October 11, 2021
Life Sciences
  • Merck & Co. and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP said they asked the FDA to authorize their COVID-19 antiviral pill, which curbed hospitalizations and deaths in a late-stage study. According to Merck CEO Robert Davis, the “extraordinary impact of this pandemic demands that we move with unprecedented urgency.” Federal regulators could greenlight the drug, molnupiravir, within weeks. (Articles here, here, here, here, and here)
  • AstraZeneca PLC said its antibody cocktail cut the risk of severe COVID-19 or death by half among patients with mild or moderate symptoms in a clinical trial. The drug was also highly effective at preventing symptomatic illness in high-risk patients. AstraZeneca said it will submit the data for peer review. (Articles here, here, and here)