Dear Science Advisory Board Member,

As the scientific community gains confidence in understanding the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 has spread around the globe, many biopharmaceutical companies are moving forward with vaccine and therapy candidates.

A variety of companies have announced results from phase I clinical trials and preclinical development of COVID-19-related candidates. Researchers are supporting these efforts by developing innovative approaches to screening candidates and evaluating immune responses.

Meanwhile, Merck made several announcements this week that position it to be a player in the development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies. The company's acquisition of Themis and its vaccine candidate could be a game changer for the biopharmaceutical company.

All this progress in drug development raises the question, will our efforts to control the SARS-CoV-2 virus be effective? Researchers explore the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 as an endemic seasonal coronavirus in a Journal of General Virology article.

In other science news, companies are focused on developing proteomics platforms. For instance, Thermo Fisher released a new line of proteomics analysis software. And Nautilus Biotechnology is developing a single-molecule sensitivity proteomics platform that it plans to bring to market.

Don't forget that we are hosting a webinar -- Grant Writing in the Age of Coronavirus -- later today (May 28) at 1 p.m. EDT. The event is free for members of the Science Advisory Board, and there is still time to register. If you have questions or want to learn how grant writing is changing due to the pandemic, I encourage you to attend.

Stay healthy and safe.