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Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email.On Thursday, AstraZeneca and Regeneron reported data on the effectiveness of their COVID-19 antibody treatments against the omicron variant of the virus. Regeneron’s therapy, REGEN-COV, is less effective against omicron, though is still active against the delta variant, confirming indications from lab tests and computer modelling late last month. AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail, Evusheld, retained neutralizing activity against omicron, according to the lab study results. Earlier last week, researchers also announced that Eli Lilly’s antibody treatment lost effectiveness against omicron in lab tests, while GSK-Vir Biotechnology’s antibody treatment retained neutralizing activity against all tested coronavirus variants, including omicron. The omicron variant has been detected in 77 countries since it was first identified three weeks ago, driving concerns that its large number of mutations could help it evade protection by COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.A new needle-free COVID-19 vaccine to protect against future virus variants is being tested in the United Kingdom, researchers announced last week. The DIOS-CoVax vaccine, developed by scientists at Cambridge University, is administered through spring-powered jet injection and uses predictive methods to mimic the wider family of coronavirus antigens with the goal of providing more protection than existing vaccines. The trial, which will include participants aged 18 to 50, is a first step toward a universal coronavirus vaccine to protect people from COVID-19 variants and future coronaviruses—a vital part of next-generation vaccine candidates to help protect the world from the next virus threats, according to a researcher involved in its development.An antimalarial drug in development by Zydus Cadila in partnership with the Medicines for Malaria Venture received orphan drug designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Thursday. The designation makes the drug eligible for certain development incentives, including tax credits for qualified clinical testing, prescription drug user fee exemptions, and seven-year marketing exclusivity upon FDA approval. The drug, ZY19489, is a novel antimalarial compound that combats all current clinical strains of P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria, including drug-resistant strains. A phase 1 study indicated the drug has a long half-life and potential as a single-dose cure for malaria.

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email.The world remains unprepared to respond to future pandemics, warns the Global Health Security (GHS) Index report released last week assessing the efforts of 195 countries. The index, based on public information, measured each country’s ability to prevent, detect, and respond to health emergencies in 2021 along with other factors, like public confidence in government. The average country score for 2021 was 38.9 out of a possible 100, similar to that of the first GHS Index in 2019, and no country scored above 75.9. The report outlines key findings—most notably that all countries remain dangerously unprepared for meeting future epidemic and pandemic threats, despite many countries being able to quickly develop capacities to address COVID-19—and offers recommendations to use this opportunity to make new capacities more durable for further long-term gains in preparedness.The US Agency for International Development on Monday announced the creation of the Initiative for Global Vaccine Access, or Global VAX, a new initiative to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination efforts around the world. Global VAX will aim to get COVID-19 shots into arms as well as enhance international coordination to identify and rapidly overcome access barriers, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. These efforts will include bolstering cold chain supply and logistics, service delivery, vaccine confidence and demand, human resources, data and analytics, local planning, and vaccine safety and effectiveness. The US government will supply $400 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to support this work, adding to the $1.3 billion that has been previously committed for vaccine readiness.An experimental mRNA-based HIV vaccine showed promise in early animal studies, according to study results published Thursday. The research, conducted by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Moderna, and other institutions, showed the vaccine was safe and prompted antibody and cellular immune responses against an HIV-like virus in mice and monkeys. Rhesus macaques that received a priming shot followed by multiple boosters had a 79 percent lower per-exposure risk of infection by simian-human immunodeficiency virus compared to unvaccinated animals. The mRNA vaccine, which uses the same technology deployed in two effective COVID-19 vaccines, combines several features that could help overcome shortcomings of other experimental HIV vaccines, according to NIAID.

The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) today honored Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA) for their leadership in supporting global health research and development (R&D) with its 2021 Innovating for Impact Awards, which celebrate the US policymakers and partnerships driving global health innovation. GHTC also recognized Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360) for its work advancing innovations to end preventable newborn deaths. “As our comeback from the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, strong investments in public health research and development are a cornerstone of the American economy and a benefit to communities around the world,” Senator Wicker said in accepting the award. Senator Wicker, who founded and co-chairs the Senate Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and serves on the Armed Services Committee, was honored with a Congressional Champion Award for his long-standing work to advance policies and funding to combat global health challenges, including efforts to pass the End NTDs Act and protect Army and Navy malaria research programs.  GHTC also recognized Congressman Bera, who is a leader on the Foreign Affairs Committee, co-chair of the Tuberculosis Caucus, and a founding member of the Global Health R&D Congressional Working Group, with a Congressional Champion Award, for his determined leadership to strengthen global health security and his work pushing the US government to robustly support the international COVID-19 response, including by funding the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and other globally focused research efforts. “It’s my honor to accept this award,” Congressman Bera said, “I look forward to continuing to work to make the world a healthier, kinder place in the 21st century.” Additionally, GHTC honored NEST360 with its Partnership Award. NEST360 is an international alliance working to end preventable newborn deaths in African hospitals by developing and sustainably scaling up a package of hospital care including a comprehensive bundle of affordable, fit-for-purpose innovations to improve the care of small and sick newborns, along with training and implementation resources. Born out of the labs of the Rice University Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, and Malawi University of Science and Technology and fueled by the support of funders, including the US Agency for International Development and its Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenge Program, NEST360 is comprised today of experts from 15 leading organizations.   Deploying a comprehensive health systems approach that combines the development, testing, and validation of health technologies with distribution systems, training, and resources to support their use, NEST360 has advanced numerous game-changing devices, from a low-cost CPAP to help babies breathe to a battery-operated jaundice detector, and achieved significant progress in transforming newborn care. Since its founding in 2017, NEST360 partners have collaborated with governments to implement services in 65 hospitals across four African countries, train 10,000 medical professionals, and deliver more than 2,300 newborn technologies. These NEST360 facilities support the delivery of 500,000 newborns and the specialized care of 90,000 small and sick newborns annually. “We are honored to receive this award, which recognizes the work we do with our alliance members, funders, and partners to advance innovations to end preventable newborn deaths in African hospitals,” said Maria Oden, Co-Principal Investigator of NEST360. “No baby should die needlessly, and no parent should have to suffer the loss of a child because the intervention needed is not available. The NEST360 alliance remains dedicated to working with governments to drive sustainable solutions to overcome the barriers that stand in the way of quality newborn health care.” While GHTC’s Innovating for Impact Awards were previously presented in person at a recognition dinner in Washington, DC, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 awards were unveiled via an online multimedia campaign. “GHTC is thrilled to honor Senator Wicker, Congressman Bera, and the NEST360 alliance with our Innovating for Impact Awards,” said Jamie Bay Nishi, director of GHTC. “The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored for all of us just how important health technologies, smart policymaking, and multisector partnerships are to confronting global health challenges. We’re delighted to be recognizing the outstanding work of our honorees who are driving innovation to advance health equity globally.” Global health R&D is vital to conquering the world’s greatest health challenges and to building a safer, healthier world for all. Now in their fifth year, the Innovating for Impact Awards celebrate US commitment to global health R&D and honor the multisector partnerships and policymakers helping to transform breakthrough scientific research into lifesaving technologies for unmet global health challenges.