According to Business Insider, cases of COVID-19 and deaths attributed to it are rising rapidly. The pandemic was officially declared on March 10th, just about one month ago. At the time of this article, there are over 1.6 million positive cases of coronavirus across the globe, with 368,000 recoveries and over 100,000 deaths.
In a time of turmoil, the medical community is taking on a huge burden: protecting patients, while also finding ways to prevent COVID-19 from blowing up even further. Previously, PatientWorthy’s Kendall Mason explored some of the companies already working on vaccines. Now, even more providers are leading the charge.
Coronavirus Vaccines
Pfizer
Pfizer is working with BioNTech to develop a coronavirus vaccine utilizing messenger RNA (mRNA) for more targeted treatment. The pair hope to start a human trial of the COVID-19 vaccine in April, and aim to produce the vaccine before the end of 2020. On its own, CNBC reports that Pfizer is also looking to create an antiviral for patients showing early signs of COVID-19.
Sanofi
Sanofi partnered with biotech company Translate Bio to create a mRNA vaccine. Trials for both will not occur until 2021. However, if eventually developed, the company could produce up to 600 million yearly doses. In the interim, Sanofi is donating 100 million doses of hydroxychloroquine.
Johnson & Johnson
As the largest global healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson is committed to changing the course of COVID-19. They plan to start testing their vaccine in September, and could gain emergency clearance for vaccine use by the start of 2021. After using $500 million for manufacturing, J&J aims to produce at least 1 billion vaccine doses by the close of 2021.
Inovio Pharmaceuticals
Biotech company Inovio has already started testing a coronavirus vaccine in Pennsylvania and Missouri using forty volunteers. The company’s research is funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They hope to produce at least 1 million doses by the end of 2020.
Coronavirus Treatments (Antibodies)
Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly joined forces with monoclonal antibody specialist AbCellera in March. Within the last month, AbCellera used blood from a recovered coronavirus patient to identify 500 potential antibodies that could protect against COVID-19. The pair will work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on research and hope to start testing antibody treatment by July.
Regeneron
Antibody specialist Regeneron is creating an antibody-based solution to reduce coronavirus infections in high-risk populations, such as healthcare workers or those in the rare disease community. With antibody treatments, the therapy creates a protein that attacks the virus and stops its growth. In addition to testing Kevzara, a monoclonal antibody treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, for COVID-19, Regeneron wants to produce 200,000 monthly doses of antibody treatment after an early summer clinical trial. Kevzara has shown promise in reducing inflammation caused by COVID-19.
Amgen and Adaptive Biotechnologies
Amgen, a pharmaceuticals expert, will collaborate with Adaptive Biotechnologies to form an antibody treatment for patients with COVID-19. On the side, Adaptive is analyzing blood samples from patients with coronavirus to understand why some patients experience severe immune responses. Their findings will be made freely available.
Coronavirus Treatments (mRNAs)
Moderna
Moderna’s experimental vaccine, which has gone through virus sequencing to patient testing in two months, is now being tested on volunteers in Washington and Georgia. Though the vaccine is not FDA-approved, they hope to determine its safety and efficacy by the end of spring, and have it available in fall of 2020.
Coronavirus Treatments (Plasma)
Takeda
Takeda is testing whether the blood of recovered coronavirus patients can be used to boost the immune response of patients with recent infections. By providing patients with TAK-888, blood plasma with COVID-19 antibodies, the antibodies would help patients fight the virus. Unfortunately, their therapy will not be available for 9 to 18 months.
Emergent BioSolutions
For 22 years, Emergent has worked to formulate solutions to public health emergencies. As such, they are uniquely poised to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. They aim to start testing their two drug candidates by the end of summer. The first will study blood taken from horses immunized for COVID-19, while the other will study plasma from recovered patients.
Coronavirus Treatments (Other)
Roche
Roche is currently looking to test Actemra, their arthritis drug, for patients with severe coronavirus infections. As Actemra works to soothe inflammation, researchers are looking to study whether it will mitigate the immune response from COVID-19 leading to pneumonia and hospitalization.
Novartis
Novartis is currently testing hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus treatment. If helpful, Novartis will donate 130 million doses. Additionally, they are conducting a late-stage clinical trial on anti-inflammatory drug Jafaki to see if it can reduce the severe immune reaction some coronavirus patients experience.
Gilead Sciences
The antiviral drug remdesivir was called “the most promising candidate” for coronavirus treatment by the World Health Organization and also received Orphan Drug Designation. Currently, there are five clinical trials on remdesivir. If the drug is found to be effective, the company is prepared to treat 140,000 patients now, with up to 1 million treatments given in 2020.
Karyopharm
Karyopharm is looking to begin a global randomized study on over 200 patients to test whether Xpovio, which treats multiple myeloma, could also benefit patients with COVID-19. The study will start within the next 2 weeks.