BioNTech, Pfizer ask Europe to OK vaccine for emergency use

The move comes a day after rival Moderna said it was asking US and European regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Berlin: German pharmaceutical company BioNTech and its US partner Pfizer say they have submitted an application for conditional approval of their coronavirus vaccine with the European Medicines Agency.

The two companies said on Tuesday that the submission, which occurred on Monday, completes the rolling review process they initiated with the agency on October 6.

The move comes a day after rival Moderna said it was asking US and European regulators to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine.

BioNTech said that if the vaccine, currently named BNT162b2, is approved, its use in Europe could begin before the end of 2020.