Health News Roundup: Eli Lilly settles whistleblower lawsuit over manufacturing problems; AbbVie's blood cancer combo therapy fails in late-stage study and more

He said the data might be missing some shots given at community vaccination sites and doctors' offices. Novo Nordisk India head eyes 2026 Wegovy launch, warns against copycats Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk aims to bring its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy to India in 2026, after securing regulatory approvals and ensuring it has enough supply to meet demand, a top company official told Reuters.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

AbbVie's blood cancer combo therapy fails in late-stage study

AbbVie said on Friday a late-stage study of its experimental combination therapy to treat a form of blood cancer failed to meaningfully increase the survival rate of patients without the disease worsening. The combination of AbbVie's Venclyxto and a steroid dexamethasone was being tested in patients with a type of relapsed multiple myeloma who had received two or more prior treatments.

Aid agency urges Johnson & Johnson to improve access to tuberculosis drug

Global health aid agency Unitaid has written to Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) CEO Joaquin Duato, urging "immediate action" to expand access to the company's tuberculosis drug bedaquiline, which is protected by patents hindering generic alternatives. While J&J has already lowered the price of bedaquiline which is used to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), Unitaid said this was an "incomplete solution" and countries like South Africa, Belarus and Ukraine were not benefiting.

Eli Lilly settles whistleblower lawsuit over manufacturing problems

Eli Lilly and Co and a former employee agreed to settle a lawsuit in which the worker claimed she was terminated after pointing out poor manufacturing practices and data falsification involving one of its blockbuster diabetes drugs, according to court filings. The former human resources officer, Amrit Mula, contended in the lawsuit that she repeatedly urged leaders at a New Jersey plant to remedy problems involving several biologic drugs, including Type 2 diabetes medicine Trulicity.

Structure Therapeutics surges as early data from obesity pill tops expectations

Shares of Structure Therapeutics soared 70% on Friday to hit the highest levels since their debut on the Nasdaq as early data from the drug developer's oral obesity treatment exceeded analysts' expectations. Analysts said data from the drug was "impressive" and "exceptional", and showed a "highly competitive" profile against larger rivals Eli Lilly and Pfizer who are also developing obesity pills.

Wegovy, other weight-loss drugs scrutinized over reports of suicidal thoughts

Dawn Heidlebaugh felt trapped in a disturbing pattern while taking Ozempic, the popular drug used to treat diabetes and obesity. Each Sunday for more than a year, the 53-year-old Ohio real estate agent took her weekly injection to help control her blood sugar. Then every Tuesday, she felt lethargic, depressed and sometimes suicidal, thinking her husband and four children might be better off without her. These feelings would last a few days, and the cycle repeated every week — except when she skipped a dose.

Schott Pharma shares jump 16% in Frankfurt trading debut

Shares in medical vials manufacturer Schott Pharma rose 16% in their trading debut on Thursday in Germany's largest initial public offering (IPO) so far this year. Shares in the company closed at 31.30 euros ($33.08) in Frankfurt, up from the 27 euros paid by investors in the IPO, adding to signs that Europe's IPO market is picking up.

Artificial heart maker Carmat's future seen in hands of core backers

Troubled artificial heart maker Carmat is appealing to key shareholders led by Airbus to invest new funds to avoid the collapse of the 30-year-old venture dating back to a chance meeting between a French surgeon and a missile magnate. Shares in the French medtech champion plummeted 37% this week after it warned it could run out of cash at the end of October following supply issues, as it actively explores "several financing options".

France races to stamp out bedbug 'scourge' before Olympics

With the Paris Olympics less than a year away, French authorities want to make sure the bedbugs don't bite during the games and have started a drive to exterminate the pests. Social media users have been publishing footage of the insects crawling around in high-speed trains and the Paris metro, alongside a rash of online articles about bedbugs in cinemas and even Charles de Gaulle airport.

Around 1.8 million Americans received COVID shots last week -IQVIA

Around 1.8 million people in the U.S. received a COVID-19 vaccine during the week ended Sept. 22, according to data compiled by health care data and analytics firm IQVIA Holdings Inc. Around 1 million people received the Pfizer/BioNTech shot and just under 800,000 got the Moderna vaccine, Michael Kleinrock, senior research director at the IQVIA institute told Reuters on Friday. He said the data might be missing some shots given at community vaccination sites and doctors' offices.

Novo Nordisk India head eyes 2026 Wegovy launch, warns against copycats

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk aims to bring its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy to India in 2026, after securing regulatory approvals and ensuring it has enough supply to meet demand, a top company official told Reuters. The market opportunity for the drug is huge in the world's most populous country, where obesity rates are high especially among women. Illegal copycat versions of Wegovy are already being sold through online sites.

(With inputs from agencies.)