As omicron subvariants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus take hold, global cases began to rise in the past month, just as the U.S. authorized its fourth COVID-19 vaccine and developers continue their work on a fall booster targeting BA.4 and BA.5. Worldwide deaths have remained lower than each of the last two pandemic years, signaling that the worst is over. It is clear, however, that as current treatments lose their effectiveness and the virus continues to evolve, efforts to contain the virus will be ongoing.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Alx, Arcutis, Armata, Beam, Biosight, Celyad, Eccogene, Eledon, Gamida, Janssen, Krystal, Pharming, Scynexis, Veru, Zenas.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Greenlight, Qualigen, Scisparc, Stealth, VBL.
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: ACM, Adamis, BMS, Enanta, Gilead, Lynk, Novo, Ovoca, Viiv.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Gigagen, Neophore, Nervgen, Novartis, Sunshine, Therapeutic Solutions, Tonix, Trevena, Viiv.
Since the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the attempts to rapidly develop a vaccine that was effective against current strains, researchers have been looking for a vaccine that could protect more broadly against multiple coronaviruses. That has prompted attempts to harness the potential of the more conserved S2 subunit of the spike protein via which SARS-CoV-2 enters human host cells.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Lexicon, MBX, Novartis, Soligenix, Veru.
Biopharma happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: 180, Abcellera, Aim, Akari, Alnylam, Altamira, Angion, Artizan, Assembly, Aurinia, Microviable, Pharmacyte, Spexis Sun, X4, Zyversa.
Genuine Biotech Co. Ltd.’s azvudine has been granted conditional approval by China’s NMPA for the treatment of COVID-19. The drug, first granted conditional approval from the NMPA to treat HIV-1-infected adults with high viral loads in July 2021, is the first domestically developed oral medicine approved to treat COVID-19 in China and was approved just 10 days after its application was submitted on July 15.