GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and CureVac will partner to accelerate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine production; new data show 76% efficacy for Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine; 1 million vaccine doses will be sent to 6500 pharmacies.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that German biotech firm CureVac will help to both produce 100 million additional doses of its current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and jointly produce a new vaccine to target variants of the virus, reports STAT. A target delivery date of 2022 is projected for the newest vaccine. This is the latest of several partnerships meant to accelerate delivery of vaccines to fight the pandemic. Sanofi and Novartis both announced last week that they are partnering with BioNTech/Pfizer, and CureVac, which is still trialing its mRNA vaccine, has enlisted Bayer’s help.
Interim study results of ChAdOx1 nCoV-10 (AZD1222), published in The Lancet, show a 76% efficacy rate at 3 months after just 1 dose of the experimental vaccine from Oxford University. Antibody results were also shown to have remained consistent in the 3-month follow-up period, at which time efficacy increased to 82.4% following a booster dose, and there was a lesser likelihood of disease transmission, according to The Washington Post. Phase 3 efficacy trials of the potential vaccine are underway in the United Kingdom and Brazil, and phase 1/2 clinical trials are ongoing in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The investigators hope to establish a similar plan if the vaccine is approved, with the booster dose being delivered 12 weeks after the initial dose.
By next week, nationwide pharmacies that include CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, and several supermarket chains could receive 1 million doses of available COVID-19 vaccines, according to The Associated Press. Eligibility will be determined, however, by state and local guidelines, with one of the top priorities being minority communities, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. CVS alone will receive a quarter of these doses for 11 states.
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
What We’re Reading: Abortion Privacy Rules; Alzheimer Drug Hurdles; Nursing Home Staffing Overhaul
April 23rd 2024New health privacy rules aim to protect patients and providers in an evolving abortion landscape; some physicians express concerns about efficacy, risks, and entrenched beliefs in treating Alzheimer disease; CMS addresses longstanding staffing deficits in nursing homes.
Read More
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Survey Results Reveal Potential Factors Slowing the Decline in Cardiovascular Mortality Rate
April 23rd 2024Research indicated that worsened glycemic, blood pressure, and obesity control, as well as increased alcohol consumption, leveled lipid control, and persistent socioeconomic disparities may have contributed to the decelerated cardiovascular mortality decline in recent years.
Read More
Award-Winning Poster Presentations From AMCP 2024
April 23rd 2024At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting, multiple poster presentations concerned with health equity, data collection, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, and more were acknowledged for their originality, relevance, clarity, bias, and quality.
Read More