As the summer of 2020 starts to creep to a close, America’s biopharmaceutical research companies are working around the clock to identify new treatments to reduce COVID-19 infection and vaccines, to prevent symptoms. The rate of advancement of therapeutics and vaccines has been unprecedented with more than 1,500 clinical trials underway around the globe testing 24 vaccines and 449 treatments for potential use. Here in the United States, there are 338 clinical trials investigating therapeutics in 46 states and Washington, D.C. 110 of the 338 clinical trials are being conducted in more than one state.
Amid the rapid research and development, PhRMA has been working to explain the process of developing new treatments and vaccines to combat COVID-19. Here below are some recent articles and if you want to sign up to receive weekly updates specifically on COVID-19, click here.
How Scientists Plan to Develop a Coronavirus Vaccine
During COVID-19, biopharmaceutical research companies are working continuously with stakeholders across the R&D ecosystem to advance vaccine candidates as quickly and safely as possible. Step by step, here’s how scientists are aiming to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Read more here.
Progress Against Infectious Diseases: Where Do We Stand?
Throughout history, infectious diseases have taken a devastating toll on the lives and security of people around the world. From the current COVID-19 pandemic to HIV/AIDS and outbreaks of Ebola, the landscape of infectious diseases requires continued effort and preparation to overcome new obstacles and pathogens that can arise at any time. Meanwhile, science has been busy, continually improving the tools we have available to tackle these challenges. Read more here.
How biopharmaceutical researchers are ensuring COVID-19 vaccines will be safe and effective
No matter the approach, biopharmaceutical researchers carefully assess safety and must comply with a number of regulations throughout the development process to help ensure vaccine safety. Evaluation of vaccine safety begins in the earliest phases of pre-clinical research, and continues through clinical development and even after approval. Read more here.
Addressing the Mental Health Toll from COVID-19
As communities around the world continue to grapple with the impact of COVID-19, experts are warning of a second public health crisis brewing in the background. An ever-present risk of getting sick combined with financial stressors caused by the economic downturn are poised to exact a high toll on mental health. Read more here.
What Today’s ‘Unprecedented’ Partnerships May Mean for a COVID-19 Vaccine
The biopharmaceutical ecosystem has long relied on a framework of partnerships among the government, academia and private sector to research and develop new medicines and vaccines. In recent months, these partnerships, many among biopharmaceutical companies directly, have become crucial to the fight against COVID-19. Read more here.
New report shows more than 400 medicines and vaccines in development to tackle infectious diseases, including COVID-19
The biopharmaceutical industry is committed to the discovery and the development of treatments and development of vaccines for infectious diseases, despite their complicated nature. A new report finds that there are 421 medicines and vaccines in clinical development to treat or prevent bacterial and viral infections that cause infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Read more here.
Five Things You Need to Know About the Biopharmaceutical Research Ecosystem During COVID-19
America’s biopharmaceutical companies are at the heart of a robust research and development (R&D) ecosystem that develops more innovative medicines than any other country in the world. Some critics have claimed that this success is because the National Institutes of Health (NIH) use public funds to discover new therapies which are then just handed off to biopharmaceutical companies to be manufactured, packaged and monetized. This fundamental misunderstanding of the way drug development works has led to policy proposals that could seriously harm the U.S. research ecosystem and jeopardize its longstanding success. Now more than ever, it is critical that both public and private assets can be brought to bear in addressing critical diseases such as COVID-19. Read more here.
Stay up to date with the work of America’s biopharmaceutical research companies in combating COVID-19 at PhRMA.org/Coronavirus.
Andrew Powaleny
Andrew Powaleny is the Deputy Vice President of Public Affairs at PhRMA, where he leads communications on scientific, regulatory and intellectual property issues, highlighting the biopharmaceutical industry’s efforts in developing innovative medicines and vaccines while promoting an environment that encourages necessary risk-taking. For five years starting in 2019, he launched and led PhRMA’s grassroots initiative, Voters for Cures, bringing patients and caregivers together to advocate for access to medicine and biopharmaceutical innovation. He also co-founded and co-chaired PRIDE Umbrella, a resource group for LGBTQ+ individuals. Prior to joining PhRMA in 2015, Andrew worked as a communications consultant in Washington, D.C., and as Deputy Press Secretary for the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce under Chairman Fred Upton. He holds a degree in public policy and government from Eastern Connecticut State University, with a minor in music. Outside of work, Andrew enjoys exercise, musical theater and mentoring college students through The Fund for American Studies alumni association.
Andrew Powaleny
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Coronavirus
Summer reading in the age of COVID-19
Summer reading in the age of COVID-19