Can investing in infectious disease pay off? Vir Biotechnology's tightrope walk shows it's a struggle

As the founders of Vir launched the company nearly a decade ago, they kept getting the same question: "Why the hell are you going into infectious disease?" Then Covid hit. In 17 months, Vir created a drug, sotrovimab, that made $2.5 billion for the company and probably saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.

But now, people, including Vir executives, are asking that question again. Over the last year, the company has made sweeping changes that suggest its future may lie elsewhere. Read more.

By Jason Mast

Mike Reddy for STAT

Microsoft is selling AI in health care, and helping to set its standards. Is that a problem?

Microsoft's activities are not particularly unusual in the development of standards in health technology, a process in which industry vendors routinely participate. Nor is it hidden in any way. But some experts have expressed misgivings about the depth of its involvement and the potential for it to bend the rules in its favor at a time when the technology is advancing rapidly with few guardrails. Read more.

By Casey Ross and Brittany Trang

Adobe

Teladoc became a household name under Jason Gorevic. Investors wanted more

In an examination by STAT, analysts and officials who worked with former Teladoc CEO Jason Gorevic said his departure follows a series of missed financial projections, a precipitous decline in Teladoc's stock price, and an uninspired vision for its future. Read more.

By Mario Aguilar and Mohana Ravindranath

More great reads from STAT this week

USDA faulted for disclosing scant information about outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu in cattle
How BIO CEO's cozy relationship with WuXi soured
The next frontier in data privacy? Your brain
Mass General Brigham is ready to move on without Dana-Farber, CEO says
Opinion: Practicing medicine at a predominantly Black institution gave me the gift I didn't realize I needed