In the news this week, everyone’s talking about this thing called ‘coronavirus’, not sure if you’ve heard of it. Gilead are set to donate 1.5 million doses of remdesivir to sick patients, while the Gates Foundation is preparing to spend ‘billions’ setting up factories for the most promising vaccines. All that and much more in the 4-week anniversary of the now-familiar:  

Round-up Coronavirus Special

(Part 4)

GILEAD DONATING 1.5 MILLION DOSES OF REMDESIVIR TO PATIENTS – The EMA has cleared Gilead Science’s antiviral drug remdesivir for compassionate use. The company recently announced it will donate 1.5 million doses of the drug to 140,000 severely ill patients. Remdesivir, an anti-coronavirus drug, is also to be used for expanded access and clinical trials. Gilead has accelerated production time of the drug to six months from one year. 

BILL GATES TO SPEND BILLIONS REDUCING COVID-19 VAX PRODUCTION – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will spend ‘billions’ to help pharma create a coronavirus vaccine. The Gates’ will ‘fund factories’ for the seven most promising candidates, with two ultimately picked for mass production. 

EU URGED TO LIFT DRUG EXPORT BANS – The head of the European Commission has requested EU Member States lift export bans on needed drugs to stop coronavirus. Half the EU’s countries, including France and Poland, instituted the bans. Now several other countries in the EU are reporting shortages for antibiotics, painkillers and hydroxychloroquine. The European Commission has recently issued non-binding guidance on handling drug supplies.

In other news: 

R&D
Amgen and Adaptive co-ordinate to create antibodies to treat yearly coronavirus

Clinical Trials
FDA extends PDUFA review of Roche’s risdiplam SMA treatment

Manufacturing
Methadone can be supplied without new prescription during coronavirus pandemic

GSK and AstraZeneca to collaborate on new Covid-19 testing centre

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

Joshua Neil, Editor
Proventa International

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