FDA Approves GSK’s 5-in-1 Meningococcal Vaccine
On Feb. 14, 2025, British pharmaceutical and biotechnology company GSK plc announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its 5-in-1 meningococcal vaccine PENMENVY for licensure and use in individuals aged 10 through 25 years. The vaccine targets five major serogroups of the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis (A, B, C, W, and Y), which […]
FDA Clears Investigational New Drug Application for Inhaled COVID Biologic
Biotech company Ocugen, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared their Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a novel inhaled vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. The biologic uses novel chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored (ChAd36) technology. The approval will allow the company to initiate Phase I clinical trials for the inhaled vaccine, OCU500. The […]
Louisiana Bans State Funded Promotion of COVID-19, Influenza and Mpox Vaccines
In December 2024, Louisiana’s Department of Health issued a directive barring public health workers from promoting COVID-19, influenza, or mpox vaccines.1 This includes prohibiting staff from sending press releases, giving interviews, holding vaccine events, creating social media posts, or even displaying signs in clinics indicating that vaccines are available.2 The policy, which officials declined to […]
Topical Cream Vaccine Created by Stanford University Scientists
A new study conducted by Stanford University scientists and published in Nature discusses a newly developed topical vaccine using Staphylococcus epidermidis, a common bacterium found on human skin. The researchers speculate that this new type of vaccine delivery system could offer an alternative to traditional needle-based vaccinations and avoid common side effects like fever, swelling, […]
Russia Develops mRNA Cancer Biologic
Russia’s Ministry of Health announced last week that it has developed an mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) therapeutic biologic for cancer. A name for the shot has not yet been revealed, but it will cost the government about 300,000 rubles per dose—the equivalent of $2,869. The mRNA cancer biologic will be made available to the public […]
First Needle-Free Patch RSV Vaccine Being Created
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has granted the Biotech company Vaxxas Pty. Ltd. of Australia a worldwide license to a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) antigen known as DS2. The license will allow for the firm to create the first needle-free and room-temperature stable RSV vaccine using a novel and “cutting edge” high-density microarray […]