Health News Roundup: Eli Lilly ordered to pay $176.5 million to Teva in U.S. migraine drug patent trial; CanSino's inhalable COVID-19 vaccines to be available in Tianjin from Nov 10 and more

The Southeast Asian country temporarily banned sales of some syrup-based medications in October after it identified the presence in some products of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol as possible factors for causing the illness. China reports 9,005 new COVID cases for Nov 9 vs 8,335 a day earlier China reported 9,005 new COVID-19 infections on Nov. 9, of which 1,185 were symptomatic and 7,820 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Thursday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Eli Lilly ordered to pay $176.5 million to Teva in U.S. migraine drug patent trial

Eli Lilly & Co must pay Teva Pharmaceuticals International GmbH $176.5 million after a trial to determine whether its migraine drug Emgality infringed three Teva patents, a Boston federal court jury decided on Wednesday. The jury agreed with Teva that Lilly's Emgality violated its rights in the patents, which relate to its own migraine drug Ajovy. Both drugs treat migraines by employing antibodies to inhibit headache-causing peptides.

CanSino's inhalable COVID-19 vaccines to be available in Tianjin from Nov 10

Chinese pharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics said on Wednesday its inhalable COVID-19 vaccines will be available in China's northern city of Tianjin from Nov 10, a statement on its Wechat account said. Last week, the Tianjin-based company said it did not expect its inhaled COVID vaccine to significantly boost financial results, based on current immunity strategy and domestic booster vaccination rates.

Much of biopharma industry yet to set any climate impact targets - report

Much of the global pharmaceutical and biotech industry has yet to set any targets for reducing carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, a new analysis has found, despite the biggest companies in the sector leading the way. The carbon output of the sector as a whole was found to eclipse emissions from the forestry and paper industry, which are widely regarded as some of the most carbon-intensive industries.

U.S.FDA panel votes against Veru's COVID-19 pill

A panel of outside advisers to the U.S. health regulator on Wednesday voted against authorizing Veru Inc's drug for treating high-risk patients hospitalized with COVID-19, citing multiple concerns over efficacy and safety data being based on a small trial. The panel voted 8-5 against the oral drug sabizabulin's usage and hinted that Veru gather additional data, preferably from a larger sample, regarding the drug's ability to treat COVID-19.

Brazil's Hapvida reports 182% increase in Q3 adjusted net profit

Brazilian healthcare provider Hapvida Participacoes e Investimentos SA reported on Wednesday third-quarter adjusted net profit of 678.8 million reais ($130.88 million), up 182.5% versus a year earlier. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) for the quarter nearly tripled to 922.7 million reais from 321.9 million reais.

Indonesia suspends licences of two more drug firms amid probe into child deaths

Indonesia's food and drug agency said on Wednesday it had suspended the licences of two more local drug companies producing syrup-type medications, as authorities investigate the deaths of nearly 200 children due to acute kidney injury. The Southeast Asian country temporarily banned sales of some syrup-based medications in October after it identified the presence in some products of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol as possible factors for causing the illness.

China reports 9,005 new COVID cases for Nov 9 vs 8,335 a day earlier

China reported 9,005 new COVID-19 infections on Nov. 9, of which 1,185 were symptomatic and 7,820 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission said on Thursday. That compared with 8,335 new cases a day earlier – 1,346 symptomatic and 6,989 asymptomatic infections, which China counts separately.

China's Guangzhou brings back mass testing to fight city's worst COVID outbreak

Millions of residents of China's southern manufacturing hub of Guangzhou were told on Wednesday to get tested for COVID-19, as infections topped two thousand for two days running in the city's worst outbreak so far. As local cases across China reached their highest level since April 30, authorities announced on social media that five districts representing more than half Guangzhou's population of almost 19 million would need to undergo mass testing.

Three quarters of UK long COVID sufferers working less -survey

More than three quarters of British people who have suffered persistent ill health following a COVID-19 infection have had to cut back or change the work they do, according to a survey on the impact of long COVID published on Wednesday. The survey of 1,002 people, conducted by market research company Censuswide in October for recruitment website Indeed, adds to signs that long COVID continues to be a factor behind widespread labour shortages in Britain.

Brazil hospital chain Rede D'Or Q3 net income rises 4.8%

Brazil's largest private hospital chain Rede D'Or Sao Luiz SA on Wednesday posted a 4.8% increase in its third-quarter net income. Rede D'Or, which operates some 70 hospitals alongside blood banks and cancer treatment clinics, recorded a net profit of 396.3 million reais ($76.41 million).

(With inputs from agencies.)