What’s in store for the next wave of vaccines

Hello,

Happy Monday! We’re starting off the day with some fresh vaccine news. First, Merck is discontinuing its COVID-19 vaccine trials, a major setback from the company that developed the only Ebola vaccine. 

And Moderna said Monday that it’s developing a new version of its COVID-19 shot to fight the variant that’s emerged out of South Africa. The company said its current shot should still work against variants identified in both South African and the UK.

Meanwhile, we’re still waiting for news on whether Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine works, expected by the end of the month.  

Also in healthcare news: the state of the next leg of the COVID-19 vaccine race, Humana’s answer to buzzy Medicare Advantage startups, and Calico’s hiring plans for 2021. 

More than 200 coronavirus vaccines are still in development as the initial vaccine rollout ramps up. Here's how experts anticipate 2021 playing out.

• A handful of coronavirus vaccines are now being rolled out around the world.
• Over 200 more vaccine candidates are in development, despite facing a higher bar to get to market.
• Insider talked with leading vaccine developers and industry analysts to see how the vaccine landscape will change in 2021.

Read the full story from Andrew Dunn here>>

Humana just launched its answer to the new crop of insurer startups in the red-hot health-plan market for older people

• Humana has launched a new venture called Author, which offers technology-driven health plans for older people.
• The CEO of Humana said insurer startups like Clover Health prompted the new project.
• Author launched in South Carolina in 2021 and already has 15,000 members.  

Read the full scoop from Shelby Livingston here>>

Alphabet's age-fighting bet Calico has been quiet for years, but it's hiring. Here are all the open jobs open at the secretive biotech firm.

• Calico, the Google-backed biotech company devoted to solving ageing, is one of Alphabet's most secretive divisions.
• The company has opened up a handful of new positions in the past few weeks, and some of the roles give us a glimpse into what Calico has in store for 2021.
• The most high profile of the roles is a new head of oncology research. The previous oncology lead left in 2019.

Read the full story from Hugh Langley and Blake Dodge here>>

More stories we're reading: 

• Why biotech firms are still developing COVID-19 vaccines (Boston Business Journal)
• WATCH: COVID-19 vaccines are making their way around the world, but global immunity is still far off (Business Insider)
• Some states aren't tracking vaccine wastage (ProPublica)
• Hims CEO took a trip to China before COVID hit and still sees Asia as a 'massive market opportunity.' (Business Insider)

- Lydia