News Commentary Archives

COVID-19 vaccine reduces severity, length, viral load for those who still get infected

June 30, 2021

Individuals who contract COVID-19 even after vaccination are likely to have a lower viral load, experience a shorter infection time and have milder symptoms than people who are unvaccinated, according to research that includes data from ongoing University of Arizona Health Sciences studies.

Sanofi launches dedicated vaccines mRNA Center of Excellence

June 29, 2021

Sanofi will invest approximately €400 million annually in a first-of-its kind vaccines mRNA Center of Excellence. The Center will work to accelerate the development and delivery of next-generation vaccines by bringing together approximately 400 dedicated employees integrating end-to-end mRNA vaccine capabilities with dedicated R&D, digital, and chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) teams across sites at Cambridge, MA (US) and Marcy l’Etoile, Lyon (France).

COVID-19 vaccines have prevented 7.2 million infections and 27,000 deaths in England alone

June 28, 2021

Latest modelling analysis from Public Health England (PHE) and the University of Cambridge’s MRC Biostatistics Unit suggests that the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme has so far prevented an estimated 7.2 million infections and 27,000 deaths in England alone.

Roche’s Actemra/RoActemra receives U.S. FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalised adults and children

June 25, 2021

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for intravenous Actemra/RoActemra® (tocilizumab) for the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalised adults and paediatric patients (two years of age and older) who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Virus that causes COVID-19 can find alternate route to infect cells

June 24, 2021

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists identified how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, gets inside cells to cause infection. All current COVID-19 vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics were designed to disrupt this route into cells, which requires a receptor called ACE2.

Novartis and Hewlett Packard Enterprise join forces to advance Novartis global health efforts

June 23, 2021

Novartis and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)announced a collaboration that aims to accelerate the use of data and digital technologies within Novartis efforts to reimagine global health and improve access to healthcare and medicines.

Drug doubles down on bone cancer, metastasis

June 23, 2021

Bone cancer is hard to treat and prone to metastasis. Research teams at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have a new strategy to attack it.

Chemist Han Xiao at Rice and biologist Xiang Zhang at Baylor and their labs have developed an antibody conjugate called BonTarg that delivers drugs to bone tumors and inhibits metastasis.

FDA approves first oral blood thinning medication for children

June 22, 2021

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate) oral pellets to treat children 3 months to less than 12 years old with venous thromboembolism (a condition where blood clots form in the veins) directly after they have been treated with a blood thinner given by injection for at least five days.

BioNTech announces first patient dosed in Phase 2 clinical trial of mRNA-based BNT111 in patients with advanced melanoma

June 22, 2021

BioNTech SE (NASDAQ: BNTX, “BioNTech” or “the Company”), announced that the first patient has been treated in its BNT111 Phase 2 cancer vaccine trial (2020-002195-12; NCT04526899). The study is evaluating the Company’s therapeutic cancer vaccine candidate BNT111 in combination with Libtayo® (cemiplimab) in patients with anti-PD1-refractory/relapsed unresectable Stage III or IV melanoma.

GSK and Vir Biotechnology announce continuing progress of the COMET clinical development programme for sotrovimab

June 21, 2021

GlaxoSmithKline plc and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. today announced final, confirmatory results from the Phase 3 COMET-ICE (COVID-19 Monoclonal antibody Efficacy Trial – Intent to Care Early) trial demonstrating that sotrovimab, an investigational SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody, significantly reduced the risk of hospitalisation or death among high-risk adult outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

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