Jan 22, 2021 11:14am
AstraZeneca has reportedly notified EU officials of a reduction in expected first-quarter coronavirus vaccine deliveries. (AstraZeneca)
As AstraZeneca nears European authorization for its highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine, the drugmaker has notified officials that initial shipments will come in lighter than originally expected.
Two German-language publications, Bild and oe24, report that AZ notified EU officials this week that its first-quarter deliveries will come in lower than originally expected. An AstraZeneca spokesperson attributed the dip to reduced yields at a manufacturing site within our European supply chain. We will be supplying tens of millions of doses in February and March to the European Union, as we continue to ramp up production volumes, she said.
Jan 22, 2021 10:55am
Eli Lilly said its antibody drug amlanivimab prevented symptomatic COVID-19 in nursing home residents and staffers. (GagliardiPhotography/Shutterstock)
Eli Lilly’s bamlanivimab was the first antibody drug the FDA authorized to treat COVID-19. Now, the Indianapolis pharma has data showing the therapy prevents symptomatic infections.
The catch? The data are limited to long-term care facilities, where vaccination is now underway and despite their utility, antibody therapies are having a tough time catching on.
Bamlanivimab cut the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 by 57% among residents and staffers of long-term care facilities in a phase 3 trial conducted by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Lilly said Thursday. The risk reduction was higher at 80% among the subgroup of nursing home residents.
Jan 22, 2021 3:45pm
CDMO Cognate BioServices started work on a new commercial manufacturing plant that will nearly double capacity at its current headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. (Cunaplus M.Faba/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
With the demand for cell and gene therapies mounting, CDMO Cognate BioServices is looking to swiftly expand its U.S. headquarters with two new facilities and it s not stopping there. Its dedicated gene therapy unit, Cobra Biologics, is plotting its own scale-ups in Europe.
Stateside, Cognate is building out its global manufacturing facility and headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, to the tune of 250,000 square feet of space and 500 new jobs, which will be added over the next four years, a spokesperson said via email.
Jan 21, 2021 10:25am
Pfizer and BioNTech join with health groups to promote “Science can make this possible. Only you can make it real,” COVID-19 awareness campaign.(Getty/Meyer & Meyer)
Remember hugging, playing with grandchildren, kissing people goodbye and sharing exciting news with family in person? While COVID-19 has kiboshed those things, Pfizer and BioNTech want to remind people about them and how they ll be possible again with vaccines.
The Comirnaty vaccine makers, together with a coalition of health organizations, recently debuted an awareness campaign aimed at shoring up confidence in the new COVID-19 shots.
The 25- to 30-second videos are real takes of real people found online and then licensed with consent for the digital campaign, which launched last week on social media. Future plans include a move to local TV.
Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson’s restructuring plan for the French pharma includes almost 1,700 job cuts in Europe, but local government officials and employees aren't fans of the idea. As the French government pushes for no forced departures, some union members have taken to the streets.