Public Company Edition: 2020 started with two $200m-plus initial public offerings plus five health care-focused special purpose acquisition corporations IPOs. Also, a Pfizer initiative backs three public companies, Fate’s $432m offering led recent FOPOs and Biocon Biologics receives more investment. 

Zydus Cadila is to begin testing a three-dose recombinant DNA vaccine candidate in Phase III Indian trials, which might enter late-stage development ahead of Inovio and AnGes. The company promised to provide 100-150 million doses by end of 2021 at the J.P. Morgan Conference, though adherence could be a roadblock.

Hanmi showcases at JPM its contract production capabilities for COVID-19 vaccines as South Korea prepares to bring in candidates from several global developers, while LG Chem highlights progress across multiple pipeline projects.

The UK government says it is on track to vaccinate the 15 million most vulnerable people by mid-February, and that a “major study” is under way to assess the potential impact of the new UK variant on vaccine efficacy.