In deals worth billions, Sanofi SA and Glaxosmithkline plc (GSK) have made new agreements this week to supply the U.S. and U.K. governments with a COVID-19 vaccine. The two companies also are in advanced discussions with the European Union to supply up to 300 million doses of a vaccine. Read More
The issue of the U.S. federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was revisited yet again in a hearing in the House of Representatives. While partisanship was on full display, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects for a vaccine and that the development of candidates has not compromised scientific principles. Read More
NEW DELHI – If India’s government has its way, the country could launch a vaccine for COVID-19 in mid-August, an extremely short deadline that has caused controversy and pushed companies to speed up their development and the trials of prospective vaccines. Read More
Chinese biosimilar maker Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. won EMA approval for its Zercepac, a biosimilar to Roche Holding AG’s Herceptin (trastuzumab) on July 28. Henlius CEO Scott Liu told BioWorld that Zercepac will be the first Chinese monoclonal antibody biosimilar to enter the EU market, setting a precedent for Chinese drugmakers seeking to join the global race in biosimilars. Read More
Second-quarter earnings reports, flowing fast in the last days of July, delivered a bevy of contrasting results, from A to V. Stymied by the pandemic, Aimmune Therapeutics Inc. booked exactly zero net sales during the quarter for its expected blockbuster peanut allergy treatment, Palforzia. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Seattle Genetics Inc. beat top-line expectations, driven primarily by strong sales of new products. Read More
BioWorld looks at translational medicine, including: Picturing molecular alterations; Fishing for druggable osteoporosis targets; First mouse-adapted strain of SARS-CoV-2; Transplanted iPSCs are best of both ApoE models; TXNIP inhibition nixes T2D; Degradation approach targets extracellular proteins; Tryptophan metabolites keep gut barrier strong; Honest placebos change brain potentials; Screening in serum yields active antibiotics. Read More
Out of the $10.45 billion brought into the biopharma industry this year by way of collaborations with nonprofit entities or through grants, 80% is focused on COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Arcutis, Baudax, Endo, Highlight, Horizon, Ico, Pfizer. Read More
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Axovant, Biontech, Harbour Biomed, Hoth, Immunoprecise, Isoprene, Nicox, Oxford, Qilu, Regeneron, Sesen, Viva, Visufarma. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Acasti, Ascletis, Eisai, Fortress, Janssen, Redhill, Revive, Roche, Sound. Read More
