COVID-19

The evolution of new drugs to treat diabetes has enabled some diabetes franchises to shrug off biosimilar competition to insulins. But is some of the growth of therapies for diabetes and obesity a result of the pandemic?

Three years since the first cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections were reported in Wuhan, China has finally put the first nail in the coffin of its strict "COVID Zero" policies. But as Beijing begins to relax its most restrictive rules, citizens remain concerned about ballooning infections, while a low vaccination rate among seniors and vaccine fatigue appear to be dimming hopes of a quick revitalization of the hard-hit economy and bruised consumer confidence.

In this week's podcast edition of Five Must-Know Things: safety debate as more lecanemab data reported; amyloid discussions continue at Alzheimer’s meeting; China COVID unrest affect country’s biotech sector; and Merck’s CMO talks about post-Keytruda plans.

In what appears to be a step towards a gradual shift away from its strict "COVID Zero" policies, China is poised to approve its first mRNA vaccine - in this case developed domestically - and will accelerate the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations in general to seniors over 80.

Much of the biopharma and other health-related industries in China were already feeling the chill from ongoing macro-economic and other headwinds this year, which now look set to be complicated further by the added strain of social unrest over strict COVID containment policies. The combination of factors is already prompting some to take steps towards restructuring and divestments to survive.

Shionogi’s once-daily oral COVID-19 antiviral finally gets Japan approval after being considered for the third time by an expert panel, paving the way for public availability of the country’s first such home-grown option in early December.

With growing cases and deaths reported just as the country was preparing to ease some of its most restrictive COVID-19 measures, China takes new control steps amid low booster vaccine uptake and moves to halt the online sale of a repurposed domestic antiviral.

In a third-quarter earnings report that was difficult to fault AstraZeneca left big pharma earnings season on a high note. But raised full-year guidance depends on Evusheld sales and maybe China.

Among Vaxxinity’s immunotherapeutic vaccine candidates are one for Alzheimer’s that shows a 50% reduction in cognitive decline, another that shows superior durability than Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines and one that could prevent migraines. Vaxxinity CEO speaks to Scrip about these and more in this interview

While big tech is suffering from a return to normality after the pandemic, big pharma always had a recovery in its base business to return to. But after the third-quarter earnings season, it seems both base and pandemic pharmaceutical businesses are still co-existing for now.

Now approved for the treatment as well as the prevention of COVID-19 in the EU and Japan, the UK major’s antibody combo passed the $500m sales barrier in the third quarter and CEO Pascal Soriot is confident that growth will continue.

New planned changes around vaccine approvals and other COVID-19 measures signal China is preparing for a gradual reopening amid its strict policies, but the process could take months.

The highs and lows experienced with its COVID-19 vaccine Vaxzevria have not deterred the UK giant from keeping a presence in the field and CEO Pascal Soriot told Scrip that the path could mirror the decade-long journey AstraZeneca had in oncology before it achieved sustained success.

Codagenix hopes a 2023 data readout from its intranasal RSV vaccine will be an inflection point, even as GSK and Pfizer look to establish a lead in the segment. Meanwhile, a second cancer candidate has been added to Codagenix's preclinical pipeline and data for its COVID-19 vaccine and TNBC oncolytic virus are expected next year, CEO Robert Coleman tells Scrip.

Merck grew sales, increased financial guidance and beat analysts’ expectations, noting a base business recovery from the pandemic. Pfizer increased guidance and beat expectations for different reasons.

Recent visits by foreign dignitaries and progress with local mRNA vaccines and antivirals appear to be helping some slight relaxations in China's strict COVID policies, but some experts predict it may still take months for further steps.