U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer PFE, + 0.13% and its German partner BioNtech PNTX, + 4.23% late Wednesday said their Covid-19 vaccine-related documents were “illegally accessed” after a cyber attack on a European drug regulator. Have stated. The European Pharmaceuticals Association (EMA), which authorizes the use of drugs throughout the European Union, has previously revealed that it was the target of a cyber attack. “The company has quickly launched a full investigation in close collaboration with law enforcement and other relevant agencies,” EMA said in a brief statement. It added that it could not provide further details while the investigation was ongoing. Following the disclosure, Bioentech 0A3M claimed that -4.94% of the documents included in its regulatory submission were stored on the EMA server and were accessible. “It is important to note that neither Bioendech nor Pfizer systems were violated in connection with this incident, and we do not know if any of the study participants were identified by the data accessed,” Bioentech said in a statement on its website. “At this time, we are awaiting further information on the EMA’s investigation and will respond appropriately and in accordance with EU law. The EMA has assured us that CyberDoc will not affect the timing of its review,” the EMA said in a statement. .A, Pfizer-Bioendech is expected to complete the test shot and its review by the US Biotech Modern MRNA, + 1.11%, for approval of the vaccine candidate.December 29. Pharmaceutical company AstroGeneca AZN, -0.19% and many others including Oxford University Regulates vaccination candidates for months, so-called rolling reviews, allowing pharmaceutical manufacturers to submit data when they are available, rather than once development work is completed.Read: Astrogenega-Oxford Covid Shot ‘Safe and Useful’ Today’s full test data show BioNTech22UA, which disclosed the details of the hack, “considering important public health considerations and the importance of transparency.” That same week a 90-year-old woman in the UK became the first person in the world to be given a Pfizer-Bioendech Covit-19 shot outside trials as part of a mass vaccination program in the country. . Read: When the first person receives a Pfizer-Bioentech Covit shot, World Watches’ spokesman for the UK’s National Cyber Security Center or branch of the GCHQ’s intelligence agency, the NCSC, said: ” Supports major vaccine research and production of threats. “We are working with international partners to understand the impact of this incident on the EU drug regulator, but there is currently no evidence that the UK drug regulator has been affected,” the spokesman added. Regulators have intensified their warnings in recent weeks about hacking threats against vaccine makers and public health organizations during COVID-19 epidemics. Read: Last month, the NCSC reported how spies are assisting in COVID-19 cybercrime attacks, which accounted for more than a quarter of all cyber threats, according to its latest report that criminals and hostile countries have exploited the COVID-19 epidemic. In the 12 months ending August 31, UK spies detected 723 incidents, up 10% from 658 in the same period in 2019, according to the NCSC’s annual review released on November 4. A few days ago, US federal agencies warned that the US health care system was facing an “increasing and immediate” threat of cybercrime. In September, a ransomware attack hit the hospital chain of Universal Health Services, which operates more than 250 hospitals, forcing doctors and nurses to trust paper backup systems. .
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