Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

Study reveals children and youth had highest rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canada before third wave

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 7, 2021

This brings the total percentage of Canadians with some form of immunity before the third wave to 3.6%.

Key Points: 
  • This brings the total percentage of Canadians with some form of immunity before the third wave to 3.6%.
  • Younger age groups and especially children and adolescents - had higher rates of antibodies in their blood suggesting a past SARS-CoV-2 infection.
  • The overall seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 3.4% among children and youth 1 to 19 years of age between November and April 2021, explains Mr. Gravel.
  • As vaccines had not yet been distributed to this age group at the time of the survey, nearly all of these children and youth had antibodies due to a previous infection.

Media Advisory: This morning, the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Statistics Canada will release final results from Canada’s most representative antibody study

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 6, 2021

MONTREAL, July 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Statistics Canada will be releasing final results this morning from Canadas most representative study to date investigating how many Canadians have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.

Key Points: 
  • MONTREAL, July 06, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Statistics Canada will be releasing final results this morning from Canadas most representative study to date investigating how many Canadians have antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19.
  • This morning, results will be announced.
  • Spokespeople from Statistics Canada will be available to discuss and explain the data and methodology.
  • A spokesperson from the CITF will be available to explain the data within the context of the pandemic and what it means for Canada.

Chasing the Cells that Predict Death from Severe COVID-19

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 1, 2021

By studying a type of immune cells called T cells, a team of Gladstone scientists has uncovered fundamental differences between patients who overcome severe COVID-19 and those who succumb to it.

Key Points: 
  • By studying a type of immune cells called T cells, a team of Gladstone scientists has uncovered fundamental differences between patients who overcome severe COVID-19 and those who succumb to it.
  • Our study suggests that it may also be beneficial to directly prevent excess immune cells, including inflammatory T cells, from entering the lung and causing further damage.
  • The scientists call these lung-homing cells "bystander T cells," because they are T cells that do not directly recognize the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
  • The paper "Distinctive features of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells predict recovery from severe COVID-19" was published in Cell Reports on June 28.

Atea’s AT-527, an Oral Antiviral Drug Candidate, Reduces Viral Replication in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Phase 2 Interim Analysis

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Roche and Atea are jointly developing AT-527, an oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agent derived from Ateas purine nucleotide prodrug platform.

Key Points: 
  • Roche and Atea are jointly developing AT-527, an oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agent derived from Ateas purine nucleotide prodrug platform.
  • The interim analysis of the Phase 2 study included data from 70 hospitalized, high-risk patients with COVID-19 of which data from 62 patients were evaluable for virology analysis.
  • AT-527s SARS-CoV-2 potent antiviral activity was also observed in patients with higher baseline viral loads above the median of 5.26 log10 as compared to placebo.
  • We are very pleased with the potent antiviral activity of AT-527 demonstrated by the rapid inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication.

LumiraDx High Sensitivity Point of Care Antigen Test Detects Against Leading Variants of Concern including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 24, 2021

LONDON, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Today, LumiraDx, a next-generation point of care (POC) diagnostics testing company ("LumiraDx" or "Company"), confirmed that the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test detects major global SARS-CoV-2 variants including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon variants.

Key Points: 
  • LONDON, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Today, LumiraDx, a next-generation point of care (POC) diagnostics testing company ("LumiraDx" or "Company"), confirmed that the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test detects major global SARS-CoV-2 variants including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon variants.
  • SARS-CoV-2, like other viruses, is constantly mutating, and becoming more diverse with new variants of the virus occurring over time.
  • The LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test is well positioned to detect these existing and new variants.
  • Unlike PCR, the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test uses antibodies, not nucleic acid based-primers, to capture SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen, not the spike protein.

 LumiraDx High Sensitivity Point of Care Antigen Test Detects Against Leading Variants of Concern including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 24, 2021

LONDON, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Today, LumiraDx, a next-generation point of care (POC) diagnostics testing company ("LumiraDx" or "Company"), confirmed that the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test detects major global SARS-CoV-2 variants including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon variants.

Key Points: 
  • LONDON, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Today, LumiraDx, a next-generation point of care (POC) diagnostics testing company ("LumiraDx" or "Company"), confirmed that the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test detects major global SARS-CoV-2 variants including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon variants.
  • SARS-CoV-2, like other viruses, is constantly mutating, and becoming more diverse with new variants of the virus occurring over time.
  • The LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Antigen test is well positioned to detect these existing and new variants.
  • Unlike PCR, the LumiraDx SARS-CoV-2 Ag Test uses antibodies, not nucleic acid based-primers, to capture SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen, not the spike protein.

Building Hope Introduces Discount Purchasing Program for Advanced Air and Surface Purifying Technology to Accelerate Charter Schools’ Safe Return to In-Person Learning

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Through Building Hopes Discount Purchasing Program , charter schools may acquire ActivePure Vollara Air & Surface Pro purifier systems, which safely destroy 99% of common surface and airborne contaminates, including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and other viruses, bacteria, mold, and allergens in high-occupancy areas.

Key Points: 
  • Through Building Hopes Discount Purchasing Program , charter schools may acquire ActivePure Vollara Air & Surface Pro purifier systems, which safely destroy 99% of common surface and airborne contaminates, including SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and other viruses, bacteria, mold, and allergens in high-occupancy areas.
  • Charter schools can utilize Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act) funds to take full advantage of Building Hopes Discount Purchasing Program.
  • Building Hope also offers alternative financing options and funding advances for those schools and clients where CARES funds are not immediately available.
  • For more information about how Building Hope helps charter schools nationwide provide unparalleled facilities, financial, and operational services, visit www.buildinghope.org .

Draper Delivers a First by Infecting Lung-on-Chip with Wildtype SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 23, 2021

"In SARS-CoV-2 research, organ-on-chip is emerging as a powerful method for scientists to assess the potential effects of drugs in humans.

Key Points: 
  • "In SARS-CoV-2 research, organ-on-chip is emerging as a powerful method for scientists to assess the potential effects of drugs in humans.
  • "The door is now open for using naturally circulating viruses to develop and screen therapies for COVID-19 using the best method availableorgan-on-a-chip."
  • In the study, the researchers investigated viral infection kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the PREDICT96-ALI platform in a BSL-3 laboratory environment.
  • Results with naturally occurring, or wildtype, virus are more relevant to the infection and replication process that causes disease in humans.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Announces Program to Develop TNX-102 SL for the Treatment of Long COVID Syndrome, also Known as Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 21, 2021

Although most people recover from COVID-19 within weeks of the acute illness, a substantial portion develop a chronic syndrome called Long COVID, or PASC.

Key Points: 
  • Although most people recover from COVID-19 within weeks of the acute illness, a substantial portion develop a chronic syndrome called Long COVID, or PASC.
  • Most Long COVID patients who have been studied appear to have cleared the SARS-CoV-2 virus from their systems.
  • By improving sleep quality, we believe TNX-102 SL may improve the sleep disturbance of Long COVID and potentially also improve other symptoms of Long COVID.
  • For example, TNX-102 SL showed activity in addressing persistent pain, sleep disturbance and fatigue in our fibromyalgia Phase 3 study.

Bio-Rad Launches Its PREvalence ddPCR SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Quantification Kit for COVID-19 Wastewater Testing

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 21, 2021

ddPCR technology is recommended in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (CDC) for wastewater testing, and use of the technology has been published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a dependable method to quantify viruses in wastewater.

Key Points: 
  • ddPCR technology is recommended in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (CDC) for wastewater testing, and use of the technology has been published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a dependable method to quantify viruses in wastewater.
  • The PREvalenceddPCR SARS-CoV-2 Wastewater Quantification Kit includes all reagents needed to detect the virus in wastewater along with software for automated analysis.
  • Other products include molecular qPCR and ddPCR instruments and assays, antibody tests, quality controls, and ddPCRassays to detect SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
  • BIO-RAD, PREVALENCE, DROPLET DIGITAL, DDPCR, QX200, AUTODG and QX ONE are trademarks of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. in certain jurisdictions.