May 29, 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 29, 2020. Notable advancements include:

• The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca have begun recruiting more than 10,000 subjects for advanced human studies of their experimental COVID-19 vaccine.
• GlaxoSmithKline announced plans to produce one billion doses of boosters that would help scale up production of future vaccines for COVID-19.
• Merck announced it is developing two different vaccines for COVID-19 and  licensing an oral drug that might treat the virus.

​Recent News:

• AAVCOVID Vaccine Program from Mass. Eye and Ear and Mass General Enters Manufacturing Agreement with Gene Therapy Leader AveXis, a Novartis Company
  Newswise – May 28, 2020
  The AAVCOVID vaccine program at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Massachusetts General Hospital, members of Mass General Brigham, has entered into a manufacturing agreement to produce its novel genetic vaccine with an industry leader in gene therapy, AveXis, a Novartis Company.
• A biotech company tries to retrofit a lung drug to prevent COVID-19’s after effects
  STAT – May 28, 2020
  As the world scrambles to find antiviral treatments and vaccines for the novel coronavirus, some scientists are looking ahead to a problem on the horizon: Many COVID-19 survivors will have long-term lung injuries, and medicine has little to offer them.
• Big gene therapy names line up behind experimental COVID-19 vaccine
  STAT – May 28, 2020
  An early stage vaccine against COVID-19 based on the same basic technology used in gene therapy is gaining some support from some of that field’s biggest names.
• GSK aims for one billion doses of booster as COVID-19 vaccine race heats up
  Reuters – May 27, 2020
  GSK, the world’s largest vaccine maker, laid out plans on Thursday to produce 1 billion doses of vaccine efficacy boosters for COVID-19 shots next year, as the race to develop a successful solution to the coronavirus crisis heats up.
• Merck leaps into COVID-19 vaccine race, aiming to test two different candidates this year
  STAT – May 26, 2020
  Merck, one of the largest vaccine makers in the world, is entering the COVID-19 arena with an announcement on Tuesday it is developing two different vaccines for COVID-19 and is also licensing an oral drug that might treat the virus.
• Biotech Bay Companies Fighting Against COVID-19
  Biospace – May 26, 2020
  Biotech Bay, the bustling biotech industry around San Francisco in California, is home to many biopharma companies developing diagnostics, therapies, and vaccines to fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• Novavax expects results from new human trial of coronavirus vaccine in July
  Bloomberg – May 25, 2020
  Novavax Inc. initiated testing of its coronavirus vaccine candidate in people and anticipates providing a first look in July at what sort of immune responses are generated.
• Bay Area search for coronavirus drugs extends far beyond remdesivir
  San Francisco Chronicle – May 25, 2020
  Doctors in the Bay Area… are studying a host of other potential treatments that could be used to alleviate the worst symptoms of COVID-19 or keep people out of the hospital entirely.
• UC San Diego begins ‘audacious’ coronavirus testing program in hopes of resuming in-person classes in fall
  San Francisco Chronicle – May 24, 2020
  As colleges across the country grapple with rampant uncertainty about how to conduct classes this fall, UC San Diego officials are taking a more proactive approach. They’re diving into coronavirus testing with uncommon vigor.
• Harvard scientists are developing a coronavirus vaccine specifically for those most vulnerable: the elderly
  Business Insider – May 24, 2020
  More than 100 teams around the world are racing to develop a coronavirus vaccine. Dr. Ofer Levy and a group of Harvard Medical School researchers are among them, but the vaccine they’re working on is a little different. It’s specifically designed for those most vulnerable to the disease: the elderly.
• Oxford, AstraZeneca Begin Advanced Trials of COVID Vaccine
  Bloomberg – May 22, 2020
  The University of Oxford and AstraZeneca Plc have begun recruiting more than 10,000 subjects for advanced human studies of one of the world’s fastest-moving experimental COVID-19 vaccines.
• Early Coronavirus Immunity Data Fuel Promise for a Vaccin
  Scientific American – May 22, 2020
  As the world grapples with how to safely reopen society in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, scientists have been racing to understand whether COVID-19 infection confers immunity—and how long such immunity might last.

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].