23 June 2020
Gilead Sciences has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assess an inhaled version of remdesivir in human clinical trials as a potential treatment for Covid-19 patients. The company will start screening healthy participants for Phase I trials this week, with plans to initiate trials in Covid-19 patients in August. Gilead will also study the drug in combination with anti-inflammatory agents, and in vulnerable patient populations.
Following positive data from the UK RECOVERY trial in Covid-19 patients, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for increased production of dexamethasone to ensure quick and equitable access to the drug worldwide. The organisation noted that the demand has already surged for the drug, which is recommended for use only in patients with severe or critical disease.
Sanofi has said that the company expects to receive regulatory approval for its Covid-19 vaccine candidate, which is being developed in partnership with GlaxoSmithKline, by the first half of next year. Reuters added that clinical trials of the vaccine candidate are set to launch in September this year.
ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Europe has partnered with LiteVax for the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. The partners are working on a preclinical study to analyse the immunogenicity, safety and potency of ImmunoPrecise’s Covid-19 vaccine candidates, which are formulated using LiteVax’s adjuvant. The preclinical study has secured funding support from TRANSVAC2.
Evelo Biosciences has announced the inclusion of its experimental drug EDP1815 in the Phase II/III TACTIC-E clinical trial, which is being conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of some therapeutic candidates for preventing and treating complications caused by Covid-19 in hospitalised patients at early stages of the disease. The trial is sponsored by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
