Pharmafile.com’s top 10 news stories of the week
pharmafile | April 9, 2021 | News story | Medical Communications | covid 19 news, covid-19 news, news, news roundup, pharma, pharma news
A number of new COVID-19 developments have emerged in April already: AstraZeneca has halted the trial of its COVID-19 vaccine on children amid blood-clot fears, while the MHRA has also recommended that the jab not be offered to under-30s; in more positive news, the Pfizer COVID-19 shot has shown 91.3% efficacy after six months. Meanwhile, the FDA has approved its first new ADHD drug in a decade, and Novartis’ MS therapy has gained MHRA and EC approval.
1. AstraZeneca halt paediatric trial of COVID-19 vaccine amid blood clot probe – Published 07/04/21
AstraZeneca has halted the trial of its COVID-19 vaccine on children aged between 6 and 17, while regulators investigate a possible link with the vaccine to rare blood clot events in adults.
2. FDA approves first new ADHD drug in a decade – Published 06/04/21
The FDA have approved the first new drug for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in over a decade for paediatric patients.
3. Alnylam publish successful results from Phase III study of ultra-rare disease – Published 06/04/21
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, a RNAi therapeutics company, have published successful results from their Phase III study of lumasiran, the first ever therapy approved for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) – an ultra-rare genetic disease characterised by oxalate overproduction.
4. NICE recommends Kineret for Still’s disease treatment – Published 01/04/21
Sobi has today announced a NICE recommendation of Kineret (anakinra) as a first-line biologic therapeutic option for still’s disease, including systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and adult-onset still’s disease (AOSD).
5. MHRA recommends AstraZeneca jab not be offered to under 30s – Published 08/04/21
The MHRA have recommended that people under the age of 30 not be offered the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, due to evidence linking the jab to rare blood clotting events.
6. Pfizer vaccine 91.3% effective after six months, Phase III study shows – Published 06/04/21
Pfizer and BioNTech’s follow-up study of their COVID-19 vaccine has confirmed the jab’s high efficacy after up to six months, with an effectiveness of 91.3% against the virus.
7. Janssen agrees $780 million deal for authorisation of Cidara flu treatment – Published 06/04/21
Janssen has struck a deal worth up to $780 million with Cidara Therapeutics for exclusive worldwide rights to Cidara’s CD388 medicine for the treatment and prevention of influenza.
8. Novartis MS therapy gains MHRA and EC approval – Published 08/04/21
The MHRA and European Commission have both granted marketing authorisation to Novartis for its Kesimpta therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (RMS) with active disease.
9. UK begins rollout of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine – Published 07/04/21
The first Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in the UK has today been administered, beginning the rollout of the country’s third vaccine to fight the virus.
10. Valneva’s inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate advances to Phase III trial – Published 06/04/21
Specialty vaccine company Valneva’s inactivated COVID-19 jab has shown positive results in a Phase I/II trial, with a seroconversion rate of 100% in participants that received a high dose.
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