Health News Roundup: China reports 968 new COVID cases for Sept 26 vs 999 a day earlier; Biogen finalizes $900 million drug kickback settlement, U.S. says and more

Last week, the health regulator had allowed use of ten batches of Moderna's updated booster shots made at the Bloomington, Indiana facility, owned by a unit of Catalent Inc, which is currently not a part of the company's emergency use authorization. Valneva in talks with potential partner on second-gen COVID-19 vaccines French drugmaker Valneva said on Monday it is in talks with a potential partner on producing an updated version of its COVID-19 vaccine that targets new variants of the disease, sending its shares up.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 27-09-2022 18:52 IST | Created: 27-09-2022 18:28 IST
Health News Roundup: China reports 968 new COVID cases for Sept 26 vs 999 a day earlier; Biogen finalizes $900 million drug kickback settlement, U.S. says and more
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Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China reports 968 new COVID cases for Sept 26 vs 999 a day earlier

China reported 968 new COVID-19 infections on Sept. 26, of which 245 were symptomatic and 723 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Tuesday. That compares with 999 new cases a day earlier – 295 symptomatic and 704 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

Biogen finalizes $900 million drug kickback settlement, U.S. says

Biogen Inc has finalized a $900 million settlement resolving a whistleblower lawsuit accusing the biotech company of paying doctors kickbacks to prescribe multiple sclerosis drugs, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Monday. The settlement resolves a long-running whistleblower lawsuit in Boston federal court that a former employee pursued on the government's behalf. Biogen in July disclosed it reached a potential settlement, which was subject to government approval.

U.S. FDA puts Avidity's muscle disorder drug trial on partial hold

Avidity Biosciences Inc said on Tuesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has put a hold on patient enrollment in an early-to-mid-stage trial of its drug to treat a genetic muscle disorder, sending the company's shares down over 15%. The agency put the partial hold after a serious adverse event seen in a patient during the study.

Canada to remove all COVID travel restrictions from Oct 1

Canada will drop all COVID-19 restrictions for travelers from Oct. 1, including vaccination and masking requirements for flights and trains, the government said on Monday. The move is likely to boost the Canadian travel industry, already booming after months of lull during the pandemic.

U.S. FDA clears additional lots of Moderna's Covid booster amid shortage

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday it has authorized an additional five batches of Moderna Inc's updated Covid booster shots made at a Catalent facility in Indiana after it deemed them safe for use. Last week, the health regulator had allowed use of ten batches of Moderna's updated booster shots made at the Bloomington, Indiana facility, owned by a unit of Catalent Inc, which is currently not a part of the company's emergency use authorization.

Valneva in talks with a potential partner on second-gen COVID-19 vaccines

French drugmaker Valneva said on Monday it is in talks with a potential partner on producing an updated version of its COVID-19 vaccine that targets new variants of the disease, sending its shares up. The French company has struggled to bring its COVID-19 vaccine to market to compete with rival products from drugmakers such as AstraZeneca, Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer. Its shares have lost almost 80% since peaking at the end of 2021.

India's Torrent Pharma to acquire Sequoia-backed Curatio Health for $245 million

Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd said on Tuesday it will buy dermatology company Curatio Health Care (I) Pvt Ltd for 20 billion Indian rupees ($245.22 million). Sequoia-backed Curatio has a portfolio of over 50 brands that are marketed in India.

Congo declares end of latest Ebola outbreak in east

Democratic Republic of Congo has declared the end of its latest Ebola virus outbreak in the eastern province of North Kivu, Health Minister Jean-Jacques Mbungani Mbanda said in a statement on Tuesday. The fifteenth outbreak in the central African country emerged when a new case of the deadly virus was confirmed in the eastern city of Beni on Aug. 22.

Japan's COVID-19 herd immunity near 90% after Omicron wave -study

Japan's population level immunity to COVID-19 has reached about 90% in major population areas after a recent Omicron wave, though that level of protection is likely to diminish in a matter of months, according to a study published on Tuesday. That level of so-called "herd immunity" reflects partial protection imparted from both natural infection and vaccination, according to the Tokyo Foundation of Policy Research, which estimated the levels for 12 of Japan's most-populated prefectures.

Pfizer/BioNTech seek FDA nod for new COVID boosters for children

Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech on Monday sought the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's authorization for an Omicron-tailored COVID-19 vaccine booster for children aged 5 through 11 years. The application comes just days after Moderna also applied for FDA authorization of its own Omicron-targeting shot in adolescents aged 12 to 17 years and children aged six to 11.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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