Steven Quay is no longer the leading candidate to serve as director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a source with knowledge of the decision told STAT. The position, previously held by Anthony Fauci, is the top infectious disease role within the National Institutes of Health. According to one person familiar with the discussions, Quay, a biopharmaceutical executive with no background in infectious diseases, had been considered for the appointment. The source noted that Quay, who previously supported the hypothesis that the virus originated from a laboratory incident in China, is no longer the primary choice for the post. Instead of leading the institute, Quay is expected to take on a more limited consulting role for the center. Neither the White House nor the Department of Health and Human Services responded to requests for comment regarding the development. Quay also did not respond to inquiries. The full details of the appointment process remain under STAT+ subscription.