Health News Roundup: Viatris weighs sale of consumer health assets in Europe - Bloomberg News; UN spokesperson: 16 confirmed cholera deaths in Haiti and more

"We are very, very concerned," Margaret Harris of the World Health Organization, who spoke at a news conference with the U.N. spokesperson, added with reference to cholera outbreaks in Haiti and beyond. Swiss drugs regulator approves one of Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shots Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic said on Monday it had temporarily approved Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shot targeting the original and BA.1 Omicron coronavirus variants.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Viatris weighs sale of consumer health assets in Europe - Bloomberg News

Drugmaker Viatris Inc is considering a potential sale of its consumer health assets in Europe in a deal that could be valued at over 3 billion euros ($2.9 billion), Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Viatris is working with Jefferies Financial Group Inc as it seeks to identify potential suitors, which could include private equity groups or others seeking to grow in the region, the report said.

UN spokesperson: 16 confirmed cholera deaths in Haiti

There have been 16 confirmed deaths from cholera in Haiti and 32 confirmed cases, a United Nations spokesperson said on Tuesday, citing the latest figures from U.N. humanitarian workers there. "We are very, very concerned," Margaret Harris of the World Health Organization, who spoke at a news conference with the U.N. spokesperson, added with reference to cholera outbreaks in Haiti and beyond.

Exclusive-U.S. finds new quality problems at Lilly drug factory

U.S. drug inspectors recently recorded several new quality-control problems at an Eli Lilly and Co plant that is already the subject of a federal investigation over manufacturing lapses, according to a government report reviewed by Reuters. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration findings come nearly three years after the agency's inspectors began documenting quality-control issues at the same Lilly plant in Branchburg, New Jersey. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation following a Reuters story that detailed allegations of poor manufacturing practices and data falsification at the facility.

Swiss drugs regulator approves one of Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shots

Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic said on Monday it had temporarily approved Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shot targeting the original and BA.1 Omicron coronavirus variants. Swissmedic added that the data currently available to it was not yet sufficient to make a decision on Pfizer's bivalent booster vaccine targeting the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants.

Sanofi and Regeneron present more positive data for Dupixent product

Healthcare companies Sanofi and partner Regeneron presented on Tuesday more positive data for their Dupixent product. The companies said new data showed that Dupixent showed a significant histological remission of eosinophilic esophagitis in children 1 to 11 years old. Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that damages the esophagus and prevents it from working properly.

China steps up anti-COVID measures in megacities as infections mount

Shanghai and other big Chinese cities, including Shenzhen, have ramped up testing for COVID-19 as infections rise, with some local authorities hastily closing schools, entertainment venues and tourist spots. Infections have risen to the highest since August, with the uptick coming after increased domestic travel during the National Day "Golden Week" earlier this month.

Merck's blood vessel disorder drug succeeds in a late-stage study

Merck & Co said on Monday a therapy it gained through the drugmaker's $11.5 billion acquisition of Acceleron Pharma last year met the main goal of a late-stage study in patients with a progressive blood vessel disorder. Merck's shares rose 2.5% at $89.79 in premarket trading.

Walmart to compete with Walgreens, CVS in recruiting clinical trial subjects

Walmart said on Tuesday it would begin to help drug companies and research firms identify and recruit individuals to fill their clinical trials, pitting it against rivals Walgreens and CVS Health Group . Walmart Healthcare Research Institute, the largest U.S. retailer's new healthcare research service, will find participants for clinical trials, and Walmart also host MyHealthJourney, a patient portal that helps people find upcoming research trials and track their care.

AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine suffers a setback in nasal spray trial

Attempts by Oxford University researchers and AstraZeneca Plc to create a nasal-spray version of their jointly developed COVID-19 shot suffered a setback on Tuesday as initial testing on humans did not yield the desired protection. Antibody response in the respiratory mucous membranes was seen in only a minority of participants in the trial, which was in the first of usually three phases of clinical testing, the University of Oxford said in a statement on Tuesday.

Pfizer exec denies CEO negotiated EU COVID vaccine contract via text message

A Pfizer executive with a lead role in negotiating a COVID-19 vaccine bulk supply agreement with the European Commission "categorically" ruled out that the U.S. drugmaker's chief executive agreed on the contract via mobile phone text messages. "As to whether a contract negotiation such as this contract which you referred to, 1.8 billion doses, was negotiated through an SMS, I can categorically tell you that would not be the case," Janine Small, president of international developed markets at Pfizer, told the European Parliament's special committee on COVID-19 on Monday.