By Dhirendra Tripathi
Investing.com – Shares of Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) notched gains Friday following developments that indicate the two would benefit the most from making Covid-19 vaccines for years to come.
Pfizer rose more than 2% and Moderna gained 6% on a day when the broader indices were modestly up and Nasdaq was negative.
Worries over the safety of shots made by AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) have mounted recently after a few cases of blood clots emerged. Production problems also shook a J&J plant in the U.S. Both incidents have put Pfizer and Moderna on the line to deliver more vaccines. There is also the possibility that the vaccines will need to be taken annually.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, in an interview aired on CNBC Thursday, said people will "likely" need a third dose of its shot within six to 12 months of vaccination. Bourla also said vaccination against the coronavirus may well be required every year.
The Pfizer vaccine, developed by the U.S.-based company in partnership with German firm BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX), currently plays a leading role in American and European vaccination campaigns.