Pfizer drives vaccine makers higher with pricing strategy for COVID shot
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COVID-19 vaccine makers staged a rally on Friday morning after the market leader Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced its intention to nearly quadruple the price for the COVID shot the company has co-developed with BioNTech (BNTX).
According to Pfizer (PFE) executive Angela Lukin, the company expects to charge ~$110 to $130 per dose as the COVID-19 vaccine distribution transitions to a commercial market from government-led procurements.
The U.S. currently pays about ~$30 per dose for the messenger-RNA-based vaccine, provided at no cost to the population.
Wall Street thinks other COVID-vaccine makers will also follow suit. "We expect Moderna to adapt to this signal, and expect the mRNA duopolists, along with Novavax, to continue pricing in a similar range for the foreseeable future," SVB Securities analyst David Risinger wrote in a research note.
Pfizer's (PFE) pricing strategy led to an industry-wide rally, with Moderna (MRNA), BioNTech (BNTX), and Novavax (NVAX) trading higher in reaction. 
SVB has already upgraded Moderna (MRNA), expecting the company to pursue a similar price hike for its COVID-19 vaccine.
Read: On Thursday, an expert panel of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supported adding COVID-19 vaccines to the agency's regular immunizations recommended for children and adults.