BioNTech shares jump 7% in Frankfurt as Covid-19 vaccine maker starts work on Omicron variant

Shares in AstraZeneca, the other leading vaccine maker, were unchanged in London trade on Monday

The German company which is now valued by investors at over €75.3bn developed the vaccine in partnership with Pfizer. File Picture: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File

BioNTech of Germany - which is used by Pfizer for its vaccine - and Moderna from the US are working to adapt their Covid-19 vaccines to address the omicron variant, with the German partner of Pfizer saying it could have a new version ready within 100 days if necessary.

Shares in BioNTech leapt 7% in Frankfurt and Moderna shares were also indicated to trade sharply higher when trading gets underway in the US later this afternoon.