Global pharma and biotech’s fight against COVID-19
Perhaps it’s time for some good news. First of all, just today biotherapeutics developer Avacta has announced its partnership with Cytiva, formerly known as GE Healthcare Life Sciences, to develop and manufacture a point-of-care (POC) rapid test to diagnose COVID-19 infection.
Meanwhile, finnCap Group recently helped raise £14m for drug discovery and development firm Synairgen. The funding will be used by the firm to conduct a vital phase II clinical trial of its candidate SNG001 in COVID-19 patients – a trial that received expedited approval by UK authorities and within days of the fundraise has already dosed its first patient.
finnCap Group clients Avacta and Synairgen are not the only protagonists in this rapidly evolving story. Things are moving exceptionally fast in the pharma and biotech fight against COVID-19.
Firstly, the pharma side. With regulatory approvals getting rushed through as with Synairgen’s candidate, naturally, our attention turned to some of the other drug development programmes on the radar.