The Omicron variant of the coronavirus does not have a negative effect on cardiovascular health in young adults who have been vaccinated, a small study suggests. Additionally, women should not delay routine mammograms after receiving a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, experts now say.
Where we are: Omicron BA.2 persists while vaccines lower risk of long COVID
B.1.1.7 "Kent" strain (United Kingdom), B.1.1.7 Variant (UK), Bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404; LY3853113), BNT162b2 (Pfizer and BioNTech), C.1.2 Covid-19 Variant (South Africa), Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic, Coronavirus Vaccines, COVID-19 Antibodies, COVID-19 Deaths, COVID-19 Variant B.1.526 (New York), Covid-19 Variants, Etesevimab (Lilly), Evusheld (tixagevimab and cilgavimab; AstraZeneca), Hospitalizations, Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients, Molnupiravir, mRNA-1273/Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (Moderna), Omicron (B.1.1.529) (South Africa), Omicron BA.2, Pandemics, TherapeuticsThere appears to be a rise in COVID-19 illnesses, driven by Omicron subvariants, which may be better able to evade immunity from vaccines and previous infections and lower public health measures by the public such as masking and social distancing.
AstraZeneca boosts COVID portfolio with RQ Bio deal
Acquisitions, AstraZeneca, Biotech, Business, Coronavirus Vaccines, COVID-19 Antibodies, COVID-19 shots, COVID-19 Therapeutic, COVID-19 therapeutic candidates, COVID-19 Therapeutics, COVID-19 Therapies, COVID-19 Vaccines, Evusheld (AstraZeneca), Evusheld (tixagevimab and cilgavimab; AstraZeneca), Licensing, R&D, Therapeutics, Vaxzevria (previously COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca)AstraZeneca moved to bolster the company’s COVID-19 portfolio of antibodies on May 17 with a $157 million licensing deal for experimental therapies developed by newly launched biotech RQ Bio.
Twist Bioscience and Astellas have entered into a research collaboration and exclusive option license agreement to identify potential therapeutic antibodies which would help to reduce tumor microenvironment-mediated immunosuppression.
Like COVID, Life Science Industry Finances Gain and Lose Strength
Antivirals, BioNTech, Biopharma, Blockbusters, Business, Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic, COVID-19 Antibodies, Diabetes, Eli Lilly, Forecasts, GlaxoSmithKline, Initial Public Offering (IPO), Investors Business Daily, M&A, Moderna, Multiple Sclerosis, Paxlovid, Pfizer, Plasma, Quarterly results, Shingles, Stock Markets, Stocks, Teva, Therapeutics, Vir BiotechnologyAlthough 2020 was a tough year for the biopharma industry — and most other industries as well — it appeared to rebound significantly in mid-2021. However, biotech stocks are generally getting hammered during 2022, although to be fair, the entire stock market is down.
Regeneron Overcomes Loss of COVID Antibody to Post Positive First Quarter
Acquisitions, Biologics License Application (BLA), Blockbusters, Business, COVID-19 Antibodies, FDA, Monoclonal Antibodies, Quarterly results, REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sales, Sanofi, TherapeuticsDespite the loss of the company’s COVID-19 antibody REGEN-COV earlier in 2022, Regeneron posted a positive first quarter driven primarily by sales of Dupixent and Eylea.
COVID’s new Omicron sub-lineages can dodge immunity from past infection, study says
BNT162b2 (Pfizer and BioNTech), Clinical Trials, COVID-19 Antibodies, COVID-19 shots, COVID-19 Vaccines, Covid-19 Variants, Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine (J&J), Omicron (B.1.1.529) (South Africa), R&D, Scientists, South AfricaTwo new sublineages of the Omicron coronavirus variant can dodge antibodies from earlier infection well enough to trigger a new wave, but are far less able to thrive in the blood of people vaccinated against COVID-19, South African scientists found.
Eli Lilly’s lucrative Q1 2022 driven by Trulicity and COVID-19 antibodies
Alzheimer’s disease, Bamlanivimab (LY-CoV555), Bebtelovimab (LY-CoV1404; LY3853113), Business, COVID-19 Antibodies, Diabetes, Diabetes drugs, Earnings per share (EPS), Eli Lilly, Etesevimab (Lilly), Financials, Forecasts, Obesity, Obesity, Sales, Therapeutics, TrulicityEli Lilly had a lucrative first-quarter 2022, with revenue growth rising 15 percent driven by sales of the company’s diabetes drug Trulicity and its COVID-19 antibodies.
GSK’s strong Q1 driven by COVID-19, returning demand for shingles vaccine
Antibodies, Business, Business Intelligence, Consumer Health Care, Consumer Healthcare, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Earnings per share (EPS), Financials, GlaxoSmithKline, Guidance, Leadership, Operations, Presentations, Quarterly results, Sales, Sales, Sales & Marketing, Sales Guidance, Shingles, Strikes, Therapeutics, VaccinesGlaxoSmithKline exceeded expectations for the company’s first-quarter 2022 sales and earnings forecasts. This was largely driven by GSK’s sales of Xevudy, an antibody treatment against COVID-19 it developed with Vir Biotechnology, and the company’s Shingrix vaccine against shingles.
More than half of Americans have had COVID infections, U.S. study shows
Antibodies, Blood, CDC, Coronavirus Cases, Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic, COVID-19 Deaths, COVID-19 Infections, COVID-19 Studies, Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients, Omicron (B.1.1.529) (South Africa), Omicron BA.2, SARS-CoV-2 virus, Scientists, Surveys, United States, Young childrenFollowing the record surge in COVID-19 cases during the Omicron-driven wave, some 58 percent of the U.S. population overall and more than 75 percent of younger children have been infected with the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to a U.S. nationwide blood survey released on April 26.