What AstraZeneca's setback means for the vaccine race
Hello,
Happy Thursday!
Today in healthcare news: What the AstraZeneca trial pause means for the vaccine timeline, Zocdoc's cofounder is suing the company, and why Dr. Anthony Fauci thinks a vaccine isn't likely by Election Day.
Wall Street analysts lay out how the unexpected pause in AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine trial could slow the race to halt the pandemic
- AstraZeneca has put its coronavirus vaccine trial on hold after a participant appeared to have an adverse event.
- The voluntary hold could set back the late-stage vaccine trial by weeks at best, Wall Street analysts wrote Wednesday.
- Should AstraZeneca confirm that the event was caused by the vaccine, it could put the trial on hold for longer, if not permanently.
Zocdoc's former CEO claims he was pushed out in an illegal 'coup' and wants to retake control of the company
- Cyrus Massoumi claims in a new lawsuit that he was fraudulently forced out of his role as CEO of medical referrals startup Zocdoc in 2015.
- The startup's co-founder said he was kept in the dark about the purpose of a November 2015 board meeting and said he was removed from the office by security guards after he tried to stop the meeting.
- Massoumi said Zocdoc has been poorly run since his departure, and wants a court to nullify every action undertaken by the board over nearly the past five years.
Read the full story from Jack Newsham here>>
Don't expect a coronavirus vaccine before the election — here's the likely timeline according to doctors, government officials, and analysts
- President Donald Trump has suggested that a coronavirus vaccine may become available "right around" the US election on November 3.
- But public-health experts, financial analysts, and US government officials have said that timeline is unrealistic.
- Most experts think there's little hope of a vaccine being ready before the end of the year.
Read the full story from Aria Bendix here>>
More stories we're reading:
- AstraZeneca's trial participant had neurologic symptoms after getting the experimental vaccine (Stat News)
- Truepill just raised another $75 million (MedCity News)
- Grand Rounds just raised $175 million from The Carlyle Group (FierceHealthcare)
- Here are the 9 most promising coronavirus treatments that could help curb the pandemic, even without a vaccine (Business Insider)
See you tomorrow for our weekly wrap-up! Be sure to subscribe to this newsletter here.
- Lydia