The University of Queensland’s re-engineered clamp platform has produced a vaccine that is equally safe and virus-neutralising as an approved Covid vaccine considered among the best in its class. The pivotal proof-of-concept testing clears the way to progress the Clamp2 technology in a range of research programmes. … Read More
AstraZeneca has announced that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin (chemotherapy) for NHS use in England and Wales for the first-line treatment of adults with locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC).1… Read More
A Translational Psychiatry publication indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection, even when unnoticed or asymptomatic, can have an influence on the activation of the Human Endogenous Retrovirus W (W-ENV) protein in psychotic patients, in a context of innate immune inflammation. GeNeuro, a biopharmaceutical company developing treatments… Read More
SpyBiotech, a UK-based biotechnology company with a novel vaccine platform technology that can target infectious diseases, cancer, and chronic diseases, has received a grant of $4,094,561 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to further develop its novel SpyVector platform. This project will harness SpyBio’s ‘plug… Read More
A monoclonal antibody to prevent Covid-19 in vulnerable patients, AZD3152, has entered clinical trials less than 12 months after discovery. AstraZeneca has initiated the SUPERNOVA Phase I/III trial of AZD5156 (a combination of AZD3152 and cilgavimab) in pre-exposure prophylaxis of Covid-19, following the company licensing AZD3152 from… Read More
It has been proven that prednisolone does not improve sense of smell after Covid-19 and that for most patients this gradually improves over time regardless of treatment. The study authors from UMC Utrecht stated that they do not recommend prednisolone for patients with persistent smell and/or taste… Read More
Researchers are concerned about the challenges of greater public interest in scientific research, but most believe it has never been more important for them to engage in debate, a new survey has revealed. This is despite the fact that nearly a third of respondents have, or know… Read More
Research led by The University of Queensland has found that Covid-19 activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson’s disease. The discovery identified a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who have had Covid-19, but also a possible treatment. The UQ… Read More
The Rockefeller Foundation will provide $3 million in new funding for Global.health (G.h) – an open-source platform for scientific pandemic data. The investment will allow the platform to expand its international partnerships and modernise the global effort around coordinated pandemic prevention, surveillance, and response. Co-developed by researchers and engineers… Read More
Dr Nevan Krogan, Founder of the UC San Francisco (UCSF) Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) Coronavirus Research Group (QCRG) and Director of QBI, has been awarded France’s Legion of Honor. The award was given for forming an international research collaboration and for scientific contributions utilising a… Read More
Global Phase III topline data is expected later this year for a new class of Covid-19 booster vaccine. Vaxxinity has completed enrollment for the trial, co-sponsored by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). Its UB-612 will be evaluated as a heterologous booster vaccine to mRNA, adeno-vectored, and inactivated primary… Read More
A new study in the US has revealed that the Covid-19 vaccine is less effective in people with weakened immune systems. The research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s VISION Network analysed real-world data on mRNA vaccine effectiveness during Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 predominance… Read More
New research suggests messenger RNA can be effectively used as a ‘universal’ therapy against different coronaviruses. A scientist at Oregon State University has demonstrated in a mouse model that it’s possible to prompt the production of a protein that can block multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2… Read More
A research team from Boston University has caused controversy for work involving the creation of a hybrid SARS-CoV-2 virus. Researchers from Boston University’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories conducted a study1 to create a chimeric virus which combined the spike protein of the Omicron variant with the… Read More
An update on the latest Covid-19 news by DDW Digital Content Editor Diana Spencer With winter around the corner and cases once again on the rise, the last few weeks have seen some interesting developments related to Covid-19. We found out that Omicron infection protects against flu,… Read More
Listen to this article on the DDW Podcast: The Fall 2022 issue of the DDW is out now. DDW Editor Reece Armstrong comments. There’s no doubting that when the time came for the life sciences industry to step up during… Read More
