What We’re Reading: Covax Update; Lockdown in Argentina; Leronlimab Not Effective for COVID-19

WHO’s Covax Facility Facing Vaccine Supply Shortages

A collaboration from the World Health Organization (WHO); Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Covax may be unable to meet its goal of supplying 20% of populations from the world’s 92 poorest countries with free COVID-19 vaccine doses by year-end as promised. Reported by The Wall Street Journal, despite deals with Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax, Covax’s main supplier in India, the Serum Institute, is unable to export any doses at present, having been blocked by that country’s government, which wants to focus on vaccinating its citizens as it endures a surge of the deadly virus.

Argentina in Lockdown as It Faces Skyrocketing Death Toll

New coronavirus infections have topped 35,000 for 3 straight days in Argentina, accompanied by a skyrocketing number of deaths, reports The Associated Press. On Tuesday alone, there were 745 deaths and 35,543 new cases, breaking the nation’s previous daily records for both. The current lockdown will last through May 31, with President Alberto Fernández promising economic aid to areas affected by these new restrictions, as well as 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines.

Leronlimab Not Effective Against COVID-19

The monoclonal antibody leronlimab, from CytoDyn, failed to meet its primary end point or any of its secondary end points in 2 trials—CD10 and CD12—prompting the FDA to note that “data currently available do not support the clinical benefit of leronlimab for the treatment of COVID-19.” Data from CD10 show no difference in symptom resolution between the study and placebo groups, meaning both saw symptoms resolve no matter which agent they received, whereas in CD12 mortality rates from both groups were close to equal, at 20.5% in the leronlimab group and 21.6% in the placebo group.