Researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine have quantified the antibody response generated by the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccines.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that antibody levels in recipients of the Moderna vaccine were slightly higher than in recipients of the Pfizer vaccine.
The scientists have said that one must not consider the antibody numbers as a basis for the vaccines’ effectiveness, according to a press release issued by the University of Virginia. They note that the vaccines have shown exceptional performance, and say the new findings are significant because these results mark another step towards scientists determining whether one vaccine may be superior for certain demographics.
Blood samples from 167 University employees who had received the vaccines were collected; 79 of them had received Pfizer while 88 received Moderna.
Overall, the researchers found that Moderna produced more antibodies in the blood after the second dose as compared to Pfizer. Moderna produced 68.5 micrograms of antibodies per millilitre of blood while Pfizer produced 45.9 micrograms of antibodies per millilitre of blood.
Source: University of Virginia