May 22, 2020

The California Biotechnology Foundation is committed to keeping you up to date on COVID-19 testing, treatment and prevention advancements. The following resources track what progress has been made as of May 22, 2020. Notable advancements include:

• Gilead Sciences has increased the number of remdesivir doses it is donating to the U.S. federal government from 607,000 to around 940,000.
• AstraZeneca has concluded the first agreements for at least 400 million doses of the University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine and has secured manufacturing capacity for one billion doses beginning first deliveries in September 2020.
• Pfizer is expanding their research and manufacturing capacity to fulfill 20 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of the year and advance clinical trials for antiviral treatments.

Recent News:

• How Remdesivir Moved From Back Shelf to Best Hope for Treating COVID-19
  Time – May 21, 2020
  Remdesivir’s journey from idea to treatment is unprecedented. That path, by necessity, has taken advantage of innovative regulatory pathways to…the normal drug-development timeline, to meet urgent medical needs while producing a safe, effective drug.
• AstraZeneca CEO: We are ‘trailblazing’ on vaccine process
  CNN – May 21, 2020
  AstraZeneca has concluded the first agreements for at least 400 million doses of the University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine and has secured manufacturing capacity for one billion doses, beginning first deliveries in September 2020.
• The Race is On: Why Pfizer may be the Best Bet to Deliver a Vaccine by the Fall
  Forbes – May 20, 2020
  The inside story behind the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pfizer CEO and a promising, unproven treatment.
• Inovio says COVID-19 vaccine produces antibodies in mice, guinea pigs
  Reuters – May 20, 2020
  U.S. immunotherapy company Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Wednesday its experimental vaccine to prevent coronavirus infection produced protective antibodies and immune system responses in mice and guinea pigs.
• Different Approaches to a Coronavirus Vaccine
  New York Times – May 20, 2020
  Scientists are developing more than 100 coronavirus vaccines using a range of techniques, some of which are well-established and some of which have never been approved for medical use before.
• Gilead ups its donation of the COVID-19 drug remdesivir for U.S. hospitals
  STAT – May 18, 2020
  Gilead Sciences, the drug company behind the experimental COVID-19 therapy remdesivir, has upped the number of doses it’s donating to the federal government from 607,000 to around 940,000.
• Coronavirus vaccine shows early promise after ‘positive’ first trial in people
  Sacramento Bee – May 18, 2020
  Moderna said the vaccine, coined mRNA-1273, sparked the development of antibodies that could fight SARS-CoV-2 ⁠— the coronavirus behind the pandemic, according to a press release.
• Google sister-company Verily is launching an antibody research study for COVID-19
  CNBC – May 18, 2020
  Verily is adapting its existing clinical trial technology, Project Baseline, to the coronavirus. Its initial focus will be to study antibody testing.
• San Diego Biotech Finds Neutralizing Antibody To Take Out Coronavirus, But More Studies Key
  KPBS – May 15, 2020
  San Diego-based biotechnology company Sorrento Therapeutics says it’s found an antibody that can stop the coronavirus from infecting human cells.

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].