July 2, 2021

The California Biotechnology Foundation is committed to keeping you up to date about COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention advancements. The following resources track what progress has been made as of July 2, 2021. Notable advancements include:

• People who received the single-shotJohnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may be protected against the virus’ delta variant says the U.S. Surgeon General.
• ThePfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that may protect against the coronavirus for years, according to a new study.
• Moderna said its vaccine produced protective antibodies against the delta variant spreading in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.

​Recent News

• COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in the U.S. So why are scientists working on new ones?
  Washington Post – June 30, 2021
  Even as vaccine supplies outstrip demand in the United States, the scientific quest for coronavirus shots has scarcely eased. If anything, it feels busier to many scientists working on second-generation vaccines, variant-proof boosters or the ultimate goal — a vaccine that would work against multiple coronaviruses and stop future pandemics.
• S. surgeon general says Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may protect people against delta variant
  CNBC – June 30, 2021
  U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNBC there is reason to be hopeful that people who received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may be protected against the virus’ delta variant. Murthy pointed to data that showed the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot is highly effective against hospitalization from the more contagious variant.
• Moderna’s COVID-19  Shot Produces Antibodies Against Delta Variant
  Bloomberg – June 29, 2021
  Moderna Inc. said its vaccine produced protective antibodies against the delta variant spreading in the U.S. and many other parts of the world. Moderna researchers tested blood samples from eight people for antibodies against versions of the spike protein from different coronavirus variants, including delta.
• Three Studies, One Result: Vaccines Point the Way Out of the Pandemic
  New York Times – June 28, 2021
  Three new scientific studies offered fresh evidence that widely used vaccines will continue to protect people against the coronavirus for long periods, possibly for years, and can be adapted to fortify the immune system still further if needed. Most people immunized with the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters, one study found, so long as the virus and its variants do not evolve much beyond their current forms.
• Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines Likely to Produce Lasting Immunity, Study Finds
  New York Times – June 28, 2021
  The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that may protect against the coronavirus for years, scientists reported. The findings add to growing evidence that most people immunized with the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters, so long as the virus and its variants do not evolve much beyond their current forms — which is not guaranteed.
• K. Study Offers New Evidence You Can ‘Mix And Match’ Coronavirus Vaccines
  Forbes – June 28, 2021
  The Com-Cov vaccine trial looked at how immune responses differed in the 850 volunteers aged 50 and older when they were given either two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (an mRNA vaccine), two doses of AstraZeneca (a vector vaccine), or one dose of each. All the different combinations generated strong immunity, the researchers concluded, as both “mixed” schedules induced “high concentrations of antibodies” when administered four weeks apart.
• COVID-19 Update: FDA Authorizes Drug for Treatment of COVID-19
  BioSpace – June 25, 2021
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the drug Actemra (tocilizumab) for the treatment of hospitalized adults and pediatric COVID-19 patients (2 years of age and older) who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Rely on California Biotechnology Foundation to monitor breaking news and provide updates on the latest advancements in COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments.

Stay informed on the latest news and trends on the economic and health benefits of this industry by visiting the new CABiotech.org

If you have any questions about informational briefings contact California Biotechnology Foundation Executive Director Patty Cooper at (916)764-2434 or [email protected].