News
BARDA, Genentech to accelerate phase 2 clinical trial for two investigational COVID-19 treatments
A partnership between the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and biotechnology company Genentech will yield a phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate two investigational drugs for the treatment of severe COVID-19 cases: anti-ST2 and IL-22-Fc. The drugs will be tested on... Read More »
Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, NTI criticize Trump administration decision to withdraw from WHO
In separate statements released this week, both the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense and the nonpartisan, nonprofit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) expressed concern with the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). “Terminating the U.S.... Read More »
International community joins WHO in supporting open COVID-19 research, science
More than 30 countries and international partners/institutions have rallied behind the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), a new initiative from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Costa Rica designed to make scientific tools to fight COVID-19 universally available. The show of unity... Read More »
CISA unveils initial cyber toolkit
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the initial launch of six Cyber Essentials Toolkits provides small businesses and government agencies with a foundational means of addressing cybersecurity risks. “We thank all of our partners in government and the private... Read More »
DARPA selects GRIT program participants
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials said a pair of California-based firms have been selected to participate in its Gamma Ray Inspection Technology (GRIT) program to aid medical applications. Lumitron Technologies and RadiaBeam Technologies have initiated efforts to... Read More »
Sen. Peters introduces bill requiring agencies to share COVID-19 testing inventory
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) introduce legislation directing federal agencies to share real-time information about testing supply inventory and shortages publicly. Hospitals, health care systems, nursing homes, and first responders have struggled to obtain tests and other critical supplies... Read More »
Chimeron Bio and George Mason University team up to develop COVID-19 vaccine
Chimeron Bio and George Mason University's National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID) are teaming up to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine development will be based on Chimeron Bio's ChaESARTM self-amplifying RNA technology. Plus, it will integrate Mason's complimenting... Read More »
HHS adds $628M to contract with Emergent BioSolutions in effort to ramp up COVID-19 vaccine production
Operation Warp Speed, the White House-created program to speed up COVID-19 vaccine candidate development and manufacturing domestically, will benefit from a $628 million expansion of an existing public-private partnership with Emergent BioSolutions Inc., the U.S. Department of Health and Human... Read More »
Strategic plan bolsters maritime partnerships
U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and Royal Canadian navy personnel maintain a recently signed five-year strategic plan will establish the foundation for future coordination and joint operations. “Whether it’s combating criminal activity by international drug cartels in the eastern pacific, or... Read More »
Defense collaboration eyes 5G development, testing
The Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced that two entities are collaborating to build and test a fifth-generation (5G) cellular network. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) are partnering... Read More »
DTRA, DIU award $4.6M to PercuSense for development of early detection system for toxic chemical exposure
Under a $4.6 million contract with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Defense Innovation United (DIU), PercuSense has been tapped to develop a continuous biosensor system for early detection of potential toxic chemical exposure among soldiers and first responders. PercuSense, a... Read More »
Roche announces phase 3 trial for mix of Actemra/RoActemra with remdesivir on hospitalized COVID-19 patients
A phase 3 clinical trial that will utilize a mix of Actemra/RoActemra and remdesivir on hospitalized COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia is expected to begin in June, as part of a collaboration between Roche and Gilead Sciences, Inc. That trial, REMDACTA, will be double-blind, randomized,... Read More »
GSK to manufacture 1 billion doses of pandemic vaccine adjuvant system
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said it will manufacture 1 billion doses of its pandemic vaccine adjuvant system in 2021 to support the development of multiple adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The pharmaceutical company says its pandemic adjuvant technology could make a significant contribution... Read More »
Bipartisan bill would help better detect, contain overseas pandemics
U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) last week introduced legislation designed to better detect and contain infectious disease outbreaks overseas before they become global pandemics. The Global Health Security and Diplomacy Act (GHSDA) requires the president to... Read More »
Senators advise Trump on nuclear arms deals
U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and John Cornyn (R-TX) are urging President Donald Trump to avoid nuclear arms control treaties that put constraints on the United States while allowing adversaries to build up their nuclear arsenals. “You and your administration have long... Read More »
Reps. Pallone, DeGette probe FDA about efforts to maintain food safety and supply
U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) are seeking information from leadership at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the agency’s efforts to maintain food safety and address food supply disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although COVID-19 is not known... Read More »
Rep. Axne tracks more than $9B in COVID-19 response efforts in Iowa with new data tool
Following a response to her request of state and federal agencies to provide a detailed account of COVID-19 response efforts, U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne’s (D-IA) has launched a data tracker to provide accountability in the system. Announcing her efforts as a matter of transparency, Axne has now... Read More »
FDA offers SARS-CoV-2 reference panel to better ensure COVID-19 test quality
A new reference panel being offered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposes an additional, independent validation step to guarantee the quality of COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Since COVID-19 reached U.S. shores earlier this year, many tests have arisen to detect its viral cause:... Read More »
Survey examines COVID-19 vaccine expectations
Recent findings from a NORC at the University of Chicago study have determined if a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, 49 percent of respondents said they plan to get vaccinated. The nationwide poll was conducted May 14-18, 2020, via the AmeriSpeak Panel - the probability-based panel of NORC at... Read More »
CBP seizes more than $2.4M worth of alleged methamphetamine
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials said Office of Field Operations (OFO) personnel at the Hidalgo International Bridge seized $2,446,000 worth of alleged methamphetamine concealed within a vehicle. On May 23, an officer encountered a brown 1999 Ford F150 pickup driven by a 20-year-old... Read More »
Council of Europe cautions on the need for coordinated response to bioterrorism
The Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT) issued a statement on the importance of a coordinated response to bioterrorism. The committee said that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of modern societies to viral infections. The intentional use of a pathogen or... Read More »
GAO releases report detailing process for developing vaccines
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report detailing the process of developing a COVID-19 vaccine. The United States government is funding multiple efforts to develop vaccines. GAO said it is an expensive, lengthy process that involves a series of steps first to identify... Read More »
Reps. Stefanik, Crow introduce bill to clarify biodefense strategy
U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Jason Crow (D-CO) introduced a bill on May 22 that would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to clarify the national biodefense strategy and implementation plan. The bill, called the RASPP Act (H.B. 6966), follows a Government Accountability... Read More »
Merck announces acquisition, collaboration and vaccine agreements to continue COVID-19 fight
Merck announced a series of actions against COVID-19 this week, joining the fight against the global pandemic through two agreements that further potential vaccines against its viral source, SARS-CoV-2, and a research collaboration intended to create a novel antiviral candidate. “With our... Read More »
Novavax begins clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidate
A COVID-19 vaccine candidate created by Novavax, Inc. and supported by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) began clinical trials this week, with the enrollment of participants in a Phase 1/2 study. The vaccine in question is called NVX-CoV2373, a stable, prefusion protein... Read More »
Social media companies must use AI to thwart extremist content, experts tell congressmen
Social media companies need to step up and use the technology they already have to limit extremist groups from spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories online, experts said Wednesday during a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee virtual forum on extremism during the COVID-19 pandemic.... Read More »
Remdesivir shows improved COVID-19 recovery times in preliminary report
A preliminary report on data from the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, showed positive potential for remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19. The randomized, controlled trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and... Read More »
House Energy and Commerce Leaders request White House COVID-19 vaccine plan
It is past time for a national COVID-19 vaccine plan from the Trump administration, according to House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders so that the country can plan for development, manufacturing, distribution, training, and education linked to these efforts, along with broad vaccine... Read More »
Lawmakers seek Coast Guard preparedness information
Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) are seeking information regarding the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) preparedness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislators recently forwarded correspondence to Admiral Karl Schultz, expressing concern the pandemic could threaten... Read More »
Department of Homeland Security broadens scope of SAFER grant
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has modified the FY2019 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant program to allow firefighting organizations greater access. Following the revisions, certain cost share, salary cap, supplanting, and minimum budget restrictions... Read More »
Senate bill would improve SNS and strengthen supply chain of medical supplies
U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MI) introduced a bill designed to improve the Strategic National Stockpile and strengthen the domestic manufacturing of supplies. The lack of critical medical supplies across the domestic supply chain forced the... Read More »
GOP senators introduce bill to thwart Chinese COVID-19 research hackers
A group of Republican senators introduced legislation requires national security evaluation and clearance for all Chinese student visa holders taking part in activities related to COVID-19 vaccine research. The COVID-19 Vaccine Protection Act – sponsored by Sens. Martha McSally (R-AZ), Rick... Read More »
Colorado lawmakers seek permanent residency of U.S. Space Command
Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) are advocating the state become the permanent home of U.S. Space Command after gaining provisional headquarters status for at least the next six years. The senators recently forwarded correspondence to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis seeking support... Read More »
Air Force initiative aids supply chain fluidity
Air Force officials have launched a new initiative designed to keep the branch’s supply chain system independent of the civilian medical market amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Air Force Rapid Agile Manufacturing Platform (AFRAMP) seeks to leverage the full capacity of the nation's... Read More »