The US obtained access to doses that it will donate to low- and low-middle-income countries, Merck & Co. is lining up government purchases of its Phase III drug, and Ocugen will submit a BLA in the US rather than pursue an EUA for Bharat's vaccine. Plus progress and setbacks for COVID-19 therapeutics. 

Janssen is the latest big pharma company to gain an approval for a new oral multiple sclerosis therapy in the EU, enhancing the competitiveness of the marketplace, and giving more choice for patients.

Public Company Edition: Roivant’s deal sets its market cap at $7.3bn. Beyond the Werewolf and Vaccitech offerings, more drug developers are slated to go public during the first week of May. And in follow-on offerings, COMPASS Pathways raises $144m and Aldeyra brings in $125m.

Although 2020 was the best year ever for Swiss biotech financing activities, no domestic IPOs were launched by the sector. But introducing the SPAC might change that.