May 07, 2021 – Pfizer and BioNTech have initiated a BLA (biologics license application) by submitting the nonclinical and clinical data needed to support licensure of the COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals 16 years of age and older. Submission of a BLA requires longer-term follow-up data for acceptance and approval than authorization for EUA.
The companies will submit the required manufacturing and facility data for licensure in the coming weeks to complete the BLA.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is currently available in the U.S. under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) granted by the FDA on December 11, 2020. Since then, the companies have delivered more than 170 million doses of the vaccine across the U.S.
Pfizer and BioNTech also have submitted an application to expand the current EUA for their COVID-19 vaccine to include individuals 12 to 15 years of age. The companies intend to submit a supplemental BLA to support licensure of the vaccine in this age group once the required data six months after the second vaccine dose are available.
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, which is based on BioNTech proprietary mRNA technology, was developed by both BioNTech and Pfizer. BioNTech is the Marketing Authorization Holder in the European Union, and the holder of emergency use authorizations or equivalent in the United States (together with Pfizer), United Kingdom, Canada and other countries in advance of a planned application for full marketing authorizations in these countries.