct the body to produce its own immune response to fight a range of different diseases.</li></ul>



<p>The race is on to develop an immunization against COVID-19.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Dozens of companies and public labs around the world are working to develop a vaccine to prevent the spread of the flu-like virus. Over the last 48 hours, three biotech companies, in particular, have been thrust into the spotlight for their promise: BioNTech, CureVac and Moderna.</p>



<p>All three of these firms specialize in messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics. These mRNA molecules are used to instruct the body to produce its own immune response to fight a range of different diseases. This type of vaccine can potentially be developed and produced more quickly than traditional vaccines.</p>



<p>Moderna is a Massachusetts-based biotech company working with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). It kicked off its first trial Monday in Seattle, Washington.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is called a “phase one” study and is being conducted by the NIH. Moderna is also preparing for a potential “phase two” study that it would conduct itself. Moderna shares rose 27% in Monday’s trading session.</p>



<p>BioNTech, meanwhile, is a German biotech company which recently announced two strategic partnerships to advance development of a vaccine. It formed a collaboration with Fosun Pharma to advance efforts in China, and with Pfizer to do the same outside China.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Berenberg bank analysts say they are impressed with the company’s efforts to rapidly enter into an alliance with a top pharma company in China and they view it as an important validation of BioNTech’s mRNA technology platform.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“BioNTech appears best positioned in the COVID-19 race owing to its diversified mRNA platform, delivery information and manufacturing capacity,” Berenberg said in a research note.</p>



<p>CureVac is an unlisted German company which aims to start testing an experimental vaccine on humans this summer. After reportedly getting caught in the political crossfire between Germany and the U.S., the European Commission pledged 80 billion euros of financial support to help them get a product out in Europe.&nbsp;</p>



<p>On Monday, CureVac noted it “is working on expanding its manufacturing capacities to be able to provide up to billions of doses for outbreak situations like Covid-19.”</p>



<p>As evidenced by these companies, partnerships are key to developing and manufacturing vaccines for the public. Both public-private partnerships as well as partnerships between the traditional pharmaceutical giants and smaller biotech players can be critical to getting these vaccines from trial to market.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, the jury is still out on what type of therapeutic approach will work best. Barclays pharmaceutical research team noted that while mRNA vaccines remain unproven, they are likely to dominate the shorter-term headlines given faster development timelines and rapid early progress.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ultimately, the Barclays team believes these novel vaccines are likely to be superseded by more conventional approaches over time.</p>



<p>(Report by Julianna Tatelbaum)</p>



<p>This article was first published on CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/17/hopes-of-a-coronavirus-vaccine-mount-as-three-key-biotech-players-make-progress.html">https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/17/hopes-of-a-coronavirus-vaccine-mount-as-three-key-biotech-players-make-progress.html</a> and is republished with its permission.</p>


BioNTech

Oil prices rebound: What does this mean for Angola?

Cautious optimism over Pfizer coronavirus vaccine breakthrough

Pfizer & BioNTech phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials resume in SA

Hopes of a coronavirus vaccine mount as three key biotech players make progress

News Tips

Advertise With Us

BioNTech

Oil prices rebound: What does this mean for Angola?

Cautious optimism over Pfizer coronavirus vaccine breakthrough

Pfizer & BioNTech phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials resume in SA

Hopes of a coronavirus vaccine mount as three key biotech players make progress

News Tips

Advertise With Us

Newsletters