Recon: MHRA begins accelerated review of AZ COVID vaccine; Russian firm seeks compulsory license to make remdesivir

• US approves combination of Pfizer's Upjohn and Mylan (Reuters)
• Novavax lays out specific minority targets for US COVID-19 vaccine trial (Reuters)
• J&J plans to test its COVID-19 vaccine in ages 12-18 soon (Reuters)
• To Vaccinate Against Covid-19, US Enlists Pharmacy Chains (WSJ)
• Trump threatens to fire Fauci ‘after the election’ (STAT) (NPR)
• Trump admin. funds plasma company based in owner’s condo (AP)
• Novartis move to defuse controversy over US drug discount program is rebuffed (STAT)
• White House plots possible second-term Cabinet purge (Politico)
• White House sidestepped FDA to distribute hydroxychloroquine to pharmacies, documents show. Trump touted the pills to treat covid-19. (Washington Post)

• CureVac's COVID-19 vaccine triggers immune response in Phase I trial (Reuters)
• European Regulators Accept Aducanumab for Review: Biogen/Eisai (PharmaJapan)
• Russian firm seeks to produce COVID-19 drug remdesivir without patent (Reuters)
• Russia makes preliminary submission of COVID-19 vaccine to Brazil regulators (Reuters)
• Britain starts accelerated review for AstraZeneca's potential COVID-19 vaccine (Reuters)
• Sanofi inks $358M Kiadis takeover to acquire NK-cell platform (Fierce)
• Japan's Sosei allies with ex-Novartis team to develop neurological drug pipeline (Reuters)
• WHO Director-General Tedros Enters Quarantine, Self-Isolates (Bloomberg)

• US surpasses 9 million Covid cases (Politico)
• T-cell study adds to debate over duration of COVID-19 immunity (Reuters)
• Johnson locks down England as UK COVID-19 cases pass 1 million (Reuters)
• UK plans to use AI to process adverse reactions to Covid vaccines (FT)
• A Rapid Virus Test Falters in People Without Symptoms, Study Finds (NYTimes)
• HHS relaxed oversight of problematic Covid-19 tests despite being told of accuracy concerns (STAT)
• Israel starts human trials on COVID-19 vaccine as schools slowly reopen (Reuters)
• Brazil will buy China COVID-19 vaccine, VP Mourão says, contradicting Bolsonaro (Reuters)
• Brazilians protest mandatory COVID-19 immunization, Chinese vaccine (Reuters)
• Bharat Biotech plans to launch vaccine candidate in second quarter of 2021 (Reuters)
• Hologic wins $119M from HHS, DOD to help double COVID-19 test production (MedtechDive)

• Royalty Pharma tops its record-setting $3.3B deal with CF Foundation, betting $575M more on Vertex's drugs (Endpoints)
• MHLW to Introduce Vaccination Facilitation System for Wholesalers, Medical Institutions (PharmaJapan)
• New EU approval for GSK's Zejula (PharmaTimes)
• MHRA allows HAE patients early access to berotralstat (PharmaTimes)
• Axovant shares sink on manufacturing delay for Parkinson's gene therapy (BioPharmaDive)
• Roche’s Tecentriq/Avastin combination approved by European Commission (PMLive)
• Biogen dodges a bullet in its controversial quest to gain an approval for their experimental Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab (Endpoints)
• Regeneron slams the brakes on rare disease trial following patient deaths — casting more doubt on a drug with mixed results (Endpoints)
• Makin’ Copies: FDA Revises RLD and RS Guidance (FDA Law Blog)
• Orchard halts dosing of EMA-approved Strimvelis after patient develops leukemia (Endpoints)
• FDA lifts a hold on Poseida study; Decibel adopts 2-AAV approach to hearing loss; AstraZeneca partners on combos, again (Endpoints)
• Santhera axes half its employees and sees CMO depart after PhIII DMD fail (Endpoints)

• As Expected, FDA Misses Fourth Consecutive Deadline For Releasing Draft QSR (MedtechInsight)
• PerkinElmer buys out British gene editing player for $383M, boosting its diagnostics and genomic capabilities (Endpoints)
•  Medtronic expands head, neck portfolio with new acquisition and FDA clearance (Fierce)
• Stryker, NuVasive, Globus forge on with surgical robots through COVID-19 (MedtechDive)
• Illumina defends Grail valuation amid much cheaper Exact-Thrive deal (MedtechDive)

• FDA, Homeland Security Agencies Take Additional Action to Prevent Import of Illegal and Harmful Medical Products Through International Mail Facilities (FDA)
• Purdue law firm hires Justice Department lawyer who investigated the opioid maker (STAT)