COVID-19 is a contagious infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic infection to severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, and multi-organ complications.
Studies reveal age-related infectious disease patterns including higher symptomatic rhinovirus risk in adults over 60, polypharmacy complications in infectious disease patients, and significant underutilization of COVID-19 antivirals among older adults despite proven benefits.
Sanofi announces leadership transition with CEO departure and interim appointment, while reporting key regulatory milestones including FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for venglustat and expanded Dupixent approvals. The company advances an observational RSV study in Australia and outlines strategic initiatives in AI drug discovery and potential consumer healthcare spin-off.
University of Alberta researchers have identified the protease GlpG as a new drug target for antibiotic-resistant E. coli, which causes hundreds of thousands of UTI deaths annually. Inhibiting GlpG prevented bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation in laboratory studies. The discovery addresses a global health emergency as antimicrobial resistance projections show it could cause cancer-level deaths by 2050.
Vaccine denial and weakened public health measures risk increasing chronic illness, as historical data shows post-infectious conditions follow major outbreaks. Long COVID affects 10-20% of those infected, while historical pandemics led to conditions like encephalitis lethargica with near 50% mortality.
Long-term data from ASCO 2026 shows the personalized cancer vaccine Intismeran Autogene, combined with Keytruda, reduces recurrence or death risk by 49% in high-risk melanoma patients. Developed by MSD and Moderna, the vaccine uses AI to select neoantigens from a patient's tumor and mRNA technology to create a personalized treatment. The results signal a major advance for a field that had struggled for decades, spurring similar development efforts by other companies.
Long COVID patients continue to suffer as federal research funding and support programs have been dramatically scaled back, with the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice closed and NIH grants disrupted. The chronic condition affects as many as a third of COVID-19 survivors with over 200 possible symptoms, yet experts say the disease remains difficult to research amid politicization. Medical professionals warn that reduced resources undermine diagnosis, treatment, and the professional pipeline for new research.
A large international study published in eClinicalMedicine found that COVID-19 booster vaccination was tied to a 33% lower risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women across 18 countries. Getting COVID during pregnancy increased preeclampsia risk by 78% in unvaccinated women, but vaccination with a booster reduced those odds significantly.
The FDA has approved Shionogi's XOCOVA (ensitrelvir) as the first oral antiviral for post-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19. Approval was based on the Phase 3 SCORPIO-PEP trial, which showed a 67% reduction in risk of symptomatic disease after exposure.
Two new studies reveal long COVID's lasting biological and mental health effects. A mouse study found coronavirus triggers prolonged lung and brain damage unlike influenza, while a population study linked long COVID to significantly higher depression and anxiety risks up to three years post-infection.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found high infection rates with teclistamab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Five studies showed pooled infection rates of 56.5% for any grade and 27.6% for grade 3 or higher.
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07610512 |
A Prospective Study to Determine the Immunomodulatory Effect of Probiotics on the Immunogenicity of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Recipients Study. |
COMPLETED | NA |
| NCT07597876 |
SMAtteo COvid19 REgistry (SMACORE) |
RECRUITING | |
| NCT07560059 |
Acute Metabolic Outcomes in Diabetic Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19 (DMD-COV) |
COMPLETED | |
| NCT07552779 |
A Study of How Ibuzatrelvir is Taken up Into the Blood of Healthy Adults After Taking Different Tablets of Ibuzatrelvir |
RECRUITING | PHASE1 |
| NCT07536308 |
A Safety and Immunogenicity Trial of OCU500, ChAd36 Vector Encoding SARS-CoV-2 Spike Vaccine Via Intranasal and Inhalational Routes in Previously Vaccinated Adults |
RECRUITING | PHASE1 |
| NCT07527130 |
C11 ER176 PET in Evaluating Neuroinflammation in Patients With Post-COVID Syndrome |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | |
| NCT07516977 |
Noseguard for Prevention of Respiratory Infections in Real-World Use |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07501208 |
Dendritic Cell Vaccine to Prevent COVID-19 |
WITHDRAWN | PHASE1 |
| NCT07490314 |
Blood Product Supply |
COMPLETED | |
| NCT07466524 |
suPAR Michigan M2C2 Heterogeneity Validation Cohort Study |
COMPLETED |
