How Investors, Nations Are Placing Billion-Dollar Bets On Vaccines That Have Slim Chances Of Success

Vaccine development is an industry riddled with failures and requires methodical development. But as the world races toward a COVID-19 vaccine, that slow, cautious approach is getting tossed out the window, with some investors writing off billions of dollars as necessary collateral to speed up the usual process. Meanwhile, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb suggests that the recent departure of a federal vaccine official will set the country back.

Reuters: Special Report: Countries, Companies Risk Billions In Race For Coronavirus Vaccine

In the race to develop a vaccine to end the COVID-19 pandemic, governments, charities and Big Pharma firms are sinking billions of dollars into bets with extraordinarily low odds of success. They’re fast-tracking the testing and regulatory review of vaccines with no guarantee they will prove effective. They’re building and re-tooling plants for vaccines with slim chances of being approved. They’re placing orders for vaccines that, in the end, are unlikely to be produced. (Steenhuysen, Eisler, Martell and Nebehay, 4/25)

Politico: Ousting Vaccine Chief ‘Is Going To Set Us Back,’ Former FDA Head Says

Former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the ouster of a top vaccine expert at the Department of Health and Human Services would likely set back efforts to quickly roll out a vaccine for the coronavirus. Asked in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" whether forcing out Rick Bright as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority would have an impact, Gottlieb responded, "It's hard to say it doesn't." (O'Brien, 4/26)

CIDRAP: WHO, Partners Unveil Massive COVID-19 Vaccine, Treatment Effort

The World Health Organization (WHO)—backed by several world leaders and global health groups— launched an initiative to fast-track the development and scale-up of COVID-19 vaccines and drugs and make them available to nations who need them the most. With several continents continuing to report hefty daily case totals—and notable surges in Russia and India, for example—the global COVID-19 total reached 2,783,512 cases today in 185 countries, according the Johns Hopkins online dashboard. So far, at least 195,313 people have died from their infections. (Schnirring, 4/24)

Stat: STAT's Covid-19 Drugs And Vaccines Tracker

In the months since the novel coronavirus rose from a regional crisis to a global threat, drug makers large and small have scrambled to advance their best ideas for thwarting a pandemic. Some are taking a cue from older antivirals. Some are tapping tried-and-true technologies, and others are pressing forward with futuristic approaches to human medicine. Here’s a guide to some of the most talked-about efforts to treat or prevent coronavirus infection, with details on the science, history, and timeline for each endeavor. (4/27)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

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