New Jersey is a powerhouse in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries, and that uniquely positions the state at the forefront of the national fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Giants like Johnson & Johnson and Merck call the Garden State home. Some local health care and diagnostic companies are working on clinical trials and testing advancements. Other hospitals hit hard by the outbreak are trying different treatments and one is even using placenta-derived cells. WNYC’s Karen Yi spoke to All Things Considered host Jami Floyd about some of the trials and advances currently underway.