Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Releases Recent Data On AMR Vaccines; Theophylline Testing To Restore Smell After Covid
The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its first-ever report on the pipeline for vaccines to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). (Dall, 7/12)
Antibiotic prescribing at hundreds of ambulatory care clinics across the country was nearly cut in half after implementation of an antibiotic stewardship and patient safety program, according to a study published last week in JAMA Network Open. (Dall, 7/12)
Two new linked studies on the effectiveness and safe dosing of theophylline nasal irrigation to treat COVID-19鈥搑elated altered sense of smell have generated inconclusive results. (Van Beusekom, 7/8)
Tixagevimab鈥揷ilgavimab is a neutralising monoclonal antibody combination hypothesised to improve outcomes for patients hospitalised with COVID-19. We aimed to compare tixagevimab鈥揷ilgavimab versus placebo, in patients receiving remdesivir and other standard care. (7/8)
Also 鈥
Treating intravenous drug users with hepatitis drugs at the community level significantly drove down liver disease and deaths over more than a decade, researchers reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. (Dreher, 7/12)
If CureVac's patent infringement lawsuit against BioNTech is successful, the company聽could be lined up to receive serious royalties from its fellow German mRNA pioneer. That鈥檚 the analysis of Berenberg Capital Markets, which estimates that $20 billion of BioNTech鈥檚 COVID-19 vaccine revenue could be subject to the suit. The team figures there's $500 million in 鈥減otential upside鈥 for CureVac based on a royalty rate of 2% to 3% in 鈥渁n optimistic scenario,鈥 analyst聽Zhiqiang Shu聽wrote in a note to clients. (Dunleavy, 7/12)
Dr. Reddy鈥檚 Laboratories has been聽dinged by the U.S. FDA once again聽for production shortfalls, the Indian drug giant revealed Thursday in a securities filing. ... Observations suggest FDA inspectors uncovered conditions or practices at the Dr. Reddy鈥檚 plant, located in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India, that might point to subpar manufacturing standards, the regulator says online. (Kansteiner, 7/11)