Pfizer's Omicron-Specific Vaccine To Be Ready In March

(RTTNews) - Pfizer (PFE) CEO Albert Bourla on Monday said that Covid vaccine for omicron variant will be ready in March.

"This vaccine will be ready in March," Bourla told CNBC's Squawk Box. "We [are] already starting manufacturing some of these quantities at risk."

Bourla also said the vaccine will also target the other variants that are circulating.

"The hope is that we will achieve something that will have way, way better protection particularly against infections, because the protection against the hospitalizations and the severe disease — it is reasonable right now, with the current vaccines as long as you are having let's say the third dose," Bourla said.

Meanwhile, Business Insider reported that Pfizer plans to start human testing for its Omicron-specific coronavirus vaccine before the end of January.

"We're going to test that starting now in late January, when we're rolling out clinical trials comparing Omicron towards the current vaccine," said Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer's chief scientific officer.

The Omicron variant is creating havoc across the globe, with several countries reporting a surge in infections and hospitalizations. However, according to Dolsten, it is still not clear that whether a shot specific for Omicron is required or not.

Specifics for this new research are still being finalized with regulators, including how many volunteers will be enrolled and in which countries it'll be conducted, a Pfizer spokesperson said.