Vaxart Inc. investors who stuck by company shares Feb. 3 had to swallow a bitter pill – watching shares of the oral vaccine developer (NASDAQ:VXRT) fall 57.8% to $9.85. Driving the trade in part was news that, during a phase I trial, neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were not detected in most of the five subjects given two doses of VXA-CoV2-1, its oral recombinant protein vaccine for the potential prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, the company concluded it was "unable to evaluate" a study of the candidate organized by Operation Warp Speed.
CAJICA, Colombia - Colombia approved two different phase II/III trials for COVID-19 vaccine candidates over the last week, advancing one candidate developed by Germany’s Curevac AG and another by China’s Clover Biopharmaceuticals Inc.
LONDON – Two new U.K. studies point to long-term persistence of COVID-19 antibodies after both natural infection and vaccination, conferring protection against subsequent infection for at least three months.
Visby Medical Inc. secured $12.3 million in funding from the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop a next generation device to detect influenza and COVID-19 in a single point-of-care rapid PCR test and, subsequently, as an over-the-counter test for consumer use. The contract may be extended up to a total of $48.7 million over a period of 38 months based on meeting certain milestones in the base period, according to Visby Founder and CEO Adam de la Zerda.
PERTH, Australia –Digital diagnostics company Ellume Ltd. announced a US$231.8 million agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to accelerate domestic U.S. production of its COVID-19 home tests. The agreement includes funding to support the establishment of Ellume’s U.S.-based manufacturing facility and the delivery of 8.5 million COVID-19 home tests that will be distributed across the U.S.
As solid efficacy data are reported for at least four more front-runner vaccines, and while biopharma companies join arms with combination antibodies, SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to spread and countries are racing to vaccinate. None of the research is slowing, and governments are determined to make sure another COVID-19 pandemic never again takes the world by surprise. Global deaths are up to 2.2 million, with 102.9 million confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization. At least 865 therapeutics and vaccines to fight the virus have entered development in the last year.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Alivecor, Althea UK and Ireland, Ambu, Ascensia, Avails Medical, Cadwell Industries, Cardiovascular Systems, Chansu Vascular Technologies, Circularity Healthcare, Earlysense, Fuse Medical, Hillrom, Innova Medical Group, Laborie Medical Technologies, Mayo Clinic, Orthovestments, Roche, Seegene, Senseonics, Setpoint Medical, Urotronic.
DUBLIN – Amid a bitter dispute between the European Commission (EC) and Astrazeneca plc over supplies of the latter’s SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, the EC’s drug regulator, the EMA, recommended approval of the product in question, COVID-19 Vaccine Astrazeneca (formerly AZD-1222).
