Archive


Category: coronavirus

  • 42% of Adults, and 70% of Those Likely Booster-Eligible, Now Say They’ve Gotten a COVID-19 Booster Shot; The Share Who Received At Least One Dose Inches Up to 77% in Omicron’s Wake

    Black and Hispanic Adults are More Likely Than White Adults to Worry About Omicron’s Effects, Including Becoming Seriously Ill or Missing Work Due to Infection The latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor report shows that 42% of all adults nationwide have received a COVID-19 booster and more than three quarters (77%) have received at least one…More

  • European Commission guilty of ‘maladministration’ over Pfizer texts

    Regulator heavily critical of aides to Ursula von der Leyen in relation to Covid vaccine messages An investigation by an EU watchdog into text messages sent by European commission president Ursula von der Leyen to Pfizer’s chief executive has found the European Commission guilty of ‘maladministration’. Von der Leyen’s aides are heavily criticised in the […]

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: January 2022

    This report shows that 42% of all adults have received a COVID-19 booster, including about 70% of those who are likely booster-eligible. More than three quarters (77%) have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The poll also explores the public’s experiences getting at-home and in-person COVID-19 tests and other issues.

  • Lifting England Covid rules while 3bn people unvaccinated reckless – experts

    Scientists warn Boris Johnson that failure means new Covid variants will put thousands of lives at risk across UK Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Boris Johnson has been accused of taking a reckless approach to public health by lifting all plan B Covid restrictions in England while failing to take enough […]

  • Moderna starts dosing patients with its Omicron COVID jab

    Moderna has started human trials of an Omicron version of its COVID-19 vaccine SpikeVax, just in case a modified version will be needed to boost protection against the new variant later this year. The biotech has also reported new data suggesting that may well be the case, with a six-fold reduction in neutralising antibody levels […]

  • Pfizer starts dosing patients with its Omicron COVID shot

    Pfizer and partner BioNTech have started their clinical trial of a new version of their COVID-19 vaccine that has been specifically designed to protect against the Omicron variant. The trial in 1,420 adult patients aged 18 to 55 will include dosing with the partners’ existing Comirnaty mRNA-based vaccine with the Omicron-based jab in a mix-and-match […]

  • FDA bans use of Lilly, Regeneron COVID drugs due to Omicron

    The FDA has limited the use of COVID-19 antibody therapies developed by Eli Lilly and Regeneron, on the back of data suggesting they have are “highly unlikely” to be effective against the now-dominant Omicron variant. The emergency use authorisations (EUAs) for Lilly’s bamlanivimab/etesevimab combination and Regeneron’s REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab) issued earlier on in the […]

  • ICYMI: New report demonstrates growing global impact of antimicrobial resistance

    New research published in The Lancet shows for the first time the global impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which poses an increasingly serious threat to human health around the world. The study found AMR is directly associated with at least 1.27 million deaths per year, making AMR a leading cause of death globally, higher than […]

  • Should we be worried about Omicron ‘stealth variant’ BA.2?

    With healthcare systems around the world labouring under the strain of dealing with the Omicron wave of COVID-19 infections, attention is already turning to a new sub-variant that is starting to emerge in some countries, including the UK, India and Denmark. Dubbed BA.2, the sub-variant of Omicron (BA.1) hasn’t been classed as a variant of […]

  • Call for rapid rollout of RPE to GPs after infection advice update

    Doctors have called for rapid rollout of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to general practice after updated infection prevention and control (IPC) advice said FFP3 respirators ‘must be worn’ by staff caring for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

  • FDA clears Gilead’s Veklury for COVID outpatients

    The FDA has extended the emergency use authorisation for Gilead Sciences’ antiviral Veklury to include non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19, extending the uses of the drug. The green light means that intravenously-administered Veklury (remdesivir) is another option for non-hospitalised patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk of progression to severe disease, alongside oral antivirals […]

  • Covid vaccine booster raises antibody levels in fight against Omicron

    A third dose of vaccine has been shown to effectively neutralise the Omicron variant of covid-19, according to researchers. Research led by UCLH, UCL and the Francis Crick Institute found that the booster dose successfully stimulates antibody levels that neutralise Omicron. Details of the study were published in The Lancet this week. UCLH researchers stated that antibodies […]

  • How Are Private Insurers Covering At-Home Rapid COVID Tests?

    This policy watch provides an early look at how top private insurers are implementing a new requirement to cover the cost of at-home COVID-19 tests. Initially about half offer a direct coverage option and half require an enrollee to pay upfront and then seek reimbursement.

  • Medicaid and At-Home COVID-19 Tests

    As COVID cases have surged across the United States due to the new Omicron variant, the Biden Administration has stepped up efforts to expand testing capacity including by making at-home COVID tests more available.

  • Djokovic-backed ‘biotech’ firm’s approach likened to homeopathy

    QuantBioRes says it designs treatments for viral diseases based on electromagnetic frequency A Danish “biotech” company in which Novak Djokovic holds a majority stake is working on a “frequency” treatment for Covid-19 that an expert says bears similarities to the principles of homeopathy. The world No 1 men’s tennis player was forced to leave Australia […]

  • Djokovic has 80% stake in biotech firm developing Covid drug

    QuantBioRes is working on a treatment not a vaccine, but CEO says tennis star is ‘not anti-vax’ Novak Djokovic is the controlling shareholder in a Danish biotech firm aiming to develop a treatment for Covid-19 that does not involve vaccination, it has emerged. The world No 1, who was deported from Australia this week after […]

  • Medicaid: What to Watch in 2022

    As 2022 kicks off, a number of issues are at play that could affect coverage and financing under Medicaid. This issue brief examines key issues to watch in Medicaid in the year ahead.

  • Poolbeg licences candidate for broad-spectrum respiratory infections

    Poolbeg Pharma has licenced a candidate for nasal immunotherapy, developed by the University of Warwick, targeting respiratory infections, such as influenza and coronavirus. The RNA-based immunotherapy drug was developed at the University of Warwick and drew on 20 years of research, led by prominent virologists Professor Andrew Easton and Professor Nigel Dimmock. It will be developed by London-based Poolbeg as […]

  • Moderna aims to launch single Covid and flu booster jab within two years

    Combined vaccine should be ready in time for winter infectious season in 2023, says drug firm’s chief executive Moderna is aiming to launch a single booster vaccination that will protect against both Covid-19 and flu within two years, its chief executive has said. Stéphane Bancel said that the combined vaccine – which will protect against […]

  • How antivirals provide hope to vulnerable Covid patients

    Pfizer says its recently approved Paxlovid drug has almost 90% success in preventing severe illness if taken soon after infection The recent decision by regulators to approve the antiviral agent Paxlovid for use in the UK adds a formidable new weapon to the arsenal of treatments for Covid-19. Pfizer says the drug has almost 90% […]

  • Third dose of AZ’s COVID jab boosts Omicron antibodies

    Preliminary data from an ongoing trial of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria has shown that a booster dose stimulates an increase in antibodies against Omicron, as well as other variants of the virus, including Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma. The increased immune response was seen in people who received AZ’s shot as their primary vaccination as […]

  • BioNTech, InstaDeep showcase early warning system for COVID variants

    BioNTech and artificial intelligence startup InstaDeep say they have developed an early warning system that can predict high-risk variants of COVID-19 from their genetic sequences much earlier than with current methods. In testing, the AI was able to correctly identify more than 90% of variants of concern – including the Omicron strain currently spreading around […]

  • Pfizer, Moderna are prepping new vaccines for Omicron

    With evidence growing that the current crop of COVID-19 vaccines are less protective against infection with Omicron, both Pfizer and Moderna have announced plans to develop new versions of their mRNA-based shots that are tailored to the new variant. Pfizer has said that a COVID-19 jab specifically targeting Omicron, as well as other existing variants, […]

  • Wellcome Trust to spend £16bn on research with focus on Covid vaccines

    Britain’s biggest charity announces spending plan over next decade after record return on investments Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The Wellcome Trust, Britain’s biggest charity, is ramping up spending on science research to £16bn over the next 10 years, with a focus on funding next-generation Covid-19 vaccines, after it reaped the […]

  • After trial win, Novartis nabs COVID drug from Molecular Partners

    There are still licensing deals to be done in the COVID-19 category it seems, after Novartis paid around $163 million to license rights to an antiviral drug developed by Molecular Partners. The opt-in has been prompted by the results of a phase 2 trial of ensovibep (MPO420), which showed that a single intravenous dose of […]

  • Gritstone bio trumpets first data for ‘multivariant’ COVID jab

    A COVID-19 vaccine that could work against multiple variants of the coronavirus – developed by US biotech Gritstone bio – has generated encouraging immune response data in its first clinical trial. The new vaccine differs from the currently approved shots because it delivers antigens for both the spike protein and other proteins found in SARS-CoV-2. […]

  • FDA clears Pfizer, BioNTech COVID booster for younger teens

    The FDA has authorised the first COVID-19 booster vaccine for teenagers in the 12 to 15 age group, giving the okay for wider use of Pfizer and BioNTech’s Comirnaty shot as it tries to keep the Omicron variant under control. The US regulator has also reduced the time between completion of the first two doses […]

  • UK Covid test distributor shut for Christmas after receiving 2.5m kits

    Alliance Healthcare took delivery on 24 December and then closed for four days, amid nationwide shortage Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The sole distributor of Covid lateral flow tests (LFTs) to pharmacies closed for four days over the Christmas period just as it received a delivery of 2.5m devices, it has […]

  • UK medicines regulator approves Pfizer’s ‘life-saving’ Covid pill

    Paxlovid found to be ‘safe and effective’ at reducing hospitalisation and death among vulnerable adults Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage UK regulators have approved Pfizer’s “life-saving” antiviral drug Paxlovid, which boasts nearly 90% success in preventing severe illness among vulnerable adults if taken soon after becoming infected with Covid-19. The Medicines […]

  • Covid pills are ‘very promising’ – but what are the challenges in using them?

    Paxlovid and molnupiravir were authorized by the US FDA last week, but supplies of Paxlovid are limited while molnupiravir is less effective than hoped An effective and widely available treatment for Covid would be a major breakthrough for managing the pandemic, but two antivirals recently authorized in the US come with some significant caveats, including […]

  • Pfizer/BioNTech tax windfall brings Mainz an early Christmas present

    German city where early Covid vaccine was developed uses its new-found wealth to slash debt and attract other biotech firms The Pfizer/BioNTech jab is having an unexpected side-effect on the German municipality where scientists first developed it: for the first time in three decades the city of Mainz expects to become debt-free thanks to the […]

  • More options for Covid treatments in January as FDA approves two antiviral pills

    The approval comes as reports of shortages in monoclonal antibody treatment arise and cases spike People at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from Covid-19 will likely have more treatment options in January. That’s the forecast in the wake of the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval this week of the first two antiviral pills […]

  • UK, EU and US ‘get more Covid vaccines in six weeks than Africa has all year’

    Analysis from People’s Vaccine Alliance highlights gulf as it calls for dose recipes to be shared Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The UK, European Union and the US have received more doses of Covid-19 vaccines in the past six weeks than African countries have all year, according to analysis from the […]

  • Pfizer pips Merck to first oral COVID antiviral okay in US

    Pfizer’s Paxlovid has become the first oral antiviral for COVID-19 to be authorised for emergency use by the FDA, as the US braces itself for a surge in Omicron cases over the holiday period. The green light means that Paxlovid – based on nirmatrelvir (formerly PF-07321332) and ritonavir – has been cleared for use in […]

  • US health department backs 15 COVID-focused digital health startups

    A group of 15 digital health startups have joined a programme set up by the US federal government to address health inequality and mitigate the effects if the COVID-19 pandemic. The PandemicX accelerator, launched by the Department of Health and Human Services, is focused on “using digital tools and publicly accessible data to eliminate disparities […]

  • Steps taken to target Omicron with AstraZeneca jab, scientist says

    Sandy Douglas, from Oxford University, says updated vaccine could ‘respond to any new variant more rapidly’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Oxford and AstraZeneca have taken “preliminary steps” to produce an updated version of their coronavirus vaccine to specifically target the Omicron variant, a scientist at the university has said. Sandy […]

  • FDA expected to approve Covid treatment pills within days

    Agency will give go-ahead for Pfizer and Merck to launch groundbreaking oral treatments perhaps this week US federal regulators are expected to approve the first pills to treat Covid-19 as early as this week, it was reported on Tuesday. According to sources quoted by Bloomberg News, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will give the […]

  • Omicron Variant Increases Worries and Gives Momentum to COVID-19 Booster Shots; May Motivate a Small Share of Unvaccinated Adults to Get an Initial Shot

    The emergence of the omicron COVID-19 variant is encouraging many already vaccinated adults to get a recommended booster shot but is providing only a little motivation for unvaccinated adults to get an initial shot, a new KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor quick response survey finds. Fielded from Dec. 15-20 to provide an early look at omicron’s…More

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Early Omicron Update

    This analysis from the KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor explores the public’s response to the news about the omicron variant of coronavirus, and finds that while it may convince vaccinated adults to get their COVID-19 booster vaccine, unvaccinated adults are largely unmoved by the news.

  • Bond Digital Health raises £1m for lateral flow test software

    Welsh medtech company Bond Digital health has raised £1 million ($1.3 million) in additional funding for its data capture and management system for lateral flow tests (LFTs). The Cardiff-based company said  it will use the new money to expand its headcount, including hiring a new customer service team, and adding to its sales, marketing and […]

  • Moderna says booster produces strong antibody response to Omicron

    Pharmaceuticals firm says third dose of its Covid vaccine increases antibodies against variant by 37-fold Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The pharmaceuticals company Moderna has said a booster dose of its Covid vaccine appeared to protect against the fast-spreading Omicron variant in laboratory testing and that the current version will continue […]

  • Is there any good news at all on Omicron? Yes, there are small signs of hope

    Analysis: scientists are only starting to understand new Covid mutation but there is encouraging news from the laboratory, South Africa and on antiviral drugs Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage It’s hard to find much good news among the waves of grim statistics that have washed over the nation since the emergence […]

  • As Omicron cases rise, EMA backs early use of Pfizer’s Paxlovid

    The EMA’s human medicines committee has said that EU member states can start to offer Pfizer’s oral antiviral Paxlovid as a treatment for people with COVID-19 outside hospital, ahead of a formal approval for the drug. The decision comes amid rising rates of infection and deaths due to COVID-19 across the EU, and with 529 […]

  • PCR travel tests need better policing, warns ex-watchdog boss Andrew Tyrie

    Former CMA chair calls for enforcement of at least minimum standards in sector which is becoming ‘a massive rip-off’ Poor service from suppliers of PCR travel tests is “an issue of national significance”, and regulators are not doing enough to police hundreds of new businesses that have moved into the market, the former competition boss […]

  • CDC eyes safety of J&J COVID jab as EU backs booster

    Johnson & Johnson’s also-ran COVID-19 vaccine has been cleared in the EU as a booster shot, although its role in the US could be impacted by new data on rare blood clots. A Centres for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) advisory committee is scheduled to meet today to discuss the new results, according to a […]

  • GSK/Sanofi Covid booster delayed by lack of uninfected people to test it on

    Early trials show jab effective in people of all ages who have already received doses of any vaccine Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Efforts by the British and French drugmakers GSK and Sanofi Pasteur to produce a Covid-19 vaccine have suffered a further setback, with final clinical data on the jab […]

  • India’s Poonawalla family donate £50m for Oxford vaccine centre

    Billionaire family own and run world’s largest vaccine producer, Serum Institute of India Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The family of the Indian billionaire and self-proclaimed “prince of vaccines” Adar Poonawalla are donating £50m to Oxford University for the construction of a new research centre that will house the team who […]

  • Pfizer says pill is effective in protecting against severe disease from Covid

    Experimental antiviral pill Paxlovid is also effective against the Omicron variant, company announces A pill manufactured by the prominent Covid-19 vaccine provider Pfizer is highly effective in protecting against severe disease from coronavirus, the company said on Tuesday. The experimental antiviral pill Paxlovid is also effective against the Omicron variant that is spreading rapidly across […]

  • Patients ‘29% less likely to be hospitalised with Omicron’

    Data from a real-world study South Africa has indicated that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is 29% less likely to cause hospitalisation among infected adults than other strains – although the researchers behind the work stress the findings are preliminary. The results – released by healthcare insurance group Discovery SA and the South African Medical […]

  • Mesoblast pummelled as Novartis exits COVID deal

    Novartis as opted out of a collaboration with Mesoblast to develop its stem cell-based therapy remestemcel-L as a treatment for COVID-19, prompting a slump in the biotech’s share price. Novartis agreed to pay $25 million upfront for opt-in rights to remestemcel-L just over a year ago and to make a $25 million equity stake in […]

  • Booster COVID jabs offered to all adults in England

    The UK government has said it will step up its COVID-19 booster vaccination dramatically, with everyone in England aged over 18 offered a third dose before the end of the month. Westminster has promised additional support for the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to step up the booster campaign, and Scotland has […]

  • As Covid mutates, the vaccine makers are adapting too

    Focus on the exciting potential of T-cell immunity is spurring the sector on to create a new generation of jabs The speed at which scientists worked to develop the first Covid jabs was unprecedented. Just nine months after the UK went into lockdown, 90-year-old Margaret Keenan officially became the first person in the world outside […]

  • AZ’s antibody first to be cleared by FDA for COVID prevention

    AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail for COVID-19, now called Evushield, has become the first drug in the class to be authorised for prevention of infection by the US FDA. The long-acting antibody combination, formerly known as AZD7442 (tixagevimab and cilgavimab) has been cleared for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) of COVID-19 in adults and adolescents aged 12 and older […]

  • KHN and Guardian US Win National Press Club Award for “Lost on the Frontline”

    KFF’s Kaiser Health News (KHN) and Guardian US have won the National Press Club’s top award for online journalism for their “Lost on the Frontline” investigation. The year-long project documented the lives of more than 3,600 health care workers in the U.S. who died after contracting covid-19 on the job. The Press Club’s Joan M.…More

  • Omicron may evade Pfizer/BioNTech COVID jab, says study

    Preliminary study results from South Africa have suggested that antibodies stimulated by Pfizer and BioNTech’s Comirnaty are less effective against the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. A study by the African Health Research Institute (AHRI) has found that the less of immune protection was “extensive but incomplete,” meaning that some level of immunity was retained against […]

  • EU approves Roche’s Actemra for severe COVID-19

    The European Commission has moved swiftly to grant full approval to Roche’s Actemra/RoActemra as a treatment for severe COVID-19, clearing the drug within 24 hours of a recommendation from its advisory committee. Actemra (tocilizumab) has been approved for the treatment of COVID-19 in adults who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental oxygen or mechanical […]

  • Navigating the patient experience in the time of COVID-19

    According to our inaugural Patient Experience Survey, the pandemic has created new access and affordability barriers to care, exacerbating the health care concerns of Americans and their families. For many Americans, direct impacts from the pandemic, including loss of income or loss of employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, have brought barriers in health care access and […]

  • Omicron set to dominate in UK within weeks, says expert

    The Omicron variant could supersede other strains of COVID-19 within the next few weeks to become dominant in the UK, according to an infectious diseases expert. Professor Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia told the BBC this morning that it is likely there is already more than 1,000 cases of Omicron (also known […]

  • ‘Wall of secrecy’ in Pfizer contracts as company accused of profiteering

    US company faces scrutiny over Covid profits after UK agrees to secrecy clause Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Ministers have agreed a secrecy clause in any dispute with the drugs manufacturer Pfizer over Britain’s Covid vaccine supply. Large portions of the government’s contracts with the company over the supply of 189m […]

  • MHRA okays GSK’s Xevudy as data suggest it works against Omicron

    The UK medicines regulator has approved GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotech’s antibody for COVID-19, Xevudy, which has been shown to be effective against the new Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 in lab testing. Xevudy (sotrovimab) is the second COVID-19 antibody to be approved by the MHRA after Roche/Regeneron’s Ronapreve (casirivimab and imdevimab), which got a green light […]

  • UK government rubberstamps millions of extra COVID vaccines

    The UK government has placed a 114 million-dose order with Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna – sufficient to provide two doses to every person in Britain – in a bid to future-proof against COVID-19 variants.  Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, announced the move as researchers race to uncover the effect of existing vaccines on the Omicron […]

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: November 2021

    This report shows an increasing share of the public are frustrated about the status of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S.. The share of fully vaccinated adults who report receiving a booster dose has more than doubled in the last month, though vaccine uptake overall is little changed. The poll also explores attitudes towards federal mandates […]

  • Nearly a Quarter of Vaccinated Adults Received a COVID-19 Booster Shot, Up Sharply from October; Most Other Vaccinated Adults Expect to Get a Booster, Though About 1 in 5 Say They Likely Won’t

    Public is Less Optimistic and More Frustrated with State of Vaccinations Now Than in January Nearly a quarter (23%) of fully vaccinated adults have already received a COVID-19 booster shot, more than double the share who had done so in October (10%), the latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor report reveals. Most other vaccinated adults say…More

  • Covid: scientists find possible trigger for AstraZeneca jab blood clots

    Experts hope better understanding of rare side effect of vaccine could help ‘turn the tide’ on pandemic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Scientists believe they may have found the trigger behind the extremely rare blood clot complications stemming from the Oxford/AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine. According to a team of researchers from Cardiff […]

  • Teesside factory making Covid vaccine gets £400m injection

    Japanese owner makes single biggest investment in UK pharmaceutical manufacturing in decades A Teesside factory that makes Covid-19 vaccines has received a £400m injection from its Japanese owners, the largest single investment in UK pharmaceutical manufacturing in decades. The biotechnology arm of the Japanese conglomerate Fujifilm, which is better known for its photography heritage, said […]

  • UK ministers secure 114m more Covid vaccines for next two years

    Extra Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna jabs for 2022 and 2023 ordered to ‘future proof’ vaccine programme Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Ministers in the UK have secured new contracts to buy 114m more Covid-19 vaccines for the next two years. The deals, for 2022 and 2023, were accelerated after the emergence of […]

  • Prince Harry compares Covid vaccine inequity to HIV struggle

    Duke of Sussex says on World Aids Day that vaccinating the world against Covid is ‘test of our moral character’ Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The Duke of Sussex has warned of “corporate greed and political failure” prolonging the Covid pandemic, comparing a “spectacular failure” of global vaccine equity to the […]

  • Merck’s oral COVID drug squeaks past FDA advisory committee

    An FDA advisory committee voted by 13 to 10 to recommend emergency-use authorisation for Merck & Co and Ridgeback’s oral antiviral molnupiravir for mild-to-moderate COVID-19, saying it would be useful for some high-risk patients. The panel met shortly after updated results from the phase 3 MOVE-OUT trial of the drug showed it was less effective […]

  • Moderna boss predicts current vaccines may be less effective against Omicron covid

    Stock markets dip as CEO says firms may struggle in targeting both new strain and existing Covid variants The chief executive of the US drugmaker Moderna has predicted that existing vaccines will be less effective against Omicron than they have been against the Delta version, sending global stock markets sharply lower. Stéphane Bancel said while […]

  • UK accelerates COVID booster plans in response to Omicron

    The UK looks set to extend its COVID-19 booster vaccination programme to all over-18s, as the number of cases of the new Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has reached double figures. The gap between second doses and boosters is also being reduced from six to three months in an attempt to get as much protection in […]

  • Global COVID-19 vaccination matters now and for the future

    Recently, I joined a panel at the Aspen Security Forum to discuss how we can best get vaccines in arms around the globe as we fight COVID-19. As I noted during my remarks, the world is more interconnected than ever before, which means that combating the COVID-19 pandemic can only be successful with effective international […]

  • Pharma pledges rapid response to Omicron COVID variant

    With governments around the world announcing measures to curb the new B.1.1.529 variant of COVID-19 – now christened Omicron – leading vaccine manufacturers have said they are poised to develop new shots if needed. News of the new variant emerged last week, and has resulted in travel bans being imposed on various African countries by […]

  • The Omicron variant reveals the true global danger of ‘vaccine apartheid’

    Sharing vaccines with poorer countries is the right thing and the self-interested thing to do. The west needs to stop being so short-sighted Mandatory face masks are back in England. The fear factor has returned. After months of assuming the Covid-19 pandemic was all but over, the UK government has imposed new restrictions in an […]

  • Fall in efficacy of Merck’s molnupiravir puts Pfizer in driver’s seat

    Merck & Co has reported new data with its oral antiviral molnupiravir that suggests it is not as effective against COVID-19 as originally hoped. An updated readout from the MOVE-OUT study of molnupiravir shows that the original 48% reduction in the risk of hospitalisation or death in people with mild or moderate COVID-19 at high […]

  • Turkey’s home-grown COVID vaccine project nears fruition

    Turkey could have its own COVID-19 vaccine Turkovac available for use by the end of the year, according to the country’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca. An emergency use authorisation (EUA) application for the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine has been submitted to the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TITCK) on the back of preliminary data from […]

  • EU authorises first COVID-19 vaccine for 5 to 11 year olds

    The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty for children between the ages of five and 11, as EU countries struggle to cope with rising infection rates. The EU regulator said that the under-12s should get a lower dose of the vaccine – 10 mcg rather than 30 mcg – […]

  • New COVID variant ‘may sidestep vaccine protection’

    A new variant of COVID-19 identified in Botswana with dozens of mutations is being watched closely, amid fears it could be resistant to the effect of currently-used vaccines. The B.1.1.529 variant has more mutations affecting the spike protein targeted by vaccines than any other strain identified to date, although it’s not yet clear if it […]

  • AstraZeneca to run more clinical trials in people’s homes to improve diversity

    Experts say shifting data collection to the home may break down barriers to participation in research AstraZeneca is to let more people take part in clinical trials from the comfort of their own homes in an attempt to increase the diversity of participants. Recruiting volunteers to clinical trials can be difficult, but they are a […]

  • AstraZeneca CEO links Europe’s Covid surge to rejection of its vaccine

    Scientists sceptical about Pascal Soriot’s suggestion Oxford jab may give longer-lasting protection Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Scientists have reacted with scepticism to claims by AstraZeneca’s CEO that low uptake of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab among elderly Europeans could explain the current surge in Covid-19 infections in mainland Europe. Pascal Soriot told […]

  • FDA, CDC COVID jab decisions ‘will simplify booster messaging’

    Three hurdles to allowing booster COVID-19 vaccinations for all adults in the US fell in swift succession on Friday, clearing the way for wider use of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna shots. The FDA cleared emergency use of the two vaccines on Friday, which was swiftly followed by a recommendation from a Centres for Disease Control […]

  • Pfizer gets bumper $5.3bn order from US for oral COVID drug

    Already making big profits from its COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizer looks set to bolt on another big revenue stream with its oral antiviral drug Paxlovid after scoring a $5.3 billion order for the drug from the US government. The deal is dependent on Paxlovid (PF-07321332/ritonavir) being granted either emergency use authorisation (EUA) or full approval, although […]

  • Pfizer files oral COVID pill in US, signs access deal for 95 countries

    Armed with impressive new data for its oral antiviral Paxlovid, Pfizer has filed for emergency use authorisation as a COVID-19 treatment in the US – and signed a deal to allow other manufacturers to make it in some lower-income countries. Paxlovid – based on new protease inhibitor PF-07321332 and HIV drug ritonavir – was found […]

  • Pfizer strikes deal to allow generic versions of its Covid pill for world’s poor

    Under the licensing agreement, Pfizer will not receive royalties from the manufacturers, making the treatment cheaper See all our coronavirus coverage US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has announced a deal to make its prospective antiviral Covid-19 pill available more cheaply in the world’s least-wealthy countries. Pfizer will allow generic manufacturers to supply its promising Paxlovid pill […]

  • The Guardian view on vaccine justice: what the world needs now | Editorial

    While some in the west are triple-dosed, the vast majority of health workers in Africa remain unprotected. Gestures won’t close the gulf AstraZeneca’s halo has slipped. When it partnered with Oxford University, it promised to sell Covid vaccines at cost while the pandemic lasted; now it is signing its first for-profit deals, saying it believes […]

  • Unvaccinated Adults are Now More Than Three Times as Likely to Lean Republican than Democratic

    A new KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor analysis finds that Republicans and Republican leaning independents, who represent 41% of adults, now make up 60% of the adult unvaccinated population across the country and that political partisanship is a stronger predictor of whether someone is vaccinated than any demographic factor measured. While COVID-19 vaccination rates have risen…More

  • UK firm to trial T-cell Covid vaccine that could give longer immunity

    Exclusive: Oxfordshire-based Emergex gets go-ahead for trials in Switzerland for skin patch vaccine Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage An Oxfordshire-based company will soon start clinical trials of a second-generation vaccine against Covid-19, an easy-to-administer skin patch that uses T-cells to kill infected cells and could offer longer-lasting immunity than current vaccines. […]

  • AstraZeneca will make ‘modest’ profit from COVID vaccine

    AstraZeneca has said it plans to start making a small profit from sales of its COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria, which brought in just over $1 billion in sales in the third quarter, after selling it at cost since it was first made available. The shift will come in the fourth quarter of the year as part […]

  • AI tool may help doctors select best drugs for COVID patients

    Researchers in the US have developed an artificial intelligence-based tool that is able to predict COVID-19 symptoms and suggest which FDA-approved drugs might be used to treat patients. The MOATAI-VIR algorithm, developed by scientists at Emory University and Georgia Tech, was put through its paces in a study that showed it was able to predict […]

  • COVID antibodies from Roche, Celltrion backed for approval in EU

    The EMA’s human medicines committee has recommended approval of Roche’s Ronapreve and Celltrion’s Regkirona for use in COVID-19, the first antibody-based therapies for coronavirus to be backed for full approval in the EU. Ronapreve (casirivimab and imdevimab) – developed and distributed by Regeneron as REGN-COV in the US – has been recommended by the CHMP […]

  • AstraZeneca sells $2.2bn of Covid vaccine in first nine months

    Drugmaker says it expects to transition to ‘modest profitability’ as it receives new orders Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage AstraZeneca has sold more than $2.2bn (£1.64bn) of its Covid-19 vaccine in the first nine months of this year, as the drugmaker said it is set to move to “modest profitability” as […]

  • Understanding breakthrough COVID-19 infections

    The biopharmaceutical industry continues to work around the clock to research, develop and manufacture vaccines and therapeutics to prevent and treat COVID-19. Already, we’ve made unprecedented progress, and COVID-19 vaccines have protected hundreds of millions of people in the United States and billions around the globe.

  • J&J deal with COVAX grants humanitarian access to COVID shot

    Johnson & Johnson has reached an agreement to make its one-dose COVID-19 vaccine available to an arm of the COVAX facility that is focusing on providing shots to around 167 million displaced people around the world. World Health Organization-backed COVAX is already working hard to deliver vaccines to lower-income countries, but earlier this year set […]

  • Valneva gets EU deal for COVID jab, and may sue UK

    Shares in France’s Valneva leaped after it got an EU order to supply 60 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine VLA2001 over the next two years, including 27 million next year. The deal for the adjuvanted, inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine still depends on authorisation of the jab by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which is due […]

  • Moderna squares off with US government over COVID jab patent

    After being hailed as a triumph of public-private drug development, Moderna’s partnership with the US government on its COVID-19 vaccine looks like it may descend into acrimony. That is according to a New York Times report, which says Moderna is now in dispute with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) after it filed a US […]

  • AstraZeneca’s new Covid treatment: what is it and how does it work?

    Evusheld could offer higher protection against variants and help vulnerable people ward off virus Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates Five reasons NSW Covid case numbers have stayed low since reopening Vaccine rollout tracker; Cases and data tracker NSW Covid restrictions; Victoria restrictions Download the free Guardian app; get our morning […]

  • Germany says only Pfizer COVID jab should be used in under 30s

    Germany’s vaccination advisory committee has recommended that people aged under 30 should only be offered Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty, saying it seems less likely to cause heart inflammation than Moderna’s rival shot Spikevax. The draft guidance from the Robert Koch Institute’s STIKO committee also says that pregnant women, regardless of their age, should get the […]

  • US buys another $1 billion-worth of Merck’s COVID capsule

    The US federal government has ordered another 1.4 million doses of Merck & Co and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics’ oral antiviral molnupiravir for COVID-19, adding to an earlier agreement to supply 1.7 million doses. The latest agreement – worth around $1 billion – means that the US has now called dibs on 3.1 million doses of molnupiravir, […]

  • AstraZeneca to create dedicated Covid vaccines unit

    Move intended to make it easier to continue producing coronavirus shot over the long term Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage AstraZeneca is to create a new vaccines unit as the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker plans for the future of its coronavirus shot beyond the pandemic. The company said the reorganisation would bring together […]

  • One dose of Regeneron’s COVID antibody protects for eight months

    A single dose of the COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy developing Regeneron reduced the risk of contracting the virus by around 82% for up to eight months, according to new trial data. The results suggest that the REGEN-COV (casirivimab/imdevimab) antibody could play a key role in protecting people who do not mount a sufficiently strong immune […]

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: Media and Misinformation

    This report examines COVID-19 misinformation and finds that nearly eight in ten adults either believe or are unsure about at least one false statement about COVID-19 or the vaccines. It also examines the news and social media sources the public trusts for information on the virus, and the relationship between news sources and belief in […]

  • US court halts Biden’s COVID shots plan for companies

    The US Federal Court of Appeals has issued a temporary stay on President Joe Biden’s plan for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for employees of businesses. The mandate says that workers in privately-owned businesses with over 100 employees would have the be fully vaccinated by 4 January, or be required to take weekly COVID-19 tests and wear […]

  • Pfizer’s pill cuts COVID deaths and hospitalisations by 90%

    An oral antiviral drug developed by Pfizer has been shown to dramatically cut the risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19 when given in the early stages of infection. The phase 3 trial found that Paxlovid – which combines new protease inhibitor PF-07321332 with already-approved HIV drug ritonavir – reduced the risk of hospitalisation or […]

  • Pfizer Covid pills highly effective at preventing deaths, trial suggests

    Antiviral pill taken at home can cut rate of hospital admission and death by nearly 90%, says drugmaker Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Pfizer has said that its experimental antiviral pill for Covid-19 cut rates of hospital admission and death by nearly 90%, as the drugmaker joins the race to bring […]

  • Rapid Home Tests for COVID-19: Issues with Availability and Access in the U.S.

    In this brief, we examine the various interrelated factors that have contributed to rapid home test scarcity in the U.S. There are several interrelated factors that impact the availability of rapid home COVID-19 tests. These range from the regulatory environment to the supply chain to federal investment and messaging to affordability.

  • UK first to authorise Merck/Ridgeback’s COVID pill molnupiravir

    Merck & Co and Ridgeback’s oral antiviral molnupiravir has been approved in its first market – the UK – as a treatment for people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at increased risk of developing severe disease. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said today that molnupiravir, now given the trade name […]

  • US backs COVID jabs for young kids – should others follow?

    The US is now pressing ahead with plans to extend its COVID-19 vaccination campaign to younger children aged five and over, prompting a debate about the policy in other countries. It follows the decision by Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky to back a widening of vaccination shot from the current […]

  • Pfizer’s COVID jab sales swell again, with $36bn forecast for 2021

    Rocketing sales of COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty have allowed Pfizer to raise its full-year forecasts for the shot once again to a whopping $36 billion, more than double its predictions just a few months ago. Fuelled by extensions to vaccination programmes to include children and booster shots, the BioNTech-partnered jab made nearly $13 billion in the […]

  • Pfizer raises Covid-19 vaccine sales forecast to $36bn for 2021

    US drugmaker expects to manufacture 3bn doses of vaccine with BioNTech this year Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The US drugmaker Pfizer has lifted its 2021 forecast for revenues from its Covid vaccine to $36bn (£26.3bn), after bumper sales in the third quarter. The Covid jab, called Comirnaty and developed with […]

  • COVID jabs much more effective than virus at preventing infection

    A US study has found that the immunity afforded by COVID-19 vaccines is much stronger than that stimulated by infection with SARS-CoV-2 in unvaccinated individuals. The report by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), based on an analysis of dozens of research studies and its own data, suggests that both vaccination and infection […]

  • Novavax gets first authorisation for its COVID-19 jab

    Novavax has been granted its first emergency use authorisation in Indonesia for COVID-19 vaccine NVX-CoV2373, and expects other regulators in India, the Philippines and other countries to follow suit in the coming weeks. The vaccine is the first based on recombinant protein to be approved anywhere in the world, and has the key advantage over […]

  • FDA delays review of Moderna COVD jab in adolescents

    The FDA has said it needs more time to review Moderna’s application for emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine mRNA-1273 in children aged 12 to 17, as it looks at data on heart inflammation in people receiving the shot. The decision leaves Moderna playing catch-up with Pfizer and BioNTech, whose Comirnaty vaccine was approved for […]

  • PhRMA submission to 2022 National Trade Estimate Report underscores need for pro-innovation U.S. trade policy to combat COVID-19 and other diseases

    The biopharmaceutical industry has been working tirelessly to develop and manufacture innovative vaccines, therapies and diagnostics to combat COVID-19 and other diseases and illnesses. As of October 22, 6.8 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered globally, and as many as 12 billion doses are expected to have been produced by the end of […]

  • Generic pill could be alternative to oral antivirals in COVID-19

    A generic pill has been shown to reduce hospitalisation rates in high-risk patients with early COVID-19, potentially offering a low-cost alternative to oral antivirals from Merck & Co and others, according to researchers in Brazil. The antidepressant fluvoxamine given as a twice-daily regimen for 10 days to acutely symptomatic patients with COVID-19 who also had […]

  • CDC director backs COVID-19 jab for 5 to 11s, plus a fourth shot

    The US looks set to see a big expansion of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination drive, with shots looking likely for children aged five to 11 as well as a fourth dose for adults who are immunocompromised. FDA advisors gave a green light to Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty for children in that younger age […]

  • Advancing Health Equity Requires More and Better Data

    Increasing availability of high-quality comprehensive data disaggregated by race/ethnicity is a prerequisite for efforts to advance health equity, not only related to COVID-19 but in health and health care more broadly.

  • GSK side-lines COVID drug otilimab to focus on Xevudy

    GlaxoSmithKline said today it would halt further development of its antibody for severe COVID-19 pneumonia – otilimab – in order to focus its resources on Xevudy for mild-to-moderate disease. The drugmaker said in its third-quarter results update this morning that it had decided to invest more in generating data on Vir BioTech-partnered anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody Xevudy […]

  • Merck takes further steps to expand access to oral COVID pill

    Merck & Co has signed a licensing deal with the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) that could pave the way for generic companies to manufacture its much-anticipated oral antiviral for COVID-19. The agreement would provide royalty-free licenses to companies manufacturing molnupiravir – originally developed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics – for distribution in 105 low- and middle-income […]

  • Post-lockdown colds spur sales at Strepsils and Nurofen maker

    Reckitt Benckiser records better than expected results after rise in cases of coughs and flu Reckitt Benckiser enjoyed better than expected results thanks to demand for its treatments for coughs, colds and flu, following a rise in cases after the lifting of global lockdowns. The Berkshire-based consumer goods company recorded a “sharp improvement” in demand […]

  • FDA advisors mull use of Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 jab in kids

    FDA advisors will meet later today discuss the possibility of authorising Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty in children as young as five years old. If the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) gives the go-ahead, the FDA could approve emergency-use of Comirnaty in five to 11-year-olds in a matter of days, extending […]

  • EU starts review of Merck’s oral COVID drug molnupiravir

    The EMA has started a rolling review of Merck & Co and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics’ much-anticipated oral antiviral molnupiravir as a treatment for COVID-19 in adults. Molnupiravir is already filed for approval in the US and Canada – where Merck is known as MSD – amid hopes that the drug could be used to protect vulnerable […]

  • FDA okays Moderna, J&J COVID jab boosters, plus ‘mix and match’

    The FDA has authorised booster shots with Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines, a month after giving the go-ahead to a third-dose of Pfizer/BioNTech’s shot. It has also authorised the use of different jabs as boosters than those people received for their primary vaccination – the so-called ‘mix and match’ strategy – on the […]

  • J&J mulls switch from non-profit status for COVID jab

    Johnson & Johnson has been offering its COVID-19 vaccine for sale on a no-profit basis since it became available, but is thinking about a possible switch to a standard commercial model next year or in 2023. That was the position stated by J&J’s executive vice president Ashley McEvoy on the company’s third-quarter results call yesterday, […]

  • FDA panel backs booster shot for J&J COVID-19 vaccine

    An FDA advisory committee voted unanimously in favour of a booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, as panellists suggested it should have been used as a two-dose regimen from the start. The verdict – which came the day after a third dose of Moderna’s two-shot vaccine was also backed by […]

  • Doctor who advocated Covid-19 therapy including ivermectin applied for patent on same unproven treatment

    Exclusive: Australian professor Thomas Borody’s failure to widely declare that he could potentially profit from treatment he is promoting raises ethical concerns Get our free news app; get our morning email briefing A Sydney gastroenterologist who has been enthusiastically promoting an unapproved Covid-19 treatment, including to Australian politicians and general practitioners, has filed a patent […]

  • Medical Wearables for Biosensors USA Conference 2021

    SMi Group Proudly Presents… Medical Wearables for Biosensors USA Conference 2021 Conference: 25 – 26 October 2021 Virtual Conference: Online Access Only Website: www.biosensors-medical-wear.com/pharmaphorum Exploring therapeutic applications of connected on-body devices The global wearable biosensors market is a rapidly expanding industry with increasingly growing potential for applications in healthcare and technological advances. With potential in […]

  • COVID-19 continues to be a leading cause of death in the U.S. in September 2021

    This updated analysis finds that in September 2021, COVID-19 ranked as the 2nd leading causes of death in the U.S., up from 8th in July, due to the more infectious Delta variant, insufficient vaccination, and reduced social distancing. An estimated 90,000 deaths from COVID-19 since June could have been prevented with vaccines.

  • Local Covid vaccines fill gap as UN Covax scheme misses target

    India, Egypt and Cuba among first states to develop and make their own vaccines as Covax falls behind Developing countries are increasingly turning to homegrown Covid vaccinations as the UN-backed Covax programme falls behind. While western countries roll out booster jabs to their own populations, Covax, which was set up by UN agencies, governments and […]

  • Actemra shortage spills over to include Sanofi’s rival Kevzara

    Roche’s Actemra has been in high demand since its value in treating severe COVID-19 was established, leading to shortages. Now, Sanofi’s rival therapy Kevzara has also been hit by supply constraints. Sanofi said in a statement that supply of all four formats of Kevzara (sarilumab) – 150 mg or 200 mg pre-filled syringes or auto-injectors […]

  • Merck files pill for milder COVID, as AZ showcases its antibody data

    As expected, Merck & Co has moved ahead swiftly with an emergency use application for its oral antiviral molnupiravir, aiming to protect people with mild or moderate COVID-19 from developing severe disease with a drug that can be delivered outside hospital. Merck & partner Ridgeback Therapeutics have filed for approval to use molnupiravir in adults […]

  • Pfizer asks US to allow Covid vaccines for children ages five to 11

    Jabs could begin within weeks if US government approves request, with children getting a third of dose given to adults Pfizer asked the US government Thursday to allow use of its Covid-19 vaccine in children ages five to 11 – and if regulators agree, shots could begin within a matter of weeks. Many parents and […]

  • Moderna unveils $500m plan for African vaccine facility

    Moderna has said it plans to invest $500 million in a new facility for manufacturing mRNA vaccines in Africa, and has kicked off a search to find a suitable country and location. The factory will be able to supply up to 500 million doses of mRNA shots a year, and cover the full spectrum of […]

  • Covid-19: will there soon be a pill that stops us getting sick? – podcast

    Last week the pharmaceutical company Merck released promising early data on a pill for Covid-19, which trials suggest halves hospitalisations and deaths. So what do we know about this experimental treatment? Madeleine Finlay talks to the Guardian’s science correspondent Hannah Devlin about whether this antiviral could be a gamechanger. And as some UK experts warn […]

  • COVID-19 Vaccinations by Race/Ethnicity: Differences and Limitations Across Measures

    While the federal, state, and survey data all show narrowing racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates over time, they vary in the magnitude of this narrowing, with some surveys showing that gaps have closed, while the administrative data pointing to some remaining differences. This variation in findings reflects both differences and limitations across the datasets.

  • The important role of antivirals in the fight against COVID-19

    Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials have focused their response into four main areas: 1) rapid and accurate testing: 2) contact tracing systems to monitor outbreaks; 3) prevention methods, such as vaccines and 4) effective treatments to aid recovery should a person become infected. For the last year and a half, biopharmaceutical companies have […]

  • J&J joins COVID-19 booster shot drive, filing with FDA

    Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine has been a minor player in the US vaccination drive so far, but the company hopes it can have a bigger role as a booster shot. The drugmaker has filed for approval of a second dose of its one-shot Ad26.COV2.S vaccine for people aged 18 years and older, based on […]

  • AZ files for emergency use of COVID-19 antibody combo in US

    AstraZeneca has sought emergency use authorisation for its antibody combination AZD7442, following trial results indicating it can prevent symptomatic COVID-19 infection when given to healthy patients. AZD7442 (tixagevimab/cilgavimab) is the first long-acting antibody drug that has demonstrated it can be used in this way, reducing the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 by 77% compared to placebo […]

  • EU backs broader use of Comirnaty as COVID booster than US

    The EMA has given the go-ahead to the use of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty as a booster for all people aged 18 or more, but says EU member states must decide for themselves whether to make a third dose available to their citizens. The regulator’s human medicines committee (CHMP) said that a third […]

  • Merck preps filings for oral COVID drug, but is it really a game changer?

    Merck & Co is on the brink of plugging a gap in the coronavirus treatment armamentarium after its oral drug molnupiravir cut deaths and hospitalisations in mild or moderate COVID-19 in a phase 3 trial. Merck and partner Ridgeback Therapeutics have said they will see emergency use authorisation from the FDA for molnupiravir on the […]

  • Coronavirus treatments: the potential ‘game-changers’ in development

    After positive clinical trials for antiviral drug Molnupiravir, it joins other medicines that have shown promise Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The first clinical trial results showing a positive effect for a pill that can be taken at home has been hailed as a potential gamechanger that could provide a new […]

  • Covid antiviral pill halves hospitalisations and deaths, maker says

    If approved, Merck’s drug would be first simple oral medication shown to be effective against coronavirus Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The first pill to treat coronavirus could be available within months after it was found to cut hospitalisations and deaths by half. If approved, the antiviral drug would be the […]

  • Nearly Half of Parents of Adolescents Ages 12-17 Say Their Child Got a COVID-19 Vaccine Already; a Third of Parents of Children Ages 5-11 Say Their Child Will Get Vaccinated “Right Away” Once Eligible

    Nearly half (48%) of parents of vaccine-eligible children ages 12-17 now say their child has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, a new KFF Vaccine Monitor report shows. Another 15% of those parents now say they want to “wait and see” how the vaccine works for others before their adolescent gets it,…More

  • Understanding Long COVID-19

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines long COVID as health problems lasting four or more weeks after first getting infected with the novel coronavirus, impacting as many as one out of every four patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19. The aftermath of symptoms for self-described “long haulers” is unfortunately all too real: […]

  • Sanofi abandons mRNA COVID jab, despite positive trial

    Sanofi has said that it won’t develop its mRNA-based vaccine for COVID-19 any further, even though it seemed to work in an early-stage trial, and will focus instead on another candidate partnered with GlaxoSmithKline. The French pharma group said it took the decision because mRNA vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are already widely available today […]

  • KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: September 2021

    This report finds that 72% of adults now report being at least partially vaccinated for COVID-19, with the surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to the Delta variant being the main motivator for the recently vaccinated. It also examines the public’s views on vaccine mandates, booster doses, and breakthrough infections.

  • Australia shores up Pfizer supply after days of uncertainty

    John Frewen says company advised the government on Friday they would deliver the full 9m doses in October Australia will get its full supply of Pfizer next month, with the head of the country’s rollout saying the company had confirmed it would provide 9m doses in October as planned. After days of uncertainty over Pfizer […]

  • CDC overrules its advisors, backing COVID booster for health workers

    The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US has backed booster doses of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty in line with its recent FDA approval, overruling the advice of its own expert advisors. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP) voted unanimously yesterday to recommend a third dose of Comirnaty […]

  • Novavax files its COVID jab to WHO for emergency use listing

    Novavax and its partner Serum Institute of India have applied to the World Health Organization for an emergency use listing for their COVID-19 vaccine, based on a conventional recombinant protein technology. Getting a WHO emergency use listing (EUL) is a requirement for approvals by many national regulatory authorities, as well as for participation in the […]

  • FDA approves Pfizer COVID booster jabs for higher-risk groups

    Just days after its advisory committee meeting voted to approve a third dose of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA has followed through and cleared the shot. The FDA has amended the emergency use authorisation (EUA) for Comirnaty in line with its experts’ advice – for people aged over 65 and other adults at […]

  • Amnesty says COVID jab producers are causing human rights crisis

    Amnesty International has slammed the six pharma companies behind the bulk of COVID-19 vaccine supplies of for not agreeing to waive their intellectual property rights and share the technology behind them. The charity says AstraZeneca, BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer are fuelling an “unprecedented human rights crisis” as a result and their […]

  • Tracking Global COVID-19 Vaccine Equity: An Update

    This updated analysis looks at global COVID-19 vaccination efforts by income-level and region to assess the equity gap in both vaccination coverage and rates of administration. Overall, we find that low-income countries and countries are lagging behind, and based on current rates, are unlikely to meet global vaccination targets.

  • Big pharma fuelling human rights crisis over Covid vaccine inequity – Amnesty

    Six companies warned not to put profit before lives as report shows less than 1% of almost 6bn doses have gone to low-income countries Amnesty International has accused six pharmaceutical companies that have developed Covid-19 vaccines of fuelling a global human rights crisis, citing their refusal to sufficiently waive intellectual property rights, share vaccine technology […]

  • RwHealth, the Artificial Intelligence provider for the NHS, promises to transform healthcare

    RwHealth, the leading provider of Artificial Intelligence to the healthcare industry, has today reported 160 per cent year-on-year growth as its data-led solutions are increasingly embraced by NHS trusts, private healthcare providers and major pharmaceutical companies.   RwHealth’s unique Data Science Platform combines Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning and Data Science to give healthcare providers […]

  • Pfizer, BioNTech prep low-dose COVID jab filing for kids aged 5 to 11

    With positive phase 2/3 results for their COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty in hand for the five to 11 age group, Pfizer and BioNTech are planning to move swiftly ahead with a filing for emergency use that could be approved in a matter of weeks. The data is the first generated with any COVID-19 vaccine in this […]

  • Pfizer, BioNTech prep low-dose COVID jab filing for kids aged 5 to 11

    With positive phase 2/3 results for their COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty in hand for the five to 11 age group, Pfizer and BioNTech are planning to move swiftly ahead with a filing for emergency use that could be approved in a matter of weeks. The data is the first generated with any COVID-19 vaccine in this […]

  • Ministers told to bar EU from UK trial data in vaccines row

    England’s deputy medical chief asked for data to be withheld unless British vaccine guinea pigs allowed to travel abroad • Coronavirus – latest updates• See all our coronavirus coverage England’s deputy chief medical officer asked ministers to withhold all UK clinical trial data from the EU if European countries continued to deny entry to British […]

  • Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Impacts and Vaccinations for Children

    COVID-19 has disproportionately negatively affected the physical and mental health, academic growth, and economic security of children of color. At the same time, the limited data available to date suggest some children of color may be less likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving them at elevated risk as the virus continues to spread and […]

  • Ahead of FDA adcomm, Pfizer, Moderna say COVID jab efficacy dips

    Pfizer and Moderna have both reported data that they say backs up the need for booster shots of their COVID-19 vaccines ahead of an FDA advisory committee meeting tomorrow, although the regulator seems less convinced. Documents published ahead of the panel by the FDA reviewers suggest that there is some evidence from observational studies that […]