15 June 2020
AstraZeneca has signed an agreement with Europe’s Inclusive Vaccines Alliance (IVA) to supply up to 400 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, beginning by the end of this year. IVA, led by Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands, expects the deal to boost the vaccine’s supply and make it available to other participating European countries.
Researchers in the UK are set to conduct a clinical trial to assess TRV027, which is used to prevent lung damage and blood clots, as a potential Covid-19 treatment. The trial, supported by British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence at Imperial College London, will enrol 60 patients across hospitals in the UK.
India’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Zydus Cadila have entered separate non-exclusive licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences to manufacture and sell remdesivir for potential Covid-19 treatment in 127 countries, including India. Previously, Gilead signed similar licensing deals with Mylan, Cipla, Hetero Labs and Jubilant Life Sciences in India.
China-based Sinovac Biotech has reported favourable immunogenicity and safety profiles for its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, CoronaVac, during a Phase I/II clinical trial. According to preliminary data, the vaccine triggered neutralising antibodies 14 days after the vaccination in the Phase II portion, with no severe adverse event observed in both the Phase I and II portions.
