For those of you who’ve lost track of the days in this WFH nightmare, it’s Friday again! Seeing as any pretence of not talking about coronavirus is entirely gone, welcome to:

The Round-up Coronavirus Special

(Part 1 of 12)

UK’S UPGRADED COVID GUIDANCE STILL NOT ENOUGH – Imperial College London scientists have warned that without stricter government intervention, 250,000 people in the UK could die as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new epidemiological computer simulation, using predictions based on virus spread, has suggested that prevention techniques like hand washing or isolation could reduce deaths by half. The study criticised the UK government’s stance and lack of stringent public health measures. 

MODERNA TESTS FIRST PATIENT WITH POTENTIAL CORONAVIRUS VACCINE – Moderna has tested an initial patient with its mRNA-1273 vaccine. This combats the coronavirus by telling the body to create antibodies against a stabilised form of the Spike protein found in SARS-CoV-2. The National Institutes of Health is conducting the study. A phase 2 study is being prepared based on data generated here. 

COVID-19 TO HAVE ‘BIG IMPACT’ ON A THIRD OF U.S. CLINICAL TRIAL SITES – Up to a third of trial sites expected coronavirus to have a ‘big or extremely big’ impact on their day-to-day ability to recruit or engage patients. Additionally, 39% of 170 trial sites believed patients would be less likely to enrol in new trials.

In other news: 

Clinical Trials
Roche initiates first phase 3 study of Actemra/RoActemra to combat COVID-19
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases begins phase 1 COVID-19 vaccine trial

Manufacturing
Teva and Mylan set to reintroduce malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to combat COVID-19
COVID-19 to disrupt EU pharma drug launches

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

Joshua Neil, Editor
Proventa International

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