The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine 'is likely to be effective' against a rapidly spreading strain of the coronavirus, first discovered in the UK, according to a lab-based study.
The FT reports that the B117 variant - with its high levels of mutations - had led to concerns that it could bypass the immune defences built up by vaccines currently being rolled out worldwide.
However, researchers at BioNTech's headquarters in Mainz discovered a test-tube version of the virus carrying all the new strain's mutations was neutralised by antibodies in the blood of 16 patients who had previously received the vaccine in trials.
Half of those trial participants were over 55.
The paper has yet to be peer reviewed.
The companies said there was no "biologically significant difference in neutralisation activity" between results of lab tests on the original strain of the virus, sequenced in China in January 2020 and the new variant.
However, the authors warned the ongoing evolution of Sars-Cov-2 necessitates "continuous monitoring" for significant changes for maintained protection by currently authorised vaccines.
A previous study at the University of Texas had already checked it against one of the most worrying changes in the new variant of the virus, that emerged in the UK and South Africa.
Both Moderna and Oxford/AstraZeneca, which are in the process of testing their vaccines, have previously indicated that they expected their jabs to protect against B117.
But a group of scientists in South Africa are concerned the vaccines could be less effective against the 501YV2 variant that is behind a second wave there.
