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Today's Rundown

After positive early data, Pfizer, BioNTech CEOs sound off on coronavirus vaccine timelines
HHS allocates another $4B in COVID-19 relief funds to rural facilities, safety-net hospitals
Boehringer Ingelheim-backed COVID researchers identify new antibodies to fight the virus
Aetna, Give an Hour team up to offer free counseling to frontline health workers
Philips taps BioIntelliSense’s symptom-tracking sticker for COVID-19, other chronic diseases
Healthfirst accelerates launch of its member app due to COVID-19
Avalere: ACA's exchange enrollment could increase by 1M due to COVID-19 job losses
Biopharma roundup: Gilead releases shaky remdesivir findings; BI-partnered researchers ID 28 antibody hopefuls
Harbour BioMed nabs meaty C round as cancer, COVID-19 work draws investors

Featured Story

After positive early data, Pfizer, BioNTech CEOs sound off on coronavirus vaccine timelines

By Eric Sagonowsky

Pfizer and BioNTech are still gearing up for their massive late-stage vaccine trial, but their helmsmen are talking up potential green lights later this year. In separate interviews, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said their mRNA candidate could be ready to file for approvals in the fall or winter.

HHS allocates another $4B in COVID-19 relief funds to rural facilities, safety-net hospitals

By Robert King

Health and Human Services is allocating approximately $3 billion to safety-net hospitals and another $1 billion in COVID-19 relief funds to certain rural providers and others in small metropolitan areas.

Boehringer Ingelheim-backed COVID researchers identify new antibodies to fight the virus

By Arlene Weintraub

By studying the antibody response to COVID-19 in 12 patients and immune cells from 48 healthy people, German researchers uncovered 28 antibodies that neutralize the virus. They're now working with Boehringer Ingelheim to advance the drugs into clinical testing.

Aetna, Give an Hour team up to offer free counseling to frontline health workers

By Paige Minemyer

Give an Hour is an organization that has traditionally provided free mental healthcare to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and other behavioral health needs. Amid COVID-19, however, the team realized that another group of “heroes” needed their help, too—frontline healthcare workers.

Philips taps BioIntelliSense’s symptom-tracking sticker for COVID-19, other chronic diseases

By Conor Hale

Philips announced plans to integrate BioIntelliSense’s health-tracking sticker into its remote patient monitoring programs, designed to observe at-risk patients after they head home from the hospital.

Healthfirst accelerates launch of its member app due to COVID-19

By Paige Minemyer

As COVID-19 led to significant increases in the demand for digital health, New York-based non-profit insurer Healthfirst accelerated the launch of its new app for its 1.5 million members.

Avalere: ACA's exchange enrollment could increase by 1M due to COVID-19 job losses

By Robert King

The Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges could add more than 1 million new customers because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the numbers could stick.

Biopharma roundup: Gilead releases shaky remdesivir findings; BI-partnered researchers ID 28 antibody hopefuls

By Eric Sagonowsky, Angus Liu, Kyle Blankenship, Conor Hale, Fraiser Kansteiner

Gilead released shaky findings on its antiviral remdesivir comparing phase 3 trial data with a historical patient cohort. An Italian study found that many recovered COVID patients still experience symptoms months on. Plus, the European Commission said advanced purchase talks for COVID vaccines would not be hampered by the U.K.'s withdrawal from the scheme.

Harbour BioMed nabs meaty C round as cancer, COVID-19 work draws investors

By Ben Adams

Just a few months after a series B-plus worth $75 million, U.S.-China biotech Harbour BioMed has nabbed a major $102.8 million series C, with an IPO surely not far behind.

COVID-19 Tracker