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Avance Clinical Congratulates Client Tetherex Pharmaceuticals on Initiation of Dosing in a Phase 1 Clinical Study Using a Novel Single-Cycle Adenovirus Vaccine Strategy in Australia

indie
5 minutes

ADELAIDE, AUS, Jul 9, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The largest Australian full-service CRO for international biotechs and Frost & Sullivan Asia-Pacific CRO Market Leadership Award winner Avance Clinical today congratulated client Tetherex Pharmaceuticals on first patient dosing for its Phase 1 vaccine clinical trial.Tetherex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately held, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on development of selectin inhibitor therapeutics for the treatment of a broad range of inflammatory diseases and single-cycle adenovirus vaccines for multiple infectious diseases and cancer indications.Avance Clinical Chief Scientific Officer Dr Gabriel Kremmidiotis said:"The exciting aspect of the Tetherex product is the potential to vaccinate using a nasal spray. Administering the vaccine via the same route that the virus uses to get into our bodies, may result in more effective protection compared to the first generation Covid-19 vaccine products currently being administered as injectables. Commencement of dosing with the Tetherex Covid-19 vaccine product constitutes a major achievement for the Avance Clinical team who played a key role in supporting...

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Heart inflammation after Covid-19 vaccines remains rare; benefits of vaccines continue to outweigh risks

aseanpr
5 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Covid-19 mRNA vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna may have a likely link to heart problems but these events remain rare, with the benefits of immunisation greatly outweighing the risks. Most recently, a 16-year-old boy collapsed after strenuous exertion six days following his first dose of the vaccine. Investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause of his cardiac arrest and it remains unclear if the incident was linked to his vaccination. As at June 30, Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) received 12 reports of myocarditis and pericarditis occurring in people following their vaccinations with mRNA Covid-19 vaccines. The risk of such heart inflammations appears to be higher after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine than the first, and higher in men than women. Incidents of heart problems have also been reported abroad. More than 1,200 Americans, including about 500 who were younger than age 30, reported symptoms after their mRNA jabs, according to data reported in late June by the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most cases were mild, CDC researchers said. Of the 484 cases reported in Americans under age 30, 323 case...

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Govt offering Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine to some of those allergic to mRNA jabs as part of study

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Thousands of people here who have had allergic reactions to the Covid-19 vaccines used in Singapore's national inoculation programme will be offered Sinovac jabs by the Government, as part of a study to understand the immunity offered by different vaccines. About 3,600 people who were allergic to the first dose of the mRNA vaccines have been contacted, and more than 1,400 have indicated interest in the programme, The Straits Times has learnt. A spokesman for the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Thursday (July 1): "To better understand the immunity conferred by the use of different vaccines, we will work with the National Centre for Infectious Diseases to follow up with a sub-group of these persons who have received the mRNA vaccine, followed by the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine, under a research study on Covid-19 vaccine immune response." MOH has been in touch with the people who have indicated interest in this programme to keep them updated with details on how they can receive the Sinovac vaccine, the spokesman added. The Sinovac vaccine is not part of Singapore's national vaccination regime, which currently uses the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty and Moderna vaccines. Both the...

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Recipients of Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine not exempted from pre-event testing: MOH

aseanpr
5 minutes

SINGAPORE - People who have received the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine will not be exempted from pre-event testing, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (June 30). Vaccines not included in Singapore's national vaccination programme - Sinovac's among them - may lack sufficient documentation of how effective they are at protecting against Covid-19 infection, and in particular against the Delta variant of the virus currently circulating, said MOH. The Delta strain is a new mutation of the coronavirus that is more infectious. "Hence, from the public health point of view, individuals vaccinated with vaccines other than those in our Covid-19 national vaccination programme will still have to undergo pre-event testing," said MOH. The Government previously said that those who are fully vaccinated are exempt from pre-event testing before attending events such as live performances, Mice events, and wedding solemnisations. Authorities gave approval last month to 24 private healthcare clinics to draw on the Government's existing stock of the Sinovac vaccine. Dr Leong Hoe Nam of Rophi Clinic told The Straits Times on Wednesday that his clinic has administered more than 400 doses of the Sino...

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Getting vaccines throughout life most cost-effective way to protect people against infectious diseases: Report

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Vaccination at every stage of life after childhood remains one of the most cost-effective measures to protect against infectious diseases, a study has found. The body's immune function is weakened and has an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases such as the flu and pneumonia as one ages. And this can potentially turn into other health complications. Despite vaccines being highly effective in disease prevention, South-east Asia lags behind the rest of the world when it comes to getting a person immunised through the course of his life - a process otherwise known as life-course immunisation. The region falls significantly short of the 75 per cent immunisation target set by the World Health Organisation, said the report, published on Tuesday (June 29). It is titled The Decade Of Healthy Ageing In Asean: Role Of Life-Course Immunisation. For instance, Singapore's influenza vaccination rate stands at only 14 per cent, compared with 75 per cent in Britain and 83 per cent in South Korea. The report was done by the EU-Asean Business Council, accounting firm KPMG in Singapore, and pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, with the support of the Western Pacific Pharmaceutical Forum...

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MOH, infectious diseases expert call out one-sided claims by doctors on need to halt Covid-19 jabs for schoolboys

aseanpr
6 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination and a senior infectious diseases specialist from the National Centre for Infectious Diseases have called out the one-sided claims by a group of doctors behind an open letter arguing for a halt in the vaccination of Singapore's youths. In a revised statement issued on Monday (June 28), the Ministry of Health (MOH) which oversees the Expert Committee on Covid-19 Vaccination said that news reports about a child's death in the United States did not state heart failure as a cause as alleged in the open letter. "The matter is still under investigation by the US authorities," said MOH, which did not point out this error in its Sunday statement. In his Facebook post on Monday (June 28), the National Centre for Infectious Diseases' Associate Professor David Lye called out the doctors behind the open letter for "misleading" and "misinforming the public". The open letter - posted on Facebook on Saturday by a doctor, Dr Kho Kwang Po - was addressed to Professor Benjamin Ong, chairman of the expert committee. It came after a 13-year-old American boy died days after he received his second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine in the US. It had called...

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Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on June 2

aseanpr
2 minutes

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, June 2. Over half of 52,000 students invited for Covid-19 vaccine booked slots SMSes will be sent to students aged 18 and above, and to parents of children below 18. READ MORE HERE WHO approves Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use Listing would allow shot to be included in global programme to provide vaccines for poor nations. READ MORE HERE All 26 Hua Zai food outlets closed until June 14 due to likely Covid-19 transmission The cluster linked to the Hua Zai outlet in NTUC Foodfare in Anchorvale Road now has nine cases. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Most parents keen to sign kids up for Covid-19 vaccination despite concerns over side effects They're looking forward to getting their kids vaccinated, for peace of mind when they return to school. READ MORE HERE Preparations under way for NDP 2021 to be staged at Marina Bay floating platform Mindef has called for goods and services specific to NDP 2021 in five tender documents on Gebiz. READ MORE HERE Six people rescued after their kayaks capsize in waters off Sentosa Cove The incident happened ne...

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HSA permits storing of Pfizer vaccine at standard fridge temperature for up to 31 days

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has given the green light for Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine to be stored at standard refrigerator temperatures of between 2 to 8 deg C for up to a month. The move, which will help facilitate Singapore's nationwide vaccine roll-out, follows a similar decision by the United States Food and Drug Administration last week. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved last December, subject to a strict set of storage conditions. These included long-term storage at minus 70 deg C, with temporary storage at refrigerator temperatures permitted for up to five days. In February, the HSA added that the vaccine can also be stored at a standard freezer temperature of minus 20 deg C for up to two weeks. Its latest decision to further revise storage conditions for the vaccine came "after a thorough review of the application and supplemental data submitted by Pfizer", HSA said in a statement on Tuesday (May 25). The thawed, undiluted vaccine remains stable when stored at refrigerator temperatures for 31 days, it added. "This will greatly facilitate the transportation and local distribution of this vaccine to vaccination centres, as well as their storage and u...

SeaPRwire

Healthy employment numbers make Wall Street happy

elean
2 minutes

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US stocks finished higher on Thursday (May 6), after the Labour Department reported fewer new claims for unemployment benefits last week as the economy bounces back from the Covid-19 pandemic. The data was the latest sign the world's largest economy is roaring back as businesses reopen and authorities ease restrictions imposed last year to fight the virus. The data eclipsed fears of an uptick in inflation that could cause the Federal Reserve to raise rates and increase borrowing costs sooner than expected, which has hit indices in recent weeks, particularly tech. Investors are looking for more good news when the government releases the all-important employment report on Friday that is expected to show more strong hiring in April. The Dow Jones Industrial Average pushed to a new high of 34,548.53 by the close, a gain of 0.9 per cent. The broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.8 per cent to end the day at 4,201.62, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.4 per cent to 13,632.84. Stocks of Covid-19 vaccine makers continued to suffer after Washington on Wednesday said it would support a global waiver on patent protections for the shots, though the sell-off was less s...

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Vaccinated cleaner at care facility among Singapore’s new community Covid-19 cases

aseanpr
4 minutes

A fully vaccinated woman who was working as a cleaner at a community care facility in Tuas South was the sole unlinked case out of the 16 community cases announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (April 29). The 39-year-old Vietnamese national dons full personal protective equipment while at work - including an N95 mask, face shield, gown and gloves. She also periodically helps out at a food stall at The Summit located at the National University of Singapore's Bukit Timah campus. She received her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Jan 27, and the second dose on Feb 19. MOH said that while the Covid-19 vaccine is effective in preventing symptomatic disease for the vast majority of those vaccinated, it is possible for vaccinated individuals to get infected. The woman had been asymptomatic, but her case was picked up when she was tested on Monday as part of rostered routine testing, MOH said. Her pooled test result came back positive for Covid-19 the next day, and she was taken by ambulance to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. An individual test was done on Tuesday and her test result came back positive for Covid-19 infection. Her earlier tests from the routi...

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Possible Covid cluster at TTSH of concern, but no need to be paranoid about it: Experts

aseanpr
5 minutes

SINGAPORE - The possible Covid-19 cluster at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) is of concern, but there is no need to be paranoid about it occurring, said several experts. A nurse who had been fully vaccinated was diagnosed with Covid-19 on Tuesday (April 27) after coming down with a cough, body ache and sore throat. Tests of patients and staff at the ward have thrown up a preliminary confirmation of four more cases - a doctor and three patients. If they are confirmed to have Covid-19, this would be the first hospital infection of the disease in Singapore. Professor Dale Fisher, a senior infectious disease consultant at the National University Hospital (NUH), said: "We know Covid is very unforgiving. Such a cluster could have occurred anywhere and we just have to make sure that if there is a case at a hospital, it will be picked up and not allowed to spread." Associate Professor Jeremy Lim from the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said the development is worrying and warrants even more prudence, but there is no need to be paranoid. He urged people not to speculate about what happened until investigation results are out. Prof Fisher agreed: "Until ...

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Covid-19 mixed-vaccine regimen requires studies to assess efficacy, safety: Experts

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Mixing Covid-19 vaccines is possible and could even be beneficial at inciting a more robust immune response to the coronavirus. But experts warn that more studies are needed to ascertain the effectiveness of such a regime, and to determine that doing so will not produce any side effects. The experts were responding to queries from The Straits Times, following news that other countries are considering a mixed-vaccine regimen. Earlier this week, for instance, local media in China reported that the country is considering the mixing of different Covid-19 vaccines for its inoculation programme. The BBC had reported last December that scientists in Britain and Russia were teaming up to trial a combination of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Sputnik V vaccines to see if protection against Covid-19 could be improved. Dr Zenaida Reynoso Mojares, head of vaccine clinical development at the International Vaccine Institute, told ST that the idea of mixing vaccines is still being discussed and studies are under way, to meet emergency needs and possibly assist in the formulation of public health policies in the future. She added: "Since Covid- 19 vaccines are developed in various platforms...

SeaPRwire

Goh Meng Seng’s FB posts and Singapore Uncensored site issued Pofma correction orders

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Republic's fake news law was invoked after unsubstantiated claims about adverse reactions to Covid-19 vaccines were posted on Facebook and published online by a website. In a statement on Thursday (April 15), the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the Health Minister had instructed the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (Pofma) Office to issue the correction directions. They were directed at the Facebook pages of Goh Meng Seng People's Power Party and Goh Meng Seng (Satu Singapura), as well as at the Singapore Uncensored website. Posts published on April 2 on the Facebook pages of Goh Meng Seng People's Power Party and Goh Meng Seng (Satu Singapura) implied that the Covid-19 vaccination had caused or substantially contributed to a doctor in Singapore suffering a stroke. The same Facebook accounts also published posts on April 7 implying that Covid-19 vaccination had caused or substantially contributed to the death of an 81-year-old man here. MOH said that same day Singapore Uncensored published an article on its website stating that an 81-year-old man had died from alleged vaccination complications. The article was also shared on the website's Faceboo...

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US stocks mostly shrug off J&J Covid-19 vaccine problem

elean
3 minutes

NEW YORK (AFP) - Wall Street stocks largely shrugged off signs of rising inflation and the surprise halt to use of Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday (April 13), finishing a volatile session mostly higher. The S&P 500 edged to a fresh record, while the Nasdaq jumped more than 1 per cent, even as the Dow pulled back. US health authorities recommended pausing the J&J Covid shot over blood clot fears. The company quickly announced it would delay its European rollout, in a setback for global immunisation campaigns. Shares of airlines and other sectors tied to the economic recovery initially plunged, but later clawed back some of their losses. Delta Air Lines ended down 1.2 per cent while Expedia lost 0.5 per cent. The J&J problem "isn't great news, obviously, but it's nothing people need to go crazy over," said JJ Kinahan of TD Ameritrade. "We had good momentum with vaccinations heading into summer, and this might slow the momentum, but the other two vaccines are still working well." The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.2 per cent to end at 33,677.27, with J&J falling 1.3 per cent. The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.3 per cent to 4,141.59, topping its record from las...

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Over 7 in 10 cabbies and private-hire drivers receive first dose of Covid-19 vaccine

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - More than seven in 10 cabbies and private-hire car (PHC) drivers here have received their first Covid-19 vaccination dose, with almost half of them having completed both doses. Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung gave an update on the ongoing vaccination exercise in a Facebook post on Saturday morning (April 10), thanking the drivers for volunteering to get vaccinated. "The next time you take a taxi or private-hire car, it is very likely that your driver has been vaccinated against Covid-19," he said. "Thanks to our drivers for stepping up and making taxi and PHC rides safer." Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor also posted on Facebook on Saturday, saying she was encouraged that close to 85 per cent of active taxi and PHC drivers have registered to be vaccinated. She said around 40,000 of the more than 50,000 drivers have received their first dose, and more than 25,000 of them have already taken their second dose. She said: "This will give our drivers additional peace of mind, and better protect themselves, their families and their commuters from Covid-19. "We hope the rest of the drivers who have yet to sign up will step forward soon. Take care and drive safe." ...

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Singapore residents aged below 45 will be invited to book Covid-19 vaccination appointments from June

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - Those aged below 45 will be invited to book their slots for Covid-19 vaccine appointments from June, if all goes as planned, said Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary on Monday (April 5). He added that as at April 3, around 1.05 million individuals have received at least one dose of the vaccine, of which more than 468,000 individuals have received their second dose and completed the full vaccination regimen. Updating the House on Singapore's vaccination programme, Dr Janil said about 60 per cent of eligible seniors aged 70 and above, and close to 70 per cent of eligible seniors aged 60 to 69, have received the Covid-19 vaccination or booked their vaccination appointments to date. Additionally, about half, or close to 500,000 of residents aged 45 to 59 have registered for their vaccinations so far. "We are encouraged by the strong response," said Dr Janil, adding that those who have registered for their vaccinations will progressively receive invitations through SMS to make appointments. "This may take some time given the number who have registered," he said, adding that about 17 per cent of those aged 45 to 59 have received the vaccination or booked the...

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More than 900,000 people have received first dose of Covid-19 vaccine: DPM Heng Swee Keat

aseanpr
3 minutes

SINGAPORE - More than 900,000 people in Singapore have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Friday (April 2). But Mr Heng also urged vigilance over the Easter weekend and called for people to continue adhering to safe management guidelines. "Last year, Good Friday coincided with the start of the circuit breaker, and there was palpable fear and uncertainty. One year on, we can look ahead with a greater sense of hope and progress," Mr Heng wrote on Facebook. The Covid-19 situation in Singapore is under control, vaccination is under way, and more activities are gradually being resumed, he said, noting that Christian worship services are able to have up to 250 attendees. Live performances are also allowed. From next week, congregants will be able to sing during worship with masks on, he added. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth announced that congregants will be allowed to sing during worship services from April 5, but for only up to 30 minutes and without removing their masks. Good ventilation must be maintained if worshippers are to sing and this can be done through opening of doors and windows, or us...

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50,000 staff in education sector receive Covid-19 vaccination letters; over 80% have made appointments

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - Over 80 per cent of staff in education institutions who have been invited to take the Covid-19 vaccine have made appointments to do so, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong. Close to 50,000 letters were sent out on March 10 in the first batch of invitations, encouraging educators to take their jabs so as to reduce the risk of transmission in the community. The response from the education sector has been very positive, said Mr Wong, noting that some staff have already taken their first jab. "(I'm) very glad to see them step forward, in the spirit of protecting not just themselves, but their students and school community," said Mr Wong in a Facebook post on Thursday (March 25). The vaccination exercise for teachers comes as the Ministry of Health expands the national vaccination programme to personnel who offer essential and front-line services. More than 150,000 teachers and other staff will be offered the Covid-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Education had said earlier this month. The exercise covers those working in primary schools, secondary schools, junior colleges and Millennia Institute, as well as those in special education schools, the Institute of Technical Educati...

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S&P 500 ends at record high after Fed projects stronger economy

elean
4 minutes

NEW YORK (REUTERS) - The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at record highs on Wednesday (March 17) after the Fed predicted a fast economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and said it would maintain its interest rate at close to zero. In its statement following its two-day policy meeting, the Federal Reserve projected a rapid jump in US economic growth and inflation this year as the Covid-19 crisis winds down, and repeated its pledge to keep its target interest rate near zero for years to come. Wall Street extended gains after Fed chairman Jerome Powell said during a news conference that it is too early to discuss tapering-off measures to support the struggling economy. "The Fed statement today was more optimistic than some expected, they raised their outlook for both economic growth and the labour market. The market's view of the statement is that it was fairly optimistic," said David Carter, chief investment officer at Lenox Wealth Advisors in New York. A US$1.9 trillion (S$2.5 trillion) spending stimulus and the rollout of vaccines have fuelled a rotation into so-called value stocks that are viewed as likely to outperform as the economy recovers from the coro...

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askST: Can I get the Covid-19 vaccine in Singapore if I have allergies or cancer?

aseanpr
4 minutes

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Health (MOH) eased Covid-19 vaccination guidelines last week, paving the way for cancer patients and those with allergies to receive the jabs. Announcing the move in a circular to Singapore medical practitioners last Friday (March 12), MOH said that it follows local and international clinical reports on the safety of mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines. The ministry had previously advised people with multiple allergies to defer receiving mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines, which include the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines approved in Singapore. The Straits Times tackles some of the frequently asked questions about the change. Q: Can I be vaccinated if I have allergies? A: Yes, unless you have a history or risk of anaphylaxis, allergic reactions to other vaccines or certain severe drug reactions. A person with anaphylaxis - a type of life-threatening reaction - will experience at least two of these symptoms: breathing difficulties, dizziness, hives or swelling of the face, eyelid, lip or throat. Those at risk of anaphylaxis include people who have a history of being prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector, also known as epi-pen. Those who have had allergic reacti...