When confronting an onslaught of new SARS-CoV-2 variants, COVID-19 vaccine makers such as Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) have tested tweaked versions of their vaccines but ultimately decided that they were unnecessary. Signs are growing that vaccines developed based on the original strain of the novel coronavirus will struggle to offer durable protection against the omicron…
J&J COVID-19 vaccine protects against Delta variant
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has announced that a single shot of its COVID-19 vaccine offers significant protection against the transmissible Delta variant. The vaccine also provides an immune response lasting at least eight months. The announcement coincides with the company filing two preprint studies to bioRxiv. The first analyzes blood samples from eight patients in…
HHS halts distribution of Lilly’s bamlanivimab/etesevimab antibody cocktail
U.S. government authorities have decided to immediately pause the distribution of Eli Lilly’s bamlanivimab and etesevimab over concerns that the monoclonal antibody cocktail is ineffective against some SARS-CoV-2 variants. CDC recently concluded that the Gamma variant (P.1) and the Beta variant (B.1.351) make up 11% of COVID-19 infections. They are also continuing to become more…
GSK and Vir Biotechnology seek EUA for COVID-19 monoclonal antibody
GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology have filed for emergency use authorization (EUA) for VIR-7831 (GSK4182136), a dual-action SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody. VIR-7831 is designed to stop SARS-CoV-2 viral entry into cells and accelerate the clearing of infected cells. VIR-7831 would have a similar indication to other monoclonal antibodies that have won an EUA. It is intended for…