The World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) has produced guidelines for the emergency use of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford with its partner AstraZeneca. The WHO has recommended that two standard doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 be administered at an 8-… Read More
The University of Kentucky has been selected as a testing site for the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson’s Phase III clinical research study ENSEMBLE 2, which is evaluating the safety and efficacy of a two-dose regimen of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The Phase III ENSEMBLE 2 study is… Read More
In an analysis, submitted as a pre-print prior to peer-review publication, a two-dose regimen of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine provides minimal protection against mild-moderate COVID-19 infection from the B.1.351 coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa. Efficacy against severe COVID-19 infection from this variant was not assessed. The analyses being… Read More
Novavax has announced the start of the rolling review process for authorisation of NVX-CoV2373, its COVID-19 vaccine, by multiple regulatory agencies. The reviews will continue while the company completes its Phase III trials in the UK and US and through initial authorisation for emergency use granted under country-specific regulations. “The… Read More
The University of Oxford has reported it is to lead the first trial looking into alternating different COVID-19 vaccines, to explore the potential for flexibility in delivery and look for clues as to how to increase the breadth of protection against new virus strains. The study, run by the National… Read More
UK businesses can now look forward to the easing of restrictions and pent-up demand as vaccine boosts confidence. Luke Davis, CEO of IW Capital, comments on the success of the vaccine and how it will impact businesses and future investments in the UK. The recent success of the UK vaccine… Read More
GlaxoSmithKline and CureVac have signed a €150m (£132m) deal to jointly develop next generation mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. They aim to work together to develop a single vaccine that can address the multiple emerging variants. GSK will also support the manufacture of up to 100 million doses of CureVac’s first… Read More
The Novavax vaccine has been found to be 89.3% effective at preventing COVID-19. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust in the UK recruited 762 participants, and was the second largest contributor to the study in the UK. Dr David Baxter, Principal Investigator for the trial at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We… Read More
Researchers at the University of Oxford have published in Preprints with The Lancet an analysis of further data from the ongoing trials of the vaccine. In this, they reveal that the vaccine efficacy is higher at longer prime-boost intervals, and that a single dose of the vaccine is 76% effective… Read More
Novavax has announced that Gregory Glenn, President of Research & Development, will present on NVX-CoV2373, the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, at The New York Academy of Science (NYAS) event, ‘The Quest for a COVID-19 Vaccine.’ Webinar details are as follows: Presentation title: Efficacy Data Updates from Novavax’ Protein-based Vaccine Candidate Date: … Read More
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 virus variants highlight the need for better genomic monitoring of the virus, says Katia Koelle, Associate Professor of Biology at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. “Improved genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 across states would really help us to better understand how the virus causing the pandemic is evolving… Read More
An international team of researchers led by the Universities of Liverpool and Keele, working with Public Health England, has found that the common anticoagulant drug heparin inhibits the SARS-Cov2 virus spike protein, by reducing the virus’ ability to attach to human cells and infect them. The research, published in the… Read More
An investigational COVID-19 vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals appears to be safe and effective at preventing moderate and severe COVID-19 in adults, according to an interim analysis of Phase III clinical data. The vaccine, called Ad.26.COV2.S or JNJ-78436725, requires only a single injection and can be stored in a refrigerator… Read More
Evidence is emerging that vitamin D – and possibly vitamins K and A – might help combat COVID-19. A new study from the University of Bristol published in the journal of the German Chemical Society Angewandte Chemie has shown how they – and other antiviral drugs – might work. The research… Read More
Novavax, the biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for serious infectious diseases, has announced that NVX-CoV2373, its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate, met the primary endpoint, with a vaccine efficacy of 89.3%, in its Phase III clinical trial conducted in the UK. The study assessed efficacy during a period with high transmission… Read More
Mammoth Biosciences has announced an agreement with Agilent Technologies to support the anticipated launch of a complete CRISPR-based SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic solution comprising Agilent’s Bravo automation workstation and Mammoth Biosciences’ DETECTR BOOSTTM assay. Together, the DETECTR BOOSTTM SARS-CoV-2 kit and Agilent automated liquid handling system would provide a complete workflow for… Read More
