Business & Industry News Channel
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) announced the initiation of a clinical study to evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of an Omicron-based vaccine candidate in healthy adults 18 through 55 years of age. The study will have three cohorts examining different regimens of the current Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or an Omicron-based vaccine. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) announced the publication of new results from two laboratory studies demonstrating that three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (BNT162b2) elicited antibodies that neutralize the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529). 
Sanofi and Exscientia announced a groundbreaking research collaboration and license agreement to develop up to 15 novel small molecule candidates across oncology and immunology, leveraging Exscientia's end-to-end AI-driven platform utilizing actual patient samples. The companies have been working together since 2016 and in 2019, Sanofi in-licensed Exscientia's novel bispecific small molecule candidate capable of targeting two distinct targets in inflammation and immunology. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) shared results from multiple studies demonstrating that the in vitro efficacy of nirmatrelvir, the active main protease (Mpro) inhibitor of PAXLOVID™ (nirmatrelvir [PF-07321332] tablets and ritonavir tablets), is maintained against the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron. Taken together, these in vitro studies suggest that PAXLOVID has the potential to maintain plasma concentrations many-fold times higher than the amount required to prevent Omicron from replicating in cells. 
Positive results from a preliminary analysis of an ongoing safety and immunogenicity trial (D7220C00001) showed that Vaxzevria (ChAdOx1-S [Recombinant]), when given as a third dose booster, increased the immune response to Beta, Delta, Alpha and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 variants, while a separate analysis of samples from the trial showed increased antibody response to the Omicron variant. 
Novartis and Molecular Partners announced that Part A of the EMPATHY clinical trial(1) that compared single intravenous doses of ensovibep, a DARPin antiviral therapeutic candidate vs. placebo to treat COVID-19, met the primary endpoint of viral load reduction over eight days. The two secondary endpoints also showed clinically meaningful benefit over placebo - (1) composite endpoint of hospitalization and/or Emergency Room (ER) visits or death, and (2) time to sustained clinical recovery.