As the clock ticks down to the US election day on 3 November, President Trump maintains that the first COVID-19 vaccine emergency use approval is imminent. Meanwhile, Fujifilm Toyama's Avigan is near to Japanese approval.

Roche’s Japanese affiliate says the impact of the pandemic on its second quarter was limited, but points to a more uncertain outlook for the rest of the year, during which it vows to keep focusing on innovation.

Speaking at a high-level European Parliament committee meeting today about COVID-19, the European Medicines Agency’s executive director indicated that Gilead would be submitting a conditional marketing authorization application for remdesivir in the EU.