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Astronomers May Have Found the Closest Black Hole to Earth

At just 1,000 light-years away, an object in a nearby star system could be our nearest known black hole—but not everyone is convinced

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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Comets Prevent Ether from Accumulating in Space

Originally published in January 1859

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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Just How Dangerous Is the 'Murder Hornet'?

Its sting is excruciating to people, but it is a bigger threat to honeybees vital for agriculture

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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The COVID-19 Response Is Failing Communities of Color

To build trust with traditionally underserved groups, health officials need to craft their messaging in a much more culturally sensitive way

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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Scientist Mothers Face Extra Challenges in the Face of COVID-19

The pandemic is amplifying nearly every disadvantage that women in STEM already face. But institutions and the scientific community can help

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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To Prevent the Next Pandemic, End Unequal Access to Natural Resources

Safeguarding public health requires rethinking our relationship to the environment and the inequities that drive its destruction

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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Rabbit Virus Could Provide Gene Therapy

Originally published in February 1967

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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The Geosciences Community Needs to Be More Diverse and Inclusive

It’s essential if we’re going to protect our planet

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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Heat and Humidity Are Already Reaching the Limits of Human Tolerance

Events with extreme temperatures and humidity are occurring twice as often now as they were 40 years ago

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




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ACRO Urges Modernization of the R&D Tax Credit

WASHINGTON – November 14, 2017 – As the Senate begins debate on a tax reform bill, the clinical research industry hopes that...




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British MP Benn talks Brexit challenges and the future of UK clinical research industry

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) highlights contributions to health and economy (Leeds, UK) – Facing unprecedented challenges associated with Brexit,...




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UK Government focus on strengthening clinical research amidst unique challenges of Brexit

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations (ACRO) convenes discussion series that seeks to advance an industry with important health and economic impacts...




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Advancing the Adoption of Risk-Based Monitoring Strategies in Clinical Trials

On July 17, 2019, under cooperative agreement with the FDA, the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy (Duke Margolis) held a public workshop. The event, titled Improving the Implementation of Risk-Based Monitoring Approaches of Clinical Investigations, aimed to identify opportunities to improve Risk Based Monitoring (RBM) implementation and solicit stakeholder input on the challenges, barriers, and enablers that impact the successful adoption of RBM.




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ACRO Members Heed the UK Government’s Call for Volunteers in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 6, 2020 – (Washington, DC) – In an effort to fight the global COVID-19 pandemic, over 150 employees from clinical research...




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Bayer donates 8 million chloroquine tablets to the German Federal Government

Additional donations of chloroquine sent to governments in numerous other countries / Various clinical and preclinical studies investigate the efficacy and adverse effects in COVID-19 infections / Bayer plans considerable expansion of production capacities in the event that the efficacy of chloroquine is proven for COVID-19




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“We’re active in the right businesses”

Coronavirus crisis: Employee safety at the top of the agenda / First DAX company to hold virtual stockholders’ meeting / Strategic and operational targets attained in 2019 / Dividend of 2.80 euros per share proposed / Good start to fiscal 2020 / Winkeljohann to succeed Wenning as Supervisory Board Chairman




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Africans facing coronavirus must not suffer the injustices they saw with Aids | Lydia Namubiru

Patients were used as guinea pigs but denied access to resulting therapies. This time, Big Pharma must be held to account

The year I turned 11, my uncle Josiah Ssesanga was admitted to a hospital in Uganda with meningitis. It was 1994, and he was HIV positive. Between him and death stood a tattered post-civil war health system.

Treatments for HIV and Aids existed in other parts of the world, but in Uganda they were mostly limited to those used in clinical trials. For my uncle’s particular infection – cryptococcal meningitis – there was a drug called Fluconazole. But he didn’t know it existed; regardless, he wouldn’t have been able to afford it. and even among patients who took it, only 12% survived beyond six months.

Related: Macron calls for clinical trials of controversial coronavirus 'cure'

Related: Fear, bigotry and misinformation – this reminds me of the 1980s Aids pandemic | Edmund White

Continue reading...




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The world needs a coronavirus vaccine. But it will take time | Patrick Vallance

Any vaccine has to work, but it also has to be safe. Making it happen is one of the government’s biggest priorities

• Patrick Vallance is the UK government chief scientific adviser

Covid-19 has made fundamental and long-lasting changes to the way we live our lives, not just in the UK, but across the world.

As we continue with social-distancing measures and deal with the most immediate issue of reducing the number of cases to protect the NHS and save lives, and keeping R, which is the average infection rate per person, below one, we also need to progress ways to tackle the disease in the longer term.

The vaccines taskforce will be working in lockstep with the public and private sector

Related: New UK taskforce to help develop and roll out coronavirus vaccine

Continue reading...




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The hunt for a coronavirus vaccine – a perilous and uncertain path

The pressing need to find a solution to the pandemic means risks and shortcuts may have to be taken

The stakes could hardly be higher; the prize still tantalisingly out of reach. It is no exaggeration to say that the fate of many millions of people rests on the discovery of a vaccine for Covid-19 – the only sure escape route from the pandemic.

Yet the optimism that accompanied the launch of Oxford University’s human trials this week has to be put in context, and the hurdles facing the scientists need to be understood.

Continue reading...




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We're desperate for a coronavirus cure, but at what cost to the human guinea pigs? | Kenan Malik

Big drugs companies have long favoured outsourcing clinical trials to poor countries with lax regulations to cut costs and maximise profit

• Coronavirus latest updates

• See all our coronavirus coverage

Last week, in Oxford, the first volunteers in the first European human trial were injected with a potential coronavirus vaccine. At the same time, Pakistan’s National Institute of Health received an offer from the Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm International Corp to take part in a trial of another potential coronavirus vaccine.

Related: Africa's Covid-19 research must be tailored to its realities – by its own scientists | Monique Wasunna

In India, many poor people were recruited to HIV trials without knowing that they were taking part in experiments

Continue reading...




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The promise of an Oxford vaccine reveals how a new Britain could thrive | Will Hutton

The partnership between AstraZeneca and the Jenner Institute should jolt our industry and banks


There was some good news last week. Oxford University’s Jenner Institute announced it was teaming up with AstraZeneca to take a promising prototype of coronavirus vaccine into volume production by the autumn. Of course there are caveats – the institute’s confidence in its vaccine may not be validated by the trials that began last week.

Still it was heartening, after so much tragic incompetence, that a British university and a British company could forge a relationship of such potential national importance.

The piping through which emergency credit must flow is atrophied and weak

Continue reading...




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‘Excess deaths’ in England among the highest in Europe

English excess deaths from the coronavirus are comparable to the worst hit countries in Europe, according to a Sky News analysis.




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Reinventing the value equation

There is a duty to ensure access to innovative treatments for patients with unmet need, but a health service gatekeeper must commit to efficient use of limited resources. Matt Fellows looks at how real-world evidence could be the key to reassessing how we determine the value of these drugs and ensure their swift availability.




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The May 2020 issue of Pharmafocus is available to read free online now!

COVID-19 continues to dominate the news cycle as we all try to maintain business as usual under the shadow of the pandemic. Just about every area of society and business has been hit and Life Sciences is no exception; the impact of the virus has been felt in every corner of the industry and our monthly issues aim to cut through the confusion to shed a light on that impact.




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Phase 3 Libtayo monotherapy trial halted early due to strong benefit in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

A Phase 3 study of Sanofi and Regeneron’s Libtayo (cemiplimab) as a monotherapy for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been stopped early after showing strong overall survival benefit, it has emerged.




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Men most likely to exhibit the worst COVID-19 symptoms, according to a new study

Research into coronavirus cases in Shenzhen, China found that men were 2.5 times as likely to exhibit severe symptoms.




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More than half of US states will relax lockdowns by the end of the week

Nearly half of US states will have their ‘stay-at-home’ orders expire this week, paving the way for much of the US to relax its lockdowns.




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NHS sets out plans to deal with the second phase of the pandemic

The NHS has set out plans to step up its non-COVID-19 services over the next six weeks.




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Mike Pompeo says there is evidence COVID-19 was made in a lab, despite US intelligence saying it occurred naturally

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that there is evidence the COVID-19 coronavirus was created in a lab, despite US intelligence officials stating it probably occurred naturally.




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UK contact-tracing app being tested on the Isle of Wight

The NHS’s coronavirus contract tracing app has been published to Apple and Google’s app stores with council staff and healthcare workers being invited to download it on the Isle of Wight today.




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Scientists in the UK and US identify hundreds of mutations in the COVID-19 virus

Two studies from the UK and US have identified hundreds of mutations in COVID-19, which could cause problems for the development of a vaccine.




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Amgen adds Otezla to the COVID-19 candidate list

Psoriasis therapy may be a potential treatment for COVID-19




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Roche’s COVID-19 antibody test approved for emergency use in the US

Ramps up capacity for testing across the country




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Sanofi, Regeneron set up another niche use for PD-1 drug Libtayo

Drug has shown “clinically meaningful responses” for basal cell carcinoma




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Coronavirus contact-tracing app trial to begin on the Isle of Wight

Initial roll-out will see key workers utilise the app




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Oligonucleotide Therapeutics and Delivery Conference 2020

16 - 17 September 2020, London, UK.
Oligonucleotide therapeutics - the emerging medicine class - are harnessing the therapeutic benefit of targeting genetic material via antisense, mRNA, RNAi, saRNA and siRNA. Their market growth: CAGR of 13.7% projected to reach USD 8.2 billion by 2024 is driven by their potential to provide more efficacious and less toxic alternatives to small molecules.




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Bristol-Myers' CAR-T cell therapy meets with FDA delay

The submission of additional information, upon the request of the US regulator, has delayed the action…



  • Biotechnology/Bristol-Myers Squibb/Focus On/Immuno-oncology/lisocabtagene maraleucel/Regulation/Research/US FDA/USA

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An important option in the fight against antimicrobial resistance

Positive Phase III data for Recarbrio (imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam) have been announced by New Jersey,…



  • Antibiotics and Infectious diseases/Biotechnology/Drug Trial/Merck & Co/Recarbrio/Regulation/Research/US FDA/USA

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Assessing the long-term impact of COVID-19 on clinical research

The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for many life sciences companies due to a…



  • Anti-virals/Cell and Gene Therapy/Coronavirus/CRA/Feature/Focus On/Global/In Depth/Pharmaceutical/Regulation/Research/Vaccines

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First targeted therapy for aggressive form of lung cancer approved by FDA

Late Wednesday, the US Food and Drug Administration said it has granted accelerated approved for Tabrecta…



  • Biotechnology/capmatinib/Focus On/Incyte Corp/Medical Devices and Diagnostics/Novartis/Oncology/Rare diseases/Regulation/Research/Switzerland/Tabrecta/USA

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PTC Therapeutics to acquire Censa Pharmaceutical

In another strategic M&A deal announced so far this month, PTC Therapeutics has entered into an agreement…



  • Biotechnology/Censa Pharmaceuticals/Companies
  • mergers and acquisitions/Metabolics/PTC Therapeutics/Rare diseases/sepiapterin/USA

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AbbVie CEO: Don't worry, Allergan's aesthetics clients still have money—and 'strong desire' for treatment

AbbVie may be working through COVID-19, but it's pressing ahead with its Allergan merger, too—and taking stock of products hit by pandemic lockdowns. That puts Allergan’s aesthetics business top of mind, but AbbVie CEO Rick Gonzalez figures customers are ready and able to return quickly for treatment.




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With the world waiting, Roche socks $459M into COVID-19 antibody test production

Roche scored a major win with the FDA's backing for its COVID-19 antibody tests last week in a field marked by products of questionable quality. Now, to cover its booming production goals, Roche plans to infuse nearly half-a-billion dollars into its German manufacturing facility. 




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Seattle Genetics, Astellas' bladder cancer med Padcev blows early expectations out of the water

Even a pandemic can’t slow down Seattle Genetics and Astellas' new bladder cancer treatment Padcev, which "blew out sales expectations" for the first quarter, analysts said. And now, they're jacking up their long-term sales estimates for the drug as a result.




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Teva generics benefit from COVID-19 bump––but the boom may not last

With its multibillion-dollar restructuring plan in the rearview mirror, Teva is pinning its future growth on two of its branded meds with high hopes. But generics are still central to the Israeli drugmaker's business, and increased demand due to COVID-19 gave Teva a welcome gift in the first three months of the year.




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Can the price be right? With the world watching, Gilead faces a no-win decision on remdesivir

The world is waiting for Gilead Sciences to set a price tag for remdesivir, the first brand-new med authorized to treat COVID-19. Its choice will affect Gilead's reputation and bottom line, set a tone for follow-up meds—and either help polish up the pharma industry's image or create a new flashpoint for criticism.




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Factbox: Latest on the worldwide spread of the coronavirus

More than 3.95 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 273,805 have died, according to a Reuters tally, as of 0214 GMT on Saturday.




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Best of the Best Biotech Book Recommendations

As you may know, I maintain an extensive list of book recommendations for the biotech enthusiast on a "Amazon Influencer" page. After the latest update there are well over 100 titles! I recently analyzed the data to come up with the most popular titles among my followers (perhaps the full list is a bit intimidating):​Genentech: The Birth of BiotechThe Biotech Trader HandbookThe Pharmagellan Guide to Biotech Forecasting & ValuationValuation in Life Sciences: A Practical GuideThe Antidot [...]




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Twentieth Member of Casino-cheating Criminal Enterprise Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Targeting Casinos in the United States and Canada

Phat Ngoc Tran, 35, pleaded guilty today in San Diego to conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, the “Tran Organization,” in a scheme to cheat at least 12 casinos across the United States and Canada out of millions of dollars. Tran admitted that he and his co-conspirators unlawfully obtained up to $2.5 million during card cheats.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Foreign National Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Smuggling East Africans to the United States

A Ghanian man was sentenced today in the District of Columbia for his role in smuggling East Africans into the United States. Mohammed Kamel Ibrahim, a/k/a Hakim, 27, a native of Ghana and naturalized citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to five years in prison by U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy and three counts of bringing aliens to the United States for profit.



  • OPA Press Releases