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Today's Rundown

AstraZeneca starts 30K-subject U.S. phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial
HHS bids out massive $250M ad campaign to put hopeful spin on coronavirus pandemic: report
Cleveland Clinic posts $241M loss in first half of 2020 as patient revenue took a major hit
Vir, GSK's COVID-19 antibody starts rapid race through clinic
After another Kevzara fail in COVID-19, Sanofi and Regeneron shift their attention elsewhere
Biopharma roundup: Roche's Actema speeds recovery in small study; CanSino, Russia shots could stumble on vector immunity, experts say
Northwell Health estimates COVID-19 cost system $1.1B in first half of 2020
Regeneron, Roche's COVID-19 antibody cocktail could snare $6B in sales next year: analyst
Nocion grabs new CMO as it kicks off COVID-19 cough study
Analysis: Don't expect the full picture of COVID-19 coverage losses any time soon
AstraZeneca shells out up to $60M to reserve more coronavirus shot capacity with Oxford Biomedica

Featured Story

AstraZeneca starts 30K-subject U.S. phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial

By Nick Paul Taylor

AstraZeneca has begun a U.S. phase 3 clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate AZD1222. The BARDA-funded study will enroll 30,000 adults at sites in the U.S. and some other countries in which the virus is prevalent.

HHS bids out massive $250M ad campaign to put hopeful spin on coronavirus pandemic: report

By Beth Snyder Bulik

The Department of Health and Human Services plans to spend $250 million in media communications to “defeat despair and inspire hope” around the coronavirus pandemic, Politico reports. In a document sent to potential bidders, the agency detailed plans for a broad campaign across media and channels.

Cleveland Clinic posts $241M loss in first half of 2020 as patient revenue took a major hit

By Robert King

Cleveland clinic posted a $241 million operating loss in the first half of the year, the latest system to post losses due to the pandemic.

Vir, GSK's COVID-19 antibody starts rapid race through clinic

By Nick Paul Taylor

Vir Biotechnology and GlaxoSmithKline have begun dosing patients with a COVID-19 antibody in a phase 2/3 clinical trial. The study, which is expected to deliver data this year, is assessing whether the drug can prevent the hospitalization of high-risk patients recently infected with the coronavirus.

After another Kevzara fail in COVID-19, Sanofi and Regeneron shift their attention elsewhere

By Eric Sagonowsky

In yet another hit for IL-6 inhibitors in coronavirus treatment, Sanofi and Regeneron's Kevzara failed a study in hundreds of severe and critical patients. The partners are now pulling the plug on further COVID-19 research featuring that rheumatoid arthritis med, focusing instead on their individual vaccine and antibody projects.

Biopharma roundup: Roche's Actema speeds recovery in small study; CanSino, Russia shots could stumble on vector immunity, experts say

By Eric Sagonowsky, Angus Liu, Kyle Blankenship, Conor Hale, Fraiser Kansteiner

Sanofi and Regeneron quit research on Kevzara in COVID-19 after a phase 3 flop. Actemra sped up patients' recovery in a small study from Osaka University. COVAXX is developing a B- and T-Cell shot slated to enter human testing this summer. Plus, viral vector immunity could hamper the effects of Russia and Cansino's vaccines.

Northwell Health estimates COVID-19 cost system $1.1B in first half of 2020

By Robert King

New York-based hospital system Northwell Health estimates it has lost $1.1 billion due to the pandemic, and more losses could be on the way as patient volumes stagnate.

Regeneron, Roche's COVID-19 antibody cocktail could snare $6B in sales next year: analyst

By Angus Liu

Regeneron and recently signed-on partner Roche, with additional help from the National Institutes of Health, are leading the global race to develop antibody programs against COVID-19. By one analyst’s estimate, their candidate alone could bring in more sales next year than what Regeneron recorded for all of its products in 2019.

Nocion grabs new CMO as it kicks off COVID-19 cough study

By Amirah Al Idrus

Nocion Therapeutics has a new chief medical officer, and not a moment too soon. Christopher Silber, M.D., arrives as the company pushes its first program into the clinic: an inhaled treatment for chronic and acute cough that could come in handy against COVID-19. Suppressing coughs could help curb the spread of the disease, while also treating a symptom that can be debilitating.

Analysis: Don't expect the full picture of COVID-19 coverage losses any time soon

By Paige Minemyer

While a number of studies aim to estimate the impact of COVID-19, the full extent of any coverage losses will likely not be understood until next year, a new analysis shows.

AstraZeneca shells out up to $60M to reserve more coronavirus shot capacity with Oxford Biomedica

By Kyle Blankenship

After a wave of supply deals, British drugmaker AstraZeneca is working to secure enough capacity to meet what could be a 3 billion-dose demand for its COVID-19 vaccine front-runner. To hit that lofty goal, AstraZeneca needs partners—and the company is tightening its embrace with one of them to help keep up.

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