Pharmafile.com’s weekly COVID-19 news round-up
pharmafile | June 3, 2020 | News story | Research and Development | COVID-19, coronavirus
COVID-19 treatments dominate the news this week as Russia is set to start its roll out of the anti-viral drug Avifavir to coronavirus patients, while the UK-based Drug Safety Research Unit (DSRU) has reported its findings from the first ever systematic benefit-risk analysis of Gilead’s remdesivir and found the drug to have a tentatively “favourable” profile.
Multiple European countries have also rejected the use of hydroxychloroquine in patients suffering from coronavirus, while the US has given $1 billion to AstraZeneca to advance the development and production of the vaccine they are creating in collaboration with the Oxford University.
1. US donates $1 billion to Oxford University’s COVID-19 vaccine in exchange for 300 million doses – Published 29/05/20
The US has given $1 billion to AstraZeneca to advance the development and production of the vaccine they are creating in collaboration with the Oxford University.
2. Cleaning staff excluded from GSK’s £1.5k COVID-19 employee bonus – Published on 26/05/20
UK pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline has pledged to pay a cash bonus of £1,500 to staff continuing to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledging the increased risk they face for maintaining research and production operations during this dangerous time.
3. Russia to begin administering anti-viral COVID-19 drug next week – Published 01/06/20
Russia will start its roll out of the anti-viral drug Avifavir (favipiravir) to COVID-19 patients next week, according to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).
4. European countries reject hydroxychloroquine treatments for COVID-19 – Published 28/05/2020
Multiple European countries have rejected the use of hydroxychloroquine in patients suffering from coronavirus, due to a lack of evidence that it is effective.
5. First ever benefit-risk analysis is “favourable” for remdesivir as COVID-19 treatment – Published 29/05/20
The UK-based Drug Safety Research Unit (DSRU) has reported its findings from the first ever systematic benefit-risk analysis of Gilead’s remdesivir, one of the leading hope in the treatment of COVID-19, noting that it found the drug to have a tentatively “favourable” profile.
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