By The Defender Staff
Exclusive: Pfizer, BioNTech Halt US COVID Vaccine Study After Recruitment Struggles
U.S. News & World Report reported:
Vaccine makers Pfizer and BioNTech halted a large U.S. trial of their updated COVID-19 vaccine in healthy adults aged 50 to 64, saying enrollment in the trials had been too low to generate the needed data. In a letter to trial investigators dated March 30, seen by Reuters and previously unreported, Pfizer said it would stop surveillance for signs of COVID illness for all participants in the study after April 3. Enrollment was closed on March 6, following a review of current epidemiological trends, it said.
The move comes as COVID vaccine makers grapple with pushback from the U.S. administration and weak U.S. demand for the shots. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration toughened requirements for COVID vaccine use last year, including asking for large, placebo-controlled trials in the 50-64 age group for it to be included in recommendations.
Pfizer and BioNTech told Reuters they had informed the FDA about their intent to halt the COVID-19 vaccine study, citing challenges getting enough participants. The target enrollment was roughly 25,000 to 30,000 participants.
Will Pfizer’s Lyme Disease Gamble Pay off or Set the Space Back?
After GSK’s Lymerix, the only Lyme disease vaccine ever approved, was pulled from the market in 2002 amid a safety controversy, the field went dark and then stalled for more than two decades. Now, Pfizer and Valneva are advancing a new candidate to prevent the tick-borne illness. But will mixed trial data lead to a win or set the market back once again?
The companies announced plans to seek approval for their investigational 6-valent OspA-based Lyme disease vaccine last week, despite missing its primary endpoint in a late-stage trial. While the trial showed that the vaccine prevented Lyme disease compared to a placebo, not enough participants contracted the bacterial infection during the study for the results to hit the designated statistical benchmark. Even so, Pfizer and Valneva believe they have sufficient data for an FDA nod.
FDA Approves Weight Loss Pill From Eli Lilly
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved a new weight loss pill from drugmaker Eli Lilly. The daily pill, called Foundayo, is the second oral GLP-1 to reach the market in recent months, following the approval of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill in December. Foundayo will be offered in six doses, with patients typically starting on the lowest dose and working their way up to reduce side effects. It can be taken at any time of day without meal restrictions — unlike the Wegovy pill, which must be taken on an empty stomach each morning.
The lowest dose is expected to cost about $149 a month for people paying out of pocket, in line with the Wegovy pill. Higher doses could cost as much as $349 a month. It’s unclear how many private insurers will cover the drug. Under a Trump administration plan, Medicare could begin covering the drug for some patients as soon as this summer, with copays as low as $50 a month.
Should You Microdose Ozempic? Experts Are Split on Risks vs Benefits
The rise of GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) has introduced new approaches to both weight loss and overall metabolic health. Some users have found that microdosing, or taking the drug in small amounts, achieves the best health outcomes, but some experts warn against it.
In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Terry Dubrow, a plastic surgeon and TV personality based in Newport Beach, California, recommended that everyone takes a low daily dose, even if they don’t need to lose weight.
“I am obsessed with the concept of microdosing,” he said. “I think maybe half the starting dose for diabetes is the way to go — and you probably don’t need it every seven days, it’s probably every 10 days, just to sort of modulate the amount of sugar in the blood.”
Europe Moves to Broader Pediatric Pneumonia Protection
At its March 2026 meeting, the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use issued a positive opinion recommending the expanded use of Capvaxive (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine, Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V.) to include children and adolescents aged 2 to less than 18 years who have previously completed a primary pediatric pneumococcal vaccination regimen.
Capvaxive is already approved for active immunization against invasive disease and pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in individuals aged 18 years or older.
Addressing pneumococcal disease remains a global priority; the condition can lead to severe invasive outcomes such as septicemia and meningitis. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, S pneumoniae remains a leading cause of serious illness and death in children younger than 5 years worldwide.
Belgian Court Orders Poland, Romania to Buy $2.2 Billion of Pfizer COVID Shots
A Belgian court on Wednesday ordered Poland and Romania to take delivery of 1.9 billion euros ($2.2 billion) worth of COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer and BioNTech in a case brought by the U.S. drugmaker three years ago. Pfizer sued Poland and Romania in late 2023 in a Belgian court to force the two countries to comply with a contract signed between the European Commission and Pfizer for the delivery of a set number of vaccine doses over several years, the court said.
Poland refused in April 2022 to comply with the contract, citing the evolution of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a possible abuse of dominant position by Pfizer. Romania later took the same step. The Brussels court rejected those arguments and ordered Poland and Romania to take delivery of the vaccine doses and pay Pfizer.
Poland was ordered to take delivery of Pfizer vaccine doses worth 1.3 billion euros, while Romania was ordered to take 600 million euros’ worth.
“Poland intends to pursue all legal remedies available to it to amend this ruling and defend its interests,” its Health Ministry said in a statement. The ruling requires a detailed analysis regarding its implementation, and the financial and practical aspects, it added.
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