In the news this week, Moderna is set to make a profit for the first time with huge profit expectations for 2021. In other news, Icon acquires PRA for $12 billion to create a ‘mega-CRO’, and the first variant of the South African COVID variant specifically is shipped for trials.

MODERNA FORECASTS $18 BILLION IN VACCINE SALES FOR 2021 – Moderna has announced an expected $18.4 billion in profit from its coronavirus vaccine in 2021, much higher than the $11.2 billion predicted by analysts. This figure would give the company a profit for the first time. This number could also rise further given Moderna’s current discussions with governments about distributing the COVID vaccine worldwide. 

ICON ACQUIRES PRA IN $12 BILLION DEAL – Contract R&D company Icon has announced the acquisition of competitor PRA Health Services for around $12 billion. The acquisition will create a ‘mega-CRO’. This will have partnerships already cemented with a number of major pharma organisations. Icon claimed the merger would create a company with a top spot in several key markets. 

MODERNA SHIPS SOUTH AFRICA VARIANT VACCINE CANDIDATES OFF TO TRIALS –  Moderna has sent several doses of its vaccine candidate designed to combat the South African variant of COVID-19 to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). Manufacturing of clinical trial material for the candidate has also been completed, it announced. In addition to this phase 1 study, the company is evaluating booster doses of its current vaccine, to increase neutralising immunity against high-risk variants of the virus.

In other news:

Clinical
FDA set to approve J&J’s one-shot COVID vaccine for emergency use
Sanofi’s immunotherapy drug Libtayo receives regulatory approval in first line lung cancer

Manufacturing
Australia could follow US in approving Pfizer vaccine for standard cold storage
UK COVID vaccine numbers drop by a third as supply slows

That’s all for now. See you next week!

Joshua Neil, Editor
Proventa International