Infectious disease
Improved survival on display at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago; Pfizer’s unusual pact with China’s Innovent highlights a new type of collaboration; Eli Lilly continues its nonstop deal streak, including with Chinese biotechs; and looking ahead to this weekend’s American Diabetes Association meeting.
The antisense oligonucleotide was even more effective in patients with relatively low viral activity. More than one-quarter of these individuals had undetectable levels of the virus in the blood for at least six months after stopping treatment.
The FDA will convene its vaccines advisory panel to discuss seasonal COVID-19 vaccines—a surprise move after Health Secretary and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. overhauled a separate vaccine committee.
Eli Lilly continues to spend its GLP-1 landfall with four new deals in the past week, including three in the vaccine space; the obesity leader also touted surgery-like results for its next-gen weight loss drug; Moderna’s stock climbs on the hantavirus “fear trade”; and in oncology, all eyes are on Revolution at ASCO this week.
After getting slapped with a surprise refuse-to-file letter signed by former CBER Director Vinay Prasad, Moderna’s flu vaccine application will now go before the FDA’s Vaccine advisory committee.
By partnering with a UN-backed body, Roche has enabled companies to make the medicine for supply in 129 countries.
In September last year, a group of concerned stockholders raised alarm about Vaxart’s proposed reverse stock split, which the biotech was pushing for despite strong opposition from shareholders.
While the pathogen appears unlikely to trigger a pandemic, analysts see potential for Moderna to build goodwill amid a period of political pressure on vaccine manufacturers.
Despite having no definitive data, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) in a letter to health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. suggested there was a conscious effort by the Biden administration’s FDA to cover up the safety risks of COVID-19 vaccines.
The action affects BioNTech sites in Germany and Singapore, where the company expects to have excess capacity.
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