Exscientia and Sanofi establish strategic research collaboration to develop AI-driven pipeline of precision-engineered medicines
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. 
Bayer AG and Mammoth Biosciences, Inc., which is harnessing the diversity of nature to power the next-generation CRISPR products, today announced a strategic collaboration and option agreement for the use of Mammoth's CRISPR systems to develop in vivo gene-editing therapies. 
Intravacc, a global leader in translational research and development of therapeutic vaccines and vaccines against infectious diseases, today announced a partnership with Dutch Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) to develop and evaluate a new nasal spray corona vaccine in a clinical phase I/II study. 