AstraZeneca Vaccine Still Gets WHO’s Approval
Media outlets also report developments at Merck, Johnson & Johnson and others.
AP:
WHO Expert Group Recommends Use Of AstraZeneca Vaccine
Independent experts advising the World Health Organization about immunization on Wednesday recommended the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine even in countries that turned up worrying coronavirus variants in their populations. The WHO experts’ advice is used by health care officials worldwide, but doesn’t amount to a green light for the United Nations and its partners to ship the vaccine to countries that have signed up to receive the shots through a global initiative. That approval could come after separate WHO group meetings on Friday and Monday to assess whether an emergency-use listing for the AstraZeneca vaccine is warranted. (Keaten, 2/10)
Fox News:
WHO Says AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine OK To Use Despite Variant Concerns
The guidance follows news of South Africa halting rollout of AstraZeneca’s vaccine because early findings showed a marked reduction in protection against mild-to-moderate illness amid a variant strain. "Even if there is a reduction in the possibility of this vaccine having a full impact in its protection capacity, especially against severe disease, there is no reason not to recommend its use, even in countries that have the circulation of the variant," Dr. Alejandro Cravioto, chair of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), a panel of experts advising the WHO, said during a briefing. (Rivas, 2/10)
AP:
AstraZeneca Working To Adapt Vaccine To New Strains
AstraZeneca said Thursday it’s working with the University of Oxford to adapt its COVID-19 vaccine to protect against new strains of the virus as public health officials raise concerns about mutations that may make the virus more resistant to existing vaccines. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker worked with Oxford to develop one of the first COVID-19 vaccines authorized for widespread use. AstraZeneca said it hopes to cut the time needed to produce large amounts of any new vaccine to between six and nine months. (2/11)
In news from Merck —
Reuters:
Merck In Talks With Governments, Other Drugmakers To Produce COVID-19 Shots
Merck & Co Inc said on Wednesday it was in talks with governments and companies to potentially help with manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines that have been already authorized. “Beyond our own candidates, we are actively involved in discussions with governments, public health agencies, and other industry colleagues to identify the areas of pandemic response where we can play a role, including potential support for production of authorized vaccines,” a company spokesman said. (2/10)
The New York Times:
How Merck's Vaccine Lost The Covid Race
From Ebola to H.I.V. to river blindness, the American pharmaceutical giant Merck has been on the front lines of the biggest public health emergencies in recent history. So when the company announced last May that it was a late entrant in the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, Merck was a popular pick to win. Even if the company wasn’t first, proponents argued, its expertise as the world’s second-largest vaccine maker gave it a good shot at developing the best product — and manufacturing it quickly. (Thomas, 2/10)
In news from Johnson & Johnson —
The Hill:
Johnson & Johnson CEO: Vaccine Doses May Be Needed Annually For Several Years
Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky said people may be getting COVID-19 vaccines annually for the next several years. Gorsky made the comment at a CNBC event on Tuesday after he was asked if he felt that post-pandemic vaccines would be needed, specifically if people would require updated COVID-19 vaccines every year, similar to the flu. (Williams, 2/10)
CBS News:
The Factory That's Racing To Make Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 Vaccine
U.S. drug maker Emergent BioSolutions began speeding up its acquisition of drug supplies beginning early last year, as the coronavirus outbreak was erupting in China. In addition to producing drugs like the opioid overdose-reversing Narcan nasal spray, the firm develops vaccines and antibody therapeutics and had scored lucrative contracts for key biodefense medicines over the decades. (Tin, 2/10)
