Health News Roundup: Britain approves Novavax COVID shot for 12-17 year-olds; Abbott restarts Similac infant formula production at Michigan facility and more

Abbott, the biggest U.S. supplier of baby formula, in February recalled Similac and other infant formula products produced at the Michigan facility after reports of bacterial infections in babies who had consumed products that originated there. Very few in the U.S. getting full monkeypox vaccine series - CDC chief Very few people who have gotten monkeypox shots in the United States have received the second dose needed for full protection, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Friday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Britain approves Novavax COVID shot for 12-17 year-olds

Britain's medicines regulator on Friday approved Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 12 and 17 years. The mRNA vaccines made by Moderna as well as the partnership between Pfizer-BioNTech are also cleared for use by this age group, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said.

Abbott restarts Similac infant formula production at Michigan facility

Abbott Laboratories has restarted production of its Similac infant formula at the plant in Sturgis, Michigan at the center of the U.S. baby formula shortage. Abbott, the biggest U.S. supplier of baby formula, in February recalled Similac and other infant formula products produced at the Michigan facility after reports of bacterial infections in babies who had consumed products that originated there.

Very few in the U.S. getting full monkeypox vaccine series - CDC chief

Very few people who have gotten monkeypox shots in the United States have received the second dose needed for full protection, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said on Friday. She told a White House briefing that nearly 97% of the shots administered were first doses, and although many people are eligible for a second dose, "very few" have been given so far.

Bayer initiates asundexian Phase III study program

Germany's Bayer said on Sunday it was starting a Phase III study program to investigate the efficacy and safety of asunder an, an oral Factor XIa (FXIa) inhibitor. The drug candidate is a potential new treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation and in patients with a non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack, Bayer said.

AstraZeneca's Farxiga cuts death risk in heart failure patients -study

AstraZeneca's blockbuster diabetes drug Farxiga led to significant reductions in the risk of hospitalization and death in people with all types of heart failure, according to study data released on Saturday, opening the door to a substantial increase in patients who could benefit. The drug belongs to a class of medicines called SGLT2 inhibitors that were initially approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Since then, the drugs have been shown to benefit patients with chronic kidney and heart disease and prevent heart attacks.

Moderna sues Pfizer/BioNTech for patent infringement over COVID vaccine

Moderna sued Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech on Friday for patent infringement in the development of the first COVID-19 vaccine approved in the United States, alleging they copied technology that Moderna developed years before the pandemic. The lawsuit, which seeks undetermined monetary damages, was filed in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. The suit also would be filed also in the Regional Court of Duesseldorf in Germany, Moderna said in a news release.

Factbox: Monkeypox cases and deaths around the world

More than 90 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of the viral disease, which the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency, as confirmed cases crossed 46,300 and non-endemic countries reported their first related deaths. Below are the non-endemic countries that have reported monkeypox-related deaths: