Pfizer's CEO says the company plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine in younger children 'in days.'
On Sunday, in an appearance on ABC's This Week, Albert Bourla was asked when the country should expect the shots to be approved in kids between ages five and 11.
The New York-based firm, along with its German partner BioNTech, recently released data that it said showed the vaccine was safe and effective in a smaller doses in elementary schoolers.
'I think we are going to submit this data pretty soon,' Bourla told host George Stephanopoulos.
'It's a question of days, not weeks, and then it is up to FDA to be able to review the data and come to their conclusions and approve it or not.'
Pfizer Inc's CEO Albert Bourla told ABC's This Week on Sunday (above) that the company will submit its application for FDA approval of its Covid vaccine in children aged 5-11 'in days'
Recently released data showed that the vaccine induced a 'robust' immune response in younger kids, according to Pfizer. Pictured: Dr Erin Biro holds her son as he receives a shot in Pfizer's clinical trial in younger children
According to clinicaltrials.gov, Pfizer's study in younger children worked similarly to the way it did in older children and adults.
A total of 4,500 younger kids from ages six months to 11 years were enrolled at nearly 100 clinical trial sites in 26 U.S. states, Finland, Poland and Spain
About half of the ages five-to-11 group were given two doses 21 days apart and the other half were given placebo shots.
The team then tested the safety, tolerability and immune response generated by the vaccine by measuring antibody levels in the young subjects.
Pfizer said it had selected lower doses for COVID-19 vaccine trials in children than are given to teenagers and adults.
Those aged 12 and older receive two 30 microgram (μg) doses of the vaccine.
However, children between ages five and 11 were given 10 μg doses and kids from six months to four years old will receive three μg doses.
Bourla assured that Pfizer would be ready to ship these smaller doses across the country if the FDA
