J&J's treatment for depression succeeds in late-stage study
(Reuters) -Johnson & Johnson said on Wednesday its experimental drug, seltorexant, met all main and secondary goals in a late-stage study evaluating it in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and insomnia symptoms. The drug was given to adult ...
May 29, 2024
Catalent stockholders approve buyout by Novo Holdings
(Reuters) - Catalent said on Wednesday its stockholders have voted to approve Novo Nordisk parent's $16.5 billion bid to take over the contract manufacturer. In February, Novo Holdings had agreed to buy Catalent, a key manufacturing subcontractor o...
May 29, 2024
BioNTech gets $145 million funding for African vaccine plants
By Ludwig Burger FRANKFURT (Reuters) -COVID-19 vaccine maker BioNTech has secured up to $145 million in funding from a global coalition against infectious diseases to build a production network in Africa for shots based on cutting-edge messenger-RNA (m...
May 29, 2024
U.S. health secretary sees pandemic treaty deal as close
GENEVA (Reuters) - The top U.S. health official said on Wednesday it would be "tragic" for the world to miss out on key reforms to the global pandemic response and that a treaty deal was within reach, with no major differences between negotiators. ...
May 29, 2024
Exclusive-Nicotine-like chemicals in U.S. vapes may be more potent than nicotine, FDA says
By Emma Rumney LONDON (Reuters) - Nicotine alternatives used in vapes being launched in the U.S. and abroad, such as 6-methyl nicotine, may be more potent and addictive than nicotine itself, though the scientific data remains incomplete, according ...
May 29, 2024
Merck to acquire eye drug company EyeBio for up to $3 billion
(Reuters) - Merck said on Wednesday it would acquire eye disease drug developer EyeBio for up to $3 billion, in the latest acquisition by the U.S. drugmaker as it looks to boost growth. Under the deal, Merck would pay $1.3 billion upfront and up to...
May 29, 2024
US FDA approves Amgen's biosimilar to AstraZeneca's rare blood disorder treatment
(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved on Tuesday Amgen's Bkemv, the first biosimilar to AstraZeneca's rare blood disorder treatment Soliris. Amgen's drug will be marketed under the name Bkemv. Biosimilars are close copies of complex...
May 28, 2024
Neurocrine founder-CEO Gorman to retire in October
(Reuters) - Neurocrine Biosciences CEO Kevin Gorman will retire on Oct. 11 after three decades with the company that he founded and will be succeeded by insider Kyle Gano. Gorman founded Neurocrine in 1992 and held several leadership positions befo...
May 28, 2024
Subsidiary of Colombia's Grupo SURA asks permission to dismantle health business
BOGOTA (Reuters) - A subsidiary of Colombian conglomerate Grupo Sura said on Tuesday it has asked for regulator permission to dismantle its health business, in the latest blow to Colombia's healthcare system. The government of President Gustavo Pet...
May 28, 2024
Musk's Neuralink registers brain implant study on US government database
(Reuters) - Elon Musk's brain-chip startup Neuralink has registered details about a study evaluating its device in patients on the U.S. government's database of clinical trials. Neuralink is testing its implant to give paralyzed patients the abilit...
May 28, 2024
J&J acquires rights to skin disorder drug for $1.25 billion
(Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday it had agreed to acquire the rights to an experimental skin disorder treatment from privately held Numab Therapeutics for about $1.25 billion. The drug, NM26, is currently in mid-stage development for t...
May 28, 2024
Insmed's lung disease drug succeeds in late-stage study
(Reuters) - Insmed said its experimental drug to treat a type of chronic lung disease helped significantly reduce respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough in a late-stage study, prompting its shares to double in premarket trading on Tuesday. The ...
May 28, 2024
Analysis-US tariffs on Chinese medical imports face industry doubt as alternative suppliers emerge
By Andrew Silver, Timothy Aeppel and Rozanna Latiff SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Higher U.S. tariffs on medical gloves, syringes and face masks from China are unlikely to make U.S. producers more competitive, as other low-cost suppliers are expected to rus...
May 28, 2024
Healthcare payments firm Waystar aims up to $3.83 billion valuation in US IPO
(Reuters) -Healthcare payments company Waystar said on Tuesday it was targeting a valuation of up to $3.83 billion in its initial public offering in the United States, joining a clutch of companies looking to tap into improving investor appetite for ne...
May 28, 2024
EU okays $1.5 billion state funded joint hydrogen project, $1.1 billion joint healthcare project
By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU competition regulators on Tuesday approved a 1.4-billion-euro ($1.52 billion) joint hydrogen project funded by seven EU countries and a separate 1-billion-euro ($1.1 billion) joint healthcare project funded b...
May 28, 2024
India's MedPlus Health posts over 25% rise in Q4 profit on strong retail sales
BENGALURU (Reuters) - India's MedPlus Health Services reported a rise in fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday, driven by retail sales. MedPlus, which sells online and in retail stores, said consolidated net profit climbed 25.6% year-on-year to 333.96 m...
May 28, 2024
France's Soubeyran elected head of world animal health body
PARIS (Reuters) - Emmanuelle Soubeyran, head of France's veterinary services, was elected director general of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on Tuesday, succeeding her compatriot Monique Eloit as the world grapples with a severe ou...
May 28, 2024
Analysis-Weight-loss drug forecasts jump to $150 billion as supply grows
By Deena Beasley (Reuters) - As millions seek access to weight-loss drugs from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, increasing supplies, possible wider usage and a growing number of would-be rivals are leading some experts to raise annual global sales fore...
May 28, 2024
Bird flu vaccines for laying hens prove effective in practice
PARIS/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Bird flu vaccines for laying hens are effective in practice, the Dutch government said on Tuesday, while confirming plans to vaccinate poultry against the virus that ravaged flocks around the world and is raising fears a...
May 28, 2024
Asahi Kasei to buy Swedish drugmaker Calliditas for $1.1 billion
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Asahi Kasei said on Tuesday it offered to acquire Calliditas Therapeutics for about 11.8 billion Swedish crowns ($1.1 billion) as part of a plan to become a global drug company. The Japanese firm will offer 208 crowns per ...
May 28, 2024
WHO states decide not to invite Taiwan to annual assembly
GENEVA (Reuters) - Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday decided not to invite Taiwan to the organization's annual assembly in Geneva after China appealed for it to remain sidelined. Taiwan is excluded from most internation...
May 27, 2024
Indian drugmakers to see FY25 revenue boost in key US market, says India Ratings and Research
By Rishika Sadam HYDERABAD (Reuters) - Indian drugmakers, which have the U.S. market as a key segment, will sustain their revenue improvement in fiscal 2025 due to drug shortages in the United States, Mumbai-based India Ratings and Research said o...
May 27, 2024
US, European nations consider vaccinating workers exposed to bird flu
By Julie Steenhuysen and Jennifer Rigby CHICAGO/LONDON (Reuters) - The United States and Europe are taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines that could be used to protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians and lab...
May 27, 2024
Wegovy users have less kidney-related health problems, analysis of Novo study finds
By Maggie Fick LONDON (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk's Wegovy obesity drug reduced adverse kidney-related events by 22% in overweight and obese people in a large study, according to a new analysis the Danish drugmaker published on Saturday. The analysis,...
May 25, 2024
Explainer-What does Louisiana's new abortion pill law mean for patients?
By Ahmed Aboulenein and Brendan Pierson (Reuters) - The Louisiana Senate's vote on Thursday to reclassify the two drugs used in medication abortion as controlled substances marks the latest development in a nationwide battle over abortion pills. He...
May 25, 2024