U.S. health officials announced Thursday that the country will begin to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots in September. “We are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease” months after initial inoculation, a statement signed by Drs. Rochelle Walensky, Janet Woodcock and Anthony Fauci noted. (CNBC Weekly)
Verily has acquired SignalPath, providing it with a system that will assist in running clinical trials more efficiently. “It’s our goal to modernize the way clinical trials are conducted for patients, researchers and sponsors alike,” said Amy Abernethy, Verily’s president of clinical studies platforms, in a statement. (Endpoints News)
David Sackler said his family would pull out of the opioid settlement requiring it to pay $4.5 billion unless members are granted immunity from all lawsuits related to Purdue Pharma. The family’s $4.5 billion pledge was meant to be funneled into communities harmed by the opioid epidemic. (The New York Times)
Vigil Neuroscience plans to target ALSP, a rare genetic neurodegenerative disorder, starting with a Phase 1 safety trial later this year. The company also announced it had received $90 million in series B funding. (STAT)
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Roche’s Ventana MMR RxDX panel, a diagnostic tumor test. The test helps clinicians identify the solid tumors that may be at risk of becoming cancerous. (Reuters)
