Coronavirus Breaking News

Hadassah-University Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center reported that they had completed administering the BriLife coronavirus vaccine candidate to 80 volunteers, thus completing the Phase I clinical trial, reported JPost on November 27, 2020.

“We are pleased to announce that the first phase of the clinical research trial of the coronavirus vaccine was a success,” said the director of the clinical research unit at Hadassah, Prof. Yossi Karko.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced on November 24, 2020, that all travelers entering the City from another state or country will be required to fill out an online form to acknowledge and spread awareness of California’s recommended 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

And starting in early December, passengers arriving at LAX and Van Nuys Airport will see signs and messages reminding them to fill out the required form.

Mayor Eric Garcetti in a press statement, “Our new form delivers a clear message: if you travel to our city, we want you to be informed of guidelines that will save lives and keep all of us healthy and safe.”

The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products authorized a phase III of the clinical trial in Spain of the Janssen (a Johnson & Johnson company) Ad26.COV2-S vaccine candidate. This is the first phase III clinical trial for a vaccine against COVID-19 of this type authorized in Spain.

This coronavirus vaccine study will be conducted in 9 hospitals in Spain that will begin to recruit eligible volunteers, which include both people without any chronic diseases and people with concurrent illnesses.

Known as Ad26.COV2.S, this vaccine is based on a soundly documented technology with a non-replicative recombinant adenovirus, to generate an immunological response to one of the coronavirus proteins known as protein S (from spike, proteína espiga in Spanish).

United announced today it is expanding its customer COVID-19 testing efforts to include flights out of Houston to select destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Starting December 7, 2020, United customers in Houston will have the option to take a self-collected, mail-in SARS-CoV-2 virus test that meets local entry requirements.

"Widespread testing is key to unlocking international borders and safely reopening global travel," said Toby Enqvist, chief customer officer for United, in a press statement issued on November 23, 2020. "United was the first to offer free tests on flights across the Atlantic – and we'll look at new, innovative ways to make the travel experience even safer."

Hyderabad-based Hetero Labs Limited announced it has agreed to produce 100 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine in 2021. This manufacturing agreement is with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF).

The RDIF stated in a press statement issued on November 27, 2020, 'When the Sputnik V vaccine is used, the coronavirus itself does not enter the body as the vaccine only contains genetic information about part of its outer protein coat, the so-called "spikes" forming its crown. This completely eliminates the possibility of getting infected as a result of vaccination while also causing the body's stable immune response.'

B. Murali Krishna Reddy, Director, Hetero Labs Limited commented: “While we look forward to the clinical trial results in India, we believe that manufacturing the product locally is crucial to enable swift access to patients. This collaboration is another step towards our commitment in the battle against Covid-19 and realizing the objective of ‘Make-in-India’ campaign as envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.”

BioNTech SE and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd jointly announced on November 25, 2020, that their lead mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate BNT162b2 will be evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial in Taizhou and Lianshui, Jiangsu Province, China.

The recruitment of 960 healthy participants, aged between 18 and 85, to assess the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate and to support future Biologic License Application in China, is scheduled to start soon.

Dr. Aimin Hui, President of Global Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer of Fosun Pharma in China, said in a press release, “As an important part of global research and development, the Phase 2 clinical study with BNT162b2 in China will not only provide key data for the launch of the vaccine in China but also may play a positive role in the widespread promotion and use of the vaccine throughout Asia and around the world.”