Research Roundup: Novavax vaccine data, a patent-free vaccine, and HIV treatment for children

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.A World Health Organization (WHO) panel on Thursday recommended the use of two additional drugs, baricitinib and sotrovimab, for COVID-19 patients. Baricitinib, developed by Eli Lilly and sold under the brand name Olumiant, was recommended in combination with corticosteroids for patients with severe COVID-19. WHO experts cited evidence indicating that baricitinib—an oral drug also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis—improves survival rate and reduces the need for ventilation, with no observed increase in adverse effects. Sotrovimab, a monoclonal antibody therapy developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology, was conditionally endorsed for non-severe patients at the highest risk of hospitalization. Studies on the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies against the omicron variant are ongoing, though the GSK-Vir treatment has been shown to retain its activity in initial lab tests.An mRNA-based HIV vaccine candidate developed at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) showed promise in preclinical studies, new research shows. The experimental vaccine works by delivering instructions for making two key HIV proteins, which are then assembled into virus-like particles that induce immune responses similar to natural HIV infection. NIAID tested the vaccine in mice and rhesus macaques, results of which showed the injections were well-tolerated and elicited immune responses against an HIV-like virus. The research team plans to conduct a phase 1 trial of the novel mRNA HIV vaccine in healthy adult volunteers after further refinement and testing.Researchers at UCLA have made progress in efforts to develop a cure for HIV by targeting infected cells that could be lying dormant in the body, according to a study published in Nature Communications last week. In the new study, researchers built upon a method originally developed in 2017 to kill hidden HIV-infected cells using cells that are naturally produced by the body’s immune system. The study used the “kick and kill” strategy, with researchers first administering a compound to flush out hidden HIV-infected cells, then injecting natural killer cells into a mice’s bloodstream. This cleared HIV completely in 40 percent of infected mice, showing proof of concept for a therapeutic approach to potentially eliminate HIV from the body. Researchers say they now hope to develop an approach that eliminates HIV in 100 percent of tested mice via further experiments and move toward preclinical studies.

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.