Researchers Create SARS-CoV-2 Clone to Aid Development of COVID-19 Antivirals and Vaccines
Researchers have applied a novel reverse genetics approach to create recombinant SARS-CoV-2, which is a cloned virus that behaves like the original virus both in cultured cells and hamsters, and will aid in the development of SARS-CoV-2 antivirals and vaccines. More...13 Oct 2020
New Research Supports Use of Hepatitis C Drug Sofosbuvir in Combination with Remdesivir to Treat COVID-19
Researchers have reported that Sofosbuvir-terminated RNA is more resistant to the proofreader of SARS-CoV-2 than Remdesivir-terminated RNA, supporting the use of the FDA-approved hepatitis C drug EPCLUSA - Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir - in combination with other drugs in COVID-19 clinical trials. More...13 Oct 2020
Thermo Fisher Launches Two New SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Tests to Further Broaden COVID-19 Test Portfolio
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Waltham, MA, USA) has launched two new SARS-CoV-2 antibody tests: the Thermo Scientific OmniPATH COVID-19 Total Antibody ELISA test, and the Thermo Scientific EliA SARS-CoV-2-Sp1 IgG test. More...13 Oct 2020
Properly Designed COVID-19 Vaccine Can Induce Durable Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2, Finds Studies
Researchers have found that immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus are longer lasting in the blood and saliva of COVID-19 patients as compared to the short-lived IgM and IgA response. More...12 Oct 2020
Gilead’s Remdesivir Cuts COVID-19 Recovery Time by Five Days and Death Risk by 70% in “Gold Standard” Trial
Gilead Sciences (Foster City, CA, USA) has published final results from the double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3 ACTT-1 trial of Veklury (remdesivir) that demonstrates treatment with its investigational antiviral resulted in a faster time to recovery than previously reported in adults hospitalized with mild-moderate or severe COVID-19. More...12 Oct 2020
In Other News
GenMark’s Combination Test for COVID-19, Flu, and Common Respiratory Illnesses Receives FDA EUA
Beckman Coulter SARS-CoV-2 IgM Antibody Test Receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization
Regeneron Requests FDA for Emergency Use Authorization for Its COVID-19 Antibody Cocktail
Mutation Could Allow SARS-CoV-2 to Develop Resistance to Gilead’s Remdesivir, Suggests New Research
Eli Lilly’s Data Shows Baricitinib in Combination with Remdesivir Significantly Improves Recovery Time in COVID-19 Patients
COVID-19 Vaccines Unlikely to Be Affected by Recent SARS-CoV-2 Mutations, Finds Study
ACLA Opposes US FDA’s Decision to No Longer Review EUA Requests for COVID-19 Lab Developed Tests
New Method Uses Simple Algebraic Equations to Enable Faster Processing of Large Volumes of COVID-19 Tests
Low-Cost, Simple-to-Use, Ultrafast Point-of-Care COVID-19 Test to Provide RT PCR Results in 8 Minutes
Eli Lilly Requests FDA Emergency Use Authorization for Its COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Treatment
New COVID-19 Treatments to Target Liquid Jelly in Lungs of Patients with Respiratory Failure
FDA Issues New Stricter Guidance on Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccines
Abbott Releases ID NOW COVID-19 Interim Clinical Study Results Confirming Test Sensitivity and Specificity
BioFire Diagnostics’ PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 Test Receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization
Thermo Fisher’s OmniPath COVID-19 Total Antibody ELISA Test for SARS-CoV-2 Granted FDA Emergency Use Authorization
Hologic Aptima SARS-CoV-2 Assay’s FDA EUA Amended to Include COVID-19 Testing of Asymptomatic Individuals, Symptomatic Sample Pooling
Mast Awarded Public Health England Tender for Exclusive Supply of AST and AMR Discs
New Drug Could Prove to Be Life-Saving COVID-19 Treatment
Pfizer and BioNTech Initiate Rolling Submission to European Regulator for COVID-19 Vaccine
'Inside-the-Box' Technology to Solve COVID-19 Vaccine Transportation Problem
New Dipstick Technology Could Offer Faster, Cheaper and Mobile COVID-19 Diagnosis
World’s First Assay Kit to Directly Profile SARS-CoV-2 Subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) from Clinical Samples Launched
Pfizer-BioNTech and Regeneron Sued Over Unauthorized Use of Patented Technology to Develop COVID-19 Vaccines