- Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK), two of the world's biggest vaccine makers, have delayed advanced trials of their potential coronavirus vaccine after it produced an "insufficient" response in older adults.
- They now say their jab won't be ready until late next year, and will commence a new second-phase study with a more concentrated antigen in February.
- In another setback for vaccine developers, Australia canceled an order for 51M doses of a COVID shot being developed by CSL (OTCPK:CSLLY) and the University of Queensland.
- What happened? A component of the vaccine comes from the human immunodeficiency virus, and while that poses no risk of infection, some trial participants had false positive tests for HIV.
- The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine looks set for U.S. emergency authorization after the endorsement of an outside panel of experts.
- Premarket: SNY -3.5%; GSK -0.5%.