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☆ A summer wave of Covid-19 has arrived in the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-28 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Covid-19 levels have been rising in the United States for weeks as new variants drive what’s become an annual summer surge. That’s enough time to offer protection during the winter respiratory virus season but probably after this summer’s wave has ebbed. On Thursday, the CDC recommended that everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated Covid-19 vaccine for the 2024-25 season. Unlike flu and RSV, Covid-19 is constantly circulating; it doesn’t offer a reprieve. The changes are meant to “simplify RSV vaccine decision-making for clinicians and the public,” the agency said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Robert Hopkins, ” Hopkins, Marlene Wolfe, “, Dr, Jerry Weir, Marcus Plescia, Plescia, Sanjay Gupta, ” CNN’s Jen Christensen Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, Stanford University, Emory University, Emory, WastewaterSCAN, FDA, Viral Products, Vaccines Research, FDA’s, Biologics, Association of State, Territorial Health, CNN Health Locations: United States, —, Covid

☆ FDA approves GSK's RSV vaccine for high-risk adults ages 50 to 59, expanding shot's reach
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-07 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But the virus can also cause severe illness in adults 50 and up — or even younger — with underlying chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and congestive heart failure. GSK's shot won't reach that new patient population just yet. Safety data in adults ages 50 to 59 was also consistent with data in adults 60 and above, according to GSK. Regulatory agencies in Europe, Japan and other areas are currently reviewing GSK's application to expand Arexvy's approval to high-risk adults ages 50 to 59. GSK's shot is approved in nearly 50 countries, a spokesperson for the company told CNBC.

Persons: Phil Dormitzer, Dormitzer, Luke Miels, Arexvy, GSK's Organizations: Drug Administration, GSK, FDA, Centers for Disease Control, CNBC, CDC, Pfizer, Moderna, U.S Locations: British, Europe, Japan

☆ Vogue's Anna Wintour, author Ian McEwan honoured by King Charles
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) - Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, author Ian McEwan and immunologist and geneticist John Bell were named Companions of Honour, an order limited to 65 people at any time, in King Charles' first birthday honours list on Friday. McEwan, who was appointed to the order for services to literature, is the author of acclaimed novels including "Amsterdam", "Atonement" and "Enduring Love". More than 1,000 people were rewarded in the king's birthday honours for service in education, healthcare, philanthropy and other areas. King Charles, who was crowned in May, will celebrate his official birthday on Saturday with the "Trooping of the Colour" military parade. Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anna Wintour, Ian McEwan, immunologist, John Bell, King Charles ', Wintour, McEwan, King Charles, Paul Sandle, Nick Macfie Organizations: Vogue U.S, U.S . Metropolitan Museum, Art's Costume, University of Oxford, Oxford, AstraZeneca COVID, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam

Its peak sales forecast is of more than $2 billion annually together from the maternal vaccine and an RSV shot for older adults. The case highlights how equitable global access will require better advance planning by drugmakers, governments and health organizations, health officials say. "They could have tried sooner," said Erin Sparrow, WHO's technical officer for the RSV vaccine, referring to Pfizer. Pfizer has yet to take a number of steps needed to make the vaccine available in developing countries, according to global health officials and the company. She still expects it to be several years before the RSV vaccine is launched in lower-income countries.

☆ Pfizer ready to launch RSV vaccines for older adults, pregnant women in US, Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PUURS, Belgium March 9 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer (PFE.N) is ready to launch its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for both older adults and pregnant women in the U.S. and Europe later this year, executives said on Thursday. Both Pfizer and British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L) have RSV vaccines they hope to launch in the U.S. and Europe this year, pending regulators’ approval. “We are anticipating approval in both the U.S. and Europe in time for rollout in the fall,” Kena Swanson, Pfizer's head of viral vaccines research & development, told a media briefing at the company's biggest manufacturing and packaging site globally. GSK told Reuters on Wednesday that it is also ready to launch its RSV vaccine for older adults in the U.S. this year without supply constraints. GSK last year voluntarily stopped its clinical trial of its own RSV vaccine on pregnant women and is currently only pursuing the use of its vaccine on older adults, a company spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday.

An advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday raised doubts about shifting toward a yearly Covid booster for most adults and children, saying too many questions about the virus still remain unanswered. The FDA convened its Vaccine and Related Biology Products Advisory Committee to discuss how the Covid vaccines may change moving forward. On Monday, the agency published briefing documents proposing annual Covid shots that target the latest variants of the virus — an approach similar to the yearly flu shot. Some committee members said they would prefer to make multiple yearly meetings on the Covid vaccines the norm. In a unanimous vote, the committee recommended using the bivalent formula in all Covid vaccines moving forward, not just for booster shots.

☆ The mRNA vaccine transformed Pfizer. Here's how the biopharma giant plans to retain its new 'light-speed mentality' and create drugs faster.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Marguerite Ward | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The biopharmaceutical giant, along with its partner BioNTech, was one of the first to develop a marketable vaccine for COVID-19 using nascent mRNA technology. mRNA technology has tremendous potential for other disease areas such as oncology and rare diseases. We've just started our phase-three study of a quadrant flu vaccine made out of mRNA. We see it has several advantages over current flu vaccines, including higher efficacy. A Pfizer senior vice president said mRNA technology could transform vaccines for the flu and lead to breakthroughs in cancer treatment.

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