COVID-19

Medecins Sans Frontieres, International medical charity called on the European Union, the UK and Switzerland to swiftly adopt the landmark Waiver, which would lift intellectual property monopolies on COVID-19 medical tools, and is currently supported by more than 100 low and middle income countries. MSF also urged the US to show concrete leadership to accelerate the negotiations and to broaden the scope of its support beyond only vaccines to include medicines and diagnostics.

Roche announced that Actemra/RoActemra (tocilizumab) intravenous (IV) has been granted World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification. Prequalification is a confirmation by WHO that Actemra/RoActemra meets the WHO standards for quality, safety and efficacy for the treatment of COVID-19 in adults who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation. It helps procurers in low- and middle-income countries identify priority medicines to improve access to care and support better health.

Scientists at McMaster University who have developed an inhaled form of COVID vaccine have confirmed it can provide broad, long-lasting protection against the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern.

The research, recently published in the journal Cell, reveals the immune mechanisms and significant benefits of vaccines being delivered directly into the respiratory tract, rather than by traditional injection.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited a global, innovation-driven pharmaceutical company and Canadian pharmaceutical company SaNOtize Research & Development Corp. today announced launch of its Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray under the brand name FabiSpray in India; for the treatment of adult patients with COVID-19 who have high risk of progression of the disease. Glenmark earlier received manufacturing and marketing approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for NONS as part of the accelerated approval process.

Wockhardt Limited has received permission from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to export up to 80 million doses of Sputnik Light and up to 20 million doses of Sputnik V Component I vaccine.

Wockhardts Bulk vaccine and Fill-Finish manufacturing facilities at Waluj and Shendra, Aurangabad respectively were jointly inspected and approved by Drug inspectors from CDSCO (West zone) & Aurangabad State FDA and Expert from CDL Kasauli to receive export NOC.

Critically ill COVID-19 patients on a mechanical ventilator or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation lived more often when randomized to receive baricitinib. Doctors call this drug bari, and receiving the pill once a day for up to 14 days yielded one of the largest a survival advantages seen yet in the COVID pandemic, according to a study published.

Two years into the pandemic, health systems are still facing significant challenges in providing essential health services. Ongoing disruptions have been reported in over 90 percent of countries surveyed in the third round of WHOs Global pulse survey on continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nuvaxovid, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax, has today been given regulatory approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).  Nuvaxovid becomes the fifth COVID-19 vaccine authorised by the UK’s independent medicines regulator.

Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE announced that following a request from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the companies have initiated a rolling submission seeking to amend the Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include children 6 months through 4 years of age 6 months to <5 years of age, in response to the urgent public health need in this population. The companies expect to complete the EUA submission in the coming days.