Here are six updates on the COVID-19 vaccine and antibody drugs over the past week:
1. Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, along with its partner the University of Oxford in England, have all begun clinical trials testing their COVID-19 vaccines in children.
2. Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines may not be as effective against the coronavirus variants that have appeared in other countries, including the U.K. and South Africa.
3. Johnson & Johnson said Jan. 26 that it is on track to deliver 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the U.S. by the end of June if it's authorized by the FDA.
4. Regeneron's antibody cocktail was effective in preventing COVID-19 in recipients who had been exposed to people infected with the novel coronavirus during an ongoing late phase 3 trial.
5. Merck is discontinuing the development of its two COVID-19 vaccines.
6. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, PhD, told Bloomberg Jan. 26 that a change in COVID-19 dose count will allow the company to fulfill its contract to supply 200 million doses to the U.S. by the end of May instead of July.