Moderna wins case in patent dispute with Pfizer, BioNTech over COVID shot
(Reuters) -Moderna has won a case at the European Patent Office in its dispute with Pfizer and BioNTech over its COVID-19 vaccine, the company said on Friday. "We are pleased to announce that the European Patent Office decided to maintain the validity ...
May 17, 2024
EU regulator scraps approval for pregnancy drug over cancer risk
(Reuters) - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday recommended scrapping approval for a drug used to prolong gestation, citing a "possible but unconfirmed" risk of cancer. The EU health regulator's Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee...
May 17, 2024
Investors demand clarity from Fresenius over dialysis group FMC
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Investors demanded more clarity from German healthcare group Fresenius SE on Friday regarding its plans to cede strategic control over dialysis group Fresenius Medical Care. "The volatility at Fresenius Medical Care seems to r...
May 17, 2024
GSK raises $1.5 billion from offloading Haleon stake at a discount
(Reuters) - GSK has raised 1.25 billion pounds ($1.52 billion) from selling its entire remaining stake in consumer healthcare firm Haleon, the British drugmaker said on Friday. GSK sold around 385 million shares at 324 pence apiece, amounting to a ...
May 17, 2024
Obesity and high blood sugar play ever growing role in ill-health, study shows
By Jennifer Rigby LONDON (Reuters) - Obesity, high blood sugar and high blood pressure among other metabolic issues now lead to almost 50% more years of healthy life lost to either disease or premature death than in 2000, a major international stud...
May 16, 2024
US FDA approves Amgen drug for small cell lung cancer
(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted accelerated approval to Amgen's tarlatamab, a targeted immunotherapy for treating adults with advanced small cell lung cancer that has worsened despite chemotherapy. The therapy, mark...
May 16, 2024
US unveils proposal to ease restrictions on marijuana
By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday unveiled a historic proposal to ease restrictions on marijuana, a rule that if enacted would also enable more research on its medicinal benefits. The proposal, first a...
May 16, 2024
GSK intends to sell its remaining stake in Haleon
(Reuters) - British drugmaker GSK said on Thursday it plans to sell about 385 million shares, representing its entire shareholding, in spun-off consumer healthcare business Haleon. The latest offload will mark the fourth set of disposal GSK has had...
May 16, 2024
Properly cooked hamburgers pose no bird flu risk, US study finds
CHICAGO (Reuters) -No bird flu virus was found after cooking ground beef to medium to well done, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday after conducting a study as it addresses concerns over an outbreak of the disease in dairy cattle. The ...
May 16, 2024
CVS Health launches new snack brand called Well Market
(Reuters) - CVS Health launched a new packaged food brand called Well Market on Thursday, encompassing varieties of popcorn, cookies and almond. The brand will have 40 new snacks, beverages and groceries that will be sold at more than 9,000 CVS pha...
May 16, 2024
Novo Nordisk building site hit by fire, Danish TV2 reports
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A fire broke out at a Novo Nordisk construction site in the Danish city of Kalundborg on Thursday, TV2 News reported, citing local police. A Novo Nordisk spokesperson confirmed there was a fire but declined to comment further...
May 16, 2024
Biogen, Ionis will discontinue development of their ALS drug
(Reuters) - Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals said on Thursday they will terminate the development of their treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) based on results from an early-stage study. (Reporting by Christy Santhosh; Editing by Son...
May 16, 2024
Johnson & Johnson to acquire Proteologix for $850 million
(Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson on Thursday said it would acquire privately held Proteologix for $850 million in cash, with potential for an additional milestone payment. (Reporting by Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
May 16, 2024
Lilly's weekly insulin succeeds in late-stage studies
(Reuters) - Eli Lilly said on Thursday that its once-weekly insulin efsitora met the main goals in two late-stage trials evaluating it in people with type 2 diabetes. (Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
May 16, 2024
Thai cannabis groups urge government to rethink plan to re-criminalise marijuana
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Dozens of Thai cannabis advocates urged the government on Thursday to abandon its plans to re-list marijuana as an illegal narcotic, a week after it announced its dramatic policy U-turn just two years after de-criminalising it. ...
May 16, 2024
Roche shares gain on obesity drug results from early-stage trial
(Reuters) - Roche shares gained 4.7% at the market open on Thursday after an early-stage trial showed that the obesity drug candidate by newly acquired Carmot Therapeutics led to significant weight loss. The Swiss drugmaker said the study in the fi...
May 16, 2024
AstraZeneca's investigational COVID drug meets primary goals in late-stage study
(Reuters) - AstraZeneca said on Thursday its investigational drug, sipavibart, met primary goals in preventing COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients in a late-stage trial. (Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
May 16, 2024
Pfizer offers up to $250 million to settle thousands of Zantac cancer lawsuits, FT reports
(Reuters) - Pfizer has agreed offer payment of up to $250 million to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits in the United States over cancer risks associated with its now-discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. (Rep...
May 16, 2024
US FDA approves expanded use of Bristol's cancer cell therapy
(Reuters) -The U.S. health regulator said on Wednesday it has approved the expanded use of Bristol Myers Squibb's cancer cell therapy Breyanzi for the treatment of adults with a type of blood cancer that has returned or has not responded to prior treat...
May 15, 2024
Canada says its commercial milk tests negative for bird flu
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Canadian government officials said samples of commercially sold milk as of May 14 have shown "no evidence" of H5N1 bird flu after enhanced testing aimed at alleviating Canadians concerns following the virus' detection in some...
May 15, 2024
UK weight-loss drug price rivalry intensifies with Pharmacy2U mark-down
(Reuters) - Britain's Pharmacy2U said on Wednesday it had cut the prices of weight-loss medication Wegovy and Mounjaro, becoming the latest in a slew of online pharmacies and slimming clinics to do so as initial supply shortages of the drugs ease ...
May 15, 2024
Britons warned to boil water on concern over parasite contamination in Devon areas
LONDON (Reuters) - Residents in part of Devon in southwestern England were warned on Wednesday to boil water before consuming it after the region's water utility found traces of an intestinal parasite that can cause diarrhoea and vomiting. South We...
May 15, 2024
Walgreens launches own brand of opioid overdose reversal drug
(Reuters) - U.S. pharmacy chain operator Walgreens Boots Alliance said on Wednesday it has launched its own brand of popular overdose reversal drug, naloxone, which would be available over-the-counter (OTC). The launch comes weeks after Walgreens'...
May 15, 2024
WHO prequalifies new dengue vaccine
(Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that it had prequalified Takeda Pharmaceuticals' dengue vaccine. (Reporting by Christy Santhosh; Editing by Tasim Zahid)
May 15, 2024
Imperial Brands CEO: U.S. menthol cigarette ban likely years away
LONDON (Reuters) - The outcome of moves to ban menthol cigarettes in the United States remains uncertain but implementation will likely take years, Imperial Brands Chief Executive Stefan Bomhard said on Wednesday. The Biden administration delayed a...
May 15, 2024