Actionable insights straight to your inbox

logo_equities.svg

AstraZeneca Says UK Health Regulator Has Begun Accelerated Review of Coronavirus Vaccine Candidate

AstraZeneca says its experimental vaccine produces an immune response in both old and young adults and also triggers lower adverse responses among the elderly.

Image source: AstraZeneca

By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) – AstraZeneca Plc said on Sunday Britain’s health regulator had started an accelerated review of its potential coronavirus vaccine.

“We confirm the MHRA’s (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency) rolling review of our potential COVID-19 vaccine,” an AstraZeneca spokesman said.

In rolling reviews, regulators are able to see clinical data in real time and have dialogue with drug makers on manufacturing processes and trials to accelerate the approval process.

The approach is designed to speed up evaluations of promising drugs or vaccines during a public health emergency.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is being developed along with the University of Oxford. Bloomberg reported on Friday that MHRA had also begun an accelerated review for the COVID-19 vaccine candidate from Pfizer Inc.

AstraZeneca and Pfizer are among the frontrunners in the race to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus, with the race also including Johnson & Johnson and Moderna Inc. Their vaccine candidates are in late-stage trials, interim data from which are expected in the coming weeks.

The British drug maker said on Monday its COVID-19 experimental vaccine produces an immune response in both old and young adults. The vaccine also triggers lower adverse responses among the elderly, it said.

The novel coronavirus has killed more than 1.19 million people globally, damaged the world economy and turned normal life upside down for billions of people.

Work began on the Oxford vaccine in January. Called AZD1222 or ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, the viral vector vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus that causes infections in chimpanzees.

Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Angus MacSwan

_____

Source: Reuters

With pandemic-induced supply chain bottlenecks receding, semiconductor stocks have been riding a bullish trend, making higher lows and higher highs.
To say the current situation isn’t pretty now seems an understatement, and it’s likely to remain chaotic for a while. Which is why it’s so important for leaders of all kinds not to fall prey to the very human tendency to go negative.
Bargain-hunting friends of mine have been asking: “Should I buy First Republic?” After all, First Republic is prestigious. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg got a mortgage there. Dozens of customer surveys rate its satisfaction scores higher than super-brands like Apple and Ritz-Carlton.
Many of us economy-watchers have been expecting recession, though with significant differences on odds and timing. Regardless, recent banking developments just made recession more likely and may have accelerated its onset.