The Taylor Star-STEM,Business and Political Science: February 2018

The FDA'S Advisory Committee on Immunizations has recommended that pharma titan AstraZeneca's FluMist Quadrivalent (R) vaccine be added to the list of approved influenza vaccines for the 2018-19 flu season.It next goes to the CDC director's desk for final approval.The nasally administered vaccine had been suspended from the list when the CDC's annual data on flu vaccine efficacy did not indicate it was effective enough in children ages 2-17.The vaccine was still available in other countries,however,which had conflicting data on FluMist.*
FluMist is unique among flu vaccines in that it contains a live yet weakened influenza virus.It is also distinguished by its being administered at a prime source of influenza infection:the nostrils,perhaps giving it an immunological advantage.It is intended for use by the 2-49 age group.*
One reason for the relisting recommendation is that the current severe outbreak of flu in the US has taken about a hundred children's lives so far,some of whom may have skipped vaccination out of fear of injections.FluMist would give such persons an alternative.As well,AstraZeneca has been tweaking the vaccine to make it more targeted to the yearly influenza forecast,and the H1N1 strain in particular.*
Astra Zeneca is a multinational biotech and pharmaceutical company with headquarters in Cambridge,England.Its subsidiary MedImmune develops FluMist and the company's other biologics.AstraZeneca focuses its research on the areas of oncology;respiratory and autoimmune disorders;and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.*
At time of publication,AstraZeneca stock was up 0.19 to 34.20,with a dividend yield of 4.09%.*
AstraZeneca (AZN)

Among other things,2018 is the year of commercial crew firsts.NASA's Commercial Crew Program will come into its own as major steps are taken in crewed spaceflight to the ISS on spacecraft built by NASA contractors Boeing and SpaceX.Boeing and SpaceX hold NASA contracts worth 6-8 billion dollars for two spaceflights each and 2-6 operational missions for ISS flight crew services.*
SpaceX will use its new Block 5 Falcon 9 to launch astronauts to the ISS for NASA;while Boeing will use United Launch Alliance's Atlas V for that mission,both of them beginning in 2018.The launch schedule is as follows:
Boeing Orbital Flight Test (uncrewed) - August 2018
Boeing Crew Flight Test (crewed) - November 2018
SpaceX Demonstration Mission (uncrewed) - August 2018
SpaceX Demonstration Mission 2 (crewed) - December 2018
SpaceX will launch from Kennedy Space Center;and Boeing will launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.*
By providing for the expansion of the ISS crew to its full complement of seven astronauts,the CCP will increase the amount of research that can be done,including that which applies to deep space exploration.
The ISS is currently funded through 2024.*
Boeing (BA)