Infectious disease
Vocal skeptics of COVID-19 vaccinations gave mRNA a bad name and government funding for mRNA research is now being cut. On the flip side, at least one CEO said the pandemic also provided “elevated acceleration” for the field, which also holds promise in therapeutics for cancer and rare diseases.
The advisory committee meeting comes days after the FDA unveiled a new risk-based approval framework for COVID-19 vaccines.
The FDA had given Pfizer and Moderna until May 17 to propose changes to the labels of their COVID-19 vaccines or challenge the agency’s directive. The products’ labels already include myocarditis warnings, albeit for different age groups.
After discussions with the FDA, Moderna has withdrawn its application for a combination shot, which had demonstrated efficacy in eliciting antibodies in data announced earlier this month.
The new framework was well-received by biopharma analysts, who say it “largely formalizes” current COVID-19 vaccination trends.
The restrictions on Novavax’s vaccine could portend changes at the FDA. Commissioner Marty Makary suggested last week that the agency could update its vaccine approval guidelines “in the coming days.”
As the Trump administration slashes funding for HIV-related research and infrastructure, Gilead, Immunocore and more are targeting the next goalpost: a cure.
The independent experts will meet on May 22 to discuss updates to the COVID-19 vaccine for the upcoming season.
On the FDA’s docket this month are two expansion bids, one for GSK’s asthma drug Nucala into COPD and another for Merck’s oral cancer drug for a pair of rare tumors.
Jefferies analysts said Moderna’s first quarter was “in line,” with a miss on revenue offset by a beat on earnings per share.
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