GlaxoSmithKline is facing an uncertain vaccine future

Hello,

Welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and today in healthcare news:

• GSK is facing an uncertain future after stumbling with COVID-19 vaccines;
• Dental startup Tend raised $125 million despite losing 15% of its customers in 2020;
• Public health groups are worried they're losing the battle to limit alcohol takeout and delivery.

If you're new to this newsletter, sign up here. Comments, tips? Email me at [email protected] or tweet @lydiaramsey125. Let's get to it…

First up this morning – The CDC and FDA have recommended immediately pausing the rollout of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine.

The officials cited blood clots as the concern. They noted that six women had developed the rare blood clots within six to 13 days after vaccination with J&J's single-dose vaccine.

So far, more than 6.8 million J&J doses have been given to Americans>>

GlaxoSmithKline stumbled with COVID-19 shots. Now it's facing an exodus of US talent and an uncertain future as the world's vaccine leader.

• The world's largest vaccine business has been on the sidelines of the pandemic response.
• GSK is facing an exodus of US vaccine scientists, with several dozen leaving in the past year.
• Former GSK employees expressed frustration with the company's bureaucracy and pandemic response.

Read the full feature here>>

A New York dental startup had to close for 3 months and lost 15% of its business last year. It just got $125 million to fuel its comeback.

• Tend, a dental startup in New York City, said Monday it raised $125 million in Series C funding.
• Tend in 2020 closed its six clinics for three months at the start of the pandemic.
• CEO Doug Hudson told Insider the business has recovered to about 85% of its previous revenue since.

Get the exclusive news here>>

A battle is brewing over the industry push to make booze-to-go permanent in the US. Public-health groups fear they're losing the fight.

• More than 30 states allowed alcohol takeout and delivery during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Many states, backed by restaurants and alcohol groups, want it to become a permanent fixture.
• But public-health groups worry there will be consequences from looser alcohol regulations.

Find out more>>

More stories we're reading:

• CDC director offered a solution to the Michigan COVID-19 surge: 'Shut things down' (Insider)
• Meet Kati Kariko, a scientist who was crucial to developing mRNA vaccines (The New York Times)
• China's Sinovac vaccine is 50.7% effective against COVID-19, just reaching the threshold to be a vaccine worth using, a major trial showed (Insider)
• Regeneron says its antibody cocktail can help prevent COVID-19 (Fierce Pharma)
• Microsoft will buy AI firm Nuance for $19.7 billion to bolster healthcare tech (Insider)

- Lydia