Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:INO) announced that Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) will manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Plymouth Meeting, Pa.-based Inovio said in a news release yesterday that Thermo Fisher signed a letter of intent to manufacture the INO-4800 COVID-19 vaccine candidate, joining a consortium of third-party manufacturers that aim to produce 100 million doses of Inovio’s vaccine by […]
Pharmaceuticals
Could Vaxxas’ tiny patches enable a better COVID-19 vaccine?
Tiny vaccine delivery patches could solve logistical challenges, but they face manufacturing hurdles. Here’s how Vaxxas is trying to overcome them. Merck (NYSE:MRK) and Vaxxas announced earlier this year that the pharmaceutical giant was using Vaxxas’ High Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) platform as a delivery platform for a vaccine candidate. Vaxxas did not disclose what […]
B. Braun wins FDA clearance for MRI-safe infusion pumps
B. Braun this week said it received FDA 510(k) clearance for its SpaceStation MRI to allow infusion pumps to continuously deliver medications to patients in an MRI. SpaceStation MRI is designed to shield Space infusion pumps against 1.5-T and 3.0-T magnetic fields to protect MR scanners while providing interference-free images. Space infusion pumps are able […]
CureVac stock soars after $213.3M IPO
Shares of CureVac (NSDQ:CVAC) continue to rise after the company reportedly raised $213.3 million in its initial public offering on Friday. According to a report from MarketWatch, the Germany-based biotech outfit priced its IPO at $16 per share and sold more than 13.3 million shares to raise the $213.3 million. Currently, shares of CVAC are […]
Report: Will Dr. Hahn crack under political pressure?
Many jobs have come with increased stress levels during the coronavirus pandemic, from ICU staff to Walmart greeters. Now officials who’ve been keeping tabs on FDA commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn are wondering whether he can weather the strain of defending science while working for the Trump administration. Hahn has been squeezed between expressing his professional […]
Teva launches connected inhaler for asthma, COPD
Teva (NYSE:TEVA) announced today that it has launched a Bluetooth-enabled version of its ProAir albuterol sulfate rescue inhaler. The ProAir Digihaler’s sensors connect to a companion mobile app to provide inhaler-use information to healthcare providers. The new inhaler is available by prescription to U.S. patients age 4 and older, according to the Tel Aviv, Israel-based company. […]
Lantheus, Progenics complete merger
Lantheus Medical Imaging (NSDQ:LNTH) parent company Lantheus Holdings announced the completion of its merger with Progenics Pharmaceuticals. Progenics, an oncology company developing medicines and artificial intelligence-based technologies for finding, fighting and following cancer, entered into a merger agreement with Lantheus that was first announced on Oct. 2, 2019. Get the full story at our sister site, MassDevice.
HHS spending $347m to boost supply of COVID-19 vaccine, treatment vials
The U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Dept. of Defense (DoD) announced a joint effort to increase manufacturing for vials earmarked for COVID-19-related drugs and vaccines. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), as part of HHS, collaborated with DoD to provide funding for U.S.-based companies Corning Inc. and SiO2 Materials […]
Pandemic forces Proteus into bankruptcy
Proteus Digital Health has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, noting that its efforts to raise money or sell the company fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Redwood City, Calif.-based company missed a $100 million funding target in December. Once valued at $1.5 billion, Proteus previously raised $420 million from investors including Novartis Venture Fund […]
Merck eyes tiny patches as a vaccine delivery method
Merck has exercised its option to use Vaxxas‘ High Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) platform as a delivery platform for a vaccine candidate, the companies announced today. The companies did not disclose what the vaccine candidate is supposed to treat. But Merck this month announced two COVID-19 vaccine development efforts: a collaboration with IAVI and plans […]