BEIJING – Besides advancing its recombinant adenovirus type-5 vector (Ad5) vaccine for COVID-19, Cansino Biologics Inc. is making a new attempt to develop an mRNA lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccine together with Canadian company Precision Nanosystems Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia.
LONDON – Astrazeneca plc is to get up to $1.2 billion from the new U.S. COVID-19 vaccines program, Operation Warp Speed, to support further development and manufacturing of a vaccine developed at Oxford University’s Jenner Institute. The company said it will begin to ship the product in September 2020, with the U.K. and U.S. first in line for deliveries.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Akari, Alethia, Anavex, Appili, Astellas, Calcimedica, Chiesi, Fibrogen, Genexine, I-Mab, Passage Bio.
TORONTO – How confident is Canada’s government that Abcellera Biologics Inc. can identify viral antibodies to help stop COVID-19 in its tracks and build the manufacturing infrastructure for antibody therapies against future pandemic threats? Enough to award the Vancouver, British Columbia-based biotech CA$175.6 million (US$124.7 million) for the application of its antibody discovery platform to the analysis of patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
The FDA’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been matched by device makers, but the ID Now molecular test by Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott Laboratories has been the target of recent criticism. Tim Stenzel, director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, said at a May 20 town hall meeting that Abbott has agreed to yet another study of the ID Now, the terms of which were under negotiation at the time of the meeting.
Proscia Inc., a Philadelphia-based company that focuses on artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital pathology solutions, recently made the Concentriq Dx digital pathology software available for use in reviewing and reporting of digital pathology slides in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rapid Micro Biosystems Inc. scooped up $120 million in a series C financing led by Ally Bridge Group, with participation by Endeavor Vision and existing investors Bain Capital Life Sciences, Longitude Capital, Xeraya Capital and Asahi Kasei. The Lowell, Mass.-based company has earmarked the funds to expand the global footprint of its contaminant testing platform for biopharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing and for new product development.
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