Reuters Health News Summary

GSK-J&J's long-acting HIV injection gets EU panel endorsement GlaxoSmithKline Plc said an injection of its cabotegravir drug given every two months, in combination with Johnson & Johnson's rilpivirine, was recommended for approval to treat HIV infections by a panel of the European health regulator.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs. GSK-J&J's long-acting HIV injection gets EU panel endorsement

GlaxoSmithKline Plc said an injection of its cabotegravir drug given every two months, in combination with Johnson & Johnson's rilpivirine, was recommended for approval to treat HIV infections by a panel of the European health regulator. The treatment is a long-acting regimen, which can reduce the number of doses required to 12 or six per year instead of a daily intake of pills. What you need to know about the coronavirus right now

Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: WHO study casts doubt on remdesivir's benefits Britain moves closer to COVID-19 vaccine trials that infect volunteers

"Human challenge" trials of potential COVID-19 vaccines, where volunteers are deliberately infected with the disease, could become a reality after a British biotech firm said it was in advanced talks with the government to create and provide strains of the virus. Preliminary work for the trials, which aim to speed up the process of determining the efficacy of a vaccine candidate, is being carried out by hVIVO, a unit of pharmaceutical services group Open Orphan, the company said. Analysis: Sales of first big COVID-19 drug, remdesivir, may disappoint

Investors betting on big profits from COVID-19 treatments may get an unwelcome surprise when Gilead Sciences Inc reports quarterly results this month. Its remdesivir, the first important coronavirus treatment, has not been used as much as first expected and faces complex insurance reimbursement issues. Its best hope may be that the United States and other Northern Hemisphere governments concerned about a winter spike in cases are beginning to stockpile the antiviral drug, which is also being tested in combination with experimental COVID-19 antibody therapies. Pfizer sees emergency use filing for COVID-19 vaccine after U.S. election

Pfizer Inc said on Friday it may file for authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine it is developing with German partner BioNTech in late November, making it unlikely a vaccine will be available before U.S. elections as President Donald Trump has promised. The regulatory filing for the vaccine could come as soon as safety data is available, possibly in the third week of November, Pfizer said, lifting the company's shares and the broader U.S. stock market. NIH tests therapies to help cut hospital stays for COVID-19 patients

The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has started a late-stage trial to evaluate if immune-modulating therapies from three drugmakers can help reduce the need for ventilators for COVID-19 patients and shorten their hospital stay. The NIH said on Friday it has selected three agents for the study - Johnson & Johnson unit Janssen Research's Remicade, Bristol Myers Squibb's Orencia and Abbvie Inc's experimental drug cenicriviroc. Britain changes vaccine rollout measures for COVID and flu

Britain said on Friday it had changed its rules around administering and distributing vaccines to make the speedy rollout of any COVID-19 vaccine easier and increase the number of people able to give jabs. The change comes into force after a consultation on the plans, which include giving Britain's medical regulator the ability to grant temporary authorisation for any coronavirus vaccine that meets safety and quality standards but before it has received a full licence. U.S. coronavirus cases surpass eight million as infections spike nationwide

U.S. cases of the novel coronavirus crossed 8 million on Thursday, rising by 1 million in less than a month, as another surge in cases hits the nation at the onset of cooler weather. Since the pandemic started, over 217,000 people have died in the United States. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3k2EHvB) Gilead questions WHO study that cast doubts on drug's COVID-19 benefits

Gilead Sciences Inc has questioned the findings of a World Health Organization (WHO) study that concluded its COVID-19 drug remdesivir does not help patients who have been admitted to hospital. The American company told Reuters the data appeared inconsistent, the findings were premature and that other studies had validated the drug's benefits. 'Endangered species': Barcelona bar staff protest coronavirus shutdown

Banging pots and pans, some 1,000 hospitality workers rallied in Barcelona's Old City on Friday to protest against a 15-day shutdown of bars and restaurants ordered by the Catalan regional government to contain a surge in COVID-19 infections in Spain. "After all we've had to endure over the past months this really is the final slaughter," said David Polo, one of the protesters who owns a restaurant called Iberia.