Stockwatch: The commercial paradox of Ebola
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
There are two factors that limit the ability of the Ebola virus to become a global public health tragedy: its inefficient method of transmission between humans; and its natural reservoir, which seems to be bats located in distal east Africa. These and other facets of the disease paradoxically make the Ebola virus a positive public relations opportunity for big pharmaceutical companies, but a loss-making opportunity for their small biotechnology brethren.