- ECONOMIC IMPACT -
Latest update: 19 May
The global economy is forecasted to return to pre-crisis levels by the end of 2021 or early 2022.
The unemployment rate in OECD nations stood at 6.5% in March 2021, down from 6.6% in Feb 2021.
4.3%
The EU Commission has raised the Eurozone's economic growth forecast for 2021 to 4.3% from its earlier projection of 3.8%.
$289tn
Global debt declined by $1.7tn to $289tn in Q1 2021, for the first time in the last ten quarters, according to the Institute of International Finance.
Impact of Covid-19 on equity indices
- SECTOR IMPACT: PHARMA -
Latest update: 19 May
industry development
40x
CVS reported a 40x increase in the use of telemedicine and virtual services via its MinuteClinic division compared to pre-Covid-19.
280
Oncology trials continue to suffer the most disruption, with 280 recorded trials put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
drug development
The Covid-19 pandemic has created a massive global effort centred around finding effective therapeutics and vaccines.
While the development and commercialisation of a safe vaccine typically take at least several years to materialise, Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 has beaten that timeline by a considerable margin with the UK becoming the first market to approve the jab.
Vaccine candidates using classic technology will likely take at least 12-18 months to develop; however, timelines for DNA, mRNA or adenoviral vaccines are indeed shorter as multiple vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca now have demonstrated efficacy in the prevention of Covid-19.
Nevertheless, with pharmaceutical companies shifting their strategies to focus on the development of Covid-19-related assets, the non-Covid-19 drug development programmes have been brought to a temporary backseat.
Key pharma market developments