November 19, 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 November 19, 2021. Notable advancements include:

• The Food and Drug Administration authorized booster shots of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for everyone 18 and older, opening up eligibility to tens of millions more fully vaccinated adults.
• ​Data shows that patients who received AstraZeneca’s antibody treatment were 83% less likely to develop symptomatic cases of COVID-19 than participants given a placebo.
• Pfizer requested emergency authorization for its antiviral pill against COVID-19, which has been found to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent.

​Recent News

• F.D.A. Authorizes COVID-19 Booster Shots for All Adults
  New York Times – November 19, 2021 
  The Food and Drug Administration authorized booster shots of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for everyone 18 and older, opening up eligibility to tens of millions more fully vaccinated adults.
• AstraZeneca’s antibody drug over 80% effective at preventing COVID-19, trial shows
  CNBC – November 18, 2021
  The data showed that patients given a single injection of the antibody treatment were 83% less likely to develop symptomatic cases of COVID-19 than participants who were given a placebo. In a separate trial, patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who were given one dose within three days of developing symptoms had their risk of developing severe disease reduced by 88%.
• Moderna resubmits its application to the FDA to authorize COVID-19 boosters for all adults
  CNBC – November 17, 2021
  Moderna’s revised application, which was originally submitted in September, comes as the FDA is expected to authorize Pfizer and BioNTech’s booster shots for all adults as early as this week. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency plans to “act swiftly” on booster doses as soon as the FDA reviews the data and provides authorization.
• Monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 breakthrough
  University of Minnesota – November 17, 2021 
  New research from the Mayo Clinic shows monoclonal antibodies reduce the risk of hospitalization 77% in 1,395 patients who had breakthrough COVID-19 infections. The research was published yesterday in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
• Pfizer Will Allow Its COVID-19 Pill to Be Made and Sold Cheaply in Poor Countries
  New York Times – November 16, 2021
  Pfizer announced a deal to allow its promising COVID-19 treatment to be made and sold inexpensively in 95 poorer nations that are home to more than half of the world’s population. The agreement follows a similar arrangement negotiated by Merck last month, and together the deals have the potential to vastly expand global production of two simple antiviral pills that could alter the course of the pandemic by preventing severe illness from the coronavirus.
• Pfizer seeks FDA approval for COVID-19 pill regimen, strikes global manufacturing deal
  The Washington Post – November 16, 2021
  Pfizer requested emergency authorization for Paxlovid, a five-day antiviral pill regimen the company found to reduce the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent. The announcement comes as COVID-19 cases increase in many parts of the country, raising fears among public health officials that a fifth case surge could hit the nation during the winter. If authorized, the drug could help stave off hospitalizations and deaths that are already overwhelming hospitals.
• NIH long-term study on children who had COVID-19 enrolls first participant
  The Hill – November 15, 2021 
  A long-term National Institutes of Health (NIH) study on the impacts of COVID-19 on children and young adults enrolled its first participant. The NIH’s research intends to follow 1,000 children and young adults ages 3 to 21 who previously tested positive for COVID-19 over three years to examine the virus’s impact on their physical and mental health, including their development and immune responses to the virus.

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].