A new study has found that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is effective on new variants, marking a step towards full FDA approval. In a clinical trial with 46,000 people, participants were at least 90% protected from symptomatic COVID-19 for six months after receiving a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Results show that 927 participants tested positive for the virus, and out of those, only 77 had received the vaccine, while 850 had received a placebo. The study also showed that Pfizer is effective against a virus mutation called B.1.351, more commonly known as the South Africa variant, which is said to be more contagious. “It’s really wonderful news that these vaccines continue to progress very rapidly toward licensure,” said Luciana Borio, a biotech official and former FDA scientist. The vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use only by the FDA.