In a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for Covid-19, researchers found when a new monoclonal antibody drug was added to treatments being given to hospitalized Covid-19 patients who were still breathing on their own, Humanigen Inc.’s lenzilumab significantly improved their odds of not needing invasive mechanical ventilation.
The world at large has become more familiar with mRNA technology due to vaccines developed against Covid-19. Now the world will be introduced to a new type of RNA-based medicine called Endless RNA, or eRNA for short.
Drugmakers on May 6 said U.S. President Joe Biden’s support for waiving patents of Covid-19 vaccines could disrupt a fragile supply chain and that rich countries should instead share more generously with the developing world.
Germany’s CureVac is on track to file for European approval of the company’s Covid-19 vaccine as early as this month because high infection rates among trial participants are bringing a read-out on efficacy within closer reach. The group’s late-stage trial involves more than 37,000 volunteers in Europe and Latin America, half of whom are receiving a placebo.
Paris-based Sanofi bought Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Tidal Therapeutics in a deal totaling $470 million.
The success of Covid-19 vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA) is smoothing the way for using the novel technology not only in other vaccines, but possibly as treatments for cystic fibrosis, cancer and other hard-to-treat diseases.
France-based Servier and U.K.-based MiNA Therapeutics are partnering on small activating RNA (saRNA) therapies to treat neurological diseases
RNAi-focused Atalanta Therapeutics launched with $110 million in combined Series A funding and collaboration deals with Genentech and Biogen to address diseases related to the central nervous system, including Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Durham, North Carolina-based Ribometrix announced a strategic collaboration deal with Roche company Genentech to identify and advance novel RNA-targeted small molecule therapeutics.
BioSpace presented the NextGen Bio “Class of 2021,” a list of up-and-coming life sciences companies in North America that recently launched.
