Reuters Health News Summary

The Anglo-Swedish company unexpectedly announced on Friday it would cut supplies to the EU of its vaccine candidate in the first quarter of this year, a move that a senior EU official told Reuters meant a 60% reduction to 31 million doses for the bloc. Regeneron's antibody cocktail effective in preventing COVID-19 infection: study Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Tuesday its antibody cocktail was effective in preventing COVID-19 in people exposed to those infected with the new coronavirus, based on interim results from a late-stage study.


Reuters | Updated: 26-01-2021 18:32 IST | Created: 26-01-2021 18:32 IST
Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. WHO experts issue recommendations on Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

A World Health Organization (WHO) panel of experts recommended on Tuesday that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine be given in two doses at an interval of 28 days, which could be extended under exceptional circumstances to 42 days. The WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, known as SAGE, issued a series of recommendations on Moderna, several weeks after issuing their guidance on the rival Pfizer shot. Lilly antibody combo therapy cuts risk of COVID-19 deaths

Eli Lilly and Co said on Tuesday treatment with a combination of two of its antibodies helped significantly reduce risk of hospitalizations and death due to COVID-19 in a late-stage trial. The results from over 1,000 participants of the study, which is testing the combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab, show there were 11 COVID-19-related hospitalizations and deaths in patients taking therapy and 36 events in patients taking placebo, representing a 70% risk reduction, the company said. Grim milestone for Indonesia as coronavirus cases pass 1 million mark

Indonesia surpassed a million confirmed coronavirus cases on Tuesday, a grim milestone for the Southeast Asian nation that has struggled since last March to get its COVID-19 epidemic under control. The world's fourth-most-populous country has recorded 1,012,350 cases, with the average daily increase running above 11,000 for more than a week, according to official data. Johnson & Johnson promises 2021 profit jump, vaccine data 'soon'

Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday forecast 2021 profit above Wall Street estimates and promised data from its widely watched coronavirus vaccine trial soon, as the healthcare conglomerate races to develop a potential single-dose vaccine for COVID-19. Separately, J&J chief financial officer told CNBC that the company was expecting data sometime next week and was optimistic that it would be robust.

Stick to your word, EU tells vaccine makers, as supply chains wobble Europe urged pharmaceutical companies on Tuesday to stand by their word in supplying coronavirus vaccines amid a series of delivery cuts and delays, as hopes for a quick fix to COVID-19 slowly crumble into recrimination. The world has hailed the super-fast development of vaccines as the best chance of escaping the year-long pandemic, which has killed more than 2.1 million people, anxious to reboot economies and restart travel by the European summer.]

What you need to know about the coronavirus right now Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Germany backs EU vaccine curbs

WHO issues new clinical advice on treating COVID-19 patients The World Health Organization (WHO) issued fresh clinical advice on Tuesday for treating COVID-19 patients, including those displaying persistent symptoms after recovery, and also said it advised using low-dose anti-coagulants to prevent blood clots. "The other things in the guidance that are new are that COVID-19 patients at home should have the use of pulse oximetry, that's measuring the oxygen levels, so you can identify whether somewhat at home is deteriorating and would be better off having hospital care," WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a U.N. briefing in Geneva.

California eases lockdowns as state's COVID-19 crisis ebbs California eased strict COVID-19 stay-at-home orders on Monday, allowing restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining and greater social mixing as state public health officials cited slowing rates of coronavirus infections and hospitalizations. The announcement marked the most tangible sign yet that California, which emerged in recent months as a leading U.S. hotspot of the COVID-19 pandemic, has moved beyond the worst days of a crisis that pushed much of its healthcare system to the breaking point.

Exclusive: Astra offers small concession, EU pleads for UK-made shots amid vaccine row - sources AstraZeneca has offered to bring forward some deliveries of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union while the bloc has asked the British drugmaker if it can divert doses from the UK to make up for a shortfall in supplies, European officials told Reuters. The Anglo-Swedish company unexpectedly announced on Friday it would cut supplies to the EU of its vaccine candidate in the first quarter of this year, a move that a senior EU official told Reuters meant a 60% reduction to 31 million doses for the bloc.

Regeneron's antibody cocktail effective in preventing COVID-19 infection: study Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Tuesday its antibody cocktail was effective in preventing COVID-19 in people exposed to those infected with the new coronavirus, based on interim results from a late-stage study. The two-antibody cocktail, REGEN-COV, caused a 100% reduction in symptomatic infection and roughly 50% lower overall rates of infection, based on an analysis of about 400 participants in the trial who had a household member with COVID-19.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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