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- A booster shot for the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine is one step closer;
- A leaked memo from Moderna's CEO defends their promises to wealthier nations;
- AI company Quris raised $9 million to develop safer drugs.
If you're new to this
A Johnson & Johnson booster shot just got closer to reality, as the FDA's expert panel unanimously supports an extra dose
- After an afternoon of debate, an
FDA panel voted Friday in favor of authorizing J&J's COVID-19 booster shot. - The FDA has the final say in reviewing J&J's application to give an extra dose.
- A new study suggested Moderna's or Pfizer's vaccine also work as a booster for J&J recipients.
Leaked memo: Moderna's CEO responds to criticism that the $135 billion biotech is prioritizing vaccine profits over helping poorer countries
- In a memo Insider obtained,
Moderna 's CEO rebuked criticism of itsvaccine supply to poorer nations. - The memo came after a US official, Dr. David Kessler, said he expected Moderna to "step up."
- "We are now criticized for doing what we promised," CEO Stéphane Bancel wrote to employees.
See the 15-slide presentation this AI company used to raise $9 million for its approach to changing how we test the safety of drugs
- Quris is an AI startup that plans to revolutionize how drug safety is tested.
- It plans to have its first drug in clinical trials in 2022.
- Here's the presentation Quris used to raise a $9 million seed round.
More stories we're reading:
- The most common side effects to expect after your Moderna booster: headache, fatigue, and pain at the injection site (Insider)
- Public health workers are increasingly being threatened for doing their jobs (High Country News)
- Credit Suisse has lost senior banker Sumit Khedekar to Citigroup, where he's slated to lead its healthcare banking biz in the Americas (Insider)
- The FDA is reviewing a rare heart side effect in teens from the Moderna vaccine (The Wall Street Journal)
-Leah