LONDON – A large scale prospective study has shown that increased blood plasma viscosity is correlated with disease severity and the likelihood of progression to organ failure, in patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19 infections. Researchers at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, U.K. suggest this could be an easy but sensitive way to quickly triage patients admitted to hospital with symptoms of COVID-19.
Among a spate of COVID-19-related therapy developments to start the week, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals Inc. produced positive phase II data of its monoclonal antibody, mavrilimumab, in treating non-mechanically ventilated patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and hyperinflammation.
HONG KONG – In a surprisingly candid statement, the director of China’s Centers for Disease Control conceded that the efficacy of Chinese coronavirus vaccines is "not high" and may require improvements. George Gao, the director of China’s CDC, stated that Chinese vaccines “don’t have very high protection rates” at the National Vaccines and Health conference in the southwestern city of Chengdu on Saturday.
After climbing nearly 37% since the start of the week, shares of Greenwich Lifesciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GLSI) gained another 6% on April 9 as it disclosed new data bolstering the case for its cancer immunotherapy candidate, GP2. The data, to be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting on Saturday, showed that when HER2-positive breast cancer patients had GP2 added to standard-of-care Herceptin (trastuzumab, Roche Holding AG) following breast cancer surgery, no recurrences of their cancer were observed, even after a median follow-up of five years.
CAJICA, Colombia – Following the start of phase III trials for its COVID-19 vaccine, Soberana 02, Cuban researchers have started phase III trials for Abdala (CIGB-66), another vaccine candidate developed in the island country.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: BMS, Celcuity, Cytodyn, Mersana, Oncoinvent, Redhill, Tenax.
Bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation (BTVA) destroyed lung tumors without significant safety issues, according to a study published in Respiration. The minimally invasive ablation procedure took 12 minutes using Uptake Medical Technology Inc.’s Intervapor system in the Vaporize study. Uptake is a subsidiary of San Jose, Calif.-based Broncus Medical Inc.
Challenges to ongoing efforts to provide effective aid for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 continued April 8, with two new trial failures reported. A phase III trial testing the Olumiant (baricitinib) vs. placebo, both on top of standard of care, missed its primary endpoint of progression to non-invasive ventilation, invasive mechanical ventilation or death, said drugmakers Eli Lilly and Co. and Incyte Corp. A phase II trial testing Beigene Ltd.'s Brukinsa (zanubrutinib) vs. placebo in patients hospitalized with respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 also fell short, missing its co-primary efficacy endpoints of respiratory failure-free survival or reduction in days on oxygen.
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