And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is rather modest. We plan to tidy the Pharmalot grounds, promenade with our official mascot, and catch up on our reading. A few naps are on the schedule, too. And what about you? Summer is here, so perhaps this is an opportunity to visit a beach or lake. You could also plan a getaway, since it is now possible to get away (assuming you have been vaccinated, of course). Or simply plan the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon…
An expert panel voted to advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it recommend the use of a controversial dengue vaccine despite the fact that it can be given to only a small fraction of U.S. children and requires a pre-vaccination test to be used safely, STAT reports. The 14-0 vote by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices clears the way for Sanofi (SNY) to roll out its three-dose Dengvaxia vaccine, assuming the CDC accepts the advice. The CDC very rarely overrides recommendations from the group, known as ACIP.
The Food and Drug Administration authorized a Roche (RHHBY) drug called Actemra for emergency use to treat hospitalized Covid-19 patients, giving an extra boost to a medicine that was already allowed to be administered on compassionate grounds, Reuters notes. The medicine has been given to severely ill Covid-19 patients on a compassionate-use basis for months, generating hundreds of millions in sales for Roche. Actemra is not authorized for use in outpatients with Covid-19.
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