He said they had prepared early in case the virus mutated.
BioNTech founder and Chief Executive Ugur Sahin has said that he is confident their Covid-19 vaccine will work against the new Indian variant of the coronavirus.
He said that the BioNTech and Pfizer jab will work against the new strain which has been circulating in India which is currently experiencing a record outbreak of thousands of new coronavirus cases a day.
Ugur Sahin, who founded the German biotech with his wife Ozlem Tureci told the Financial Times that BioNTech had prepared in advance for the possibility of mutations.
“We come out of cancer medicine and the tumour is constantly changing and mutating, so we have experience with these escape mechanisms,” he told the publication.
BioNTech has said that it is investigating more than 30 variants of the virus, including the variant from India known as B.1.617.
Ireland is set to donate 700 oxygen concentrators to India to help the country fight it’s current Covid-19 emergency.
The plan was developed in coordination with the Department of Health, Foreign Affairs and Housing, and Local Government.
The donation is taken from stocks originally purchased by the HSE as part of pandemic preparations for use in field hospital settings.
Confirming the news on Monday Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “We have all seen the rapidly deteriorating situation in relation to Covid-19 in India.
“I am pleased that Ireland is in a position to make this emergency donation of 700 oxygen concentrators to India.
“These machines will support frontline healthcare workers in India to deliver care to patients who need it.”
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