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COVID-19: Several 'proxy wars' spawned by the pandemic

When Australia, India, Japan and the US — countries strategically allied under the so-called Quad (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) — switched focus to fighting COVID-19, it was seen as one more of the several 'proxy wars' spawned by the pandemic.

1 Apr 2021

Study discovers new target on SARS-CoV-2 spike for protective antibodies

Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute, USA, have described a potential target for COVID-19 vaccines. Dubbed as CC40.8 bnAb, it exhibited broad reactivity with human beta coronaviruses.

1 Apr 2021

Analysis finds low adherence to UK's test, trace, and isolate system

Levels of adherence to the UK’s test, trace, and isolate system and understanding of the main symptoms of covid-19 are low, particularly among men, younger age groups, people with a dependent child in the home, key workers, and those experiencing greater financial hardship, finds an analysis of online survey data published by The BMJ today.

1 Apr 2021

Researchers develop a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain trimer vaccine candidate

New research deals with the development of RBD trimer as a potent target for SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccines. This study revealed the development of a trimeric RBD subunit vaccine candidate that could induce strong humoral and cellular immune responses in nonhuman primates (NHPs), namely, rhesus macaques.

1 Apr 2021

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in pregnancy

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server shows that while pregnant women are seriously worried about their risk of contracting the infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but are also hesitant to take the vaccine.

1 Apr 2021

Antibodies produced from infection with SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 protect against other variants

A recent paper in the journal Nature shows that while earlier lineages do not elicit antibodies capable of efficiently neutralizing the newly emerged South African variant, SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 (B.1.351), the converse does occur.

31 Mar 2021

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine effective against B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant

Published in The Lancet, the study explores if the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine works well in protecting against the B.1.1.7 variant, otherwise known as the U.K. variant.

31 Mar 2021

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 from reinfected individuals with previous infection or vaccination

A technical report recently published by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has summarized all available literature regarding the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission from asymptomatic reinfected individuals with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination.

31 Mar 2021

Tamper-proof temperature indicator could help monitor ideal storage conditions of mRNA vaccines

Scientists have developed vaccines for COVID-19 with record speed. The first two vaccines widely distributed in the U.S. are mRNA-based and require ultracold storage (-70 C for one and -20 C for the other).

31 Mar 2021

Cancer patients treated with immunotherapy at high risk of developing thrombotic complications

In a study recently published in the leading journal "Blood", Florian Moik and Cihan Ay from the Division of Hematology and Hemastasology of the Department of Medicine I of MedUni Vienna/Vienna General Hospital, working in collaboration with the Division of Oncology, the Department of Dermatology and the dispensary of Vienna General Hospital, provided preliminary data on the incidence, risk factors and clinical outcomes of thrombotic complications in this new form of cancer treatment.

31 Mar 2021

New mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in vivo

Researchers report that a new lipid nanoparticle mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine candidate protected 70% of mice expressing the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), while all the non-vaccinated mice died.

31 Mar 2021

Researchers evaluate antibodies that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 RBD variants with a novel assay

A team of researchers recently discussed the potential role of a new assay in bridging a major gap in SARS-CoV-2 research. This assay can throw light on 1) the selection of complementary monoclonal antibody candidates and 2) rapid identification of the immune escape to emerging RBD variants following vaccination or natural infection.

31 Mar 2021

Infliximab may hinder the effectiveness of some COVID-19 vaccines

A new study reports reduced vaccine efficacy following the use of a single COVID-19 vaccine dose in people who are on the immunosuppressive monoclonal antibody Infliximab.

31 Mar 2021

Widely available drug reduces morbidity, mortality in COVID-19-infected mice

Mount Sinai researchers have found that a widely available and inexpensive drug targeting inflammatory genes has reduced morbidity and mortality in mice infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

31 Mar 2021

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective among front liners, CDC study shows

The study, published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), highlights the efficacy of mRNA vaccines in protecting against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

30 Mar 2021

Prime editing enables more precise correction of genetic problems than traditional CRISPR

The latest gene editing technology, prime editing, expands the "genetic toolbox" for more precisely creating disease models and correcting genetic problems, scientists say.

30 Mar 2021

Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at UCSF to advance psychedelics research and therapies

Psychedelics research in support of brain health is getting a major boost this month with the formation of the Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at the University of California, San Francisco.

30 Mar 2021

Researchers develop novel test that screens for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

A team of scientists from the United States has recently developed a single-tube duplex molecular assay for rapid detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants containing E484K and N501Y spike mutations.

30 Mar 2021

Single dose of Pfizer and Oxford vaccines shows 60% efficacy in elderly care home residents

A new study deals with the effect of two widely used vaccines in eliciting humoral immunity against the virus in this group. These are the Oxford/AstraZeneca viral-vectored vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19), and the Pfizer/BioNTech’s messenger RNA-based vaccine (BNT162b2). Both express the viral spike antigen, and both are currently being employed in the UK’s vaccination program.

30 Mar 2021

Researchers develop broadly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 ferritin nanoparticle vaccine

In the continued need for next-generation vaccines that confer broad protection against COVID-19, scientists developed an adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) vaccine.

30 Mar 2021

Efficacy News and Research

COVID-19: Several 'proxy wars' spawned by the pandemic

Study discovers new target on SARS-CoV-2 spike for protective antibodies

Analysis finds low adherence to UK's test, trace, and isolate system

Researchers develop a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain trimer vaccine candidate

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in pregnancy

Antibodies produced from infection with SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 protect against other variants

Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine effective against B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 from reinfected individuals with previous infection or vaccination

Tamper-proof temperature indicator could help monitor ideal storage conditions of mRNA vaccines

Cancer patients treated with immunotherapy at high risk of developing thrombotic complications

New mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in vivo

Researchers evaluate antibodies that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 RBD variants with a novel assay

Infliximab may hinder the effectiveness of some COVID-19 vaccines

Widely available drug reduces morbidity, mortality in COVID-19-infected mice

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective among front liners, CDC study shows

Prime editing enables more precise correction of genetic problems than traditional CRISPR

Neuroscape Psychedelics Division at UCSF to advance psychedelics research and therapies

Researchers develop novel test that screens for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Single dose of Pfizer and Oxford vaccines shows 60% efficacy in elderly care home residents

Researchers develop broadly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 ferritin nanoparticle vaccine

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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