OT: COVID Science - Pfizer/Moderna vaccines >90% effective; Regeneron antibody cocktail looks very promising in phase II/III trial and more

[RU848789]

Thought I'd also repost some interesting info on vaccine cold supply chains as there are significant cold chain issues with the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer needing -70C and Moderna needing -20C and most others needing at least refrigeration), in particular. -70C is -94F, which means dry ice needing to be replenished every day or so in the primary package and which requires a complex distribution network from primary centers to administration points, and -20C is -4 F, which is a typical freezer temp, which is doable most places, but is still pretty damn expensive.

I linked the article below awhile back - it's very well done as most articles by Derek Lowe are. I've also been in Pharma for over 30 years at the interface between R&D and manufacturing/supply chain and I can unequivocally tell you that a -70C cryogenic supply chain is a major challenge even in the first world, but doable with great care, but it simply might not work well at all in third world countries - or they'll have to only distribute from a few key locations, which raises the risk of infections due to people traveling to get to the vaccination point. A -20C, freezer-based supply chain isn't a picnic, but almost every Pharma company has products that require that kind of temperature and it's easily doable (but not cheap) in the first world and generally doable in most third world locations.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/08/31/cold-chain-and-colder-chain-distribution

Also, Dr.. Lowe also wrote a very interesting blog on all the other mundane but important elements of any vaccine supply chain, including things like whether there are enough vials, what kind of vials (glass, plastic, glass-lined plastic, etc.), what gas exchange rates they allow and more.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/07/08/materials-and-gases-vials-and-vaccines

 

[RU848789]

Thought I'd also repost some interesting info on vaccine cold supply chains as there are significant cold chain issues with the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer needing -70C and Moderna needing -20C and most others needing at least refrigeration), in particular. -70C is -94F, which means dry ice needing to be replenished every day or so in the primary package and which requires a complex distribution network from primary centers to administration points, and -20C is -4 F, which is a typical freezer temp, which is doable most places, but is still pretty damn expensive.

I linked the article below awhile back - it's very well done as most articles by Derek Lowe are. I've also been in Pharma for over 30 years at the interface between R&D and manufacturing/supply chain and I can unequivocally tell you that a -70C cryogenic supply chain is a major challenge even in the first world, but doable with great care, but it simply might not work well at all in third world countries - or they'll have to only distribute from a few key locations, which raises the risk of infections due to people traveling to get to the vaccination point. A -20C, freezer-based supply chain isn't a picnic, but almost every Pharma company has products that require that kind of temperature and it's easily doable (but not cheap) in the first world and generally doable in most third world locations.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/08/31/cold-chain-and-colder-chain-distribution

Also, Dr.. Lowe also wrote a very interesting blog on all the other mundane but important elements of any vaccine supply chain, including things like whether there are enough vials, what kind of vials (glass, plastic, glass-lined plastic, etc.), what gas exchange rates they allow and more.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/07/08/materials-and-gases-vials-and-vaccines

If anyone really wants to know why the mRNA-based vaccines require cryogenic (Pfizer) or freezer (Moderna) storage, this paper is worth a read. Basically, mRNA is a large, very unstable molecule if not kept very cold. In addition, the mRNA vaccine is encapsulated in a lipid nanoparticle formulation in order for the mRNA to be able to be delivered to the appropriate organs and tissues from the bloodstream before the mRNA is destroyed in the bloodstream (at room temp, the naked mRNA vaccine does not last long).

For these reasons, there has never been a commercially successful mRNA vaccine before. People should realize we're all hoping that we break that streak with one or both of these vaccines - which does look likely given the phase I/II trials clearly showed the vaccines elicited desirable immune responses (antibodies/T-cells) - however, until we see the phase III efficacy and safety data, we simply can't be 100% sure these vaccines will work. Let's hope they do.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7076378/

 

[UMRU]

https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa1583/5932277 This is a recent paper published by Dr. Yang who treated the EIND patients. Trying to locate Patterson’s link. Here it https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.02.20084673v1

It is tough to come to any clear conclusions with such a small test gourd and no controls, but the changes in cytokine and increase of CD8 T cells is interesting. Whether or not those changes will ultimately help is also unknown. The anti-IL-6 mAb treatments have failed, for example. So if the primary outcome of using this anti-CCR5 mAb is reduced IL-6, well that is not so hopeful.

Keep us up to date if new data are released.

 

[RU848789]

And here are my two favorite vaccine trackers, from the NY Times and Bloomberg, which do a great job of summarizing the science and status of each vaccine candidate and which get updated regularly. The Bloomberg graphic, below, is also nice as a snapshot of the major vaccine players. Crossing fingers - still think we'll have a couple of vaccines ready to go by the end of the year.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/science/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker.html

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2020-coronavirus-drug-vaccine-status/

 

[goru7]

It is tough to come to any clear conclusions with such a small test gourd and no controls, but the changes in cytokine and increase of CD8 T cells is interesting. Whether or not those changes will ultimately help is also unknown. The anti-IL-6 mAb treatments have failed, for example. So if the primary outcome of using this anti-CCR5 mAb is reduced IL-6, well that is not so hopeful.

Keep us up to date if new data
Unlike tocilizumab or sarilumab, who are just IL 6 inhibitors , who have failed in their treatment of CoVid , Leronlimab not only reduces Il 6, but IL 8, plus severely reduces Rantes and increase T cell values. The assays done by Dr. Bruce Patterson show the drastic changes and his paper was just approved for publication and will be published within the month. Explains all the levels.

 

[RU848789]

Posted this about 2 weeks ago. Thought it was a fascinating and possibly very important article proposing a reasonable physiological root cause for the worst impacts of COVID in some patients. The authors have put together an interesting case that the whole horrible cascade of effects starts with two viral proteins inducing activation of STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1) and subsequent over-activation of STAT3, eventually leading to coagulopathy and hyperinflammation (the cytokine storm and other inflammatory responses) of the lungs and other organs, which can lead to serious illness and death.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41418-020-00633-7

They also speculate that drugs that enhance STAT1 activity and/or inhibit STAT3 activity could be very effective in treating COVID. There are now a host of theories out there purporting to explain the cascade of physiological events leading to the hyper-immune/over-inflammatory responses seen in the lungs and cardiovascular systems in the worst cases, so it's hard for me (not an MD) to wade through it all, but it does appear they share a lot more than they don't (see the link below to a post of mine on a couple of other somewhat similar papers). Also, sometimes abstracts aren't so well written, but the one below from this paper in Nature is fantastic.

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/t...es-interventions-and-more.198855/post-4688486

𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗔𝗥𝗦-𝗖𝗼𝗩-𝟮 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀. 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗜 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻 (𝗜𝗙𝗡-𝗜) 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆. 𝗪𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗔𝗥𝗦-𝗖𝗼𝗩-𝟮 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗦𝗣𝟭 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝗥𝗙𝟲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘀, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭 (𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟭) 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟯. 𝗜𝗻 𝗦𝗔𝗥𝗦-𝗖𝗼𝗩-𝟮-𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗽 𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿-𝟭 (𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭) 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭 𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶. 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭 𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗟𝗥𝟰 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗰 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗚𝗙𝗥 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘆𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟯. 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀’ 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 (𝗗𝗔𝗗) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗻 (𝗛𝗔) 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭. 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼, 𝗮𝘀 𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗼𝗯𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗴𝗲. 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟭 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱/𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟯 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝟯/𝗣𝗔𝗜-𝟭 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗-𝟭𝟵.

 

[RU848789]

In the category of oddball scientific observations, it turns out minks are quite susceptible to COVID with thousands dying at some mink farms (and many more have been culled in European farms) - especially older minks (sound familiar). Turns out the minks that wear raccoon masks have a much higher survival rate, lol. The good news is it doesn't appear to be significantly transmissible from the animals to humans.

https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2020-11-15/sars-cov-2-kills-thousands-minks-utah

 

[Knight Shift]

In the category of oddball scientific observations, it turns out minks are quite susceptible to COVID with thousands dying at some mink farms (and many more have been culled in European farms) - especially older minks (sound familiar). Turns out the minks that wear racoon masks have a much higher survival rate, lol. The good news is it doesn't appear to be significantly transmissible from the animals to humans.

https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2020-11-15/sars-cov-2-kills-thousands-minks-utah

How many minks were diabetic and what was there BMI?

 

[Scarlet16E]

How many minks were diabetic and what was there BMI?

Some questions come to mind...
How closely related are minks and bats?
Have other small mammal populations been affected? Rats?

 

[RU848789]

In the category of oddball scientific observations, it turns out minks are quite susceptible to COVID with thousands dying at some mink farms (and many more have been culled in European farms) - especially older minks (sound familiar). Turns out the minks that wear raccoon masks have a much higher survival rate, lol. The good news is it doesn't appear to be significantly transmissible from the animals to humans.

https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2020-11-15/sars-cov-2-kills-thousands-minks-utah

Well, this could be more than an oddball finding, as they're culling millions of minks in Denmark and elsewhere. There's still no proof that the virus in minks is "worse" in any way, but concerns over the mutation possibly being an issue for vaccines has spurred the culling and a near lockdown of people in the Jutland region of Denmark. Haven't yet seen much on the nature of the mutation, so hard to say how real this risk is.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/health/covid-mink-mutation.html

 

[RUBOB72]

You will continue to see rapid “ progressive” building in cities and towns where there is currently land to develop 3-4 story apartments with retail stores underneath. There is a valid rumor that in Woodbridge , NJ , Mayor McCormack has been quiet in getting these structures built even by knocking down and have builders tendering buyouts to the current store operators .Shady you say ? The Big man claims it’s his progressive plan for the township. Word on the street is he will be knocking down most of the downtown areas which is currently going on. When Mac is questioned about parking, traffic and population increase ( which will impact the schools and taxes) he feigns ignorance or just waves it off. I love nice things too only if it benefits all. In this instance more will become less over time.

 

[fsg2]

Well, this could be more than an oddball finding, as they're culling millions of minks in Denmark and elsewhere. There's still no proof that the virus in minks is "worse" in any way, but concerns over the mutation possibly being an issue for vaccines has spurred the culling and a near lockdown of people in the Jutland region of Denmark. Haven't yet seen much on the nature of the mutation, so hard to say how real this risk is.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/health/covid-mink-mutation.html

So ...fire sale on mink fur?

 

[RU848789]

Well, this could be more than an oddball finding, as they're culling millions of minks in Denmark and elsewhere. There's still no proof that the virus in minks is "worse" in any way, but concerns over the mutation possibly being an issue for vaccines has spurred the culling and a near lockdown of people in the Jutland region of Denmark. Haven't yet seen much on the nature of the mutation, so hard to say how real this risk is.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/health/covid-mink-mutation.html

As often happens, Derek Lowe chimed in today with a timely blog post on this situation. Timely, but not that informative, because we simply don't have the required info to make any thorough evaluation of the threat. More to come, obviously.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/11/05/dont-make-mine-mink#comment-331943

 

[T2Kplus10]

BOOM!

Dow futures jump 1,200 points as Pfizer, BioNtech say Covid-19 vaccine is 90% effective

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/08/election-stock-market-futures-open-to-close-news.html

More:

Pfizer’s Early Data Shows Vaccine Is More Than 90% Effective (Published 2020)

Pfizer announced positive early results from its coronavirus vaccine trial, cementing the lead in a frenzied global race that has unfolded at record-breaking speed.

www.nytimes.com

 

[OJRutgers]

Pfizer and BioNTech's press https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

 

[RUBOB72]

Positive news if actually true and convenient in more ways than one. Let’s hope by 2022 people who want the vaccine can get the vaccine with easy access.

 

[vkj91]

As often happens, Derek Lowe chimed in today with a timely blog post on this situation. Timely, but not that informative, because we simply don't have the required info to make any thorough evaluation of the threat. More to come, obviously.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/11/05/dont-make-mine-mink#comment-331943

If it's not informative, then how is it timely?

 

[RUinPinehurst]

@RU848789 What's your take on the Pfizer vaccine's >90% effectiveness?

 

[Yeah Baby]

Amazing that the media releases this yesterday after he who shall not be named was killed for saying this a few short weeks ago. The military is ready. So is the vaccine. Therapeutics are working. Let’s all hope we put this behind us and get back to living our lives.

 

[T2Kplus10]

@RU848789 What's your take on the Pfizer vaccine's >90% effectiveness?

That is works very well. Read the Pfizer press release for the public data to date. More to come soon!

 

[King of S]

Positive news if actually true and convenient in more ways than one. Let’s hope by 2022 people who want the vaccine can get the vaccine with easy access.

Will be out of this by April 2021.

 

[RU848789]

Great news on the Pfizer mRNA vaccine being 90% effective as others have posted. As usual Derek Lowe has a write-up on the science behind it and what we've heard so far. Still awaiting full clinical trial results, but what has been released is very, very encouraging. Yes, there are cold supply chain challenges (-70C/-94F storage required for stability of the vaccine), but these can be overcome, at least in first world locations. I love his closing sentence.

We’re going to beat this. We’re starting to beat it right now. An extraordinary, unprecedented burst of biomedical research – huge amounts of brainpower, effort, money and resources – has come through for the world.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/11/09/vaccine-efficacy-data

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-r...d-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against

 

[RU848789]

@RU848789 What's your take on the Pfizer vaccine's >90% effectiveness?

Just posted - figures the one day I'm busy with work and not checking the internet and this hits, lol. Also, just so happy that science has come through. Been saying since early April that I thought we'd have an effective vaccine by the end of the year, which destroys all records for vaccine development timelines (although with a large boost from previous work done on SARS/MERS coronaviruses), but until we have the data, we just don't know. Now we know. I think we can put up with another couple of months in quarantine...

 

[RU848789]

From the press release: "Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021." Thought they were going to have more this year. This is why we need multiple vaccines. Now we need to get into who gets the vaccine and in which countries. I know health care workers will get it first, but will others get it in the US before health care workers internationally? Some thorny questions to answer...

 

[RU848789]

Will be out of this by April 2021.

Not enough doses for that, especially since they're not all going to go to the US - remember BioNTech is the German company who invented the vaccine, so I'm sure the 50MM Pfizer/BioNTech doses in 2020 and maybe a couple of hundred million doses in 1Q21 will not really get the US or the world out of this by April. I'm guessing more like mid-2021, unless a few other vaccines also work and have enough volume, which is possible.

 

[Crazed_RU]

From the press release: "Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021." Thought they were going to have more this year. This is why we need multiple vaccines. Now we need to get into who gets the vaccine and in which countries. I know health care workers will get it first, but will others get it in the US before health care workers internationally? Some thorny questions to answer...

So based on this comment you are highly confident this is solved and it's more of a production, distribution, and allocation challenge now ? 90% at this point seems great but it's also not done so just looking for context.

 

[Crazed_RU]

Not enough doses for that, especially since they're not all going to go to the US - remember BioNTech is the German company who invented the vaccine, so I'm sure the 50MM Pfizer/BioNTech doses in 2020 and maybe a couple of hundred million doses in 1Q21 will not really get the US or the world out of this by April. I'm guessing more like mid-2021, unless a few other vaccines also work and have enough volume, which is possible.

But is this the kind of thing you can just give the formula to everyone and produce at all available facilities ?

 

[RU848789]

But is this the kind of thing you can just give the formula to everyone and produce at all available facilities ?

In theory, yes, but in practice, getting a vaccine manufacturing facility ready to make a new vaccine would take months. I think we're just going to have to wait and also hope other vaccines come on line quickly, which I do think will happen. Once we saw the immune responses triggered in healthy patients in all of the phase I/II trials, it was "extremely likely" that the vaccines would be effective in phase III, but safety is always a question and effectiveness in raising antibodies/T-cells isn't a guarantee of effectiveness (it's just a fantastic signal).

 

[RU848789]

So based on this comment you are highly confident this is solved and it's more of a production, distribution, and allocation challenge now ? 90% at this point seems great but it's also not done so just looking for context.

Yes, I think the end is in sight, but it's going to take time to roll out the vaccine, plus not everyone will take it who should, so we're still going to have a lot of cases until we have enough people vaccinated and/or infected-but-recovered-and-immune (also at 90% effective, that means 10% ineffective, so some will still get infected - not clear how seriously though). If I had to guess, life might start returning to "normal" by next summer.

 

[RU848789]

From the press release: "Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021." Thought they were going to have more this year. This is why we need multiple vaccines. Now we need to get into who gets the vaccine and in which countries. I know health care workers will get it first, but will others get it in the US before health care workers internationally? Some thorny questions to answer...

Key point I just confirmed from my buddy at Pfizer: 50 million doses is what's needed for 25MM patients, since the vaccine requires two shots. I was 99% sure on that but he confirmed. I think Pfizer and all of the others (all but the J&J vaccine require 2 doses iirc) should speak in "patient numbers" not doses. This also means that 1.3 billion doses are good for 625 million people (less than 1/10th of the world's population).

 

[RUBOB72]

From the press release: "Based on current projections we expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses in 2021." Thought they were going to have more this year. This is why we need multiple vaccines. Now we need to get into who gets the vaccine and in which countries. I know health care workers will get it first, but will others get it in the US before health care workers internationally? Some thorny questions to answer...

Well anyone over age 60 should be disposable and collateral damage. Dr.Zach Emmanuel already is in favor of anyone 75 years of age should request euthanasia . These seniors are non productive , spend too much time exercising , taking vitamin supplements by attempting to live longer lives. Emmanuel claims he wants to die at age 75. Emmanuel is 63 years of age and the brother of Rahm Emmanuel so already his stupidity reeks. Many people claim the thought of death doesn’t bother them until that time arises. Going to be be very interesting in what transpires going into 2021. Hope wearing masks outside your home meets with everyone’s approval .

 

[RUBOB72]

Not enough doses for that, especially since they're not all going to go to the US - remember BioNTech is the German company who invented the vaccine, so I'm sure the 50MM Pfizer/BioNTech doses in 2020 and maybe a couple of hundred million doses in 1Q21 will not really get the US or the world out of this by April. I'm guessing more like mid-2021, unless a few other vaccines also work and have enough volume, which is possible.

The pandemic will end April 28, 2022... Crazy???

 

[Joey Bags]

Good news, still leery about the mRNA variants since they've really never been in extended distribution before (or ever?). I wonder what the long term safety will be with those with existing autoimmune disorders or when the general population comes into contact with the virus a second time, third time, etc. Curious if ADE from future exposure is a concern.

If it was the traditional inactivated vaccine I'd be first in line, but with the bleeding edge tech I'd be more inclined to wait and see for a bit. I'm 30 and not a "frontline" worker so I'd be one of the last demographics to receive it anyways.

 

[RUBOB72]

Patience is a virtue was the saying

 

[RUinPinehurst]

Well anyone over age 60 should be disposable and collateral damage. Dr.Zach Emmanuel already is in favor of anyone 75 years of age should request euthanasia . These seniors are non productive , spend too much time exercising , taking vitamin supplements by attempting to live longer lives. Emmanuel claims he wants to die at age 75. Emmanuel is 63 years of age and the brother of Rahm Emmanuel so already his stupidity reeks. Many people claim the thought of death doesn’t bother them until that time arises. Going to be be very interesting in what transpires going into 2021. Hope wearing masks outside your home meets with everyone’s approval .

Ezekiel "Zeke" Emanuel

 

[RU848789]

Also, keep in mind that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine did receive $450MM from the German government for early R&D and the US Government did commit to $2 billion for 100MM doses, with an option for 500MM more, but Pfizer received no Warp Speed $$ for R&D/clinical trials and is also doing the entire rollout on their own, not via the government's contractor for that (McKesson) which all the other companies will use. Looks like Pfizer's gamble to go it alone is going to pay off pretty handsomely and will receive an incredible amount of good will, as it should.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ine-s-funding-came-from-berlin-not-washington

 

[RU848789]

Good news, still leery about the mRNA variants since they've really never been in extended distribution before (or ever?). I wonder what the long term safety will be with those with existing autoimmune disorders or when the general population comes into contact with the virus a second time, third time, etc. Curious if ADE from future exposure is a concern.

If it was the traditional inactivated vaccine I'd be first in line, but with the bleeding edge tech I'd be more inclined to wait and see for a bit. I'm 30 and not a "frontline" worker so I'd be one of the last demographics to receive it anyways.

Yep, no mRNA vaccine has ever been approved before, but this one will be. With regard to autoimmune disorders and other conditions, my guess is we're going to have to wait for the data to come in post-approval, as the clinical trials simply would not have been powered statistically to discern adverse effects in the small numbers of people in the trials with such disorders. ADE (antibody dependent enhancement) is also less likely for this virus from what I've read and when it was seen in animals it was not for an mRNA vaccine.

I can understand holding back. I simply want to see the full data set and if safety and efficacy are crystal clear from phase III, I'll get right in line.

 

[RUBOB72]

Ezekiel "Zeke" Emanuel

Zeke...Zach ...Zeb ... Moe...Larry ...Curly... very scary ideas about the older generations and how he perceives life...He does realize I hope the human species is genetically engineered to live beyond 120-130 even possibly 140...

 

[FastMJ]

I'm retiring on 2/22/22 just in time for Rutgers Final Four run. I hope the RAC can have fans by then!

 

[RU848789]

I'm retiring on 2/22/22 just in time for Rutgers Final Four run. I hope the RAC can have fans by then!

Don't do it! You'll trigger the next pandemic, like I did by retiring in the middle of our best hoops season ever (well, at least it seemed like it, lol), with plans to go to every RU tourney game...