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.

Read the full story here>>

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