Page 2 - Launch Readiness News Today

Jan 22, 2021 11:14am AstraZeneca has reportedly notified EU officials of a reduction in expected first-quarter coronavirus vaccine deliveries. (AstraZeneca) As AstraZeneca nears European authorization for its highly anticipated COVID-19 vaccine, the drugmaker has notified officials that initial shipments will come in lighter than originally expected. Two German-language publications, Bild and oe24, report that AZ notified EU officials this week that its first-quarter deliveries will come in lo...

Jan 22, 2021 10:55am Eli Lilly said its antibody drug amlanivimab prevented symptomatic COVID-19 in nursing home residents and staffers. (GagliardiPhotography/Shutterstock) Eli Lilly’s bamlanivimab was the first antibody drug the FDA authorized to treat COVID-19. Now, the Indianapolis pharma has data showing the therapy prevents symptomatic infections. The catch? The data are limited to long-term care facilities, where vaccination is now underway—and despite their utility, antibody therapie...

Jan 22, 2021 3:45pm CDMO Cognate BioServices started work on a new commercial manufacturing plant that will nearly double capacity at its current headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. (Cunaplus_M.Faba/iStock/Getty Images Plus) With the demand for cell and gene therapies mounting, CDMO Cognate BioServices is looking to swiftly expand its U.S. headquarters with two new facilities—and its not stopping there. Its dedicated gene therapy unit, Cobra Biologics, is plotting its own scale-ups in Europ...

Jan 21, 2021 10:25am Pfizer and BioNTech join with health groups to promote “Science can make this possible. Only you can make it real,” COVID-19 awareness campaign.(Getty/Meyer & Meyer) Remember hugging, playing with grandchildren, kissing people goodbye and sharing exciting news with family in person? While COVID-19 has kiboshed those things, Pfizer and BioNTech want to remind people about them—and how theyll be possible again with vaccines.  The Comirnaty vaccine makers, together...

Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson’s restructuring plan for the French pharma includes almost 1,700 job cuts in Europe, but local government officials and employees aren't fans of the idea. As the French government pushes for no forced departures, some union members have taken to the streets.

Daiichi Sankyo and partner AstraZeneca have taken their HER2-targeted cancer drug Enhertu another step toward blockbuster land. The FDA cleared the med for use in HER2-positive stomach cancer patients who previously received Roche’s standard-of-care Herceptin.

Last week, Pfizer and BioNTech said they were boosting vaccine production to 2 billion doses this year. There's a catch, though: Scaling up a factory in Belgium to help meet that goal means supplies will run short temporarily.