Insights+: COVID-19 Healthcare News Updates

• Our planet is facing a major pandemic outbreak due to COVID-19 and health agencies are taking every measure to stop it.
• The outbreak of the respiratory disease was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in Dec 2019.
• PharmaShots is keeping a track of all of the important updates in the Lifesciences sector, where we have covered news updates regarding collaborations, clinical trials, funding and regulatory guidelines related to the COVID-19 from Jan to date.

MARCH 2020

98. Thermo Fisher Scientific Launches New AcroMetrix Coronavirus 2019 RNA Control to Validate COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostic Tests

Mar 31, 2020 | Launch

97. BD and BioMedomics Launch Rapid Serology Test to Detect Exposure to COVID-19 in 15 Minutes

Mar 31, 2020 | Launch

96. QIAGEN’s QIAstat-Dx Test Kit Receives the US FDA’s EUA as the First Syndromic Test to Detect COVID-19

Mar 31, 2020 | Diagnostic

95. Sorrento and the University of Texas Medical Branch Collaborate for the Preclinical Testing of COVID-19 Therapeutic Candidates

Mar 31, 2020 | Collaboration

94. VIVUS Expedites the Launch of Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring Modules for Effective Patient Care During COVID-19

Mar 31, 2020 | DigiHealth

93. Amgen Provides Update on its Clinical Activities and Medicine Supply Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 31, 2020 | Clinical Trial

92. Generation Bio and Vir Biotechnology Collaborates to Explore Non-Viral Gene Therapy Platform for Against COVID-19

Mar 31, 2020 | Collaboration

91. Altimmune Collaborates with the University of Alabama to Develop Single-Dose, Intranasal COVID-19 Vaccine

Mar 31, 2020 | Collaboration

90. Novartis Donates 20,000 Doses of Hydroxychloroquine to the University of Washington for COVID-19 PEP Clinical trial

Mar 31, 2020 | Grant

89. The Allergan Foundation Donates $2M to the Organizations Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 30, 2020 | Grant

88. Johnson & Johnson and BARDA to Fund ~$1B in Research and Development of Novel COVID-19 Vaccines

Mar 30, 2020 | Collaboration

87. Abbott Receives FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization for its Point-Of-Care Test to Detect Novel COVID-19 in Five Minutes

Mar 30, 2020 | Diagnostic

86. The US FDA Authorizes the Emergency Use of Antimalarial Drugs to Combat COVID-19

Mar 30, 2020 | Regulatory

85. Seqster Launches COVID-19 Compass for Healthcare Enterprises to Remotely Track Infected Patients

Mar 27, 2020 | DigiHealth

84. ExThera’s Seraph 100 Microbind Affinity Blood Filter Used to Treat Covid-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Diagnostic

83. Medtronic Launches New Solutions to Help Monitor Patients for COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Diagnostic

82. Sanofi and Regeneron Expand Clinical Program of Kevzara (sarilumab) for the Treatment of COVID-19 Outside the US

Mar 27, 2020 | Clinical Trial

81. NIH Adds Atlanta Site to Clinical Study of COVID-19 Vaccine

Mar 27, 2020 | Clinical Trial

80. Sun Pharma Donates 2.5M Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate Tablets for COVID-19 in the US

Mar 27, 2020 | Grant

79. Twist Bioscience Collaborates with Vanderbilt University Medical Center to Supply Critical Products and Identify Ab Against COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Collaboration

78. HaloVax Collaborates with Hoth Therapeutics to Jointly Develop a Self-Assembling Vaccine (SAV) Targeting COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Collaboration

77. Sanofi Collaborates with Translate Bio to Develop Novel Vaccine Against COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Collaboration

76. Mylan Delays its Merger with Upjohn Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 27, 2020 | Collaboration

75. Medopad Provides its Remote Patient Monitoring Platform to Support Global COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 27, 2020 | DigiHealth

74. Lyra SARS-CoV-2 Assay Receives the US FDA’s Expanded Emergency Use Authorization for Molecular Detection of COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Diagnostic

73. Dynavax and CEPI Collaborate to Develop a Vaccine Against COVID-19

Mar 27, 2020 | Collaboration

72. Astrotech Reports the Development of a Screening Instrument for Lung Diseases Including COVID-19

Mar 26, 2020 | Diagnostic

71. Oracle Provides Software to the White House for Evaluating Unproven Coronavirus Drugs

Mar 26, 2020 | DigiHealth

70. Grifols Collaborates with Health Authorities to Develop Therapy Targeting COVID-19 in the US

Mar 26, 2020 | Collaboration

69. PRA Health Sciences Launches COVID-19 Monitoring App to Track Symptoms

Mar 26, 2020 | DigiHealth

68. Gates Foundation Collaborates with the Consortium of Life Sciences Companies to Address Challenges Against the Pandemic COVID-19 

Mar 26, 2020 | Collaboration

67. Mylan to Waive Marketing Exclusivity for Lopinavir/Ritonavir in the US

Mar 26, 2020 | Grant

66. Gates Foundation Collaborates with the Consortium of Life Sciences Companies to Address Challenges Against the Pandemic COVID-19 

Mar 26, 2020 | Collaboration

65. Vir Biotechnology Signs a License Agreement with Xencor to Utilize Xtend Fc Technology in Antibodies Targeting COVID-19

Mar 26, 2020 | Collaboration

64. Merck to Donate 300,000 Masks to New Jersey for Combating COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 26, 2020 | Grant

63.  Sorrento to Initiate the Novel Decoy Cellular Vaccine Program for Covid-19

Mar 26, 2020 | Clinical Trial

62. Sorrento Signs an Exclusive License Agreement with Mabpharm for ACE-MAB to Treat COVID-19

Mar 25, 2020 | Collaboration

61. Aldeyra to Screen its RASP Inhibitors for the Treatment of COVID-19

Mar 24, 2020 | Collaboration

60. CEL-SCI to Develop LEAPS COVID-19 Immunotherapy in Collaboration with University of Georgia Center for Vaccines and Immunology

Mar 24, 2020 | Collaboration

59. NxGen MDx Reports the Launch and the Availability of COVID-19 Test

Mar 24, 2020 | Launch

58. FDA and EMA Collaborate to Accelerate the Development of Vaccine Against COVID-19

Mar 25, 2020 | Regulatory

57. QIAGEN Releases QIAstat-Dx Test Kit as the First Syndromic Test to Detect COVID-19 Under New FDA Policy

Mar 24, 2020 | Diagnostics

56. Genentech Receives the US FDA’s Approval for P-III Clinical Study Evaluating Actemra to Treat Hospitalized Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia

Mar 24, 2020 | Clinical Trial

55. Sorrento and SmartPharm To Develop Novel Gene-Encoded Antibody Vaccine for COVID-19

Mar 24, 2020 | Collaboration

54. Roche Highlights its Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 24, 2020 | Pharma

53. Amgen and its Foundation Grant $12.5M to Support COVID-19 Relief Efforts Globally

Mar 24, 2020 | Grant

52.  Mylab’s COVID-19 Test Receives CDSCO’s Approval for Detecting Coronavirus

Mar 23 | Diagnostics

51. Allovir  Collaborates with Baylor College of Medicine to Discover and Develop T-Cell Therapies for COVID-19   

Mar 23, 2020 | Collaboration

50. Eli Lilly Provides Update on its Clinical Activities During COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 23, 2020 | Clinical Trial

49. Celltrion to Launch Rapid Self-Testing Kit and Accelerates the Development of Treatment Against COVID-19

Mar 23, 2020 | Diagnostic

48. Sorrento Develops STI-4398 (COVIDTRAP Protein) to Prevent and Treat COVID-19

Mar 23, 2020 | Clinical Trial

47. Microsoft and Adaptive Biotechnologies Expand Their Collaboration for Mapping the Immune Response to COVID-19

Mar 23, 2020 | Collaboration

46. FDA Warns Consumers About Unauthorized Fraudulent COVID-19 Test Kits

Mar 20, 2020 | Regulatory

45. GC Green Cross Initiates the Development of Vaccines for COVID-19

Mar 20, 2020 | Clinical Trial

 44. US’ Biopharmaceutical Companies Demonstrates its Determination to Beat COVID-19

Mar 20, 2020 | Pharma

43 .FDA Recommends Avoiding the Use of NSAIDs for COVID-19 Symptoms

Mar 20, 2020 | Regulatory

42. Cepheid’s SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic Test Receives the US FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization to Identify COVID-19

Mar 21, 2020 | Diagnostics

41 .BGI Reports the Availability of RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 Test for Clinical Use in the US

Mar 20, 2020 | Launch

40 .Abbott Launches its Molecular Test to Detect COVID-19 and Receives the US FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization

Mar 20, 2020 | Launch

39. CEPI Collaborates with University of Hong Kong to Develop Vaccine for COVID-19

Mar 20, 2020 | Collaboration

38 .HHS to Fund Mesa Biotech for the Development of Rapid Molecular Diagnostic Test for Detecting SARS-CoV-2

Mar 19, 2020 | Grant

37. Mateon Collaborated with Meridian IT to Accelerate the Drug Development Using AI for COVID-19

Mar 19, 2020 | Collaboration

36. Roche to Initiate P-III COVACTA Study of Actemra/RoActemra in Hospitalized Patients with Severe Covid-19 Pneumonia in Collaboration with BARDA

Mar 19, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

35. Hisun Pharmaceuticals Reported Positive Results for Favipiravir to Treat COVID-19 Patients

Mar 19, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

34. FDA Recommends Avoiding the Use of NSAIDs for COVID-19 Symptoms

Mar 19, 2020 | Regulatory

33. Todos Signed an Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Gibraltar Brothers & Associates for Colloidal Gold to Diagnose COVID-19

Mar 19, 2020 | Collaboration

32. Regeneron to Initiate COVID-19 Antibody Program in Early Summer 

Mar 18, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

31. Eli Lilly and ISDH Collaborated to Accelerate the Testing for COVID-19

Mar 18, 2020 | Collaboration

30. Sobi Initiated Trial for the Evaluation of Anakinra and Emapalumab in Treating to Treat Hyper-Inflammatory Syndrome in COVID-19 Patients  

Mar 18, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

29. CEPI Collaborated with University of Hong Kong to Develop Vaccine for COVID-19

Mar 18, 2020 | Grant 

28. IntelyCare Launched the First COVID-19 Training Certification Program for Nurses 

Mar 17, 2020 | Launch 

27. Pfizer and BioNTech to Co-Develop Potential COVID-19 Vaccine

Mar 17, 2020 | Collaboration

26. Moleculin Signed Agreement with UTMB to Test WP1122 

Mar 17, 2020 | Collaboration 

25. NIH Initiated its P-I Trial for COVID-19 at KPWHRI in Seattle

Mar 17, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

24. WHO Now Officially Recommends Avoiding Taking Ibuprofen For COVID-19 Symptoms

Mar 17, 2020 | Regulatory

23. FDA Divulged Guidance for Conducting Clinical Studies During COVID-19 Pandemic

Mar 17, 2020 | Regulatory

22. Biogen Collaborated with Vir Biotechnology to Develop Antibodies Against COVID-19 

Mar 16, 2020 | Collaboration

21. Johnson & Johnson Collaborated with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to Accelerate the Development of Vaccine Against COVID-19 

Mar 16, 2020 | Collaboration

20. The Jenner Institute Signed an Agreement with Advent to Develop A Novel Coronavirus Vaccine

Mar 16, 2020 | Collaboration

19. BioNTech Entered Development and Commercialization Deal With Fosun Pharma for COVID-19    

Mar 16, 2020 | Collaboration

18. Sanofi and Regeneron to Initiate the Clinical Program Evaluating Kevzara (sarilumab) in Patients with Severe COVID-19

Mar 16, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

17. Moderna Announced First Participant Dosed in NIH-led Phase 1 Study of mRNA Vaccine (mRNA-1273) Against Novel Coronavirus   

Mar 16, 2020 | Clinical Trial 

16. Nurx and Everlywell to Avail Home Testing Service for Patients Exposed to COVID-19 

Mar 13, 2020 | Diagnostics

15. AbCellera and Eli Lilly Collaborated to Co-develop Antibody Therapies Targeting COVID-19

Mar 13, 2020 | Collaboration 

14. I-Mab to Initiate the Development of TJM2 for Treating Cytokine Release Syndrome Associated with COVID-19

Mar 13, 2020 | Collaboration

13. Novavax Signed an Exclusive License Agreement with Emergent BioSolutions to Develop Therapy for CoronaVirus

Mar 10, 2020 | Collaboration

12. AbbVie Collaborated with Global Health Authorities to Investigate its Kaletra/Aluvia (lopinavir/ritonavir) Against COVID-19 

Mar 10, 2020 | Collaboration

11. CEPI to Fund $8.4M to Novavax and University of Oxford to Develop Vaccines for Coronavirus Vaccine 

Mar 10, 2020 | Grant

10. Alphabet’s Verily to Launch COVID-19 Screening Site in Collaboration with California Governor  

Mar 10, 2020 | Launch

09. Mount Sinai Signed a Multi-Year Collaboration with Harbour BioMed to Develop Therapies for Multiple Cancer Indications and COVID-19

Mar 06, 2020 | Collaboration

08. Heat Biologics Signed a Research Collaboration with University of Miami to Develop Vaccine Against COVID-19

Mar 06, 2020 | Collaboration

07. Cocrystal Pharma Announced Plans to Advance Coronavirus Program 

Mar 06, 2020 | Collaboration

06. Vir and Alnylam Expanded their 2017 License Agreement to Target COVID-19

Mar 05, 2020 | Collaboration

05. Takeda to Initiate the Development of Plasma-Derived Therapy to Treat Corona Virus (COVID-19)

Mar 04, 2020 | Clinical Trial

04. Iktos and SRI Collaborated to Accelerate Discovery and Development of Novel Anti-Viral Therapies 

Mar 04, 2020 | Collaboration

03. Iktos and SRI Collaborated to Accelerate Discovery and Development of Novel Anti-Viral Therapies

Mar 04, 2020 | Collaboration

02. Mesa Biotech to Develop Point-of-Care (POC) Test to Diagnose COVID-19

Mar 04, 2020 | Diagnostics

01. Generex Signed a Partnership with Two Chinese Firms to Develop Vaccine for Corona Virus

Mar 02, 2020 | Collaboration