Moderna, AstraZeneca and J&J coronavirus shots rev up for NIH tests beginning in July: WSJ

Fiercepharma | June 10, 2020

As leading coronavirus vaccines make their way through early stages of human testing, the NIH is plotting much larger efficacy studies this summer. U.S. researchers plan to run phase 3 trials of vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson in the coming months, the Wall Street Journal reports.  The NIH intends to start a phase 3 trial of Moderna’s vaccine in July, followed by an August trial of AstraZeneca’s vaccine and a September study of Johnson & Johnson’s shot, a U.S. government researcher told the newspaper. All three of the shots are based on brand-new technologies, and they're all reportedly among finalists in the Operation Warp Speed program. Former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb has publicly questioned the picks, pointing out the team's reliance on new technologies. Johnson & Johnson has not previously disclosed any human testing for its vaccine and the company has previously said it’s aiming to enter human studies in September. But on Wednesday, the company said it's accelerating its timeline, with plans to start a phase 1/2a study in July.

Spotlight

With complex development processes and stringent regulatory requirements, the path to developing a combination product can seem uncertain and fraught with risk. All elements of the delivery system must comply with the highest quality and regulatory standards.

Spotlight

With complex development processes and stringent regulatory requirements, the path to developing a combination product can seem uncertain and fraught with risk. All elements of the delivery system must comply with the highest quality and regulatory standards.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMA TECH

Cerner Enviza Collaborates with FDA to Develop Innovative AI Tools for Drug Safety and Real-World Evidence Studies

prnewswire | April 11, 2023

Cerner Enviza, an Oracle company, along with John Snow Labs, are now helping support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's drug safety Sentinel Initiative. By developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools aimed at extracting critical information from clinical notes within electronic health records (EHR), Oracle and John Snow will aid the FDA in better understanding the effects of medicines on large populations. Looking at the asthma drug, montelukast, and its possibility of mental health side effects, this two-year project will demonstrate how the use of machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) technology with unstructured data may help fill gaps in knowledge. Cerner Enviza leverages decades of life sciences expertise spanning commercial, real world, clinical and regulatory research. This includes working with a broad range of Oracle provider networks to help accelerate the discovery, development, and deployment of health insights and therapies. John Snow Labs is known for its AI and NLP in healthcare and is the developer of the Spark NLP library. Together, Cerner Enviza and John Snow Labs will develop a new methodology to enhance computerized queries, or phenotyping, of digital patient data and clinical notes to support pharmacoepidemiology. Cerner Enviza, who will lead the team, was chosen by the Sentinel Innovation Center, who is headed by Mass General Brigham and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. "Development and evaluation of tools that can enhance our ability to utilize unstructured EHR data is a key strategic priority for the Sentinel Innovation Center. We look forward to this new relationship and exciting initiative led by Cerner Enviza," said Rishi Desai, Ph.D., Mass General Brigham executive leadership team member, Sentinel Innovation Center. Traditional manual methods for analyzing clinician notes often can be a bottleneck for fully understanding the symptoms and outcomes that patients experience at the population level. However, advances in AI offer a scalable and transportable NLP processes. "This is an incredible opportunity to work with these exceptional leaders to use Oracle's de-identified EHR data to help transform unstructured clinical notes into validated and useable data for physicians and researchers," said Mike Kelly, global head, Cerner Enviza. "Connected technologies and unified data can accelerate innovation and, in turn, help providers realize better recommendations and outcomes for their patients." "We are thrilled to team with Cerner Enviza to apply NLP in such an important real-world evidence project," said David Talby, CTO, John Snow Labs. "We're honored by the Sentinel Innovation Center's vote of confidence in our joint ability to help investigate this use case. Together, Cerner Enviza and John Snow Labs have all the right expertise, data, and technology to make it happen." The project known as the Multi-source Observational Safety Study for Advanced Information Classification Using NLP (MOSAIC-NLP) is also supported by the participation of Children's Hospital of Orange County, National Jewish Health, and Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute who will provide clinical expertise and consulting. About John Snow Labs John Snow Labs is an AI and NLP company that provides software, models, and data to help healthcare and life science organizations put AI to good use. The company is the developer of Spark NLP and host of the NLP Summit.

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS, PHARMACY MARKET

Massive Bio and NeoGenomics Announce Collaboration to Accelerate Oncology Drug Discovery and Improve Patient Care

Businesswire | March 27, 2023

Massive Bio, Inc., a private AI-enabled oncology startup that provides virtual and in-person concierge services for cancer patients, and NeoGenomics, Inc. a leading provider of cancer-focused genetic testing services and global oncology contract research services, today announced a collaboration with the goal of accelerating the development of new cancer therapies and ultimately improving the lives of millions of cancer patients around the world. NeoGenomics will identify patients in real time who may be eligible for clinical trials based on biomarker status. Following initial contact and outreach provided directly from NeoGenomics to the treating physician, Massive Bio will help obtain patient consent and expediate additional screening and potential enrollment. This partnership will help to quickly identify patients eligible for clinical trials and help patients and providers make an informed decision regarding their potential treatment avenue. By combining their respective strengths in biomarker testing, data analysis, machine learning, and biomarker and genomic profiling, the collaboration between NeoGenomics and Massive Bio have achieved a significant milestone in the oncology industry. "Our mission at Massive Bio is to provide cancer patients with the best possible care and treatment options,” said Selin Kurnaz, PhD, CEO and co-founder of Massive Bio. “By partnering with NeoGenomics, a leading player in the cancer diagnostics industry that shares Massive Bio’s commitment to advancing cancer research and improving patient outcomes, we can leverage their expertise in oncology diagnostics to accelerate the identification of patients who may be eligible for clinical trials." “NeoGenomics’ advanced diagnostic tools and U.S. footprint, combined with Massive Bio's AI capabilities and concierge services in oncology, will enable us to match patients to clinical trials faster and more efficiently, resulting in improved outcomes and reduced costs,” said Vishal Sikri, President of the Advanced Diagnostics Division of NeoGenomics. “We are thrilled to partner with Massive Bio to advance precision medicine and improve the delivery of healthcare services to patients, pharmaceutical partners, and healthcare providers." Dr. Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla, MD, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Massive Bio, added, "This collaboration between NeoGenomics and Massive Bio will enable us to provide patients with personalized care and support throughout their cancer journey, and move the needle forward in precision oncology and research." AboutMassive Bio Massive Bio empowers cancer patients to find their best treatment options, using artificial intelligence to improve equitable access and precision targeting for clinical trial matching, drug matching, and drug development. Massive Bio combines its best-in-class AI platform with technology-enabled services to remove barriers in clinical trial enrollment, value-based oncology decisions, and data-driven cancer treatment. The company serves more than two dozen pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, and hospital networks, and has been awarded an SBIR contract by the National Cancer Institute. Massive Bio was founded in 2015 by clinical, technology, and M&A executives, and has a global presence with nearly 100 people in 12 countries.

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VIEWS AND ANALYSIS

Harrow Launches ILEVRO®, NEVANAC®, and MAXIDEX® in the U.S.

Businesswire | May 05, 2023

Harrow a leading U.S. eyecare pharmaceutical company, announced the completion of the transfer to Harrow of the New Drug Applications (NDAs) for ILEVRO® (nepafenac ophthalmic suspension) 0.3%, NEVANAC® (nepafenac ophthalmic suspension) 0.1%, and MAXIDEX® (dexamethasone ophthalmic suspension) 0.1%. These three FDA-approved ophthalmic medicines, which are now commercially available under the Harrow umbrella, were among the five products that Harrow purchased in January of 2023 and for which Harrow has been receiving net profits from unit sales during the NDA transfer process. Harrow expects to complete the transfer of the NDAs for the two remaining products, VIGAMOX® (moxifloxacin hydrochloride ophthalmic solution) 0.5% and TRIESENCE® 40 mg/ml, by year-end. “We are delighted to have completed the NDA transfer process for ILEVRO, NEVANAC, and MAXIDEX earlier than our originally estimated six-month period,” said Mark L. Baum, Chief Executive Officer of Harrow. “We can now implement our market access, marketing, inventory management, and national sales detailing strategies for each of these three products, and we expect to extend those efforts when the NDAs for the remaining two products, VIGAMOX and TRIESENCE, are transferred later this year. “Our market research has shown that the market need for all five of these products continues to increase with U.S. demographic growth and that there are few, if any, new competitive threats, particularly in the NSAID market. These products are used during procedures and within markets in which Harrow already has a strong foothold, and we look forward to making these well-known and valuable ophthalmic medicines available to the eyecare professionals that we serve nationwide as we continue to execute our branded ophthalmic pharmaceuticals market strategy.” Product orders for ILEVRO, NEVANAC, and MAXIDEX can be made directly through Harrow’s dedicated customer service ordering partner, Cardinal’s Cordlogistics, which includes a wholesaler distribution system encompassing McKesson and AmerisourceBergen. About Harrow Harrow is a leading U.S. eyecare pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative ophthalmic prescription therapies that are accessible and affordable. Harrow owns U.S. commercial rights to ten FDA-approved ophthalmic pharmaceutical products. Harrow also owns and operates ImprimisRx, the leading U.S. ophthalmic‑focused pharmaceutical compounding business, which also serves as a mail-order pharmacy licensed to ship prescription medications in all 50 states. Harrow has non-controlling equity positions in Surface Ophthalmics, Inc. and Melt Pharmaceuticals, Inc., companies that began as subsidiaries of Harrow. Harrow also owns royalty rights in four late-stage drug candidates being developed by Surface and Melt.

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