BERLIN, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- German vaccine developer BioNTech could deliver its COVID-19 vaccines adapted to the Omicron BA.1 and BA.4/5 sub variants in October if given regulatory approval.
Together with its U.S. partner Pfizer, BioNTech planned to "supply both vaccines in time for fall booster campaigns," the company said when presenting its figures for the first half of the year (H1) on Monday.
BioNTech's net profit in H1 rose to 5.37 billion euros (5.48 billion U.S. dollars), up from 3.92 billion euros in the same period last year, according to the company.
Despite a sales slump in the second quarter, revenue in the first six months rose by 30 percent year-on-year and reached 9.57 billion euros. BioNTech confirmed its guidance for the full fiscal year 2022, expecting sales of its COVID-19 vaccines to range from 13 to 17 billion euros.
"Our COVID-19 product pipeline includes variant-adapted and next-generation vaccine candidates, aimed at prolonged and broad protection," said Ugur Sahin, CEO and Co-Founder of BioNTech.
On hundred million vaccine doses of the Omicron booster based on the earlier BA.1 variant have already been pre-produced by BioNTech. The vaccine is currently awaiting the approval by the European Medicines Agency. The approval process of the latest BA.4/5 vaccine has not been initiated yet.
Of the 69.4 million adults in Germany aged 18 and older, around 85 percent are vaccinated against COVID-19. Almost three in four people have received one booster shot, while just under 10 percent have received two booster doses, according to official figures. (1 euro = 1.02 U.S. dollars) ■
