LONDON – Valneva SA’s COVID-19 vaccine, VLA-2001, prompted a stronger immune response with fewer side effects than Astrazeneca plc’s product, according to headline data from the phase III trial. Shares in Valneva (NASDAQ:VALN) shot up by nearly 40% to close Oct. 18 at $39.21 when the data were announced, partly repairing the damage on Sept. 13 when the U.K. government cancelled a $1.65 billion contract with the French vaccines specialist for 100 million doses.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Akeso, Astrazeneca, Eli Lilly, Medigen, Merck, Protalix, RDIF, TG.
The FDA reported Oct. 14 that software used with the Alinity m test kit by Abbott Laboratories is being recalled for the potential for false positive results, a problem due to software used to automate the processing of the test. This recall was originally issued in mid-September, but the Abbott Park, Ill.-based company is advising labs to treat any test result as presumptive at best.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Andau Medical, Detect, Ganymed Robotics, Milestone Scientific, New Al Farwaniya Surgicals and Medical Equipment, Pathai, Roche, Sanolabor.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Biothera, Pharmapark, Shortwave, Treadwell, Vaxil and Xortx.
The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee unanimously agreed to recommend a booster dose of Janssen Biotech Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine for those age 18 years and older at least two months following the first dose. In the end, the vote swung on numbers from Janssen showing a booster significantly improved efficacy among study participants. Janssen’s data leaped to 94% protection after a booster dose, up from 70% efficacy following the first dose. That higher efficacy rate nearly matches that of the mRNA vaccines from Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc.-Biontech SE.
LONDON – After the hard, solitary slog through months of pandemic, U.K. biotech finally convened in person, buoyed by the contribution the sector has made to dealing with COVID-19, and evidently pleased to be face-to-face once more.
Given the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee’s unanimous vote last month to recommend use of a booster dose of the Pfizer Inc.-Biontech SE COVID-19 vaccine in certain high-risk groups, it came as no surprise when the committee again voted unanimously Oct. 14 for a mirror use of Moderna Inc.’s proposed booster.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Adocia, Algernon, Asieris, Beigene, Blade, Cantargia, Eli Lilly, Homology, Kadimastem, Lundbeck, Merck, Otsuka, Pharmather, Regeneron, Revance, Roche, Sanofi, Sorrento, Viridian.