Pharmacological properties : תכונות פרמקולוגיות

Pharmacodynamic Properties

5.1   Pharmacodynamic properties

Pharmacotherapeutic group: vaccines, viral vaccines, ATC code: J07BN01 
Mechanism of action

The nucleoside-modified messenger RNA in Comirnaty is formulated in lipid nanoparticles, which enable delivery of the non-replicating RNA into host cells to direct transient expression of the SARS-CoV-2 S antigen. The mRNA codes for membrane-anchored, full-length S with two point mutations within the central helix. Mutation of these two amino acids to proline locks S in an antigenically preferred prefusion conformation. The vaccine elicits both neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses to the spike (S) antigen, which may contribute to protection against COVID-19.

Efficacy

Study 2 is a multicentre, multinational, Phase 1/2/3 randomised, placebo-controlled, observer-blind dose-finding, vaccine candidate selection and efficacy study in participants 12 years of age and older.
Randomisation was stratified by age: 12 to 15 years of age, 16 to 55 years of age, or 56 years of age and older, with a minimum of 40% of participants in the ≥ 56-year stratum. The study excluded participants who were immunocompromised and those who had previous clinical or microbiological diagnosis of COVID-19. Participants with pre-existing stable disease, defined as disease not requiring significant change in therapy or hospitalization for worsening disease during the 6 weeks before enrolment, were included as were participants with known stable infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Efficacy in participants 16 years of age and older – after 2 doses

In the Phase 2/3 portion of Study 2, based on data accrued through 14 November 2020, approximately 44 000 participants were randomised equally and were to receive 2 doses of COVID-19 mRNA
Vaccine or placebo. The efficacy analyses included participants that received their second vaccination within 19 to 42 days after their first vaccination. The majority (93.1%) of vaccine recipients received the second dose 19 days to 23 days after Dose 1. Participants are planned to be followed for up to 24 months after Dose 2, for assessments of safety and efficacy against COVID-19. In the clinical study, participants were required to observe a minimum interval of 14 days before and after administration of an influenza vaccine in order to receive either placebo or COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine. In the clinical study, participants were required to observe a minimum interval of 60 days before or after receipt of blood/plasma products or immunoglobulins within through conclusion of the study in order to receive either placebo or COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine.

The population for the analysis of the primary efficacy endpoint included 36 621 participants 12 years of age and older (18 242 in the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine group and 18 379 in the placebo group) who did not have evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 through 7 days after the second dose.
In addition, 134 participants were between the ages of 16 to 17 years of age (66 in the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine group and 68 in the placebo group) and 1 616 participants 75 years of age and older (804 in the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine group and 812 in the placebo group).

At the time of the primary efficacy analysis, participants had been followed for symptomatic COVID-19 for in total 2 214 person-years for the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine and in total 2 222 person-years in the placebo group.

There were no meaningful clinical differences in overall vaccine efficacy in participants who were at risk of severe COVID-19 including those with 1 or more comorbidities that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 (e.g. asthma, body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension).

The vaccine efficacy information is presented in Table 2.

Table 2.     Vaccine efficacy – First COVID-19 occurrence from 7 days after Dose 2, by age subgroup – participants without evidence of infection prior to 7 days after Dose 2 – evaluable efficacy (7 days) population
First COVID-19 occurrence from 7 days after Dose 2 in participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection*
COVID-19 mRNA
Vaccine                    Placebo
Na = 18 198                Na = 18 325
Cases                      Cases n1b                        n1b            Vaccine efficacy %
Subgroup           Surveillance time (n2 ) Surveillance timec (n2d) c   d
(95% CI)e
8                        162                     95.0
All participants              2.214 (17 411)            2.222 (17 511)           (90.0, 97.9) 7                        143                     95.1
16 to 64 years              1.706 (13 549)            1.710 (13 618)           (89.6, 98.1) 1                         19                     94.7
65 years and older          0.508 (3 848)              0.511 (3 880)           (66.7, 99.9) 1                         14                     92.9
65 to 74 years           0.406 (3 074)              0.406 (3 095)           (53.1, 99.8) 75 years and                    0                          5                    100.0 older                     0.102 (774)                0.106 (785)           (-13.1, 100.0) Note: Confirmed cases were determined by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and at least 1 symptom consistent with COVID-19 [*Case definition: (at least 1 of) fever, new or increased cough, new or increased shortness of breath, chills, new or increased muscle pain, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, diarrhoea or vomiting.]
* Participants who had no serological or virological evidence (prior to 7 days after receipt of the last dose) of past SARS-CoV-2 infection (i.e. N-binding antibody [serum] negative at Visit 1 and SARS-CoV-2 not detected by nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) [nasal swab] at Visits 1 and 2), and had negative NAAT (nasal swab) at any unscheduled visit prior to 7 days after Dose 2 were included in the analysis.
a. N = Number of participants in the specified group.
b. n1 = Number of participants meeting the endpoint definition.
c. Total surveillance time in 1 000 person-years for the given endpoint across all participants within each group at risk for the endpoint. Time period for COVID-19 case accrual is from 7 days after Dose 2 to the end of the surveillance period.
d. n2 = Number of participants at risk for the endpoint.
e. Two-sided confidence interval (CI) for vaccine efficacy is derived based on the Clopper and Pearson method adjusted to the surveillance time. CI not adjusted for multiplicity.

Efficacy of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in preventing first COVID-19 occurrence from 7 days after Dose 2 compared to placebo was 94.6% (95% confidence interval of 89.6% to 97.6%) in participants 16 years of age and older with or without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Additionally, subgroup analyses of the primary efficacy endpoint showed similar efficacy point estimates across genders, ethnic groups, and participants with medical comorbidities associated with high risk of severe COVID-19.

Updated efficacy analyses were performed with additional confirmed COVID-19 cases accrued during blinded placebo-controlled follow-up, representing up to 6 months after Dose 2 in the efficacy population.

The updated vaccine efficacy information is presented in Table 3.

Table 3. Vaccine efficacy – First COVID-19 occurrence from 7 days after Dose 2, by age subgroup – participants without evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection* prior to 7 days after Dose 2 – evaluable efficacy (7 days) population during the placebo-controlled follow-up period
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine                  Placebo
Na=20 998                  Na=21 096
Cases                       Cases n1b                         n1b           Vaccine efficacy %
Subgroup                   Surveillance time (n2 ) Surveillance timec (n2d) c   d
(95% CIe)
77                         850                   91.3
All participantsf               6.247 (20 712)             6.003 (20 713)          (89.0, 93.2) 70                         710                   90.6
16 to 64 years                4.859 (15 519)             4.654 (15 515)          (87.9, 92.7) 7                         124                   94.5
65 years and older             1.233 (4 192)              1.202 (4 226)          (88.3, 97.8) 6                          98                   94.1
65 to 74 years              0.994 (3 350)              0.966 (3 379)          (86.6, 97.9) 1                          26                   96.2
75 years and older           0.239 (842)                0.237 (847)           (76.9, 99.9) Note: Confirmed cases were determined by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and at least 1 symptom consistent with COVID-19 (symptoms included: fever; new or increased cough; new or increased shortness of breath; chills; new or increased muscle pain; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; diarrhoea; vomiting).
* Participants who had no evidence of past SARS-CoV-2 infection (i.e. N-binding antibody [serum] negative at Visit 1 and SARS-CoV-2 not detected by NAAT [nasal swab] at Visits 1 and 2), and had negative NAAT (nasal swab) at any unscheduled visit prior to 7 days after Dose 2 were included in the analysis.
a. N = Number of participants in the specified group.
b. n1 = Number of participants meeting the endpoint definition.
c. Total surveillance time in 1 000 person-years for the given endpoint across all participants within each group at risk for the endpoint. Time period for COVID-19 case accrual is from 7 days after Dose 2 to the end of the surveillance period.
d. n2 = Number of participants at risk for the endpoint.
e. Two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) for vaccine efficacy is derived based on the Clopper and Pearson method adjusted to the surveillance time.
f. Included confirmed cases in participants 12 to 15 years of age: 0 in the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine group; 16 in the placebo group.

In the updated efficacy analysis, efficacy of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in preventing first COVID-19 occurrence from 7 days after Dose 2 compared to placebo was 91.1% (95% CI of 88.8% to 93.0%) during the period when Wuhan/Wild type and Alpha variants were the predominant circulating strains in participants in the evaluable efficacy population with or without evidence of prior infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Additionally, the updated efficacy analyses by subgroup showed similar efficacy point estimates across sexes, ethnic groups, geography and participants with medical comorbidities and obesity associated with high risk of severe COVID-19.

Efficacy against severe COVID-19

Updated efficacy analyses of secondary efficacy endpoints supported benefit of the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine in preventing severe COVID‑19.

As of 13 March 2021, vaccine efficacy against severe COVID-19 is presented only for participants with or without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (Table 4) as the COVID-19 case counts in participants without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection were the same as those in participants with or without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection in both the COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine and placebo groups.


Table 4.   Vaccine efficacy – First severe COVID-19 occurrence in participants with or without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection based on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)* after Dose 1 or from 7 days after Dose 2 in the placebo-controlled follow-up COVID-19 mRNA
Vaccine                    Placebo
Cases                      Cases n1a                        n1a             Vaccine efficacy % b                         b
Surveillance time (n2 ) Surveillance time (n2 )           (95% CIc)
1                         30                      96.7
After Dose 1d                8.439e (22 505)           8.288e (22 435)            (80.3, 99.9) 1                         21                      95.3
7 days after Dose 2f         6.522g (21 649)           6.404g (21 730)            (70.9, 99.9) Note: Confirmed cases were determined by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and at least 1 symptom consistent with COVID-19 (symptoms included: fever; new or increased cough; new or increased shortness of breath; chills; new or increased muscle pain; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; diarrhoea; vomiting).
* Severe illness from COVID-19 as defined by FDA is confirmed COVID-19 and presence of at least 1 of the following:
• Clinical signs at rest indicative of severe systemic illness (respiratory rate ≥ 30 breaths per minute, heart rate ≥ 125 beats per minute, saturation of oxygen ≤ 93% on room air at sea level, or ratio of arterial oxygen partial pressure to fractional inspired oxygen < 300 mm Hg); • Respiratory failure [defined as needing high-flow oxygen, noninvasive ventilation, mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)];
• Evidence of shock (systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure < 60 mm Hg, or requiring vasopressors);
• Significant acute renal, hepatic, or neurologic dysfunction;
• Admission to an Intensive Care Unit;
• Death.
a. n1 = Number of participants meeting the endpoint definition.
b. n2 = Number of participants at risk for the endpoint.
c. Two-side confidence interval (CI) for vaccine efficacy is derived based on the Clopper and Pearson method adjusted to the surveillance time.
d. Efficacy assessed based on the Dose 1 all available efficacy (modified intention-to-treat) population that included all randomised participants who received at least 1 dose of study intervention.
e. Total surveillance time in 1 000 person-years for the given endpoint across all participants within each group at risk for the endpoint. Time period for COVID-19 case accrual is from Dose 1 to the end of the surveillance period.
f. Efficacy assessed based on the evaluable efficacy (7 Days) population that included all eligible randomised participants who receive all dose(s) of study intervention as randomised within the predefined window, have no other important protocol deviations as determined by the clinician.
g. Total surveillance time in 1 000 person-years for the given endpoint across all participants within each group at risk for the endpoint. Time period for COVID-19 case accrual is from 7 days after Dose 2 to the end of the surveillance period.

Efficacy and immunogenicity in adolescents 12 to 15 years of age – after 2 doses 
In an initial analysis of Study 2 in adolescents 12 to 15 years of age (representing a median follow-up duration of > 2 months after Dose 2) without evidence of prior infection, there were no cases in 1 005 participants who received the vaccine and 16 cases out of 978 who received placebo. The point estimate for efficacy is 100% (95% confidence interval 75.3, 100.0). In participants with or without evidence of prior infection there were 0 cases in the 1 119 who received vaccine and 18 cases in 1 110 participants who received placebo. This also indicates the point estimate for efficacy is 100% (95% confidence interval 78.1, 100.0).

Updated efficacy analyses were performed with additional confirmed COVID-19 cases accrued during blinded placebo-controlled follow-up, representing up to 6 months after Dose 2 in the efficacy population.


In the updated efficacy analysis of Study 2 in adolescents 12 to 15 years of age without evidence of prior infection, there were no cases in 1 057 participants who received the vaccine and 28 cases out of 1 030 who received placebo. The point estimate for efficacy is 100% (95% confidence interval 86.8, 100.0) during the period when Alpha variant was the predominant circulating strain. In participants with or without evidence of prior infection there were 0 cases in the 1 119 who received vaccine and 30 cases in 1 109 participants who received placebo. This also indicates the point estimate for efficacy is 100% (95% confidence interval 87.5, 100.0).

In Study 2, an analysis of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising titres 1 month after Dose 2 was conducted in a randomly selected subset of participants who had no serological or virological evidence of past SARS-CoV-2 infection up to 1 month after Dose 2, comparing the response in adolescents 12 to 15 years of age (n = 190) to participants 16 to 25 years of age (n = 170).

The ratio of the geometric mean titres (GMT) in the 12 to 15 years of age group to the 16 to 25 years of age group was 1.76, with a 2-sided 95% CI of 1.47 to 2.10. Therefore, the 1.5-fold noninferiority criterion was met as the lower bound of the 2-sided 95% CI for the geometric mean ratio [GMR] was > 0.67.

Pharmacokinetic Properties

5.2   Pharmacokinetic properties
Not applicable.