Astrazeneca plc said it has received about $486 million from the U.S. government to support the development and supply of a long-acting antibody combination under evaluation for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Phase III trials of the candidate, AZD-7442, are slated to begin later this month, the company told BioWorld. One trial will enroll more than 6,000 adults for the prevention of COVID-19 with additional trials set to enroll about 4,000 adults for the treatment of the infection, the Cambridge, U.K.-based company said.

Siemens Healthineers AG snagged a key role in the mystery playing out across the world's pandemic stage – what do antibody test results mean in terms of immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and how do different tests assessing different proteins compare? The U.S. CDC and the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission tapped the Erlanger, Germany-based company to take the lead in developing a process to standardize antibody assays.

Through the use of sequencing data, researchers in Hong Kong presented a case study providing the strongest evidence yet that individuals can become reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 after clearing a first infection.

The pace of biopharma mergers and acquisitions has quickened with Johnson & Johnson’s $6.5 billion all-cash acquisition of Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. Bringing Momenta into the fold strengthens the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson’s immune-mediated disease portfolio and grows its interest in autoantibody-driven disease therapies.

LONDON – A large scale population study has shown that home self-testing with low-cost lateral flow diagnostics is a valid way of tracking the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 105,651 people across the U.K. tested themselves for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with a fingerprick blood test as part of the REACT (REaltime Assessment of Community Transmission) study.

Much of the research on the immune response in patients with COVID-19 has focused on the humoral antibody response. Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp., on the other hand, has focused on cellular immunity to measure the T-cell response to infection with SARS-CoV-2.

PERTH, Australia – As the state of Victoria in Australia records its deadliest day since the COVID-19 pandemic began, reporting 17 deaths and 394 new cases, Atomo Diagnostics Ltd.’s new COVID-19 antibody test could ease pressure on health care systems.

Much of the research on the immune response in patients with COVID-19 has focused on the humoral antibody response.