COVID-19 vaccine Archives - Page 6 of 38

The top 5 drug discovery stories of 2021

Image courtesy of Pixabay

The pandemic continued to remake the pharma and biotech industry this past year. A handful of companies fared exceptionally well at commercializing COVID-19 therapies. This fact promises to lead to sizable shifts in the rankings of pharma leaders. These trends were not yet evident in our spring roundup of the 50 largest pharma companies, which drew revenue figures from the prior year. But in 2021, companies like Pfizer and Moderna sold tens of billions of dollars of COVID-19 vaccine alone. As a result of the ongoing pandemic, significant shifts are likely in 2022’s forthcoming ranking of pharma leaders.

Here, we provide an opportunity to review the 2021 pharma landscape, including stories that received the most attention on social media.

1. Pharma 50: The 50 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world

The top 50 largest pharmaceutical companies raked in $851 billion…

Walter Reed research arm’s pan-coronavirus vaccine could hold up against omicron

Vaccine candidate image from the Walter Reed Institute of Research

The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) is planning to announce positive early clinical results related to a novel nanoparticle-based COVID-19 vaccine, according to media reports.

A Phase 1 study involving the vaccine found that it was effective against omicron, other SARS-CoV-2 variants and other coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1. That study began in April.

A preclinical study involving nonhuman primates was recently summarized in Science.

The Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) COVID-19 vaccine will be the subject of Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies, according to an article from Defense One.

Ferritin is an iron-carrying protein that forms a 24-unit sphere-shaped particle.

WRAIR Is also testing the ferritin nanoparticle–baed platform for vaccines for influenza and the Epstein-Barr virus.

Walter Reed …

Israel plans to authorize fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose for high-risk populations

Photo by Frank Meriño from Pexels

Mere months ago, health experts were divided on whether COVID-19 boosters were necessary for the broader public.

Then came delta and then came omicron.

Now Israel is moving to become one of the first countries to offer a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to people at least 60 years old and those at high risk of severe disease. Countries such as Switzerland and the U.K. have reduced the window of time for booster eligibility from six months down to four and three months, respectively.

As a result, COVID-19 vaccines from companies such as Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, Moderna and others continue to be a hot commodity.

A number of companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, are also developing omicron-specific versions of their vaccines. Both of those companies are gearing up for clinical trials in early 2022.

Earlier this month, Pfizer CEO Dr. Al…

100-µg booster dose of Moderna’s vaccine increases antibody levels 83 times against Omicron

Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) is touting preliminary data suggesting that its COVID-19 vaccine booster led to robust antibody increases against the Omicron variant, both at the 50 µg and 100 µg dose levels.

The 50 µg booster dose, which is currently authorized under emergency use authorization, led to a 37-fold increase compared to pre-boost levels 29 days post-boost. A 100 µg booster dose led to an 83-fold increase in the same time window.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ (NIAID) Vaccine Research Center and Duke University Medical Center conducted the research on sera from 20 booster recipients for the mRNA-1273 vaccine at both 50 µg and 100 µg dose levels.

Two doses of the Moderna vaccine, however, did not offer robust protection against Omicron.

Moderna, like Pfizer, is also developing an Omicron-specific vaccine. Moderna’s is known as mRNA-1273.529.

Moderna anticipates to organize clinical trials for the Omicron-based va…

CDC’s ACIP deprioritizes Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 15 to 0 to prioritize the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines over Johnson & Johnson’s.

One of the main reasons for the recommendation is a rare side effect associated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that results in low blood clots and blood-platelet levels.

CDC officials revealed that there had been 54 cases of the condition, known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome.

FDA temporarily paused the use of the vaccine in April over blood clot concerns.

The J&J vaccine has lagged behind the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in terms of demand.

To date, U.S. health workers have administered 17 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine compared to 286 million Pfizer-BioNTech doses and 187 million Moderna doses, according to CDC data.

The J&J vaccine also trails its rivals in terms of vaccine efficacy.

That said…

Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral pill could be poised for European regulatory authorization

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has provided advice about using Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid.

CHMP has concluded that Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) could be used for adults with COVID-19 who don’t need supplemental oxygen and face an elevated risk of developing severe disease.

CHMP also stressed the importance of administering Paxlovid as soon as possible after a COVID-19 diagnosis to boost efficacy.

The guidance, which proceeds marketing authorization, could inform health officials’ planning efforts for Paxlovid.

“The CHMP’s advice signifies the strength of our data for PAXLOVID in the treatment of high-risk adults diagnosed with COVID-19,” said Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO, in a press release. “If authorized, PAXLOVID has the potential to help save lives and reduce hospitalizations. We look forward to working with the EMA and other regulatory agencies worldwide to bring th…

UK ramps up booster program to confront surge in COVID-19 cases

Boris Johnson

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the country will accelerate its coronavirus vaccination booster initiative to fight a “tidal wave” of cases resulting from the infectious Omicron variant.

Johnson acknowledged that two doses of vaccine were unlikely sufficient to fight off the recent surge in infections, which hit the second-highest level in the UK since the pandemic began.

In an interview with Sky News, Johnson reported that at least one individual infected with the Omicron variant had died. In the UK, roughly 10 people with the variant have been hospitalized to date.

To date, the country has confirmed 4,713 cases of the Omicron variant, according to Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Javid reported that the Omicron variant is now responsible for about one in five cases in the UK.

The country will offer fully vaccinated individuals a third dose by the …

Three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine neutralized Omicron variant in the lab

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and BioNTech SE (NSDQ:BNTX) have announced that their vaccine remains effective against the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 lineage) of SARS-CoV-2 in early lab studies.

Two doses of the vaccine significantly reduced neutralization titers, while three neutralized the variant.

The lab studies showed that three doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine were similar in efficacy against Omicron as two doses were against the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Pfizer and BioNTech indicated that two doses of the BNT162b2 are likely insufficient to prevent infection from the Omicron variant. However, the companies still expect that two doses of the vaccine will be effective at protecting against severe disease related to the Omicron variant.

Early evidence suggests that Omicron may offer less of a risk of severe disease than the Delta variant, which continues to dominate the U.S.

“Although two doses of the vaccine may still offer protection agains…

Why global vaccine equity could prolong the COVID-19 pandemic

[Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash]

In May, the World Health Assembly set the goal of fully vaccinating 10% of each country’s population by September 30. A number of countries hit the goal, including 15 in Africa, but more than 50 didn’t.

“It’s very concerning,” said Donna Patterson, a fellow at the Wilson Center, in a recent webinar from that organization. Uneven vaccination rates threaten to extend the COVID-19 pandemic’s timelines. Some countries remain far behind the 10% goal. For example, the percentage of fully vaccinated people in Senegal is 5.6%. Burundi’s rate is near 0%. “There are other countries that are higher, mostly in North Africa, including Morocco, but that also varies,” said Patterson, who is also a professor at Delaware State University.

Vaccination rates are also lagging in regions such as the Caribbean, Latin Americ…

FDA’s Woodcock reassures about COVID-19 tests, vaccines under Omicron

FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock thinks many COVID-19 tests will continue to work with the new Omicron variant — with information coming soon on vaccine efficacy.

In a statement posted yesterday, Woodcock said she thought the agency is well-positioned to work with companies to address the potential impact of viral mutations on COVID-19 tests, therapeutics, and vaccines.

“Getting vaccinated or receiving a booster with one of the currently available vaccines is the best thing that you can do right now (in addition to standard precautions like wearing a mask) to help protect yourself, your family and friends,” Woodcock said.

Get the full story on our sister site Medical Design & Outsourcing.

FDA’s Woodcock reassures about COVID-19 tests, vaccines under Omicron

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock thinks many COVID-19 tests will continue to work with the new Omicron variant — with information coming soon on vaccine efficacy.

In a statement posted yesterday, Woodcock said she thought the agency is well-positioned to work with companies to address the potential impact of viral mutations on COVID-19 tests, therapeutics, and vaccines.

“Getting vaccinated or receiving a booster with one of the currently available vaccines is the best thing that you can do right now (in addition to standard precautions like wearing a mask) to help protect yourself, your family and friends,” Woodcock said.

Get the full story on our sister site Medical Design & Outsourcing.

UK puts vaccine manufacturing goes up for auction

Image courtesy of VMIC

The U.K. government has put a manufacturing plant up for sale that was instrumental in the country’s plan to battle future pandemics.

According to The Financial Times, the plant, dubbed the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC), had received at least £215 million of public funding since it was launched in 2018.

A handful of companies have placed bids for the 74,000 m2 plant, located in Harwell, approximately 15 miles from Oxford.

The U.K. had planned on using the facility to make vaccines for epidemics, but the COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the role of private industry in vaccine manufacturing.

The country had scheduled to complete work on the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre in 2023 but moved that date to spring 2022 in an earlier phase of the pandemic.

Created as a nonprofit organization, the Vaccine Manufacturing Innovation Centre (VMIC) …