NEW YORK – Sales of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech could reach up to US$15 billion (RM64.31 billion) this year and go higher if Pfizer signs additional supply contracts, the pharmaceutical company said today.
The projections came as Pfizer projected full-year 2021 sales of between US$59.4 billion and US$61.4 billion, meaning that about one-fourth of estimated total sales will come from the Covid-19 vaccine.
The forecast reflects “a continued recovery in macroeconomic and healthcare activity throughout 2021 as more of the population becomes vaccinated against Covid-19,” said Pfizer.
“These assumptions are guided by the trajectory of current infection rates in many parts of the world and the expected timeline for broad access to effective vaccines.”
Pfizer reported fourth-quarter net income of US$594 million, compared with a loss of US$337 million in the year-ago period.
For all of 2020, Pfizer reported profits of US$9.6 billion, down 41.4% from 2019, with revenues up 2% to US$41.9 billion.
Pfizer's fourth-quarter revenues included US$154 million in sales of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The vaccine began winning approval from authorities late last year. Pfizer said it expects it could potentially deliver up to 2 billion doses in 2021 based on several factors, including adding more suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Shares of Pfizer rose 0.5% to US$35.94 in pre-market trading. – AFP, February 2, 2021