About COVID-19
An antibody that clamps onto the COVID virus’s ‘Achilles heel’: “Laura Walker at the biopharmaceutical company Adimab in Lebanon, New Hampshire, and her colleagues isolated antibodies from the immune cells of a person who had recovered from a 2003 infection with the virus SARS-CoV, which is related to SARS-CoV-2 (C. G. Rappazzo et al. Science https://doi.org/fsbc; 2021). By tinkering with the structure of the antibodies, the researchers created one, called ADG-2, that was particularly effective at disabling SARS-CoV-2 in a lab dish.
The engineered antibody also disabled a variety of related coronaviruses.When given to mice, it stopped SARS-CoV-2 from reproducing in the rodents’ lungs and protected the animals from respiratory disease.”
Moderna asks FDA to authorize 5 additional doses per Covid vaccine vial to speed distribution, source tells CNBC: “Moderna has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to fill its Covid-19 vaccine vials with up to five additional doses to ease a bottleneck in manufacturing, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The change would allow Moderna to put 15 doses in the same size vials now cleared to hold 10, alleviating pressure on the part of the manufacturing process known as fill/finish, said the person, who declined to be named because the application isn’t yet public.”
Eli Lilly antibody treatment ineffective against South Africa coronavirus variant, study says: “Eli Lilly's COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment, bamlanivimab, is ineffective in treating patients infected with B.1.351, the novel coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa, according to a study published Jan. 28 in the medical preprint server bioRxiv.”
The drugmaker also tested its antibody treatment against, B.1.1.7, the variant first identified in the U.K., finding it to be just as effective as it had been against earlier versions of the novel coronavirus.CDC issues sweeping mask mandate for planes, public transportation in U.S.: “Masks must be worn at train and subway stations, bus terminals and airports nationwide, as well as on planes, trains and other types of public transportation in the United States, according to a far-reaching federal public health order issued late Friday.
The order, which will take effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday, adds details to the mandate President Biden signed on his first full day in office.”
Daily Covid Toll in U.S. Remains Enormous, but Cases Are Falling: “The past few weeks in the United States have been the deadliest of the coronavirus pandemic, and residents in a majority of counties remain at an extremely high risk of contracting the virus. At the same time, transmission seems to be slowing throughout the country, with the number of new average cases 40 percent lower on Jan. 29 than at the U.S. peak three weeks earlier.” The article has useful, updated graphics.
Vaccine Monitor: Nearly Half of the Public Wants to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine as Soon as They Can or Has Already Been Vaccinated, Up across Racial and Ethnic Groups Since December: From the Kaiser Family Foundation. Interesting updates, including breakdown of who is most likely to want the COVID-19 vaccine and what messages are more effective in motivating people to get vaccinated. The top two: The vaccines are highly effective in preventing illness: 57 percent and The vaccine will protect you from getting sick: 56 percent.
About pharma
Magellan Rx Medical Pharmacy Solution Impact: 90% of New Authorizations for Oncology Biosimilars: “Magellan Rx Management, a division of Magellan Health, Inc., today released preliminary results from its oncology biosimilar medical pharmacy solution that targets new-to-market oncology therapeutic biosimilars….As of May 2020, health plan customers who…partner with Magellan Rx have achieved a 90% rate for authorization for the first two therapies with biosimilar availability.”
About hospitals and health systems
6 health systems opening hospitals: Despite COVID-19 challenges, this trend continues.
About health financing
Lyra Health now worth $2.3B on heels of massive funding round: “Spurred by the demand for mental health services during the pandemic,[emphasis added] Lyra Health is now worth more than $2 billion.
The startup scored $187 million in new financing as it looks to expand its services and bring more technology to its platform.
The Burlingame, California-based company, which provides mental health benefits for large employers, has more than doubled its customer base in 2020 and extended its services to support more than 2 million members..”
About the public’s health
Americans can’t cut back on salt. One likely reason: Packaged and prepared foods are filled with it.: As more people are eating at home, and have more control over what they eat, this article is a good reminder about another health hazard—this one is easy to address. “Even though the vast majority of public health experts regard too much salt as a killer and urge you to do whatever you can to cut back, Americans find that difficult. One reason is that more than 70 percent of salt in the American diet comes from packaged and prepared foods, according to the Food and Drug Administration, not from the salt shaker at home.”
About health insurance
Cigna Master Precertification list: The news media picked up on the change that some cardiac imaging tests (like CT angiography) no longer require precertification; however, this list is a good reminder of the interventions that still require review.
MACPAC wants Congress to automatically boost FMAP during recessions: ”Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission on Friday voted to recommend that Congress automatically increase the federal share of Medicaid spending during recessions.
Under the policy, the federal government would temporarily raise the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage based on increases in state unemployment and reductions in total wages and salaries, rather than requiring Congress to approve each increase as it does now.”
MACPAC can only recommend policies to Congress.
Health insurer helps fund Bronzeville [Chicago neighborhood] affordable housing: “UnitedHealth Group is providing $15.4 million—more than half the total cost—for the construction of a 53-unit building of affordable apartments in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The project, 508 Pershing at Oakwood Shores, is being developed the Community Builders, a nonprofit…”
About healthcare IT
More than 900K health records breached in January: As long as these frequent and large breaches occur, the public is not likely to support true interoperability.