Where Ilaris (canakinumab) failed, can Kineret (anakinra) succeed? Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB is reporting that an investigator-initiated phase III study of its interleukin-1 (IL-1) blocker, Kineret, in 594 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with moderate or severe pneumonia, who had a poor prognosis, uncovered what appear to be dramatic benefits.
LONDON – The U.K. is launching a trial to investigate the potential use of seven different COVID-19 vaccines as boosters, to provide safety and immunogenicity data for if/when immune responses to initial vaccination wane and a revaccination campaign is needed later in the year. The trial, at 18 sites across the country, will recruit 2,886 participants who previously received two doses of either Astrazeneca plc or Pfizer Inc./Biontech SE’s COVID-19 vaccines.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Anixa, Everest, Gamadelta, Kintor, Mindmed, Newron, Omeros, Propella, RDIF, Sorrento, Tenaya.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Altavant , Arecor, Biontech, Biopharmics, Codagenix, Eli Lilly, Eurocine, Immunome, Immunoprecise, Lundbeck, Optibrium, Pfizer, Univercells, Verantos, Y-Mabs.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Acelrx, Annovis, Astellas, Black Diamond, Cantargia, Crescendo, Laurent, Merck, Obseva, Pyramid, Recardio, Seagen, Sensei, Transcenta, Xalud.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Breegi Scientific, Lifesignals, Mindpeak, Tasso.
The top 100 public biopharmaceutical companies with market caps greater than $1 billion, and excluding big pharma companies, spent a total of almost $12 billion on R&D in the first quarter of 2021, compared to $9.4 billion invested last year.
Although more than a third of U.S. citizens are fully vaccinated from COVID-19 and society moves closer to normalcy in many parts of the world, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to dramatically impact biopharma dealmaking with nonprofit entities, as well as grant awards.
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