Hi @Praerorian2011.That’s kind of you to ask, all well with me...

Hi @Praerorian2011.
That’s kind of you to ask, all well with me and loved ones. Unfortunately friends have lost parents and grandparents. However vast majority of deaths are those with co-morbidities. The issue they have is with the increase they have so many people to treat at once. I believe that most people don’t realise they have it, which adds to the problem of it spreading.

What’s interesting about the UK strain is that because (from what we are told) it is easier to transmit, although (from what we are told) it is less deadly, the death number are increasing because of ease of transmission . The virus like all viruses is mutating, but this will only be picked up if you are looking for it. The UK will not be the only country, others are not testing or announcing the different strains as it mutates. The pick up increased as the schools and universities opened go figure the relevance of that and the onset of winter as with all viruses. In. Other words an increase was predictable, but I believe this has caught them out again!

If I may risk sounding a little callous (not my intention so please let me apologise in advance)

Covid 19 is for Mesoblast and its shareholders in the context of this forum relevant (IMO) for these main factors.

1. It will replace (although to what value I am not sure) cash flow lost from the FDA decision on REM-L. if EUA was granted. As said I am not sure that cash flow would be significant enough but as a confidence boost to the market? Substantial! Mind you that would be down played by our amusing HC troll friends.

2. Ironically if we have EUA or not, it will also add to the data gathering and understanding of the MOA to be used in the appeal process currently being worked through.

3. Will help define a future market of all ARDS treatment (including the next Covid 19 or mutation that requires a whole population vaccine programme) and the confidence of joint partners to invest in the increase of production capability required for us to make a meaningful contribution, which we probably can’t do now at a macro level.
As mentioned by many including the company, we are currently geared to provide a therapy for an orphan disease. Which is where we can do the most good FDA!

I have read many posts which understandably highlight Biden’s historic support for this area and then the theory of big pharma interference in our approval process. I am minded to believe delays are really the development process as we improve our understanding of what and how we do it. Then there is the bureaucracy created around historic medicine and the development of drugs, some of which cure just a little bit more then then destroy and others that should never have been seen in writing on a prescription.
regards
Yelrom