News
Bill addresses public health accountability for foreign officials
A Republican group of legislators announced plans to introduce the Li Wenliang Global Public Health Accountability Act designed to address foreign officials who attempted to conceal early onset COVID-19 public health information. The Act would also sanction any foreign official who may conceal a... Read More »
Measure bolsters security of stockpile supply chain during COVID-19 crisis
Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón recently led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in introducing a measure that bolsters the U.S. supply chain amid the COVID-19 pandemic. González-Colón and Reps. Donna Shalala (D-FL), Rob Bishop (R-UT), Darren Soto (D-FL), Ruben... Read More »
New CDC COVIDView report pledges weekly summaries of coronavirus data
As part of ongoing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) efforts to promote reliable COVID-19 information, it has modified its existing surveillance systems to form a weekly new report known as COVIDView, which will summarize and interpret data each Friday. The first COVIDView... Read More »
FDA looks to develop new COVID-19 therapies based on blood donations from survivors of the virus
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stepped in to fast-track development of and access to two more investigational therapies for COVID-19 based on convalescent plasma and hyperimmune globulin from human blood. By using blood donated from those who have recovered from the SARS-CoV-2... Read More »
How Emergent BioSolutions mounts rapid response to COVID-19
Mounting a rapid and effective response to emerging public health threats is a continuing challenge, which will only become more important in an increasingly connected world, says Dr. Richard Welch, vice president and head of development services at Emergent BioSolutions Inc., a global life... Read More »
Sens. Tester, Moran advocate National Guard pay, benefits initiatives
Senate Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-MT) and Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) are encouraging Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to ensure National Guard members receive benefits and pay earned from their time in active duty responding to COVID-19. The senators are advocating the action... Read More »
Sen. Warren questions hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine availability
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has forwarded correspondence to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking clarity regarding reported shortages of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Warren maintains the drugs, which are generally used to treat lupus,... Read More »
Novartis begins clinical trials to evaluate Jakavi to help with coronavirus reactions
Novartis will initiate a Phase III clinical trial in collaboration with Incyte to evaluate the drug Jakavi for the treatment of severe immune overreactions caused by the coronavirus. The reaction – called cytokine storm -- can lead to life-threatening respiratory complications in patients... Read More »
BARDA to partner with Luminex, GenMarx on COVID-19 diagnostics
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) announced two new corporate partnerships last week, with the Luminex Corporation and GenMark, Dx, respectively, to get more COVID-19 diagnostic tests to market. Both are rapid diagnostic tests. The Luminex test draws from nasal... Read More »
More than half a million medical supplies seized from price gougers to be redistributed
The federal government has seized hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment (PPE) from price gougers with the intent of redistributing them to frontline workers working amid the COVID-19 crisis in New York and New Jersey. The items -- which included around 192,000 N95 respirator... Read More »
Nationwide study of health practitioners, first responders examines use of anti-malarial drug to counter COVID-19
Sarah Lofgren’s voice had a tinge of excitement when she explained why the bright green dots on one scientific slide disappeared on the next. The co-investigator at the University of Minnesota Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine showed how SARS, or severe acute respiratory... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions working with federal government on COVID-19 therapy
Emergent BioSolutions is working with the U.S. government to develop a therapy for patients diagnosed with coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. The partnership is through a $14.5 million grant from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop a COVID-Human Immune... Read More »
VirScan tool can help researchers detect coronavirus for vaccine development
A research tool known as VirScan will be able to detect evidence of coronavirus from a single drop of blood. Geneticist Steve Elledge, who helped develop VirScan, has added the virus, formally known as SARS-CoV-2, to VirScan's library of pathogens. This action could potentially help researchers... Read More »
Sen. Peters seeks answers from Trump officials on PPE shortage
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) is urging the Trump Administration to address the nationwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and emergency responders. In his home state, Peters cited the travails of the Detroit Police Department, which has had to quarantine... Read More »
Ohio receives thousands of medical supplies from Strategic National Stockpile, will not meet immediate or future needs
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) received its share of personal protective equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile in full this week, granting an equipment influx of hundreds of thousands to meet the threat of COVID-19. Ohio was among early requesters for additional equipment and its... Read More »
SAb Biotherapeutics partners with BARDA, DoD on latest potential COVID-19 therapeutic
SAb Biotherapeutics, Inc. is now among those companies rushing to produce a COVID-19 treatment, and both the Department of Defense (DoD) and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) have partnered with it to make it happen. SAb’s product is called SAB-185 and pushes for... Read More »
Battelle process aids effort to replenish personal protective equipment
Science and technology firm Battelle said its CCDS Critical Care Decontamination System (CCDS) would decontaminate N95 respirator masks at the State University of New York at Stony Brook on Long Island. The effort would protect frontline healthcare workers by decontaminating up to 80,000 masks... Read More »
Food and Drug Administration, Department Health and Human Services seek COVID-19 treatment plans
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) is urging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Department of the Health and Human Services (HHS) officials to provide plans addressing COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. McCaul recently sought feedback from FDA Commissioner Stephan Hahn and HHS Secretary Alex Azar on... Read More »
Fire chiefs say more relief needed for firefighters during COVID-19 crisis
Leadership at the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) commended the $2.2 trillion relief bill signed by President Trump last week, stating more relief is still needed for firefighters and emergency workers. IAFC President, Fire Chief Gary Ludwig, said the CARES Act is a significant... Read More »
CEPI: novel platforms provide hope amidst COVID-19 outbreak, vaccine development remains long and costly
According to a journal report published by members of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI) this week, SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus which causes COVID-19 -- uncovers the advances and ongoing stumbling blocks in vaccine development. Other outbreaks and epidemics have helped lead... Read More »
UC Health gains increased COVID-19 testing capacity for southwest Ohio with new diagnostic machine
With help from U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), UC Health of southwest Ohio gained a new cobas 6800 diagnostic machine this week, which it intends to up its COVID-19 testing capabilities to nearly 1,000 tests per day. “We are grateful to Senator Portman for his assistance in procuring this... Read More »
App tracks COVID-19 symptoms progression
Doctors and researchers maintain a new free app is helping to track the onset and progression of COVID-19 symptoms nationwide while identifying those at risk sooner and slowing the outbreak. Officials said the COVID Symptom Tracker requests contributors answer a few simple questions about... Read More »
Oshkosh Defense secures Army vehicle modernization pact
The Army Contracting Command – Warren has awarded a $346.4 million contract to Oshkosh Defense to modernize vehicles in the Army and Army Reserve’s Heavy Tactical Vehicle (FHTV) fleets. The scope of work involves the firm recapitalizing Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and... Read More »
Emergent BioSolutions partners with Novavax on flu vaccine candidate
Emergent BioSolutions announced Tuesday a partnership agreement with Novavax, under which it will provide molecule-to-market contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) services to produce Novavax’s NanoFlu. NanoFlu is Novavax’s seasonal influenza vaccine candidate with the proprietary... Read More »
Maryland lawmakers applaud CDC’s decision to reopen Fort Detrick facility
Federal lawmakers in Maryland commended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for its move to return the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick to full operational capacity. The USAMRIID will now resume conducting its full scope of... Read More »
Battelle develops diagnostic test for COVID-19 with Ohio State University
Battelle and the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have joined forces to develop a diagnostic test for COVID-19. The new rapid test will allow for faster turnaround time with results available in as few as five hours. Wexner Medical Center will administer the new test under its... Read More »
Sens. Menendez, Hirono urge increased public health preparedness program funding
A group of lawmakers recently pushed for increased funding for the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program (PHEP) and Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP). Sens. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) led 24 of their colleagues in forwarding correspondence to the Senate’s Subcommittee... Read More »
Raytheon secures Missile Defense Agency contract
Raytheon Company, an electronics mission systems integration firm, recently secured a $2.1 billion, multi-year contract with the Missile Defense Agency to produce and deliver SM-3 Block IB interceptors. "This procurement deal is a win-win for government and industry," Mitch Stevison, Raytheon... Read More »
Global clinical program for Kevzara takes on first COVID-19 patients outside US
Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc have begun patient treatment outside the United States as part of an evaluation of Kevzara (sarilumab) in patients hospitalized with severe cases of COVID-19. The effort is part of Phase 2 and 3 trials in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Canada, and... Read More »
BARDA prepares for COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials with Janssen, Moderna
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is speeding up timelines for clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidates produced by Janssen Research & Development and Moderna. “Vaccines are essential to saving lives,” BARDA Director Rick Bright said. “Delivering a... Read More »
Apple releases app and web site to help users protect their health during COVID-19 crisis
Apple released an app and web site to help guide Americans through a series of questions about their health and exposure to determine if they should seek care for COVID-19 coronavirus symptoms. The technology company developed the app and web site in partnership with the White House... Read More »
Battelle develops system to decontaminate, reuse N95 masks
Battelle is manufacturing a system to rapidly decontaminate N95 respirator masks and other medical protective equipment. The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System (CCDS) is capable of decontaminating up to 80,000 masks per day and even more pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE)... Read More »
Sen. Menendez seeks greater support from health organizations
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is encouraging expanded regional and multilateral health organizations’ support as the global confrontation of the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Menendez, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recently forwarded correspondence to Secretary of State... Read More »
Reps. Barr, Yarmuth leads initiative to back distillery-produced hand sanitizer effort
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is seeking to expedite Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance regarding allowing distilleries to continue manufacturing hand sanitizer in the wake of shortages created by COVID-19. Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY) and John Yarmuth (D-KY) have led the initiative,... Read More »