COVID-19

COVID-19 has pushed the entire health care system to adopt new technologies and new solutions for conducting clinical research and delivering care to patients. An expert panel hosted by the Galien Foundation provided a meditation on what the biopharma industry has learned so far, and how to use the urgency created by COVID-19 to lock-in technological acceleration while maintaining what FDA’s Amy Abernethy called  “responsible progress.”

Johnson & Johnson, among world’s largest health care groups, explains how the global medtech business should change, seen through the lens of the coronavirus pandemic.

As of October 2020, nearly a thousand companies from all industries have committed to climate change-related “Science Based Targets.” However, only 17 signatories are from the pharmaceutical industry, and they are the usual suspects from big pharma. There are none from India and China.

COVID-19 has created an “always accessible” online work environment conducive to executive recruiting, although some candidates are hesitant to change jobs during pandemic-related uncertainty. Corporate culture and an accelerating digital convergence continue to drive hiring decisions, in addition to US immigration policy and a renewed emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Corin has transformed from a niche UK hip resurfacing company into an innovative global player in orthopedics with a portfolio that includes robotics. UK branch managing director Paul Gibbons explained the group’s approach to business during COVID-19 and its culture of innovation.

Missteps on convalescent plasma and the revoked authorization of hydroxychloroquine – paired with US president Trump’s cheerleading for the rapid approval of a COVID-19 vaccine – has eroded public trust in the US FDA. Can a safety and efficacy pledge from vaccine developers tamp down public skepticism?

Emmanuel Ligner, president and CEO of Cytiva, talks to In Vivo about how the company will dramatically increase its manufacturing capabilities over the next five years, at a price tag of $500m.

Already producing a broader range of biologics than any biotech firm in the world, from antibodies via plasma products to testing assays to vaccines, the state-owned China National Biotec Group is becoming even bigger with policy support and one surprising helper: the coronavirus pandemic. But might it face challenges from innovators and foreign firms in a changing environment?

The COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on the world, including on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The debate on how HTA should change as a result of COVID-19 is gaining momentum, but could a wider approach to value and a higher threshold be a false dawn?

COVID-19 has triggered a dramatic shift toward virtual consultations and telemedicine, encouraged by more relaxed regulations and payer support.

Real-time decision support came of age in dramatic style during COVID-19. GE Healthcare’s CEO of Clinical Command Centers Jeff Terry explains that AI- and app-based health system collaboration and virtualized care will become increasingly embedded as health care delivery transforms.

A two and half year-old partnership between Adaptive Biotechnologies and Microsoft that began with a focus on Lyme disease has transitioned to mapping immune responses to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By identifying and matching T cell receptors to antigens associated with the virus – and leveraging the power of machine learning – the companies hope to improve COVID-19 vaccine development, locate potential antibodies for drug development and create better, more sensitive diagnostics.

A globally co-ordinated approach to sourcing that rewards non-pricing criteria is imperative to bolster the security of the off-patent industry’s supply chain in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, says Accord’s James Burt.

The total addressable market for genomics infectious disease testing is increasing, says Illumina, after becoming the first company to receive a US EUA for a next generation sequencing-based COVID-19 test. It came amid a raft of innovation activity and tuck-in M&A for the San Diego group.

The massive need for a COVID-19 vaccine and treatments has heightened the biopharmaceutical industry’s visibility among consumers and the world’s largest biopharma companies are getting a boost in positive perception this year, according to a new FutureBrand survey. If sustained, this could have dividends in areas such as attracting industry talent and clinical trial participants. But much remains to be seen as biopharma navigates the final stretch of clinical development, regulatory review, distribution and patient access.

With the global pandemic leading to a big rise in mental health issues, medtech could have a role to play. In Vivo explores transcranial magnetic stimulation systems that are being used to treat severe anxiety and depression, among other indications. As well as the skyrocketing use of telehealth, apps and light therapy for mental health indications.