BEIJING – While repurposing drugs may be a quick solution to an epidemic like COVID-19 that has a limited research window, it’s just luck as to whether an already available drug candidate exists for newly emergent diseases. Experts say it’s more realistic to develop better drugs instead of attempting to repurpose old ones.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Arcus, Dialectic, Novavax, Promis, Pvp Biologics, Taiho, Takeda, Tonix.
“The FDA is keenly aware that the outbreak will likely affect the medical product supply chain, including potential disruption to supplier shortages of critical medical products in the U.S.,” FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said Tuesday, Feb. 25, during a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) briefing on the COVID-19 outbreak.
The public attention that COVID-19 has received has spilled over to antibiotics companies, and the BioWorld Infectious Diseases index has grown 14% in value since the beginning of the year.
Updated results from IMV Inc.’s ongoing phase II trial of DPX-Survivac to treat advanced recurrent ovarian cancer show the company’s lead candidate was active and well-tolerated in patients.
HONG KONG – Fujifilm Holdings Corp. stock (TYO:4901) jumped 8.8% to ¥5,890 (US$53.48) on Feb. 25, as Japan considers using Avigan (favipiravir), an anti-influenza medication developed by the company’s Toyama Chemical Co. Ltd., to treat COVID-19. The share price ended the day at ¥5,567, for a gain of 2.83%.
BEIJING – As the clock ticks on COVID-19’s spread, Chinese biotech companies are hoping to unleash the power of cloud computing and artificial intelligence to find a cure for the virus.
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