Broad vaccine access expected in mid-2021: B of A

• Bank of America weighs in on the timeline for vaccine distribution after both Moderna (MRNA +8.0%) and Pfizer (PFE -3.8%) reported strong efficacy rates with safety levels anticipated by physicians to be acceptable when the final readouts come through.
• The firm says emergency use authorization designations are expected in the coming weeks with approval potentially coming before the end of the year.
• "Full BLA approval will likely require substantially longer follow up, including 6 months of safety follow up, although this could be shortened depending on perceived benefit/risk. This would put BLA filing on track for 2Q21, with full approval potentially coming shortly thereafter, in-line with our current view of broad access in mid-2021. On distribution, mRNA-1273 should prove easier to transport and administer than BNT162b2, requiring only 4 to -20C storage versus -70C storage in case of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine."
• The firm notes that Moderna's mRNA-1273 should prove easier to transport and administer than BNT162b2 due to the differences in storage temperatures.
• Early vaccine distribution to high-risk groups and frontline workers is anticipated well before broad distribution.
• https://seekingalpha.com/news/3636672-broad-vaccine-access-expected-in-middle-part-of-2021