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Health

British COVID trial deliberately infecting young adults found to be safe

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  • 36 young people infected with COVID in trial
  • Study aimed at advancing research into virus
  • Another trial by Oxford University looking at immunity

LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The world’s first “human challenge” trial in which volunteers were deliberately exposed to COVID-19 to advance research into the disease was found to be safe in healthy young adults, leaders of the study said on Wednesday.

The data supports the safety of this model and lays the groundwork for future studies to test new vaccines and medicines against COVID-19 using this kind of trial by the end of this year, the team added.

Open Orphan (ORPH.L) is running the project, launched last February, with Imperial College London, Britain’s vaccines task force and Orphan’s clinical company  hVIVO. read more

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Scientists have used human challenge trials for decades to learn more about diseases such as malaria, flu, typhoid and cholera, and to develop treatments and vaccines against them.

The Imperial trial exposed 36 healthy male and female volunteers aged 18-29 years to the original SARS-CoV-2 strain of the virus and monitored them in a quarantined setting. They will be followed up for 12 months after discharge.

No serious adverse events occurred, and the human challenge study model was shown to be safe and well tolerated in healthy young adults, the company said.

“People in this age group are believed to be major drivers of the pandemic and these studies, which are representative of mild infection, allow detailed investigation of the factors responsible for infection and pandemic spread,” said Chris Chiu, chief investigator on the trial and professor of infectious diseases at Imperial.

The Imperial researchers said they now planned to start a similar study using the Delta variant, and will share their framework around the globe to allow similar research.

That could provide a crucial route to testing new vaccines, antivirals and diagnostics against COVID-19 more quickly, particularly if transmission rates fall in the real world.

Imperial said it could start tests like this using human challenge trials by the end of 2022.

In April, Oxford University launched another human challenge trial which sought to reinfect people to deepen understanding about immunity. read more

CLINICAL INSIGHTS

The results of the Imperial study, published on a pre-print server and yet to be peer reviewed, also provide some clinical insights that could inform public health policies.

Researchers found that symptoms start to develop on average about two days after contact with the virus, Imperial said, which is earlier than the widely held view that the virus has an incubation period of around five days.

The infection first appears in the throat; infectious virus peaks about five days into infection, which is also when the most significant symptoms are usually noticed, the researchers said. At that stage, the virus is significantly more abundant in the nose than the throat.

They also found that rapid lateral flow tests were a reliable indicator of whether infectious virus was present and therefore the person was likely to be able to transmit the virus. Most people had live virus in their nose for an average of 6.5 days, they said.

Eighteen volunteers became infected, 16 of whom went on to develop mild-to-moderate cold-like symptoms, including a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat, Imperial said.

Some experienced headaches, muscle/joint aches, tiredness and fever. None developed serious symptoms.

Thirteen infected volunteers temporarily lost their sense of smell, but this returned within 90 days in all but three participants – the remainder continue to show improvement after three months.

There were no changes seen in their lungs, or any serious adverse events. Only one person had any lingering symptoms by six months – a slightly reduced sense of smell which was improving.

The trial used the lowest dose necessary to infect people, although the team said it was comparable to real-world infections.

The scientists will now study other elements from the trial, including investigating why the 16 of the 34 participants in the final analysis did not get infected despite exposure. Some had detectable virus in their nose but did not go on to test positive twice on PCR tests, the threshold the team used for confirmed infection.

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Reporting by Josephine Mason and Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Alison Williams

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World

South Africa says no signal of increased Omicron severity yet

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  • Omicron variant drives fourth COVID-19 wave
  • South African hospital admissions start to rise
  • But early data show no sign of increased severity
  • Majority of admissions are unvaccinated

JOHANNESBURG, Dec 10 (Reuters) – South African scientists see no sign that the Omicron coronavirus variant is causing more severe illness, they said on Friday, as officials announced plans to roll out vaccine boosters with daily infections approaching an all-time high.

South Africa alerted the world to Omicron late last month, prompting alarm that the highly mutated variant could trigger a new surge in global infections.

Hospital data show that COVID-19 admissions are now rising sharply in more than half of the country’s nine provinces, but deaths are not rising as dramatically and indicators such as the median length of hospital stay are reassuring.

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Although scientists say more time is needed to arrive at a definitive conclusion, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the signs on severity were positive.

“Preliminary data does suggest that while there is increasing rate of hospitalisation … it looks like it is purely because of the numbers rather than as a result of any severity of the variant itself, this Omicron,” he said.

In the past few days, a nationwide outbreak linked to variant has been infecting around 20,000 people a day, with 19,018 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, according to data from the National Institute of Communicable Disease, but only 20 new deaths.

Infections have yet to reach the peak of more than 26,000 daily cases during a third wave fuelled by the Delta variant. read more

South Africa has fully vaccinated about 38% of adults, more than in many other African countries but well short of the government’s year-end target. It recently delayed some vaccine deliveries due to oversupply as the pace of inoculations slowed. read more

Healthcare workers assist patients being treated at a makeshift hospital run by charity organisation The Gift of the Givers, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Johannesburg, South Africa, July 11, 2021. Picture taken July 11, 2021. REUTERS/ Sumaya Hisham

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BOOSTERS COMING

Health department deputy director-general Nicholas Crisp said on Friday that boosters of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine (PFE.N), (22UAy.DE) would be available to people six months after they had received their second dose, with the first people becoming eligible late this month.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) boosters, already available to health workers in a research study, would be rolled out to others soon, he said.

Crisp denied that offering boosters was a means of using up vaccine stock. “We do not need to consume vaccines. They are expensive and we will only use vaccines if there is evidence to do so,” he said.

The World Health Organization recommended this week that boosters should be given to people who are immunocompromised or had received an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against waning immunity. But it has said previously that administering primary doses should be the priority given that vaccination rates remain worryingly low in many developing countries. read more

A small study from a South African research institute this week suggested that Omicron could partially evade protection from two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, but the company and its partner, BioNTech, say a three-shot course of their vaccine can neutralise Omicron in the laboratory. read more

Glenda Gray, president of the South African Medical Research Council, said there were far more unvaccinated people among South Africa’s hospital admissions and the evidence was that the Pfizer vaccine was still offering protection.

“We are seeing that this vaccine is maintaining effectiveness. It may be slightly reduced, but we are seeing effectiveness being maintained for hospital admissions and that is very encouraging,” she said.

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Additional reporting by Tim Cocks in Johannesburg; Editing by David Goodman, Robert Birsel and Alex Richardson

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World

Johnson imposes COVID-19 ‘Plan B’ in England to contain Omicron

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  • Johnson says Omicron is spreading rapidly
  • UK has found 568 Omicron cases
  • Rules include COVID passports, work from home

LONDON, Dec 8 (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed tougher COVID-19 restrictions in England on Wednesday, ordering people to work from home, wear masks in public places and use vaccine passes to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Undermined by accusations that his staff partied at Downing Street during a Christmas lockdown last year, Johnson said Omicron was spreading rapidly and he had no choice but to move to “Plan B” while a vaccine booster programme rolls out.

While still a long way from the full lockdowns imposed earlier in the pandemic, the new measures were described as a “hammer blow” for city centre restaurants, cafes and shops that are desperate for Christmas trade to rebuild their finances.

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Many lawmakers in Johnson’s own party are also angry with the new restrictions, fearing the impact they will have after the economy shrank by a historic 10% last year.

“While the picture may get better, and I sincerely hope that it will, we know that the remorseless logic of exponential growth could lead to a big rise in hospitalisations and therefore, sadly, in deaths,” Johnson told a news conference.

Sterling fell sharply when news first emerged on Wednesday that ‘plan B’ measures were imminent and investors pared back their bets on a Bank of England interest rate hike next week.

Johnson, who lifted most COVID restrictions in England in July following a rapid vaccine rollout, had vowed to navigate the winter without resorting to a fourth COVID-19 lockdown, but had kept a so-called Plan B in reserve.

Part of those measures, such as reintroducing masks on public transport and in shops, had already been brought in, but on Wednesday Johnson said people should also now work from home.

Face masks will be required in public venues such as theatres and cinemas and a COVID pass will be mandatory for access to nightclubs and venues with large crowds.

People walk past a Selfridge’s store on Oxford Street, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London, Britain, December 5, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

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Johnson said the new measures were needed after 568 cases of Omicron were found in the country, with data suggesting its doubling time of infections could be between two and three days.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said officials estimated that the number of Omicron infections was actually around 20 times higher than the number of confirmed cases, meaning they could be closer to 10,000.

HAMMER BLOW

Businesses reacted with incredulity.

“The renewed ‘work from home’ order during the most important trading period of the year is a hammer blow for our retail and leisure tenants,” said Jace Tyrrell, CEO of New West End Company.

While many businesses adapted well to working from home, sectors such as hospitality, entertainment and travel have been hit by huge losses. Unlike previous lockdowns, a furlough job support scheme is also no longer available.

A poll from Savanta ComRes also suggested some people may be less willing to follow new restrictions following the revelations around the Downing Street party.

A leaked video showed senior staff laughing and joking over how to explain a gathering in Downing Street during a Christmas COVID-19 lockdown last year. Johnson has apologised.

The prime minister also said COVID restrictions could not last forever and the country may need to have “a conversation” about what to do when a substantial proportion of the population refuses to get a vaccine.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own COVID restrictions and had already set tougher rules.

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Additional reporting by Alistair Smout, David Milliken, William James, Paul Sandle and Elizabeth Piper, writing by Kate Holton and and Guy Faulconbridge, editing by David Milliken, William Schomberg, Janet Lawrence, William Maclean

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World

Next pandemic could be more lethal than COVID, vaccine creator says

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LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) – Future pandemics could be even more lethal than COVID-19 so the lessons learned from the outbreak must not be squandered and the world should ensure it is prepared for the next viral onslaught, one of the creators of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine said.

The novel coronavirus has killed 5.26 million people across the world, according to Johns Hopkins University, wiped out trillions of dollars in economic output and turned life upside down for billions of people.

“The truth is, the next one could be worse. It could be more contagious, or more lethal, or both,” Sarah Gilbert said in the Richard Dimbleby Lecture, the BBC reported. “This will not be the last time a virus threatens our lives and our livelihoods.”

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Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology at the University of Oxford, said the world should make sure it is better prepared for the next virus.

“The advances we have made, and the knowledge we have gained, must not be lost,” she said.

Efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic have been uneven and fragmented, marked by limited access to vaccines in low-income countries while the “healthy and wealthy” in rich countries get boosters, health experts say.

A woman receives an Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at a COVID-19 vaccination centre at Cwmbran Stadium in Cwmbran, South Wales, Britain February 17, 2021. Geoff Caddick/Pool via REUTERS

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A panel of health experts set up by the World Health Organisation to review the handling of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has called for permanent funding and for greater ability to investigate pandemics through a new treaty. read more

One proposal was for new financing of at least $10 billion a year for pandemic preparedness.

The COVID-19 outbreak was first detected in China in late 2019. Vaccines were developed against the virus in record time.

Gilbert said the Omicron variant’s spike protein contained mutations known to increase the transmissibility of the virus.

“There are additional changes that may mean antibodies induced by the vaccines, or by infection with other variants, may be less effective at preventing infection with Omicron,” Gilbert said.

“Until we know more, we should be cautious, and take steps to slow down the spread of this new variant.”

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Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge and Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Kate Holton

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World

Europe, Asia tighten borders against COVID variant as WHO urges caution

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  • UK bans flights from South Africa region, EU plans similar
  • Variant has a protein dramatically different to original
  • Epidemiologist wards travel cubs may be too late
  • Israel on verge of state of emergency
  • Parts of Europe already battling record daily COVID cases

LONDON/GENEVA, Nov 26 (Reuters) – Global authorities reacted with alarm on Friday to a new coronavirus variant detected in South Africa, with the EU and Britain among those tightening border controls as scientists sought to find out if the mutation was vaccine-resistant.

Hours after Britain banned flights from South Africa and neighbouring countries and asked travellers returning from there to quarantine, the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned against hasty measures.

But European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU also aimed to halt air travel from the region. read more

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Scientists are still learning about the variant, identified this week, but the news pummelled global stocks and oil amid fears what new bans would do to already shaky economies across southern Africa. read more

The variant has a spike protein that is dramatically different to the one in the original coronavirus that COVID-19 vaccines are based on, the UK Health Security Agency said, raising fears about how current vaccines, successful against the more familiar Delta variant, will fare.

“As scientists have described, (this is) the most significant variant they’ve encountered to date,” British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News.

The WHO was holding a meeting in Geneva, with experts discussing the risks the variant, called B.1.1.529, presents, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said. read more

For now, it warned against travel curbs.

“At this point, implementing travel measures is being cautioned against,” Lindmeier told a U.N. briefing in Geneva. “The WHO recommends that countries continue to apply a risk-based and scientific approach when implementing (curbs).”

Nearly 100 sequences of the variant have been reported and early analysis shows it has “a large number of mutations” requiring further study, Lindmeier said.

British health minister Sajid Javid said the new variant had probably spread to other countries.

“The sequence of this variant … was first uploaded by Hong Kong from a case of someone travelling from South Africa,” Javid told lawmakers.

“… Further cases have been identified in South Africa and in Botswana, and it is highly likely that it has now spread to other countries.”

Israel barred its citizens from travelling to southern Africa as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said a few cases of the variant had been reported there,

Passengers wearing protective face masks, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, walk at the Haneda airport, in Tokyo, Japan June 13, 2021. REUTERS/Androniki Christodoulou

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Israel’s Ynet news website reported that, according to the Health Ministry, one of those individuals had received a third shot, or booster, of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine two months ago. A Health Ministry spokesperson could not confirm the report.

“We are currently on the verge of a state of emergency,” Bennett said, according to a statement from his office. read more

“Our main principle is to act fast, strong and now.”

TOO LATE FOR TRAVEL CURBS?

One epidemiologist in Hong Kong said it may be too late to tighten travel curbs.

“I think we have to recognise that most likely this virus is already in other places. And so if we shut the door now, it’s going to be probably too late,” said Ben Cowling of the University of Hong Kong.

South Africa, which is to convene its advisory National Coronavirus Command Council on Sunday, will speak to British authorities to try to get them to reconsider their ban, the foreign ministry in Pretoria said. read more

“Our immediate concern is the damage that this decision will cause to both the tourism industries and businesses of both countries,” Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said in a statement.

Britain and other European countries had already been expanding booster vaccinations and tightening curbs as the continent battles a fourth wave of the coronavirus, led by the delta variant, with many reporting record daily rises in cases. read more

The new wave and discovery of the new variant come as Europe and the United States enter winter, with more people gathering indoors in the run-up to Christmas, providing a breeding ground for infection.

Italy imposed an entry ban on people who have visited southern African states in the last 14 days, and Germany will declare South Africa a virus variant area, a health ministry source said. France suspended all flights from southern Africa for 48 hours. Bahrain and Croatia will ban arrivals from some countries. read more

India issued an advisory to all states to test and screen international travellers from South Africa and other “at risk” countries, while Japan tightened border controls for visitors from South Africa and five other African countries. read more

The coronavirus has swept the world in the two years since it was first identified in central China, infecting almost 260 million people and killing 5.4 million. read more

Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus: open https://tmsnrt.rs/2FThSv7 in an external browser.

Eikon users can click https://apac1.apps.cp.thomsonreuters.com/cms/?navid=1063154666 for a case tracker.

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Reporting by bureaux across the world; Writing by Miyoung Kim and Nick Macfie; Editing by John Stonestreet

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World

Denmark revisits its ‘corona pass’ as third wave of epidemic looms

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Passengers sit in a plane to depart Copenhagen Airport for the Spanish holiday island of Mallorca, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Copenhagen, Denmark, May 21, 2021. Martin Sylvest/Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS

COPENHAGEN, Nov 8 (Reuters) – Denmark’s government on Monday proposed reinstating the use of a digital “corona pass” to be presented when Danes visit indoor bars and restaurants, as the country is entering a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denmark was one of few countries to lift almost all remaining restrictions in September after having avoided a third wave of infections over spring and summer due to broad lockdown measures imposed since Christmas.

But the number of daily infections has risen steadily to around 2,300 in recent days from a low of just over 200 in mid-September.

The positivity rate, the share of total tests made that were positive, has also risen steadily in the past weeks from 1.2% in mid-September to 2.3% by the end of October.

“Several European countries are now in the middle of their fourth wave of corona. In Denmark we are heading into our third corona wave,” health minister Magnus Heunicke said during a televised briefing on Monday.

The corona pass, which is usually presented via an app on Danes’ phones, is used to verify that the holder is vaccinated or has tested negative for the coronavirus.

The measure presented by the government, which is subject to parliamentary approval, will also require the pass to be presented for indoor gatherings over 200, such as in cinemas and museums.

Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Jonathan Oatis

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World

China’s COVID-19 cases spike ahead of Communist Party conclave

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BEIJING, Nov 3 (Reuters) – China’s new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases spiked to a near three-month high and tighter curbs to contain the spread are expected in the capital Beijing ahead of a key gathering of the highest-ranking members of the Communist Party next week.

The National Health Commission confirmed on Wednesday 93 new local symptomatic cases for Nov. 2, up from 54 a day earlier and the highest daily count since Aug. 9 at the peak of China’s last major outbreak.

Beijing reported nine new local infections, the biggest one-day increase in the capital this year.

While new daily cases in Beijing since late October have remained very modest compared to outside of China, the country’s zero-tolerance policy has meant the imposition of strict measures to contain the spread of the virus at all costs.

Temperature screening has been set up at entrances of shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels, cinemas and subway stations, while a legion of personnel on the ground check the health codes of visiting individuals on their mobile phones.

Beijing authorities have also repeatedly told residents to refrain from travelling out of the city, postpone weddings, simplify funeral arrangements, and cut back on all non-essential gatherings.

Of the flights scheduled on Wednesday at Beijing Daxing Airport, 60.4% have been cancelled as of the morning, while 49.8% of flights at Beijing Capital International Airport (0694.HK) have been scrapped.

Air China (601111.SS) is offering free cancellations for flights to and from Beijing until Dec. 1.

The rise in Beijing infections comes as the 300-plus members of the Communist Party’s Central Committee prepare to gather in a major closed-door meeting on Nov. 8-11. It will be the committee’s sixth and penultimate so-called plenum of its five-year term before the next big Party Congress in 2022.

At the plenum, President Xi Jinping is expected to push through a resolution that will cement his authority and legacy and strengthen his case for a precedent-breaking third term starting next year. read more

Outside of Beijing, new local infections were reported in the north, northeast and northwest in provinces and areas including Heilongjiang, Hebei, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Qinghai.

New cases were also seen the southwest of China, in the municipality of Chongqing as well as the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan.

The southern province of Jiangxi reported two new cases.

Carriers including China Southern Airlines (600029.SS), Air China and China Eastern Airlines (600115.SS) are offering free cancellations for flights to and from some COVID-hit cities including Chongqing and Chengdu.

Inclusive of cases imported from overseas, China reported 109 new confirmed infections for Nov. 2 compared with 71 a day earlier.

As of Nov. 2, mainland China had 97,423 confirmed cases.

Reporting by Ryan Woo, Liangping Gao and Stella Qiu
Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Michael Perry and Lincoln Feast.

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New Zealand’s COVID cases jump as its battles Delta variant

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A medical worker administers a COVID-19 test at a testing clinic during a lockdown to curb the spread of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Auckland, New Zealand, August 26, 2021. REUTERS/Fiona Goodall

WELLINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) – New Zealand’s daily coronavirus cases jumped to their highest level in weeks on Wednesday, a setback to the South Pacific nation’s battle to eliminate the highly infectious Delta variant from its shores.

Health authorities reported 45 new cases, all in the biggest city, Auckland, taking the total number of cases in the current outbreak to 1,230.

It’s much higher than the eight reported on Tuesday, and the highest number of daily cases since Sept 2.

COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins urged New Zealanders to stay calm, saying: “We do expect from time to time there will be blips.”

Hipkins said at least 33 of the new cases are known household or close contacts of existing cases and most have been isolating at home or in quarantine facilities while infectious.

“I would encourage people not to read too much into it. We are still aiming to run this into the ground,” Hipkins said at a news conference.

The continuing emergence of daily cases has raised questions whether New Zealand can eliminate the virus.

A top health official said last week that the country may never be back to zero cases again. read more

New Zealand eliminated COVID-19 last year and remained largely virus-free until an outbreak of the Delta variant in August led to a nationwide lockdown. Auckland has been in lockdown for over a month.

A delayed a vaccine rollout, however, means more people are at risk in the latest outbreak.

Ardern is now facing pressure from expatriate Kiwis and their families back home to drop her “zero tolerance” strategy and reopen borders.

The opposition National Party said on Wednesday that it would end lockdowns and reopen borders before Christmas.

“Delta is here, it may not be possible to eliminate it, and it would almost inevitably arrive into the community again. Whatever happens, we need to reopen to the world and National’s plan outlines how we can do that,” National Party leader Judith Collins said.

Ardern has announced a phased reopening plan for early next year. read more

Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Gerry Doyle

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Business

Sanofi ditches mRNA COVID-19 vaccine after rivals’ success

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  • To focus on more conventional COVID-19 vaccine with GSK
  • To pursue mRNA technology in influenza, other vaccines
  • Started testing mRNA flu shot in humans in June

PARIS, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Sanofi (SASY.PA) is dropping plans for its own mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine because of the dominance achieved by BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna in using the technology to fight the pandemic, the company said on Tuesday.

The move highlights the challenges of competing in particular with pioneer BioNTech (22UAy.DE), which rose from obscurity through its alliance with pharma major Pfizer (PFE.N) last year. They have delivered close to 1.5 billion doses so far to become the Western world’s largest COVID-19 vaccine maker.

French healthcare group Sanofi will instead focus on efforts with British partner GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) to bring another COVID-19 vaccine candidate to market based on the more conventional protein-based approach, where mass trials are ongoing. read more

The decision to drop clinical development of a shot based on mRNA, or messenger RNA, acquired as part of its takeover of Translate Bio , came despite positive Phase I/II study interim results announced on Tuesday, where participants’ blood readings showed a strong immune reaction.

But Sanofi said the read-out encouraged it only to pursue the technology as a potential vaccine against influenza and other diseases, giving up on the area of COVID-19 because of the strong market presence of the two approved mRNA shots.

“The results are extremely important as they show us that the platform we acquired works,” Thomas Triomphe, head of the Sanofi Pasteur vaccines division, told journalists. He said kicking off final Phase III trials now made no sense.

“Would it, responsibly, be the best use of this wealth of science afforded by mRNA vaccines to make a COVID-19 vaccine and try and bring another mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to people who already today may not want an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine? Clearly not,” Triomphe said.

He also dismissed the prospect for annual repeat shots, which has been intensely debated by researchers and pharmaceutical executives, with clear trial results on the need for yearly boosters still to come.

U.S. regulators cleared a third Pfizer-BioNTech shot half a year after the initial two-shot course for some at-risk groups and Moderna aims to follow suit.

Triomphe said that given evidence of virus-fighting antibodies surging after a third shot, a recurring market was out of the question. “With a fourth dose you’d have extremely high antibodies and you absolutely would not need an annual COVID-19 vaccine.” he added.

He said that by May or June 2022, some 24 billion doses of COVID-19 jabs made by different manufacturers would already have been delivered.

Sanofi’s shares were 0.1% higher 82.2 euros by 1136 GMT, outperforming a 1.21% decline in the STOXX Europe 600 Health Care (.SXDP).

“The decision to end RNA looks to be interpreted as positive since they will save development costs and concentrate on other products and ventures,” said Ion-Marc Valahu, a fund manager at Geneva-based investment firm Clairinvest.

But Sanofi’s comparatively slow progress in developing a COVID-19 vaccine – its project with GSK was delayed late last year – has been a blow to its prestige and lamented by some French politicians. read more

The company said it started testing an mRNA shot against seasonal influenza in humans in June and would launch follow-on clinical studies next year.

FLU COMPETITION

The development of RNA flu shots is already shaping up to be a tight race as drugmakers hope they can more quickly adjust the vaccine to ever-changing strains in circulation. Unlike the highly mutant flu virus, the coronavirus reduces genetic copying errors when replicating in a host organism.

Pfizer said this week it had started testing an mRNA flu vaccine. Moderna (MRNA.O) has several influenza vaccine candidates in development, including combinations that include a COVID-19 booster. read more

Established influenza vaccine supplier Seqirus, part of Australia’s CSL (CSL.AX), for instance, is working on next-generation low-dose RNA flu shots, known as self-amplifying RNA.

Companies including Novavax are also working on novel flu shots using new technology beyond mRNA. read more

Sanofi reported 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion) in sales from flu vaccines in 2020, the largest of its vaccine business, which recorded total sales of 5.9 billion euros.

The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines trick the human body into producing proteins known as antigens that are found on the surface of the coronavirus that causes the disease. That primes the immune system to quell future infections.

Under the more traditional protein-based vaccine approach that Sanofi will now focus on, the antigen is bioengineered in labs and combined with an efficacy-boosting ingredient known as an adjuvant, provided by GSK.

Triomphe said the European Union and Britain had ordered 75 million doses of this vaccine, banking on future regulatory approval.

German biotech firm CureVac (5CV.DE) earlier this month also acknowledged rivals’ dominance when it cancelled some of the contract manufacturing deals for its experimental mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with two prospective partners. read more

CureVac’s product is under review by the EU’s drugs regulator, with an uncertain outcome after disappointing trial results.

Sanofi shares lag rivals
Moderna’s market cap overtakes Sanofi

($1 = 0.8537 euros)

Reporting by Ludwig Burger in Frankfurt, Sarah White and Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris
Editing by Louise Heavens and Mark Potter

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England’s COVID-19 travel rules simplified in boost to industry

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  • Transport secretary simplifies travel rules, cut costs
  • Expensive testing scrapped for fully vaccinated
  • Destinations will be ranked high or low risk

LONDON, Sept 17 (Reuters) – Britain simplified rules on Friday for international travel to England in a boost to the tourism industry, including scrapping the need for fully vaccinated passengers to take expensive COVID-19 tests on arrival from low-risk countries.

Under the new proposals, destinations will simply be ranked low or high risk, instead of red, amber and green. Eight countries, including Turkey, Pakistan and the Maldives, will be removed from the high-risk red band from next Wednesday which requires passengers to quarantine in a hotel.

From Oct. 4, vaccinated passengers arriving from low-risk countries will be permitted to take a cheaper lateral flow test, rather than the privately administered PCR lab tests now required. PCR tests for a family now can cost hundreds of pounds.

“Today’s changes mean a simpler, more straightforward system. One with less testing and lower costs, allowing more people to travel, see loved ones or conduct business around the world while providing a boost for the travel industry,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement.

The British government sets policy for England, while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are in charge of their own rules.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced months of pressure to ease the restrictions. Airlines and travel companies blamed the testing and complicated rules for the slowness of a recovery in air travel over the summer and warned that far-reaching changes were needed or more job losses would follow the 100,000 already lost.

The industry, already on its knees after 18 months of restrictions, is facing a cliff edge as a government furlough scheme ends later this month with winter approaching, when fewer people travel and businesses tend to make a loss.

RECOVERY LAGS

Unvaccinated travellers returning from low-risk countries will be required to take a pre-departure test, plus PCR tests on day two and day eight, and to self-isolate for 10 days on arrival, the government said.

England will also expand the list of countries from which it recognises vaccinations, after the success of a pilot with the United States and Europe. Another 17 countries and territories will be added to the list, including Japan and Singapore.

Data shows that Britain’s travel recovery is lagging. UK flights were down 39% compared with pre-pandemic levels for the two weeks to early Sept. 6, while France, Spain and Italy were down between 24% and 28%, according to Eurocontrol.

The travel company Thomas Cook described the changes as “a shot in the arm for the travel industry” while airline bosses, such as EasyJet(EZJ.L)Chief Executive Johan Lundgren, urged the government to go further by eliminating any screening of vaccinated travellers from low-risk countries.

The British Airline Pilots Association said the changes were good news for the industry. But workers in the sector would be among those most hurt by the end of the government’s furlough programme, which has paid salaries of staff sent home during the pandemic and expires at the end of this month.

“But there is still a way to go before UK aviation can truly take off again and the industry remains precariously placed after a dire summer season,” BALPA Acting General Secretary Martin Chalk said. “With furlough ending it is going to be hard for cash strapped airlines to get back up and running as demand returns.”

($1 = 0.7247 pound)

Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, Costas Pitas, Guy Faulconbridge and Sarah Young, Editing by Angus MacSwan, Philippa Fletcher, Peter Graff and Jonathan Oatis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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