San Diego City Wire

San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) shared the silver linings of 2020, stating that there was some good news that happened throughout the year.

"At the onset of the pandemic, we saw our local biotechnology and research communities collaborate to create rapid testing, develop new treatments and contribute to scientific efforts aimed at bringing a vaccine to the world," the group wrote.

It noted that Pfizer developed a COVID-19 vaccine with a 95% efficacy rate and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first COVID-19 drug by Gilead Sciences. It also noted that Thermo Fisher Scientific shipped its first COVID-19 tests and Becton Dickinson (BD) received FDA approval for hand-held COVID-19 tests.

The group also pointed out that Sanford Burnham Prebys won $10 million to test broad-spectrum antivirals to combat the virus and Cue Health won $148 million to expand its test manufacturing, which added jobs.

The FDA also granted Quidel emergency-use status for the first COVID-19 antigen test and Inovio got $71 million for a vaccine device, the group wrote.

The group reported that companies were able to find creative solutions to the coronavirus crisis.

In 2020, Orucase began manufacturing face masks to help combat the virus and San Diego distilleries started to make hand sanitizer and San Diego's Comic-Con International did the first free virtual convention.

California Center for the Arts, Escondido opened a drive-in theater. Scientist.com also launched a website that helped to connect COVID-19 researchers and the industry.

The group wrote that San Diego stayed strong in major contracts, such as Cubic winning a $172 million IDIQ contract and Viasat winning a $90 million Air Force Contract. Northrop Grumman also won a $4.8 billion aircraft deal.

"Between a global pandemic, a racial justice reckoning and an ever-contentious political landscape, this year had nobody ‘seeing 2020.' And yet, here we are—turning the page into the new year, with many of the same problems of 2020, but with greater resilience, forward thinking and commitment to inclusion," the group wrote.