Confidence for the year as a whole
Omicron Booster gives Pfizer a boost
11/01/2022, 2:00 p.m
Demand for the original Covid-19 vaccine fell significantly in the third quarter. But thanks to the business with the adapted vaccine, the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer is still confident about group revenues this year.
The US pharmaceutical company Pfizer expects momentum from its new Omikron boosters. Thanks to the additional business with the adapted corona booster vaccinations that Pfizer is developing together with the German biotech company Biontech, the group now expects Covid-19 vaccine sales of 34 billion dollars this year – two billion more than before. On the other hand, Pfizer confirmed the sales forecast for the corona drug Paxlovid of 22 million dollars.
“Our Covid-19 franchises will generate billions in sales for the foreseeable future,” said CEO Albert Bourla optimistically. However, demand for the original Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty fell significantly in the third quarter, for example because a supply agreement with the European Commission was postponed to the fourth quarter.
Sales and profits increase significantly
Overall, Pfizer turned over 22.6 billion dollars, a minus of six percent. After nine months, however, there was an increase of almost a third to 76 billion dollars. For the year as a whole, it should now be 99.5 to 102 billion dollars in sales instead of 98 to 102 billion. Pfizer raised its guidance for adjusted earnings per share. After nine months, the group drove an adjusted profit of a good 31 billion dollars, an increase of 67 percent within the year.
In Germany, the Standing Vaccination Commission STIKO recommends a vaccine adapted to Omikron for all booster vaccinations from the age of twelve. This applies to both the BA.1. as well as the BA.4/5 vaccine.
However, STIKO member Christian Bogdan had criticized the fact that at the time the BA.4/BA.5 booster was approved – unlike the BA.1 vaccine – no data from clinical studies on humans were available, only preclinical data from animal studies. Despite limited study data, STIKO assessed the new boosters as safe and well tolerated, but asked the manufacturers to provide and publish further studies.