Pfizer to start testing freeze-dried version of Covid-19 vaccine in April

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech will begin testing a freeze-dried version of its Covid-19 vaccine that will need no ultra-cold storage conditions in April, The Walls Street Journal reported, citing a source.

Sputnik citing the media outlet reported that the freeze-dried vaccine will be tested on volunteers aged between 18 and 55.

The trials, aimed at determining whether the lyophilized version is as safe and effective as the original one, are expected to last about two months and involve 1,100 people, the publication said.

If the results are successful, the alternative version of the vaccine may be ready for use by early next year. According to WSJ, this may ease the burden related to the storage of the drug.

Sputnik further reported that the manufacturers of the vaccine initially required storage temperatures from 76 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit below zero.

This requirement posed a serious challenge to distribution, especially among less-developed nations without the cold chain infrastructure.

In February, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was possible to transport and store the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at conventional temperatures commonly found in pharmaceutical freezers.

( With inputs from ANI )