Merck's Vaxneuvance lead departs to help develop rival vaccine at Affinivax

Kara Bickham, M.D., has left Merck to take up the chief medical officer role at Affinivax. The appointment gives the person who led clinical development of Merck’s pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Vaxneuvance a starring role in a push to bring a rival jab to market.