As Pfizer Inc. and Biontech SE start their massive phase II/III safety and efficacy trial evaluating a single nucleoside-modified messenger RNA candidate from their BNT-162-based vaccine program against SARS-CoV-2, smaller, privately held Codagenix Inc. plans a different approach.
LONDON - The combined force of Belgian life sciences has been brought together in the launch of Exevir Bio BV, which arrives on the scene with a €23 million (US$27 million) series A and ready for a phase I study of its novel antiviral therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The U.S. FDA has rewritten the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings Inc. (Labcorp) COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to allow for diagnostic testing of those who are asymptomatic and those who have no reason to suspect they are infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Color, Labcorp, Rapid Medical, Stratus Medical, Zebra Medical.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Atox, Bruker, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, Cpi, Healthimation, Masimo, Microfluidx, Nanthealth, Nemaura, OpenNMS, Orcam, Perimeter Medical Imaging, Telix Japan, Transenterix, Wishbone Medical.
The question of screening for the COVID-19 pandemic continues to absorb the interest of both the U.S. FDA and test developers, and Tim Stenzel, director of the FDA’s Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health (OIR), said in a July 22 webinar that the FDA is “very interested” in a fingerstick test at the point of care for screening purposes, adding that the agency sees any such applications as a priority.
Keeping you up to date on recent developments in neurology, including: Novel drug delivery particles use neurotransmitters as a 'passport' into the brain; SARS-CoV-2 infection of non-neuronal cells, not neurons, may drive loss of smell in patients with COVID-19; Pandemic to accelerate adoption of electronic patient portal for epilepsy.
