October 30, 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 October 30, 2020. Notable advancements include:

• Regeneron released positive clinical trial data for its monoclonal antibody drugs and sought emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Novavax announced it plans to begin phase 3 clinical trials in the United States and Mexico by the end of November.
• Gilead Sciences has received formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its drug remdesivir.

​Recent News:

• Moderna says it’s preparing for global launch of COVID-19 vaccine
  CNBC – October 29, 2020 
  Moderna is prepping for the global launch of its potential COVID-19 vaccine and already has supply agreements in North America, the Middle East and in other regions of the world.
• Regeneron Releases Positive Trial Data For COVID-19 Antibody Treatment As It Seeks Emergency FDA Authorization
  Forbes – October 28, 2020 
  Regeneron released positive clinical trial data for its monoclonal antibody drug, as the company seeks emergency use authorization for the drug from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Novartis, Molecular Partners partner to develop a scalable COVID-19 drug
  BioPharma Dive – October 28, 2020 
  Novartis has secured an option to license two experimental protein drugs that biotech Molecular Partners is developing to treat or prevent COVID-19.
• J&J Is Making COVID-19 Vaccine on a Not-for-Profit Basis
  Bloomberg – October 28, 2020 
  Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson chairman and chief executive officer, says the company is making the COVID vaccine on a not-for-profit basis. He appears on the latest episode of “The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations.”
• Sanofi, GSK to provide 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to WHO global immunization program
  CNBC – October 28, 2020
  Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline will provide 200 million doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to the World Health Organization’s global immunization partnership Covax, which seeks to ensure coronavirus vaccines are distributed equitably across the world.
• Novavax Will Launch U.S. Phase 3 Trials Of COVID-19 Vaccine By End Of November
  Forbes – October 27, 2020 
  Novavax, one of the biotech firms that received funding from the US Government to produce a COVID-19 vaccine, announced it plans to begin phase 3 clinical trials in the United States and Mexico by the end of November.
• Pfizer’s late-stage COVID-19 vaccine trial is near complete enrollment with 42,000 volunteers
  CNBC – October 27, 2020 
  Pfizer’s late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial has enrolled more than 42,000 volunteers, the company announced and said nearly 36,000 of the volunteers have already received the second of its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine
• Global Coalition for Adaptive Research, Amgen, and Eisai Announce First Patient Enrolled in International COVID-19 Trial
  Baytown Sun – Ocotber 26, 2020
  The Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR) in collaboration with Amgen and Eisai Co., Ltd., announced enrollment of the first patient in a trial that tests multiple interventions for the treatment of patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
• AstraZeneca says its COVID-19 vaccine triggers immune response among adults
  CNBC – October 26, 2020 
  British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said its potential COVID-19 vaccine had produced a similar immune response in older and younger adults.
• F.D.A. Approves First Drug for Treating COVID-19 Patients
  New York Times – October 23, 2020 
  The Food and Drug Administration said that it had formally approved remdesivir as the first drug to treat COVID-19.
• AstraZeneca resumes U.S. COVID-19 vaccine trial and Johnson & Johnson prepares to do same
  CNBC – October 23, 2020 
  AstraZeneca has resumed the U.S. trial of its experimental Covid-19 vaccine after approval by regulators, and Johnson & Johnson is preparing to resume its trial as well, the companies said.

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].