July 2, 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 July 2, 2020. Notable advancements include:

• Pfizer and BioNTech reported early positive results for their COVID-19 vaccine in a small study of patients.
• Inovio Pharmaceuticals Phase I clinical trial showed early positive data of its experimental vaccine against COVID-19.
• The World Health Organization’s chief scientist highlighted Astrazeneca as the world’s leading COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

​Recent News:

• Pfizer reports encouraging early coronavirus vaccine data
  Washington Post – July 1, 2020
  An experimental coronavirus vaccine being developed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German firm BioNTech triggered stronger immune responses in recipients than those seen in people naturally recovering from an infection.
• Pfizer and BioNTech Announce Early Positive Data from an Ongoing Phase 1/2 study of mRNA-based Vaccine Candidate Against SARS-CoV-2
  Businesswire – July 1, 2020
  Pfizer and BioNTech reported early positive results for their COVID-19 vaccine in a small study of patients.
• Inside Moderna: The COVID Vaccine Front-Runner With No Track Record and an Unsparing CEO
  Wall Street Journal – July 1, 2020
  Moderna represents one of the world’s best shots at stemming a historic pandemic. It’s a front-runner in the hunt for a coronavirus vaccine, vying against industry heavyweights with proven track records.
• Inovio’s COVID-19 Vaccine Suggests Overall Immune Responses in Phase I Trial
  Biospace – June 30, 2020
  Biotech company Inovio released positive interim data from its Phase I clinical trial of its experimental vaccine against COVID-19.
• FDA Outlines Its Conditions for Approving a COVID-19 Vaccine
  Wall Street Journal – June 30, 2020
  The Food and Drug Administration released guidance Tuesday outlining its conditions for approving a COVID-19 vaccine, including a requirement that any vaccine is at least 50% more effective than a placebo in preventing the disease.
• Inside a UCSF-led quest to exploit the coronavirus’ weak spots
  San Francisco Chronicle – June 28, 2020
  How, exactly, does the coronavirus hijack and reprogram human cells to sicken and kill? This question has obsessed Nevan Krogan since February, when the UCSF virus expert and his colleagues realized, before many did, that things in America would get very bad very fast.
• AstraZeneca, Moderna ahead in COVID-19 vaccine race: World Health Organization
  Reuters – June 26, 2020
  AstraZeneca’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine is probably the world’s leading candidate and most advanced in terms of development, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist said on Friday.
• This Coronavirus Doesn’t Change Quickly, And That’s Good News For Vaccine Makers
  NPR – June 26, 2020
  Scientists are monitoring the virus that causes COVID-19 for genetic changes that could make a vaccine ineffective. But so far, they’re not seeing any.
• Special Report: As the world approaches 10 million coronavirus cases, doctors see hope in new treatments
  Reuters – June 26, 2020
  Gopi Patel recalls how powerless she felt when New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital overflowed with COVID-19 patients in March. Guidance on how to treat the disease was scant, and medical studies were being performed so hastily they couldn’t always be trusted.
• A coronavirus vaccine is still months away, but an antibody treatment could be closer
  CNN – June 26, 2020
  Vaccines have gotten all the attention in the race to fight coronavirus, but there is a major push in the United States to develop antibody therapies to treat COVID-19. There’s such a push that some scientists think these treatments may be available this year, even before a vaccine.

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].