Analysts and healthcare investors predict that drugmakers Pfizer, BioNTech, and Moderna will profit billions of dollars from COVID-19 booster doses in a market that may match the $6 billion in yearly sales for flu vaccinations for years to come.
For some months, the firms have stated that fully immunized patients will require an additional dosage of their vaccines to retain protection and stave off emerging coronavirus strains.
In response to the rapidly spreading Delta variety, an increasing number of nations, notably Chile, Germany, and Israel, have opted to provide booster doses to senior residents or those with weakened immune systems. Many other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, are likely to follow suit.
Pfizer, along with its German partner BioNTech, and Moderna, has agreed to sell the injections for more than $60 billion in 2021 and 2022. The agreements involve the provision of the first two doses of their vaccinations, as well as billions of dollars in potential boosters for affluent countries.
Analysts anticipate revenue of more than $6.6 billion for the Pfizer/BioNTech injection and $7.6 billion for Moderna in 2023, primarily from booster sales. They anticipate that the yearly market would eventually settle at $5 billion or higher, with more drugmakers vying for those revenues.
According to the vaccine manufacturers, indications of declining antibody levels in vaccinated patients after six months, as well as a growing prevalence of breakthrough infections in Delta-affected nations, indicate the necessity for booster injections.
Some preliminary findings show that the Moderna vaccine, which has a larger dosage at the start, maybe more lasting than Pfizer’s injection, but further study is needed to establish whether this is impacted by the age or underlying health of the individuals vaccinated.
As a result, it is unclear how many people will require boosters and how frequently. The number of rivals who enter the market may restrict the earning potential of booster injections. Furthermore, some experts doubt whether there is enough evidence to support the use of boosters, particularly in young, healthy persons. The World Health Organization has requested that nations postpone booster injections until more individuals throughout the world have received their initial doses.
