Top News in R&D
 
 

 

 

READ ONLINE

 

 
 
 
 Global Health Technologies Coalition 
 
 
 
 

 

R&D News Roundup: June 15, 2020

 

Top News in R&D

SiO2 Materials Science Receives $143 Million Contract from U.S. Government to Accelerate Capacity Scale-Up of Advanced Primary Packaging Platform for COVID-19 Vaccines and Therapeutics
Biospace (6/8)

The Department of Defense Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) will partner with SiO2, an advanced materials science company, to introduce a novel technology for packaging COVID-19 vaccines and other pharmaceuticals. JPEO-CBRND and BARDA will provide US$143 million in funding to scale production of the company’s new technology that includes a plastic container with a microscopic glass coating. The product is thermal stable (range of -196 C to 121 C), highly durable (able to withstand 1,500 pounds of direct force), and precision molded, making it more dimensionally consistent than glass vials.

Related coverage in Contract Pharma (6/8)

Coronavirus Vaccine Candidates’ Pivotal U.S. Testing to Start This Summer
Wall Street Journal (6/10)

The vaccine candidate, mRNA-1273, developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in partnership with Moderna, will begin phase 3 clinical testing by July, followed in August by Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s vaccine, and in September by Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine. All three companies are backed by the US government as part of Operation Warp Speed, and each is testing new technology.

Additional coverage in FiercePharma (6/10) and Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (6/10)

Related coverage: Time (6/11) and ABC News (6/11)

‘We don’t actually have that answer yet’: WHO clarifies comments on asymptomatic spread of Covid-19
STAT (6/9)

On Monday, an official from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that spread of COVID-19 by people who are asymptomatic is “very rare,” but clarified on Tuesday that scientists are actually unsure how frequently asymptomatic spread occurs. The initial comments caused a stir among public health experts, some labelling the comment as miscommunication. Underlying the confusion is that the term “asymptomatic” can mean either people who are presymptomatic or people who develop a full infection without showing symptoms. There is some evidence that fully asymptomatic cases may not be very contagious, while other studies show that patients may be most contagious when they are presymptomatic. Either way, experts note, individuals without symptoms should still be taking precautions.

Additional coverage: Axios (6/9) and CNN (6/10)

 

 

Other COVID-19 R&D News

For up-to-date information on product development efforts for COVID-19 (covering US government, multilateral, and GHTC member efforts) visit our COVID-19 R&D Tracker.

The Pandemic Claims New Victims: Prestigious Medical Journals
The New York Times (6/14)

Spate of new research supports wearing masks to control coronavirus spread
The Washington Post (6/13)

Related coverage in Fortune (6/11)

Before Catching Coronavirus, Some People’s Immune Systems Are Already Primed to Fight It
The Wall Street Journal (6/12)

Hit Hard by Coronavirus, Russia Joins Global Race for a Vaccine
The Wall Street Journal (6/11)

COVID-19 activity escalating in Africa, Middle East
CIDRAP (6/11)

Coronavirus: Has flawed science and rushed research failed us on Covid-19?
The National (6/11)

Can old vaccines from science’s medicine cabinet ward off coronavirus?
The Washington Post (6/11)

Editorial: Borrow crisis tactics to get COVID-19 supplies to where they are needed
Nature (6/11)

Editorial: Covid, DNA and Blood Type
The Wall Street Journal (6/10)

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes First Next Generation Sequence Test for Diagnosing COVID-19
FDA Press Announcement (6/10)

CEPI, CSL and University of Queensland partner on COVID-19 vaccine candidate
Homeland Preparedness News (6/10)

OraSure Technologies Receives BARDA Funding for Coronavirus Antibody ELISA Using Oral Fluid Samples
Global Newswire (6/10)

Additional coverage in 360Dx (6/10)

Coronavirus Antibody Testing Inappropriate for Individuals, Medical Experts Tell Congress
360Dx (6/10)

BRIEF-NIH-Funded Study To Evaluate Drugs Prescribed To Children With Covid-19
Reuters (6/10)

AstraZeneca Wins Fresh U.S. Funding in Race for COVID-19 Treatment
The New York Times (6/9)

BARDA offers Moderna opportunity to expand domestic manufacturing of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
Homeland Preparedness News (6/9)

Positive Covid-19 tests kept a mom and baby apart for 55 days. Experts see it as a bigger testing problem
STAT (6/8)

FDA reveals COVID-19 antibody test kit performance data to public
Homeland Preparedness News (6/8)

BARDA, Evidation team on early detection of COVID-19 using wearables
Medtech Dive (6/5)

Novavax Awarded DoD Contract for COVID-19 Vaccine
Contract Pharma (6/5)

Black U.S. adults follow many COVID-19 news topics more closely, discuss the outbreak more frequently
Fact Tank (6/5)

Labs Launching Employer SARS-CoV-2 Testing Programs as Businesses Reopen
360Dx (6/5)

U of Maryland Team Developing Biosensor for Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
360Dx (6/5)

High-profile coronavirus retractions raise concerns about data oversight
Nature (6/5)

Home-Based COVID-19 Testing May Have Behavioral Consequences. A Study Wants See What They Are
360Dx (6/5)

 

 

News from GHTC

 

 

Additional Highlights from the Week

 

 

Upcoming Events