How will these biotech startups fare through Covid-19?

The Covid-19 pandemic has had an uneven effect on the biopharma industry. While some players, who are developing drugs and vaccines for the novel coronavirus, have fared quite well, biotech startups may soon struggle to raise funds.

STAT’s Kate Sheridan took a look at four Boston-area companies that raised funding a year ago ad tracks what kind of progress they’re making toward their goals. Will last year’s funding rounds help them make it through Covid-19?

What if the curve just stays flat?

How much should a Covid-19 drug cost? And what's it like on the ground in the epicenter of the novel coronavirus?

We discuss all that and more this week on “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, STAT's Sharon Begley joins us to explain what the novel coronavirus may have in store for the U.S. this summer and beyond with a look at some grim statistical models.

Then, we examine Gilead Sciences, whose upcoming decision on a price for the Covid-19 drug remdesivir underlines a controversial history of marketing expensive medicines. Finally, we talk to Ethan Weiss, a Bay Area cardiologist who flew to New York City to treat patients at the outbreak's epicenter.

Listen here.

Moderna to kick off Phase 2 vaccine trial for Covid-19

Moderna has received the regulatory go-ahead to launch a Phase 2 trial for its experimental Covid-19 vaccine. The company plans soon to test it in 600 volunteers, the Boston Globe writes.

Moderna’s vaccine candidate is based on customizing messenger RNA to prompt an immune response against the novel coronavirus. Earlier this week, Pfizer said it had started testing its own experimental mRNA vaccine in volunteers. Pfizer is developing its mRNA vaccine in conjunction with Germany’s BioNTech.

Remdesivir approved in Japan

Japan has officially approved remdesivir to treat Covid-19. The decision was ultra-fast: It came just three days after Gilead Science applied for approval in the country. The FDA authorized remdesivir for emergency use in the U.S. earlier this month.

Japan is typically more conservative in its regulatory processes, requiring that Japanese patients are included in clinical trials, Bloomberg writes. However, given the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic globally, remdesivir’s approval was accelerated for patients who need the drug urgently.

Japan has fared better than other parts of the world — but more than 15,000 people have been infected, and about 500 have died.