German laboratories BioNTech and American Pfizer reported on Friday the failure of the last phase of clinical testing to develop a messenger RNA vaccine to fight against influenza and Covid-19.
Phase III clinical trials, conducted on 8,000 adults between 18 and 64 years old, "achieved only one of the two immunity objectives" targeted by the two companies, they indicated in a press release.
In detail, the vaccine candidate has not proven its effectiveness against type B influenza, which was nevertheless one of its main objectives.
On the other hand, it "obtained higher results against type A influenza, as well as a response against Covid-19 comparable" to other vaccines, the laboratories detailed.
Following this failure, BioNTech and Pfizer plan to "evaluate adjustments to be made to the vaccine in order to improve immune responses against influenza B" and "will discuss the next steps with health authorities," according to the press release.
Both companies had recorded conclusive results last year during the second phase of testing their clinical trials.
This result is all the more disappointing for BioNTech and Pfizer as one of their competitors, the American Moderna, indicated in June that it had obtained good results for its own combined vaccine against influenza and Covid-19.
Tested on several thousand people, the vaccine, according to the group, "triggered a higher immune response" than separate vaccines already approved against these two diseases.
In 2020, BioNTech and Pfizer were able to quickly and successfully create the world's first approved Covid-19 vaccine, which generated billions of euros in revenue for both companies.
The German biotechnology laboratory, created in 2008, was the first to see its vaccine using messenger RNA technology approved in a large number of countries at the end of 2020, just a few months after the outbreak of the pandemic.
Scientists believe that mRNA, which triggers an immune response by introducing genetic molecules containing the code for key elements of a pathogen into human cells, could be a game changer in the fight against many diseases.
Being able to administer a single vaccine against both influenza and Covid-19 would also help increase vaccination rates in at-risk populations.
English 
French