Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA panel to review Emergent's OTC opioid overdose drug; WHO urges travellers to wear masks as new COVID variant spreads and more

Reuters reported on Friday that China was in talks with Pfizer to secure a licence that will allow domestic drugmakers to manufacture and distribute a generic version of the U.S. firm's COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid in China. WHO urges travellers to wear masks as new COVID variant spreads Countries should consider recommending that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights, given the rapid spread of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

U.S. FDA panel to review Emergent's OTC opioid overdose drug

The U.S. health regulator said on Tuesday its advisory panel will meet on Feb. 15 to review Emergent Biosolutions Inc's over-the-counter (OTC) nasal spray to treat suspected opioid overdoses. Emergent is seeking the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA)approval for the prescription-free sale of Narcan, its nasal spray form of the drug naloxone. Narcan is already cleared for the treatment of opioid overdose in the country.

WHO urges travellers to wear masks as new COVID variant spreads

Countries should consider recommending that passengers wear masks on long-haul flights, given the rapid spread of the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday. In Europe, the XBB.1.5 subvariant was detected in small but growing numbers, WHO and Europe officials said at a press briefing.

Ecuador confirms first human bird flu infection in 9-year-old girl

Ecuador reported its first case of human transmission of bird flu in a 9-year-old girl, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday, marking a rare case of human infection a month after the country declared an animal health emergency. Human illness from bird flu infections have ranged from no symptoms to mild illness to severe disease resulting in death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advised that spread between humans is very rare.

Eisai files for approval of Alzheimer's drug in Europe

Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co Ltd said on Tuesday it had submitted a marketing application to the European health regulator for review of its Alzheimer's drug lecanemab, which was recently granted accelerated approval in the United States. The drug, developed in partnership with Biogen Inc, is an antibody that has been shown to remove sticky deposits of a protein called amyloid beta from the brains of those in the early stages of the mind-wasting disease. Nearly all previous experimental drugs using the same approach have failed.

Sen. Sanders asks Moderna not to hike COVID vaccine price

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders sent Moderna Inc a letter this week asking the drug company to halt planned U.S. price increases on its COVID-19 vaccine, saying price hikes could make the shot unaffordable for millions of Americans. Sanders said in his letter that raising prices would be particularly egregious after the U.S. government provided around $1.7 billion to fund development of the vaccine. The letter was addressed to Moderna Chief Executive Stephane Bancel.

British scientists plan to expand genomic sequencing from COVID to flu

Genomic sequencing allowed the world to track new coronavirus variants throughout the pandemic. Now British researchers plan to use it to better understand a host of other respiratory pathogens, from influenza to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The work is aimed at shedding more light on known threats and, potentially, emerging ones, the team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, working with the UK Health Security Agency, said.

Bayer flags new blood thinner as $5 billion-plus opportunity

Bayer predicted on Tuesday its experimental drug against dangerous blood clots could make more than 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) in peak annual sales, as the company seeks to revive a share price that has drawn interest from activist investors. The first revenue outlook for asundexian, designed to prevent thrombosis and strokes, shows Bayer's confidence that it can replace revenue from one of its pharmaceutical best-sellers, Xarelto, which is set to lose protection from key European patents in 2026.

FDA warns Japan's Olympus units over testing violations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday said it has issued warning letters to manufacturers of medical scopes used in surgical procedures, citing violations found during inspections of facilities in Japan. Warning letters pertain to a category of devices known as endoscopes, which allow doctors to see and access the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory tract, during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

China defends its retaliation against South Korea, Japan COVID curbs

Chinese state media defended on Wednesday the retaliatory measures against South Korea and Japan over their COVID-19 travel curbs as "reasonable", while Chinese tourists decried Seoul's "insulting" treatment on social media. China re-opened its borders on Sunday after three years of isolation under the world's strictest regime of COVID restrictions, which Beijing abruptly began dismantling in early December after historic protests.

Pfizer CEO rules out generic COVID drug Paxlovid for China

Pfizer Inc is not in talks with Chinese authorities to license a generic version of its COVID-19 treatment Paxlovid for use there, but is in discussions about a price for the branded product, Chief Executive Albert Bourla said on Monday. Reuters reported on Friday that China was in talks with Pfizer to secure a licence that will allow domestic drugmakers to manufacture and distribute a generic version of the U.S. firm's COVID-19 antiviral drug Paxlovid in China.

 

(With inputs from agencies.)