What's new with COVID-19

A new week begins with updates on COVID-19 (and possibly to the vaccines) and a boost for biofuels and biotech collaboration at the G20 in India. Plus, Congress is back to work with lots to do on a few BIO priorities. (498 words, 2 minutes, 29 seconds)

What’s new with COVID-19

The race is on with COVID-19 infections picking up pace while new vaccines are set for authorization.

The numbers: COVID-19 hospitalizations rose 15.7%, to 17,418, and the rate of deaths rose 10.5%, in the latest week-on-week data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The good news: The new BA.2.86 “Pirola” subvariant has a high number of mutations but is still controlled by current vaccines, CDC says. Immunity from vaccines and past infections means the latest uptick is not expected to overwhelm hospitals, but getting new vaccines is important, say experts (including Dr. Anthony Fauci).

The new vaccines: Pfizer and Moderna say their updated vaccines, formulated to address mutations, showed effectiveness against Pirola. Novavax is also developing an updated booster.

The approval process: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorization, and possibly full approval, for the Pfizer Moderna, and Novavax updated vaccines was anticipated last week. FDA could act today, before tomorrow’s CDC Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting.

What happens next: If the FDA greenlights vaccines today, ACIP could recommend use tomorrow, and rollout could begin this week. We’ll be watching.

G20 boosts biofuels and biotech collaboration

Biofuels got a big boost and biotech collaboration moved forward as world leaders met at this weekend’s G20 summit in New Delhi, India.

A win for biofuels: India on Saturday announced the launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance. Founded with the United States and Brazil, the Alliance seeks to share best practices, provide technical support, and build capacity to create new markets for sustainable biofuels.

India bets on biofuels: India’s climate targets include carbon neutrality by 2070, having 20% of the country’s gasoline blended with ethanol by 2025, and building 12 biorefineries, Reuters reported.

A positive step for collaboration: The U.S. National Science Foundation and India’s Department of Biotechnology signed an agreement “to enable scientific and technological research collaborations in biotechnology and biomanufacturing innovations,” the White House said.

Mixed results on fossil fuels: Efforts to agree on phasing out fossil fuels, particularly coal at power plants, were unsuccessful—though G20 leaders did endorse tripling global renewable energy capacity and agreed emissions should peak by 2025, AP reported.

What’s next: International collaboration on climate continues Nov. 30-Dec. 12 at COP 28 in the United Arab Emirates. UAE (the host) joined the Global Biofuel Alliance in July and more support for this and other biotech climate initiatives can be expected in November. "COP 28 will present opportunities to commit to the adoption of biotech solutions to the earth's climate challenges, including biofuels, biomanufacturing and biotech agricultural traits that help us feed a growing world," said Nancy Travis, BIO Vice President for International Affairs. "BIO looks forward to the important deliberations in November, and we hope for concrete outcomes to advance climate-tech."

President Biden’s Monday: After wrapping up meetings with officials in Vietnam that launched plans for joint biotech research, he’ll stop in Anchorage, Alaska, to commemorate the 9/11 attacks. Meanwhile, the Biden administration filed an appeal Friday asking the Supreme Court to uphold access to mifepristone.

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: Back to work with lots of spending to address before the Sept. 30 budget deadline. The Senate Appropriations Committee promised to bring three spending bills to the floor this week, including legislation on the budget for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration. As a reminder, Sept. 30 is also the deadline for the Farm Bill and reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA).