Thread by @whippletom

Briefing on Pfizer/biontech neutralisation studies has begun. 19 or 20 seras (why don't they know which?!)

1/x

Stark - v stark - difference between two and three doses. Three looks almost as good.

Is this analagous to delta? It escaped one dose, but was pinned down with two. Omicron escapes two, but cornered by three.

"We expect significant protection against omicron in those who have received the third vaccine" - Sahin

This looks good? T-cells largely unaffected. 80 per cent of epitopes don't contain mutations. "We believe that T-cell responses induced by vaccination will still be active"

First data I've seen on variant vaccines. "What we have observed is booster dose with variant vaccines in people received two doses of pfizer induces strong neutralising antibody responses equal or higher than those observed with boosting wild type." Look at Alpha

Summary here:

"Due to presence of B and T cell memory....we expect that two doses of our vaccine may still induce protection against severe disease." -Özlem Türeci

Plan to deliver an omicron specific vaccine by March

"Data from omicron from heavily endemic regions, different age distriubution. We have to wait 2-3-4 weeks to understand severity in europe" - Sahin

On variant vaccine. "Several million doses in first month. How relates to main capacity TBD"

Worth noting as several have pointed out, other studies are less rosy.