Pharmafile.com’s top 10 news stories of the week
pharmafile | May 21, 2021 | News story | Medical Communications |Â Â Â
Among our ten most-read stories this week: Delayed Pfizer vaccine dose gives 3.5 times more immunity, study shows, while a UK medical cannabis study finds anxiety, pain, and sleep improvements; elsewhere, Exscientia and BMS announce $1.2 billion collaboration.
1. Delayed Pfizer vaccine dose gives 3.5 times more immunity, study shows – Published 14/05/21
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is around three and a half times more effective when dosed 12 weeks apart, a Birmingham University study has shown.
2. UK medical cannabis study finds anxiety, pain, and sleep improvements – Published 19/05/21
The first ever UK medical cannabis study has found significant improvements in anxiety, pain, and sleep in patients following treatment with cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs).
3. Exscientia and BMS announce $1.2 billion collaboration – Published 19/05/21
Artificial intelligence (AI) pharmatech company, Exscientia, has announced a collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb to accelerate the discovery of small molecule therapeutic drug candidates in multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology and immunology.
4. Major UK study finds 96% people develop antibodies after one COVID-19 jab – Published 18/05/21
More than 96% of people develop antibodies after just one COVID-19 jab of either AstraZeneca or Pfizer, and almost 100% do after both doses, a UK study has found.
5. Sandoz announces €150 million investment in antibiotic production – Published 18/05/21
Sandoz, a division of Novartis, has announced plans to develop its European antibiotics manufacturing network by expanding the production capabilities of its Austrian and Spanish sites with a €150 million investment.
6. Sanofi and GSK’s COVID-19 vaccine shows promising results in Phase II trial– Published 17/05/21
The adjuvanted recombinant COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sanofi and GSK has demonstrated strong immune responses across all adult age groups in its Phase II trial.
7. Asthma drug Dupixent sees positive results in child trials – Published 18/05/21
Data presented at the 2021 American Thoracic Society International Conference from a Phase III trial of Dupixent (dupilumab) in children aged between 6 and 11, showed a significant reduction in severe asthma attacks and rapidly improved lung function within two weeks.
8. World’s first COVID-19 vaccine booster study launches in UK – Published 20/05/21
The UK government has announced that thousands of volunteers will receive a booster COVID-19 vaccine in a new clinical trial, the Cov-Boost study, led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
9. Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine launched in India by Dr Reddy’s – Published 17/05/21
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories has begun vaccinating in India with Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine as part of its soft launch after it obtained regulatory clearance from the Kolkata-based Central Drugs Laboratory.
10. MSD’s colorectal cancer treatment approved by NICE – Published 14/05/21
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), for people with untreated metastatic colorectal cancer who have specific mutations in their cancer cells, has been approved by NICE today.
