BioNTech and Moderna stock rose in early trading on Thursday, on track to recover some of the previous session’s losses, following a report in the Wall Street Journal that the FDA could authorize Covid-19 booster shots for immunocompromised people.
BioNTech and Moderna were up 3.96% and 2% after plunging 14% and 15.6% in the previous session, respectively. Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), which shed 4% on Wednesday, was up 1%.
The WSJ reported that the Food and Drug Administration is nearing a decision to authorize booster shots for people with weak immunity amid a surge in new COVID cases because of the rapid spread of the delta variant.
There is growing evidence that two shots of the vaccines are inadequate for people with low immunity. Vaccine makers plan to approach the FDA this month or next for approval to their booster shots.
BioNTech, Moderna and Pfizer all closed lower Wednesday following news that Europe’s drug regulator is studying three new conditions reported by a small number of people after getting Covid-19 shots to assess if they may be possible side-effects.
The conditions were reported in patients who took the mRNA vaccines made by either Moderna or BioNTech-Pfizer.
Pfizer and BioNTech are collaborating on the research and marketing of their COVID-19 vaccine. Expenses and profit from the vaccine are split equally between Pfizer and BioNTech.