14 July 2020
Pfizer and BioNTech have received fast track designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for two of their four potential Covid-19 vaccines. The designation is based on preliminary results from ongoing Phase I/II studies in the US and Germany, and also data from animal immunogenicity studies.
Swiss contract drug manufacturer Lonza Group has licensed its technology to China-based Junshi Biosciences for the production of a neutralising antibody against Covid-19. Lonza noted that the neutralising antibody was developed using its gene expression system, GS Xceed. The antibody is currently in clinical trials in China.
India-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has lowered the price of its Covid-19 drug, FabiFlu, to INR 75 ($0.99) per tablet. The drug, a generic version of favipiravir, was earlier sold at INR 103 ($1.37) per tablet to treat patients with mild-to-moderate Covid-19 symptoms. The company expects the price reduction to enable better access to its drug for patients across India.
Tonix Pharmaceuticals has entered into a new preclinical research and option agreement with Kansas State University for the development of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate using a live virus vaccine vector platform and the CD40-ligand. Under the partnership, the university will be responsible for preclinical development of a live replicating virus vaccine against Covid-19 based on bovine parainfluenza virus.
