November 6, 2020

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 6, 2020. Notable advancements include:

• AstraZeneca’s late-stage trial for the COVID-19 vaccine it is developing is on track to produce results later this year with a potential rollout soon after.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing a smartphone app to detect whether COVID-19 vaccines cause any serious side effects once the shots are cleared for widespread use.
• Modernaexpects to have approximately 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine ready to ship in the U.S. by the end of the year.

​Recent News:

• COVID-19 vaccine maker AstraZeneca expects to release trial data in a matter of weeks
  CNBC – November 5, 2020
  AstraZeneca said late-stage trials for the COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with the University of Oxford are on track to produce results “later this year,” with a potential rollout soon after, subject to regulatory approval.
• Regeneron hopeful U.S. will authorize COVID-19 antibody drug soon
  Reuters – November 5, 2020
  Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said U.S. health regulators were doing a careful analysis of its experimental antibody drug to treat COVID-19 and that it was hopeful the drug could be authorized for emergency use in the country soon.
• COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Efforts to Feature App Tracking of Vulnerable Groups
  Wall Street Journal – November 5, 2020
  Government health officials and drugmakers plan to roll out extra tools to detect whether COVID-19 vaccines cause any serious side effects once the shots are cleared for widespread use. The measures include surveys tracked through a smartphone app developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• There’s a ‘small chance’ Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine will be ready this year, according to the director of its clinical trial
  Business Insider – November 4, 2020
  Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine trial, said Wednesday there was a “small chance” the vaccine will be ready before December 25. The vaccine, developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca, is one of the world’s leading vaccine candidates.
• Pfizer goes solo on U.S. shot distribution, opting out of government channels
  FiercePharma – November 4, 2020
  Pfizer said it would not use the government’s chosen distribution partner, McKesson, but rather its own system to deliver the COVID vaccine directly to healthcare providers, said Tanya Alcorn, Pfizer’s vice president for biopharma global supply chain.
• Will a small, long-shot U.S. company end up producing one of the first COVID-19 vaccines?
  Science Magazine – November 3, 2020
  Novavax is slated to receive up to $2 billion from the U.S. government and a nonprofit organization to develop and manufacture a COVID-19 vaccine. This month, it plans to launch a pivotal clinical trial of its vaccine in the United States and Mexico.
• Stanford to enroll 1,000 volunteers for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine trial
  San Francisco Chronicle – November 2, 2020
  Stanford Medicine has begun enrolling volunteers to participate in a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson — one of a handful of vaccines considered front-runners in the global race for a vaccine.
• Novavax expands in Maryland as it gears up for late-stage COVID-19 vaccine trial in the U.S.
  FiercePharma – November 2, 2020
  Novavax has spent much of 2020 advancing its COVID-19 vaccine candidate through early-stage testing and preparing for manufacturing and distribution. And thanks to the promise of that vaccine and a separate flu program, the company is expanding its Maryland campus.
• Icosavax Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Program with Preclinical Data and $16.5 Million in New Funding
  Businesswire – October 30, 2020
  Preclinical data published in Cell show the company’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate induces high neutralizing antibody titers after a single administration
• ‘We’re Ready’: Cambridge’s Moderna Nearing Finish Line For COVID-19 Vaccine
  CBS Boston – October 29, 2020
  Cambridge-based biotech company Moderna expects to have approximately 20 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine ready to ship in the U.S. by the end of the year.

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].