Big Payouts For Vaccine Executives

The Washington Post: Novavax Executives Stand To Collect Millions Even If Covid-19 Vaccine Doesn’t Work 
The top executives at Novavax, one of the biotechnology companies racing to develop a coronavirus vaccine, stand to collect tens of millions of dollars in compensation even if their treatment never makes it to market. The stock options earmarked for CEO Stanley Erck and three other company officials — first reported by Reuters — are worth more than $100 million based on Tuesday’s closing stock price. They’re contingent on the vaccine making it to a Phase 2 clinical trial, which is said to be imminent, though executives would have to wait a year before taking that step. (Shaban, 7/22)

KQED: Bay Area Hospitals Say Remdesivir Is In Short Supply
Remdesivir, the intravenous antiviral drug made by Foster City's Gilead Sciences, is currently the only medicine shown in trials to effectively treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, reducing the median length of hospital stays by about four days. But some Bay Area hospitals say the supply is barely keeping up with demand. (Arcuni, 7/22)

Politico: Trump’s End Run Around CDC Brings Threat Of Fewer Drugs For Hospitals
A Trump administration change in the way hospitals report coronavirus data is bringing confusion and more work to medical centers and states as cases explode across the country. And hospitals that don’t get it right every day could end up receiving fewer critical drugs like remdesivir. The Trump administration uses data on coronavirus hospitalizations, drug supplies and ICU beds to allocate scarce Covid-19 treatments, as well as supplies of plasma and protective gear. But last week, the Department of Health and Human Services abruptly changed the reporting process, bypassing a long-used Centers for Disease Control system with an alternative designed to more quickly help track the virus’ spread. (Tahir and Roubein, 7/22)