Jam-packed with efforts to address COVID-19 variants and next-step booster shots, as well as safety concerns over vaccine co-administrations and the expansion of emergency use authorizations (EUAs) into younger populations, May was another busy pandemic-fighting month for the world, despite higher numbers of those vaccinated and declining death and hospitalization rates.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Guardant Health, Intelligent Implants, Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Acutus Medical, Advanced Human Imaging, Avicenna.AI, Lantheus, Micro Interventional Devices, Nowdiagnostics.
HONG KONG – Following a wave of concern about the efficacy of two COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm), interim analysis of an ongoing phase III trial, published May 26 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, has shown that adults receiving at least one dose of either of the company’s two inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines had significantly reduced the risk of symptomatic COVID-19.
There are now two FDA-backed monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatments after the agency granted Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) emergency use authorization (EUA) for single-dose sotrovimab to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and children as young as 12. Vir Biotechnology Inc. collaborated on the program.
A new study by Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (Labcorp) has found that nearly 9 in 10 COVID-19 patients continue to have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 proteins 10 months after infection. Published in The Lancet-affiliated Eclinicalmedicine, the study provides real-world evidence of the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in infected individuals, though the authors said more research is needed to determine if, and to what degree, protection against reinfection persists.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Advanced Biological Laboratories, Amg International, Choicespine, Guard Medical, Ihealthscreen, Jenavalve, Quidel, Unity HA, Uroviu.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Adventhealth, Alpha Imaging, Anpac Bio-Medical Science, Burstiq, Confluent Medical Technologies, Drawbridge Health, F-Star Therapeutics, GT Medical Technologies, Henry Schein, Inivata, Isoplexis, Jarvis Analytics, Ka Imaging, Lifebit Biotech, Mount Sinai Genomics, Nexstim, Novocure, Paige, Promis Neurosciences, Quest Diagnostics, Rulestar, Thorne Healthtech, Waters.
PARIS – Biosynex SA signed a binding offer to acquire 100% of the stock in Avalun SAS, a company developing the Labpad in vitro diagnostic device that provides rapid biological test results from small sample volumes. In Europe, Avalun is currently marketing a follow-up test for patients on anticoagulation therapy using antivitamin K agents, and a test for automated antigen detection for COVID-19.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Acupath Laboratories, Advanced Human Imaging, Carestream Health, Caris Life Sciences, Essenlix, Haliodx, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Labcorp, Max Pharma, Micron Medical, Recuro Health, Roche, Supdoc, Test Today USA, Xphyto.