The World Health Organization was moving to update guidelines on treating people stricken with COVID-19 to reflect results of a clinical trial that showed a cheap, common steroid can help save critically ill patients.

Unlisted German biotech firm CureVac will become the second company after rival BioNTech to launch human trials of an experimental coronavirus vaccine in the country, eyeing a potential approval in mid-2021.

In a Phase III study, Eli Lilly’s Verzenio (abemaciclib) combined with standard adjuvant endocrine therapy met the trial’s primary endpoint of invasive disease-free survival in high-risk breast cancer and significantly reduced the risk of a recurrence of the disease.

Paris-based Sanofi announced plans to increase the company’s vaccines research and production capabilities.

A cheap and widely used steroid called dexamethasone has become the first drug shown to be able to save lives among COVID-19 patients in what scientists said is a “major breakthrough” in the coronavirus pandemic.

Cambridge-based Magenta Therapeutics entered a non-exclusive research and clinical collaboration agreement with Beam Therapeutics.

Eli Lilly will assess the company’s JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor Olumiant (baricitinib) as a potential treatment for COVID-19 in a Phase III study.

Beijing-based Sinovac Biotech announced positive early data from a Phase I/II clinical trial of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac.

A specific mutation in the new coronavirus can significantly increase its ability to infect cells, according to a study by U.S. researchers.

Numerous studies have found that in the U.S., minorities such as African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans are often underrepresented in clinical trials. Regulatory agencies and various organizations are making an effort to address this issue.