• Pfizer issues a press release with interim data from its 1,219 of the 1,881 people enrolled in the phase II/III Epic HR trial, which looked at whether the ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor paxlovid, its experimental antiviral, could reduce hospitalization risk among symptomatic COVID-19 patients at risk for severe disease. The scheduled interim analysis showed that paxlovid reduced the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death by 89 percent among people who started taking it within three days of experiencing symptoms. Overall, 0.8 percent of COVID-19 patients who received paxlovid were hospitalized through day 28 (3/389 hospitalized with no deaths), versus 7 percent of placebo recipients (27/385 hospitalized with 7 subsequent deaths). Reductions among patients treated within five days of symptom onset were similar, with 1 percent of hospitalized through day 28 (6/607; no deaths), versus 6.7 percent of placebo recipients (41/612 hospitalized;10 subsequent deaths). Pfizer has stopped study enrollment upon the recommendation of its an independent Data Monitoring Committee and in consultation with the US FDA, and it plans to submit the data as part of its ongoing rolling submission to the US FDA for Emergency Use Authorization as soon as possible. Source
• After ruining millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines, Emergent Biosolutions and BARDA end a $600 million vaccine-producing deal. Source