Industry News

FDA, US Customs and Border Protection, and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to prevent illegal drug imports from entering the US through International Mail Facilities.

As part of the administration’s campaign to reduce the United States’ reliance on an increasingly global pharmaceutical supply chain and to minimize potential shortages for critical drugs, FDA has published a list of those drugs and medical products considered critical for addressing public health emergencies.

A virtual ribbon cutting, tour, and panel discussions were hosted on Oct. 29, 2020 to announce the opening of BioCentriq on the campus of the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ.

Experts fear confusion over allocation processes, cold-chain requirements, and IT systems needed to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to market.

The agency published clinical data on remdesivir and information about COVID-19 treatments that have received scientific advice or informal guidance from EMA’s pandemic Task Force.

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is studying factors that influence the development of generic versions of brand-name drugs.

FDA published guidance for submitting standardized study data in electronic format.

The agency, in response to an executive order, published a list of essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs that should be available at all times in an adequate amount to serve patient needs.

With the presentation of research supporting the use of PTA technology, BioSkryb also launched its ResolveDNA platform for commercial use at ASHG 2020, held virtually on Oct. 27–30, 2020.

Through the agreement, Takeda will handle securing the regulatory approvals before distributing the doses, while Moderna will supply the finished product.

Novartis and Molecular Partners are collaborating on the development, manufacture, and commercialization of Molecular Partners’ anti-COVID-19 DARPin program.

The UK BIA Antibody Taskforce has identified differentiated antibody combinations that will be taken into development as COVID-19 antibody therapy candidates.

The companies have signed a Statement of Intent with Gavi to make 200 million doses of their adjuvanted recombinant protein-based COVID-19 vaccine available for distribution.

The agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee met to discuss COVID-19 vaccine approvals, post-marketing safety studies, and ongoing safety monitoring of vaccines.

200 employees will be hired by the end of 2020, with 300 more planning to be hired by 2023.

FDA sent a warning letter to LEC Custom Products for a variety of CGMP violations including use of inappropriate equipment and processes.

FDA issued guidance for applicants that must report annually on the status of postmarketing studies and clinical trials under section 506B of the FD&C Act.

The much-anticipated meeting of FDA’s vaccine advisory committee this week is slated to address a number of critical issues related to testing and approval of vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Recent data, from BIA and Clarivate, has revealed that investment in UK biotech continues to be strong.

The UK's MHRA has joined the Australia-Canada-Singapore-Switzerland (ACSS) Consortium of regulators.

The approval comes after a Phase III trial that showed Keytruda reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 35%.

Regeneron will distribute Inmazeb treatment doses over the course of six years to BARDA.

The unexplained illness in a study participant is being reviewed and evaluated by an independent data safety monitoring board and internal clinical and safety physicians.

The companies are entering into an agreement for the late-stage development and large-scale manufacturing of AZD7442, AstraZeneca’s investigational product for treatment and prevention of COVID-19.

The guidance provides recommendations for data and information needed to support an EUA for COVID-19 vaccines.

The study, entitled CV-NCOV-002, is being held in Peru and Panama and has enrolled 690 participants, including older adults ages 61 and above, and younger participants 18 to 60 years old.

The agency sent an open letter to European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly affirming the agency’s intention to apply the same standards to the evaluation of COVID-19 treatments as it does to other medicines.

The European Medicines Agency has started a rolling review of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The agency published recommendations for the development of drugs and biologics for the adjuvant treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

The approval of Nucala (mepolizumab) for treating hypereosinophilic syndrome represents the first drug approved for this group of rare blood disorders in nearly 14 years.