John Parkinson is the assistant managing editor for Contagion. Prior to joining MJH Life Sciences in 2020, he has covered a variety of fields and markets including diabetes, oncology, ophthalmology, IT, travel, and local news. You can email him at jparkinson@mjhlifesciences.com.
Monoclonal Antibody Shows 84% Relative Risk Reduction of Symptomatic COVID-19 vs Placebo
June 29th 2025Results from Invivyd’s pemivibart (Pemgarda) phase 3 trial show it had a significant PrEP effect during the 6-month on-drug period for both immunocompromised and immunocompetent populations.
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Gates Foundation Pledges $1.6 Billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
June 25th 2025The philanthropic organization plans to provide the gift over the next 5 years, and is in contrast with what is happening with US vaccine funding to the organization as well as the country's changing immunization policies.
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Sulopenem Is Noninferior to Amoxicillin/Clavulanate for Uncomplicated UTIs
June 25th 2025Marketed as Orlynvah, oral sulopenem from Iterum Therapeutics was FDA approved last fall for uncomplicated urinary tract infections and has shown efficacy against infections caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis.
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How Can Scientists and Investigators Find Funding Today?
June 24th 2025Rodney Rohde, PhD, SM(ASCP), SVCM, MBCM, FACSc, discusses the ongoing concerns about the federal government’s hold on funding for research and the potential chilling effect that it may have on laboratory professionals and deciding on careers, especially in areas such as public health. He also talks about locating and engaging in potential alternative resources for research funding.
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Considering the Value of Antiviral Resistance Testing in Certain Populations
June 23rd 2025At ASM Microbe 2025, Meghan Starolis, PhD, discusses her presentation on antiviral testing including the advantages and limitations to genotypic and phenotypic testing and looking at how this can affect the immunocompromised population.
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ASM Microbe Conference: "Great Migration of Microbiologists"
June 22nd 2025American Society for Microbiology (ASM) CEO Stefano Bertuzzi, PhD, MPH, talks about ASM's comprehensive scientific program, the networking opportunities at the meeting, and the unique format ASM plans to roll out for the 2026 conference.
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Considering the Impact of Crop Spraying and Antifungal Resistance
June 20th 2025At the ASM Microbe conference, Mike Bromley, PhD, offers some insights on the importance of a One Health approach addressing the growing antifungal resistance to azoles and Aspergillus fumigatus because of the connection between crop spraying and the rise of resistance.
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FDA Expands Indication for AbbVie’s Antiviral as First Treatment for People With Acute Hepatitis C
June 13th 2025The antiviral, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (Mavyet), is the first and only oral 8-week pangenotypic treatment approved for people with acute or chronic hepatitis C. The approval supports global clinical guidelines to advance testing and treatment of HCV regardless of chronicity and supports public health goals for disease elimination.
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Federal Government Changes Course Again on COVID-19 Vaccine Policy
June 2nd 2025After the leaders of the NIH, FDA, and HHS made an announcement stating that both pregnant women and children were going to be taken off the COVID-19 immunization schedule, they decided to offer a new designation for the latter group, making it a shared decision between providers and patients.
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Company Receives NIH Grant for Novel Investigational Antibiotic to Combat "Super Gonorrhea"
May 27th 2025TAXIS Pharmaceuticals announced it received a $2.9 million federal grant, which will allow the company to further advance its efforts with its dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors for the rapidly spreading and antibiotic-resistant strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
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How Will the New FDA COVID-19 Vaccine Policy Affect the Pediatric Population?
May 22nd 2025Pediatrician Sharon Nachman, MD, discusses the potential effects of the new policy including how things like vaccine access, incidence rates, and participation in placebo-controlled trials may change.
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