Health News Roundup: E-cigarette 'copycat products', early warning system for heart attacks

E-cigarette maker Juul files complaints against 'copycat products'

Juul Labs, the e-cigarette maker at the heart of a U.S. crackdown on youth vaping, has filed patent infringement complaints in the United States and Europe against what it said were copycat rivals. The complaints follow the seizure this week by U.S. health regulators of more than 1,000 pages of documents from Juul Labs about its sales and marketing practices, as they investigate growing e-cigarette use among young people that threatens to create a new generation of nicotine addicts.

Tech breakthrough offers an early warning system for heart attacks

A new method of analyzing images from CT scans can predict which patients are at risk of a heart attack years before it occurs, researchers say. The technology, developed by teams at Oxford University and institutions in Germany and the United States, uses algorithms to examine the fat surrounding coronary arteries as it shows up on computed tomography (CT) heart scans.

J&J, Arrowhead in gene-silencing drug deal worth up to $3.7 billion

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Thursday Johnson & Johnson would develop and market its gene-silencing Hepatitis B treatment and buy a minor stake in a deal that could be potentially worth more than $3.7 billion, sending its shares surging 20 per cent. Under the deal, J&J's Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit will obtain a worldwide license for Arrowhead's ARO-HBV drug and an option to collaborate on up to three new RNA interference (RNAi) drugs, which use gene-silencing technology.

U.S. arm of JBS recalls 6.5 million pounds of beef on salmonella risk

A U.S. unit of Brazil's JBS SA is recalling 6.5 million pounds of beef products processed through an Arizona plant because the meat might be contaminated with salmonella, U.S. government officials said on Thursday. U.S. investigators have identified at least 57 people in 16 states who have become ill due to consuming contaminated ground beef products made from meat traced back to JBS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Blackstone buys Clarus to bulk up in life sciences

Blackstone Group LP said on Thursday it has agreed to acquire life sciences investment firm Clarus, in an effort by the world's largest alternative asset manager to scale up its investments in healthcare. Terms were not disclosed.

Even light exercise might lessen the severity of a future stroke

People who regularly engage in light to moderate physical activity - like walking four hours a week or swimming two hours weekly - might have less severe strokes than individuals who aren't as active, a Swedish study suggests. Researchers examined data on 925 patients who were treated for strokes at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, between 2014 and 2016. Overall, four in five of these patients had a mild stroke.

U.S. FDA expands approval of Roche haemophilia drug

Roche on Thursday said U.S. regulators approved expanded use of its drug Hemlibra to include almost all patients with haemophilia A, as the Swiss drugmaker increases its focus on diseases beyond cancer to help replace revenue from older products that have lost patent protection. The Food and Drug Administration cleared Hemlibra to treat adults, children and newborns with the genetic disorder in which blood does not clot properly, putting them at risk of dangerous bleeding.

Non-white elders in the U.S. less likely to use low-vision devices

Older white people with very impaired eyesight are more likely to use low-vision devices that may improve independence, compared to elderly people in other racial and ethnic groups, a U.S. study suggests. "Low vision" involves defects in the retina, optic nerve, brain or another part of the visual system that can't be corrected with glasses. It can be caused by eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration. Rehabilitation services like occupational therapy can train people how to function better with their current vision abilities. Other treatment options include devices like magnifiers or head-mounted computerized glasses that enhance what patients can see.

Lilly's diabetes drug data impresses, hurts rival Novo's shares

Eli Lilly and Co said on Thursday its new two-in-one diabetes drug was successful in lowering blood sugar and reducing weight, sending its shares to a record high and weighing on those of arch-rival Novo Nordisk. The novel drug targets two key gut hormones at the same time and could pose a threat to currently available single-hormone drugs, which form a large and growing part of Novo's business.

CDC investigating multistate listeria outbreak linked to ham products

A multistate outbreak of listeria infections linked to ready-to-eat deli ham produced by Johnston County Hams Inc is being investigated, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Four people have been infected with a strain of Listeria monocytogenes in North Carolina and Virginia. One death has been reported from Virginia, CDC said.

(With inputs from Reuters)