Ion channels may be the Achilles’ heel of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with research emerging from Israel that identified eight already-approved compounds that inhibit the activity of the E-protein channels in the virus’ membrane.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a third dose of Covid-19 vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for people with compromised immune systems.
Drugmakers Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna are expected to reap billions of dollars from Covid-19 booster shots in a market that could rival the $6 billion in annual sales for flu vaccines for years to come, analysts and healthcare investors say.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce that the regulatory agency is authorizing the use of a booster shot for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in some immunocompromised patients.
The mRNA vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech may be less effective than Moderna’s against the Delta variant of the coronavirus, according to two reports posted on medRxiv on Aug. 8 ahead of peer review.
Israel is partnering with U.S.-based NRx Pharmaceuticals to complete trials and commercialize the Israeli-developed Covid-19 vaccine BriLife.
Israel reported on July 5 a decrease in the effectiveness of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in preventing infections and symptomatic illness, but said it remained highly effective in preventing serious illness.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is highly effective against the Delta variant of Covid-19, a Pfizer official in Israel said on June 24.
Preliminary findings from two vaccine safety monitoring systems suggest a higher-than-expected number of cases of heart inflammation after the second dose of mRNA Covid-19 vaccines in young men, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on June 10.
Israel’s Health Ministry found the small number of heart inflammation cases observed mainly in young men who received Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine in Israel were likely linked to the company’s vaccination.
