Pharma News

An investigational vaccine called ChAdOx1 MERS protected two groups of rhesus macaques from disease caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).  MERS-CoV is a relative of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  National Institutes of Health scientists and colleagues are pursuing similar studies with ChAdOx1 SARS2, a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2. They posted their results(link is external) with ChAdOx1 MERS on a preprint server. The findings are not yet peer-reviewed but are being shared to assist the public health response to COVID-19.

EMA’s safety committee (PRAC) has confirmed that Picato (ingenol mebutate), a gel for treating the skin condition actinic keratosis, may increase the risk of skin cancer and concluded that the risks of the medicine outweigh its benefits.

DCGI gives permission for approval of protocol for a multi-center two arm prospective, phase-II open labeled randomized controlled trial of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients.

The swell of novel coronavirus appears not abating. In just a few months from the outbreak, it has reached around 210 countries, took lives of more than one lakh people. The numbers are climbing. In an effort to place a hurdle before the runaway train, scientists across the globe are racing to develop a drug that can cure or a vaccine that stop its spread.

Researchers at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram are in the final stages of developing a kit that promises to help detect SARS CoVID-19 infection as early as four days post-infection of the virus.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) plays a critical role in protecting the United States from threats such as emerging infectious diseases, including the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. FDA is committed to providing timely guidance to support response efforts to this pandemic.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Jelmyto (mitomycin gel), the first therapy to treat low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC). Urothelial cancer is a cancer of the lining of the urinary system.

Sanofi and GSK  announce that they have signed a letter of intent to develop an adjuvanted vaccine for COVID-19, using innovative technology from both companies, to help address the ongoing pandemic.

Despite the COVID-19 crisis, the Indian Pharmaceutical market registered a surprising growth of 8.9% in Mar’20 with some evidence of panic buying in Chronic Medicines as reported by AIOCD AWACS.