Vaccine-maker BioNTech plans to seek regulatory approval for offering lower dosage vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds as early as mid-October, the German company's founders said.
BioNTech chief physician Özlem Türeci told German magazine Der Spiegel it was already "preparing for production" of the latest version of the mRNA vaccine, planning to present the results of a study to health authorities next month, DW (Deutsche Welle) reports.
BioNTech, a comparatively small German startup based in Mainz, teamed up with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to accelerate the development, roll-out and production capacities for the vaccine its research enabled.
What did BioNTech say?
"In the coming weeks we will present the results of our study on 5- to 11-year-olds to authorities worldwide," Türeci said in an interview with Spiegel. "The vaccine is the same, but at a lower dose."
She said BioNTech would "apply for approval of the vaccine for this age group, including here in Europe."
Longer-term, the company also plans a vaccine suitable for children over the age of 6 months.
BioNTech cofounder Ugur Sahin said test results show "everything is going according to plan."
With the winter months fast approaching and schools proving to be a focal point of COVID-19 spread, the vaccine maker wants to be ready to offer its product for younger children.
How important is the jab?
With the spread of the Delta variant across Europe from its Indian origins, authorities have been keen to boost their vaccination rates before the northern hemisphere's winter.
In Germany, a relatively low percentage of the population has been vaccinated so far, with 61.8% of its population putting it in Europe's mid-table despite ample supplies.
BioNTech chief Sahin urged more people to step forward.
"There are still about 60 days left for us as a society to avoid a harsh winter," Şahin said. "We should do what we can to mobilize as many people as possible in these almost two months."
Türeci added: "Every additional person vaccinated helps."
