After preliminary discussions with its pandemic task force, the European Medicines Agency has begun reviewing GSK/Vir Biotechnology’s promising COVID-19 treatment to help EU national competent authorities make evidence-based decisions on its possible early use.

GlaxoSmithKline's market value has slipped in the past three years and the number of failures in the clinic have grown. The major's leadership will be casting nervous glances towards a major shareholder that has a reputation for aggressive restructuring calls.   

The CDC and FDA recommended a pause on dosing of J&J's one-shot vaccine. Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine showed signs of lower efficacy against the B.1.351 variant, but a prominent expert called the data "misleading." Gilead halted its Phase III study of Veklury in non-hospitalized, high-risk patients. And Rigel's Tavalisse may have a shot in the sickest COVID-19 patients despite the small size of a Phase II study.

Pfizer is looking to address breast cancer resistant to Ibrance and other CDK4/6 inhibitors, but sees potential paths to earlier lines of treatment and additional tumors.