What’s Going On in Vaccines?
A roundup of key vaccine news from November 2021
Original Image: Triggermouse / Pixabay
Vaccines continue to be a hot topic in the biopharma world – and likely will be for some time in the wake of COVID-19. This is why the latest issue of The Bioprocess Curator included a lot of interesting news about vaccines. In case you missed it, here's some of the top stories we included:
First, a project to watch: Public-private partnership PrIMAVeRa has received more than 9 million euros from IM2 to develop mathematical models to predict the impact that vaccines and mAbs could have on antimicrobial resistance. A number of big pharma companies are involved in the project, including GSK – the industry lead. Antimicrobial resistance is a threat that the industry is often accused of ignoring so it’s great some action.
Second, rumors began circulating last month about moves in South Africa to potentially crack the science behind Moderna’s mRNA vaccine. Now, the Medicines Patent Pool has put out a statement to clarify that South Africa’s mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub does not intend to infringe on patents: “MPP will ensure that technology used in the hub is either not covered by patents or that licences and/or commitments-not-to-enforce are in place to enable freedom to operate.”
Third, I've spotted this free virtual event being held by EFPIA on November 29 that I thought it may be of interest to some of you. The topic is “Vaccines Tomorrow: The Future of Immunisation.” You can sign up here.
Fourth, eighteen months since its COVID-19-induced partnership with Oxford University began, AstraZeneca has recounted11 months of vaccine distribution in a new press release that breaks down the enormous numbers involved. The company and its partners have supplied two billion doses of the vaccine to over 170 countries, hitting highs and lows along the way; in March, dozens of national governments temporarily halted use of the company’s vaccine following a scare over blood clotting side effects. And then, only one month later, the company hit the “rollout in 100 countries” milestone. In its announcement, AstraZeneca stressed the global reach its vaccine has achieved, underlining the fact that two-thirds of all doses have gone to low-and lower-middle-income countries.
The Bioprocess Curator is a fortnightly, fuss-free newsletter. I curate the latest news from across the biopharma industry to deliver a digest of the top announcements worth your time. It's free to receive. You can sign up here.
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