China approved use of Pfizer’s COVID drug Paxlovid
On Feb. 12, 2022, China’s medical products regulator announced that it had given conditional approval for Pfizer’s COVID-19…
WHO granted prequalification of Actemra/RoActemra for patients with severe or critical COVID-19
On Feb. 11, 2022, Roche announced that Actemraﾮ/RoActemraﾮ (tocilizumab) intravenous (IV) had been granted World Health Organization (WHO)…
Gilead reported phase 2/3 interim data evaluating safety, tolerability and clinical outcomes of Veklury (Remdesivir) in pediatric patients with COVID-19
On Feb. 11, 2022, Gilead Sciences announced new data from an interim analysis of its ongoing, Phase 2/3…
Pfizer and BioNTech updated rolling submission for EUA of COVID-19 caccine in children 6 months through 4 years of Age
On Feb. 11, 2022, Pfizer and BioNTech announced plans to extend their rolling submission to the U.S. Food…
WHO prequalified first monoclonal antibody – tocilizumab ﾖ to treat COVID-19
On Feb. 11, 2022, the WHO announced the addition of tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody, to its list of…
Veklury (Remdesivir) retained antiviral activity against Omicron, Delta and other emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants
On Feb. 11, 2022, Gilead Sciences announced new data from an interim analysis of its ongoing, Phase 2/3…
Data suggested sotrovimab retained neutralizing activity against Omicron subvariant BA.2
On Feb. 10, 2022, Vir Biotech announced that preclinical data suggested that sotrovimab, an investigational monoclonal antibody authorized…
Novavax announced positive results of COVID-19 vaccine in pediatric population of PREVENT-19 phase 3 clinical trial
On Feb. 10, 2022, Novavax announced that NVX-CoV2373, its recombinant nanoparticle protein-based COVID-19 vaccine, achieved its primary effectiveness…
Research scientists identified vulnerable site on multiple coronaviruses that could be targeted to prevent future pandemics.
On Feb. 10, 2022, Scripps Research announced that the COVID-causing virus SARS-CoV-2 harbors a vulnerable site at the…
H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) Reported in indiana
On Feb. 9, 2022, the Indiana Department of Health confirmed that a case of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian…
Moderna announced new supply agreement with Colombia for additional 10.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine
On Feb. 8, 2022, Moderna announced a new supply agreement with the government of Colombia for 10.8 million…
Nasal spray booster keeps COVID-19 at bay
On Feb. 8, 2022, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) announced The program, named Codetta, can read the genome…
Biotechnology | COVID-19 | NIH | Therapeutics
Merck and Ridgeback announced 3.1 million courses of molnupiravir investigational oral antiviral COVID-19 medicine supplied to U.S. Government
On Feb. 8, 2022, Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced that a total of 3.1 million courses of molnupiravir,…
First-in-human implant of ‘closed-loop’ bioelectronic research system begun for Parkinson’s-like Multiple Systems Atrophy
On Feb. 8, 2022, researchers at Oxford University announced they had implanted a novel closed-loop research platform for…
Study suggested COVID-19 vaccines do not reduce fertility
On Feb. 8, 2022, a research team led at Boston University School of Public Health reported on links…
NIH-funded study suggested COVID-19 increased risk of pregnancy complications
On Feb. 4, 2022, the NIH announced a study that showed pregnant women with COVID-19 appeared to be…
Scientists demonstrated DNA from terrestrial animals can be filtered, amplified and sequenced from air
On Feb. 7, 2022, scientists working with the Queen Mary University of London and the London Genome Centre…
COVID-19 infections increased risk of heart conditions
On Feb. 7, 2022, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis announced an analysis of…
Common skin bacteria found beneficial against drying, aging
On Feb. 4, 2022, the NIH reported that Staphylococcus epidermidis produces enzymes, known as sphingomyelinase, that help the…
CDC’s ACIP issued recommendation for use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in adults aged =18 years
On Feb. 4, 2022, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued a standard recommendation for use of…
How sneezing hamsters sparked a COVID outbreak in Hong Kong
On Feb. 4, 2022, pet hamsters probably carried the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 into Hong Kong and sparked…
Research collaboration launched to focus on repurposing existing anti-viral therapies to treat COVID-19
On Feb. 4, 2022, a new ﾣ1.6m collaborative project was launched to rapidly identify new treatments for COVID-19….
T2 Biosystems T2SARS-CoV-2 panel detects Omicron subvariants
On Feb. 3, 2022, T2 Biosystems announced that its T2SARS-CoV-2 Panel detected Omicron COVID-19 subvariants BA.1, BA.2, and…
UK MHRA granted Conditional Marketing Authorization for Novavax COVID-19 vaccine in Great Britain
On Feb. 3, 2022, Novavax announced that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency had granted conditional marketing…
New Zealand’s Medsafe granted provisional approval for Novavax’ COVID-19 vaccine
On Feb. 3, 2022, Novavax announced that New Zealand’s Medsafe had been granted provisional approval of NVX-CoV2373, Novavax’…
Biotechnology | COVID-19 | Influenza | Plague | Therapeutics
NIAID Pandemic Preparedness Plan targeted ‘prototype’ and priority pathogens
On Feb. 2, 2022, NIAID scientists announced the new Pandemic Preparedness Plan aimed to support critical basic and…
Study of Penn patients with decade-long leukemia remissions after CAR T cell therapy revealed new details about persistence of personalized ‘Living Drug’ cells
On Feb. 2, 2022, a new analysis of the first two patients treated in a clinical trial with…
FDA approved first generic of Restasis
On Feb. 2, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it had approved the first generic of…
Artificial Intelligence | Biotechnology | CRISPR | Genomics | Life Science History | Medicine | NIH | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics | Vaccine
Cancer MoonShot program reignited
On Feb. 2, 2022, President Biden announced a reignition of the Cancer Moonshot, that highlighted new goals: to…
Pfizer and BioNTech initiated rolling submission for EUA of COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months through 4 years of age
On Feb. 1, 2022, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that following a request from the U.S. Food and Drug…