More than 5% of participants in J&J’s vaccine trial chose to be unblinded because they were eligible to receive a vaccine that had already gained a US FDA emergency use authorization.

Executives say Bausch + Lomb spin-out preparations will be completed by the end of Q3. When asked, they elaborated on Carl Icahn’s acquisition of 27.8m shares, for a 7.8% stake, and expansion of the firm’s board by two seats for Icahn’s representatives.

Big pharma business development executives forecast a competitive and active deal-making year ahead for the industry at the Biocom partnering conference.

A round up of COVID-19 developments, also including news on the EMA beginning a rolling review of Celltrion's antibody therapy, and progress for Novavax and Moderna in Japan.