Health News Roundup: China to promote vaccine development, new medicines; Exclusive-India may issue alert on Marion cough syrup exports after toxins found and more

Indian police on Friday arrested three Marion employees and are looking for two directors after tests in a government laboratory found 22 of 36 syrup samples "adulterated and spurious". Eisai, Biogen say FDA grants priority review for Alzheimer's drug Lecanemab Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co Ltd and its U.S. partner Biogen Inc said on Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted priority review for traditional approval of their Alzheimer's treatment Lecanemab.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China to promote vaccine development, new medicines

China will prevent and control health outbreaks in a more scientific, precise and efficient way, and upgrade vaccines and develop new medicines to ensure enough supply for the public, Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday. The country was battered with a surge in COVID-19 cases after it abruptly abandoned its zero-COVID policy in early December, unleashing the virus on its 1.4 billion population. The government put a top priority on getting its most vulnerable vaccinated, including the elderly.

Exclusive-India may issue alert on Marion cough syrup exports after toxins found

India may issue an alert on cough syrup exported by Marion Biotech, whose products have been linked to deaths in Uzbekistan, after tests showed many of the company's drug samples contained toxins, a drug inspector said on Saturday. Indian police on Friday arrested three Marion employees and are looking for two directors after tests in a government laboratory found 22 of 36 syrup samples "adulterated and spurious".

Eisai, Biogen say FDA grants priority review for Alzheimer's drug Lecanemab

Japanese drugmaker Eisai Co Ltd and its U.S. partner Biogen Inc said on Monday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted priority review for traditional approval of their Alzheimer's treatment Lecanemab. The FDA accepted Eisai's supplemental Biologics License Application for the drug, supporting transition from the accelerated approval granted in January, the drugmaker said in a statement.