Tag: France

Sanofi’s pompe disease therapy adopted for positive opinion by the European Medicines Agency

Frank

FRANCE – The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion for Sanofi’s avalglucosidase alfa,a long-term enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of people with Pompe disease. CHMP’s positive opinion and recommended indication reflect the robust data from avalglucosidase alfa’s clinical development program. The positive opinion is based on data from the Phase 3 COMET study, which found that avalglucosidase alfa showed clinically meaningful improvements in respiratory function and movement endurance measures in people with late-onset Pompe disease. Avalglucosidase alfa is…

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Coave Therapeutics receives €33m (US$39m) worth of funding to help execute its corporate strategy

Frank

FRANCE – Coave Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has received funding worth US$39m from eureKARE , a pioneering new company focused on financing and building next generation biotechnology companies, during a series B round. The financing was led by Seroba Life Sciences, supported by new investors Théa Open Innovation and eureKARE alongside existing shareholders Fund+, Omnes Capital, V-Bio Ventures, Kurma Partners, Idinvest, GO Capital, and Sham Innovation Santé/Turenne. Coave Therapeutics will use the proceeds from this fundraising to support the execution of its corporate strategy that involves the advancements of…

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Valneva, Pfizer set to rollout phase 2 trials of its Lyme disease vaccine candidate

Frank

WORLD – Valneva, a specialty vaccine company for infectious diseases, and Pfizer, have completed their recruitment for the phase 2 trials, VLA15-221, of Lyme disease vaccine candidate, VLA15. The trial builds on previous positive Phase 2 trials and includes both adult and pediatric participants with the aim to support acceleration of the vaccine candidate’s pediatric program.  Under the recruitment program, a total of 625 participants, 5 to 65 years of age, have been randomized in the Phase 2 trial to receive VLA15 at Month 0-2-6 or Month 0-6. VLA15-221 is…

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WHO urges China to be more cooperative as its probes to identify COVID-19 origin

Frank

WORLD – World Health Organization (WHO) is planning to rollout its next investigation phase to probe the origin of COVID-19 and it has urged China to be more cooperative during this next phase in reference to providing more raw data. The WHO chief, Tedros, said that the organization is laying the groundwork for moving forward with fresh investigations into where Covid-19 came from following a previous attempt that saw WHO send a team of international experts who expressed lack of data as a hinderance into the investigation. Tedros also added…

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USA conducts its first artificial heart implant using Carmat’s Aeson

Frank

FRANCE – Carmat, the designer and developer of the world’s most advanced total artificial heart, has had the first implantation of its bioprosthetic artificial heart, Aeson in the United States within the framework of the Early Feasibility Study (EFS). The implant procedure was performed by a team led by Dr. Jacob N. Schroder and Dr. Carmelo A. Milano, heart surgeons at Duke University Hospital, in Durham, North Carolina. It is the first U.S. hospital to implant Aeson within the framework of the EFS. Three additional U.S. centers are fully trained…

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Tunisia listed as red zone by France amid rise in COVID-19 cases

Frank

TUNISIA – Tunisia is classified by France as a “red zone” country from July 16 due to the worsening COVID-19 situation, the French Embassy in Tunisia has said. Placing Tunisia on the “red zone” list means unvaccinated Tunisians will not be able to enter France without a compelling reason, Gabriel Attal, the spokesman of the French government, was quoted as saying in a statement released by the French embassy. A negative PCR test for COVID-19 of less than 48 hours will be required at the entrance to French territory and…

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Lancet oncology says that one in ever twenty-five global cancer cases is as a result of alcohol consumption

Frank

FRANCE – According to a new study by Lancet Oncology, alcohol consumption is attributed to 4% of cancer reported patients globally in 2020. The study also highlighted that men accounted for more than three quarters of the estimated cases, which were mainly linked to risky or heavy drinking, although one in seven of these alcohol-related cancers were linked to moderate consumption of around two drinks a day. It further relayed that alcohol consumption was linked to the more than 6.3 million cases of mouth, pharynx, voice box larynx, oesophageal, colon,…

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Kenya receives over 182,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from France

Frank

KENYA – Over 182,000 vaccine doses donated by France to the COVAX facility have arrived in Kenya through UNICEF. The AstraZeneca vaccine shots will help provide second doses for health workers, teachers and other essential workers. “We have recently embarked on vaccinating our people for the second dose, so this comes at a critical time. It will ensure our health workers, teachers and other essential workers are protected, and that our health centers countrywide can continue providing vital care to people affected by COVID-19,” Dr Willis Akhwale, the Ministry of…

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Médecins Sans Frontieres boosts efforts in Brazil against COVID-19 pandemic

Frank

BRAZIL – Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), a French humanitarian non-governmental organization, has doubled its efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil as experts warn that a third wave of the pandemic is yet to come. The state was among the worst hit countries globally and it is expected to experience worse with growing concerns about the onset of the cold weather. Despite all this, the state and its citizens remain skeptical to proven scientific facts on how to help mitigate the spread of the virus, they do not practice nor…

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Sanofi plans to invest in ‘center of excellence’ that focuses on mRNA vaccines

Frank

FRANCE- The French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has announced its plan to invest US$475.4m into a new facility focused on solely on the development and delivery of next-generation mRNA-based vaccines. The new mRNA ‘center of excellence’ is expected to employ approximately 400 new staff members in a bid to integrate end-to-end mRNA vaccine capabilities. This investment will see Sanofi bringing together dedicated research & development, digital and chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) teams, working across sites based in the US and France. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA technologies demonstrated potential to…

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