This month on Blue Steens

Stop COVID-19 hackathon

Hackathons aren’t necessarily just for coders. I’d encourage anyone to contribute to such events. You can be sure to walk away enriched at the end. Read about my most recent experience at a global COVID-19-themed hackathon.

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Beyond Blue Steens

Coronavirus

⊳ Testing

For quick explanations of the difference between genetic (PCR) and antibody (serological) tests, check out March’s & April’s COVID-19 Testing sections.

• After a surge of PCR kit releases from March onwards, we’re now also seeing serological tests appear one after another, such as those from CeGaT, Biomerica, Roche, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Quotient, Abbott. After concerns about the quality of early kits and increased scrutiny, most recent tests promise sensitivity and specificity at/near 100%.

• Some other interesting antibody tests:

  • FDA nod for first at-home saliva test from Rutgers University

  • Duke-NUS Medical School’s test detects neutralising antibodies (i.e. effective against virus)

⊳ Treatment

• Remdesivir:

  • Gilead has entered deals with 5 generic companies to cover supply to 127 countries

  • Authorisation for severe cases in USA, Japan

  • NIH trial of remdesivir & baricitinib (Olumiant, anti-inflammatory) combination started (> 1,000 patients, controlled)

  • Promising results from clinical study suggest faster recovery (> 1,000 patients, uncontrolled)

• (Hydroxy-) Chloroquine:

  • WHO hydroxychloroquine trial halted due to safety concerns. (I mentioned this international trial first in March. The other trial arms continue.)

  • Controlled global chloroquine trial of prophylactic potential with > 50,000 healthcare workers

  • Controlled NIH trial of combination of hydroxychloroquine & azithromycin (antibiotic). Phase 2b, ~ 2000 patients.

• Passive immunisation:

  Passive immunisation involves administering protective antibodies to the patient (essentially what breast milk does for a baby). Plasma therapy is one option (more details in April newsletter), purified or lab-produced antibodies are other ways. In principle, this approach can be applied prophylactically (vaccination) or as treatment.

  • Mount Sinai Health System & Sorrento Therapeutics collaboration aiming for antibody treatment trials to begin soon and submission for FDA approval by Sep 2020

  • Takeda aiming to start antibody therapy trial in June 2020

  • Kamada & Kedrion to develop plasma-derived antibody product

  • Amazon involved in development of plasma donor database

• Abivax phase 2b/3 trial approved in Germany. First-in-class small molecule treatment with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory effects. > 1000 elderly & high-risk patients, trial start late May. (Other trials for treatment of HIV and some inflammatory diseases.) [German]

• Triple therapy with interferon beta-1b, lopinavir-ritonavir and ribavirin (phase 2 trial) may reduce period of viral shedding and, thus, reduce viral load in patient and contagiousness.

• Glenmark Pharmaceuticals’ anti-viral favipiravir (Avigan) to be trialled in India & Japan to ship Avigan to 43 countries for further trials. Phase 2 & 3 trials already ongoing in some countries.

• Synairgen’s Interferon beta to prevent harmful lung damage trialled in UK

• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Pneumagen’s drug works by preventing the entry of viruses into lung cells. Hence, it may be of benefit against an array of airway viruses.

⊳ Vaccination

• Sinovac Biotech looking for phase 3 trial locations internationally

• Pfizer, BioNTech plan clinical trial start by end of May 2020

• European biotech collaboration planning clinical trials in summer 2020

• Oxford vaccine phase 1 trial has begun.

• Moderna: FDA IND application in late Apr for phase 2 trial & fast track designation in 1st half of May. Trial to start in summer 2020.

• US Operation Warp Speed focussing on 14 vaccine candidates. Aiming to start trials with > 100,000 volunteers in July 2020.

• Cytiva & Takara Bio to collaborate on manufacture of DNA vaccine. (Active immunisation approach that’s thought to be safer than the traditional approach of using weakened versions of the virus.)

⊳ Other news

• International regulators to cooperate on observational studies even after pandemic to share resources & trial data

• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish Tech Army to engage Scottish tech talent in response to COVID-19

Biotech

• PROVIREX received fresh support for its novel HIV therapy that aims to cut the virus out of the DNA in infected cells. [German]

• New investment for Dynamic42 who develop organ-on-chip systems, i.e. miniature organ models, for pre-clinical toxicity studies. This tech may reduce the need for animal testing and make human trials safer, too. [German]

Out and about

• Stop COVID-19 Hackathon, 13 Apr-11 May 2020

  Link to announcement of winners here.

• Ethereal Summit, 7 & 8 May 2020

  Chris @blue_steens

  "What we're talking about is not privacy-preserving technology but dignity-preserving technology.", Alex Cahana, @ConsenSysHealth chat at @EtherealSummit. Moderated by @hlflannery. #blockchain #blockchaininhealthcare #privacy #DataScience

  May 8th 2020

  1 Retweet3 Likes
  Chris @blue_steens

  Ethereal summit debate on #Ethereum ecosystem happening just now. developer as a valid #career choice. loads of focus on developers. an ecosystem has a variety of players/skills. what else is needed and valuable? not being discussed so far. also, heavy on #DeFi. @owocki

  May 8th 2020

  1 Like

• Women in Enterprise Blockchains [replay], 20 May 2020

  LinkedIn group here.

• MediLedger Webinar #3 - Contracts and Chargebacks: 3 Ways to Improve Customer & Eligibility Management [replay], 26 May 2020. Slides here.

• Blockchain & DLT in trade - a reality check [replay], 27 May 2020

  LinkedIn group here.

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In this newsletter I share personal views and observations only. For more information and the privacy policy visit Blue Steens.