Novartis and Molecular Partners announced that Part A of the EMPATHY clinical trial(1) that compared single intravenous doses of ensovibep, a DARPin antiviral therapeutic candidate vs. placebo to treat COVID-19, met the primary endpoint of viral load reduction over eight days. The two secondary endpoints also showed clinically meaningful benefit over placebo - (1) composite endpoint of hospitalization and/or Emergency Room (ER) visits or death, and (2) time to sustained clinical recovery.

Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Arrakis Therapeutics today announced a research collaboration focused on the discovery and development of RNA degrader therapeutics against a range of difficult-to-drug targets in multiple therapeutic areas. This new class of "targeted RNA degraders" consists of small molecule drugs that selectively destroy RNAs encoding disease-causing proteins by inducing their proximity to nucleases.

Bayer AG and Mammoth Biosciences, Inc., which is harnessing the diversity of nature to power the next-generation CRISPR products, today announced a strategic collaboration and option agreement for the use of Mammoth's CRISPR systems to develop in vivo gene-editing therapies.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) announced a new research, development and commercialization collaboration to develop a potential first mRNA-based vaccine for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster virus, or HZV), a debilitating, disfiguring and painful disease that impacts about one in three people in the United States during their lifetime.

Intravacc, a global leader in translational research and development of therapeutic vaccines and vaccines against infectious diseases, today announced a partnership with Dutch Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) to develop and evaluate a new nasal spray corona vaccine in a clinical phase I/II study.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include individuals 12 years of age and older. The booster dose is the same dosage strength (30-µg) as the dose approved in the primary series.

AstraZeneca has closed a global development and commercialisation agreement with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Ionis) for eplontersen, formerly known as IONIS-TTR-LRX.

The companies will jointly develop and commercialise eplontersen in the US, while AstraZeneca will develop and commercialise it in the rest of the world, except in Latin America.