Infectious disease
How long do antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease, last? And if they are gone, is your immune system still able to offer protection against getting infected again?
Only days after announcing a COVID-19 vaccine production deal with the UK government, New York-based Pfizer and Germany-based BioNTech signed an even bigger deal with the U.S. government.
In an ongoing online hearing before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Oversight and Investigation subcommittee, executives from across the pharmaceutical industry outlined the steps their companies are taking to combat COVID-19 and restore the world to a sense of normalcy.
Oxford University, which by many standards is ahead of everyone in the vaccine development world, is suggesting end of the year is possible, but being very cautious about it.
Please check out the biopharma industry coronavirus (COVID-19) stories that are trending for July 22, 2020.
CanSino Biologics, along with China’s military research unit, reported early data on its Phase II trial for its COVID-19 vaccine, Ad5-nCOV.
The trial was initially scheduled for July, but in April had been postponed until October due to the pandemic. A final decision will be made in August.
Another COVID-19 vaccine candidate recently entered the races. The difference – this one is a live attenuated (weakened) virus expressing the coronavirus’s signature spike protein on its surface. And it’s delivered nasally, not a shot.
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate induced significant immune responses in the majority of patients following a single dose in a Phase I study. The preventative medication also proved to be fairly safe, study results showed.
No financial terms were disclosed, but they are apparently based on delivery time and dose volume.
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