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Comment by SoSoRoCoCo | Hacker News Reader

I'm confused, who actually made the vaccine? I read that BionTech created it and Pfizer is handling logistics, approval, and distribution in the US. But I keep seeing it as "Pfizer's vaccine"?

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I share your understanding of which companies did what.

You're probably reading U.S. media sources.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if BionTech have similar partnerships with large pharma companies in other countries, where the media there similarly claim it for their national champion.

It sounds like BioNTech did all the development work on the vaccine, but Pfizer funded the actual creation of the vaccine and runs the trials/logistics/finances/business stuff (considering how temperature-sensitive this is, logistics have to be fairly painful). Both should probably be credited (as they are in this article).

You're right. I was being overly cynical and dismissive towards Pfizer's role after seeing many headlines crediting ONLY Pfizer.

It is known as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in europe as well; Pfizer did not just handle logistics but the trials as well, which are a huge part of the effort.

Oh, fair enough!

Yes, likely. I also would not make sense for a small company to build distribution and marketing channels (marketing might not be necessary in this case). Also, big name. Nobody knows BionTech but the name Pfizer signals trust. In most cases the small company is actually getting bought by big pharma.

I work on a medical consumer device. Would be madness to market this ourself. A big company has the resources for distribution and marketing.

News about this sort of thing tends to be local-centric; I expect it's mostly being referred to as the BoiNtec vaccine in Germany.

> BionTech created it and Pfizer is handling logistics, approval, and distribution

AIUI, Pfizer is also handling US and some EU manufacturing.

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