Reuters Health News Summary
Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
Novavax expects to produce 150 million vaccine doses per month as early as May: CEO
Novavax Inc expects to produce up to 150 million COVID-19 vaccine doses monthly by May or June, its chief executive told Reuters on Friday, a day after reporting interim data that showed its shot to be 89% effective in a UK trial. Novavax expects to complete the clinical trial for its experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the next few weeks, but is already working on manufacturing to be able to reach full production capacity quickly, Chief Executive Officer Stanley Erck said.
J&J vaccine adds to COVID-19 armoury, includes South African variant
Johnson & Johnson said on Friday that its single-dose vaccine was 66% effective in preventing COVID-19 in a large global trial against multiple variants, giving health officials another weapon to tackle the pandemic. In the trial of nearly 44,000 volunteers, the level of protection against moderate and severe COVID-19 varied from 72% in the United States, to 66% in Latin America and just 57% in South Africa, from where a worrying variant has spread.
U.S. FDA extends review period for Biogen's Alzheimer's drug to June
Biogen Inc and partner Eisai Co Ltd said on Friday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has extended the review period for their experimental Alzheimer's disease treatment by three months from March. Biogen's shares rose about 10% as the FDA extension raised some hopes that the drug may still be approved despite a panel of experts to the FDA voting against it in November.
U.S. likely to start COVID-19 vaccination in children by late spring or early summer - Fauci
The United States will likely start vaccinating children by late spring or early summer, top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Friday, as studies are underway to test the safety and effectiveness of Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccines in children under 16. "Over the next couple of months, we will be doing trials in an age de-escalation manner so that hopefully by the time we get to the late spring and early summer we will have children being able to be vaccinated according to the FDA guidance," Fauci said, speaking at a White House press briefing.
Hungary signs deal for Chinese Sinopharm's COVID-19 vaccine, first in EU
Hungary became the European Union's first member to approve China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, sealing a deal on Friday for 5 million doses just a week after becoming the first EU member to buy Russia's Sputnik V vaccine. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose nationalist government frequently bucks the consensus of its EU neighbours, said he would personally opt to receive the Chinese vaccine, as he trusted it more than others.
EU Commission gives final approval to Astrazeneca vaccine
The European Commission gave approval on Friday for the use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca, the final step to allowing Europe to use it across the continent. "I expect the company to deliver the 400 million doses as agreed," Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission wrote on Twitter.
At Oklahoma COVID ward, staff fight to prevent lonely deaths
The patient alarms ping constantly in the COVID-19 ward at a hospital in Oklahoma City, signaling to pulmonologist Dr. Syed Naqvi and the rest of the ICU team that yet another person needs help. The sheer volume is exhausting, Naqvi said, but the emotional toll is even more draining, given that each time he puts a patient on a ventilator he knows there is little chance that person will recover.
EU restricts vaccine supply to Northern Ireland, UK considering response
The European Union moved on Friday to restrict exports of COVID-19 vaccines into Northern Ireland by overriding parts of the Brexit deal's Protocol, sparking widespread anger from politicians in the British province. Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster described as "an incredible act of hostility" the decision by the EU to invoke Article 16 of the Northern Irish Protocol, which allows Britain or the EU to take unilateral action if there is an unexpected negative effect arising from the agreement.
Empty halls, cancelled shots: France's COVID vaccine rollout falters
Renaud Georges was days from receiving his first coronavirus vaccine shot, an injection he hoped would allow him to hug his grandchildren for the first time in months. Then he received a text message informing him the appointment was cancelled. "It's a massive disappointment," he said. "For us the vaccine is the only way out of this miserable crisis."
AstraZeneca CEO Soriot says manufacturing glitches unavoidable
Glitches and delays in the manufacturing of coronavirus vaccines are inevitable given the speed at which they have been developed, AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot told a news briefing on Friday. Soriot said he would not comment on a dispute with the European Union over supplies, seeking to focus instead on the regulatory approval for the vaccine granted on Friday by the European Medicines Agency.
