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Today's Rundown

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'Very soon,' says Johnson & Johnson CEO as world waits for its COVID-19 vaccine data

J&J is in the “final stages” of data analysis for its phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial, CEO Alex Gorsky said Monday. And that could be a "game-changer," as Operation Warp Speed's Moncef Slaoui recently put it. The company's one-dose regimen could accelerate and simplify a faltering immunization push.

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Feds plan to release 2nd COVID-19 vaccine doses, expand eligibility amid criticism of rollout

The Trump administration sought to speed up distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine by recommending states expand eligibility and release all doses that have been held back to ensure a second dose.

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Novartis CMO Tsai on how the pandemic is changing the face of biopharma R&D, how pharma works

This time last year, the life science world descended into San Francisco for the 2020 J. P. Morgan healthcare conference, doing the normal things like blowing a whole year’s budget in one day for a hotel room, shaking hands, doing deals and, if you’re like us, asking questions.

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Regeneron execs say 'it's a problem' how few COVID-19 patients are getting antibody treatments

To Regeneron, there’s no question about it: “We as a society have to do a much better job” of getting antibody therapies—such as the company’s own—to patients, R&D chief George Yancopoulos said Monday at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

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Gilead's Veklury, now used in half of hospitalized U.S. COVID-19 patients, delivers multibillion-dollar revenue bump

Gilead unveiled a surprise Monday: It enjoyed a bigger-than-expected sales boost from COVID-19 therapy Veklury, better known as remdesivir. But what changed since October, when Gilead last predicted 2020 sales? Hospitalizations are up fourfold—and Veklury use is way up, too.

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CVS making 'good progress' in administering COVID-19 vaccines in nursing homes, Lynch says

CVS Health is on schedule in administering COVID-19 vaccines in long-term care facilities, incoming CEO Karen Lynch said Tuesday.

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COVID-19 nasal spray starts clinical development in the U.K.

U.K. physicians have begun clinical development of a nasal spray designed to prevent infection with the coronavirus and treat mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. The spray delivers nitric oxide into the nasal passages to destroy the virus at a site it uses to enter the body and begin replicating.

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Steris snaps up infection prevention gear provider Cantel Medical for $4.6B

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Steris has moved to acquire Cantel Medical in a $4.6 billion deal for its infection prevention portfolio.

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CES features pandemic-focused innovation like touchless tech, COVID detection stickers — and smart bathrooms

While the all-virtual CES 2021 is not as glitzy as Vegas conferences, there's no shortage of digital health and wellness products this year. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have inspired new products designed to support digital living as consumers spend more time at home.

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Biopharma roundup—EMA cyber attack leaks COVID data online

COVID-related documents and data were leaked online after a December cyber attack on the European Medicines Agency. Valneva is in talks to provide 60 million vaccine doses to the EU. A third coronavirus variant has emerged in Japan. Plus, Regeneron wants to get its antibody cocktail out to more patients.

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Moderna could join top vaccine players by sales this year, CEO says

When J.P. Morgan hosted its healthcare conference last year, Moderna was a clinical-stage biotech with promising technology and big ambitions. What a difference a year makes. By the time 2021 is said and done, Moderna might be among the top vaccine players by revenue, CEO Stéphane Bancel said in an interview.

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Will the first COVID-19 vaccines deter future launches? Not at all, experts say

Typically in drug and vaccine development, first-to-market products command a big advantage that can deter follow-up products. Not so with COVID-19 vaccines, experts said Tuesday. There’s still plenty of need for new entrants, and some could bring their own advantages.

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Novavax taps Baxter for commercial production as COVID-19 vaccine nears finish line

Novavax tapped Baxter BioPharma Solutions to support commercial-scale vaccine manufacturing at its facility in Halle, Germany. Once manufacturing work kicks off, Baxter will be on deck to crank out supplies for the European and U.K. markets, the companies said.

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Lilly, Moderna, insitro CEOs say pandemic forced R&D, marketing and ops changes worth keeping

A prime example of the pandemic's complete overhaul of biopharma's work life is the first-ever virtual format of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. But there are plenty of others—and biopharma CEOs are saying this week that the industry will adopt some of those changes for good. 

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