Coronavirus News Roundup: AstraZeneca Vaccine Moves to Phase 3 Trial, Survey Shows Most Pharmacists Plan to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has infected an estimated 26,123,176 individuals worldwide, and approximately 6.1 million Americans. The latest COVID-19 related news includes AstraZeneca’s investigational vaccine expanding into a phase 3 clinical trial and a survey by NCPA gauging pharmacy plans for administering a COVID-19 vaccine.

Here’s a roundup of the latest coronavirus-related news:

COVID-19 Vaccine AZD1222 Moves to US Phase 3 Trial​

AstraZeneca’s investigational COVID-19 vaccine candidate, AZD1222, has expanded into a phase 3 clinical trial, according to a press release.

The US trial, called D8110C00001, is funded by the Biomedical Advanced Development Authority (BARDA) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The NIAID-supported COVID-19 Prevention Network will participate in the trial.

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Survey: Most Pharmacies Polled Plan to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines​

A new survey conducted by NCPA suggests that most pharmacies plan to offer a COVID-19 immunization service when a vaccine becomes available.

Eighty-six percent of respondents said they plan to offer the COVID-19 vaccines in their pharmacies when they hit the marketplace, according to the survey of nearly 800 community pharmacy owners/managers.

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FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization to New 15-Minute COVID-19 Antigen Test​

Officials with the FDA have issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Abbott’s BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card rapid test for the detection of COVID-19, according to a press release.

BinaxNOW delivers results in 15 minutes and will be sold for $5, Abbott said. The test, which is approximately the size of the credit card, is highly portable and easy to use, with no equipment required.

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