The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer (PFE +0.57%) and BioNTech (BNTX 3.88%) is now available to adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15. However, the two companies, along with Moderna (MRNA 1.25%), hope to win authorizations for their vaccines to immunize younger children as well. In this Motley Fool Live video recorded on May 17, healthcare and cannabis bureau chief Corinne Cardina and Motley Fool contributor Keith Speights discuss when Pfizer's and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines might be available to younger kids.
Corinne Cardina: Let's go even younger. What is the status of the under 12 population in terms of clinical trials and when could we expect similar news for babies to 11 years?
Keith Speights: Yeah, so they're making progress on that front as well, Corinne. Pfizer and BioNTech basically are already conducting clinical studies in this younger age group, the companies are evaluating different dosing levels.
They're starting with one-third of the dose that they give to adults and they're trying that out and then ramping it up a little bit. Because the thought is that a lower dose could be just as effective in the younger kids as the full doses with adults.
Pfizer expects to report its results from clinical studies in this younger age range by September so that's coming up pretty quickly. Assuming all goes well, I would think that the vaccine could receive an EUA amendment sometime in the early fall, I would think.
Moderna's running a little behind Pfizer. Like Pfizer, the company is also evaluating lower doses in kids. It looks like Moderna's vaccine could be available for younger kids in early '22 based on what I'm seeing. Maybe a little sooner than that.
I think we're going to realistically be seeing these vaccines -- the first one be available for the younger age range sometime later this year, and then the second vaccine probably being available sometime early next year.
