Health News Roundup: Wegovy's heart benefits due to more than weight loss, Novo says; Bayer withdraws follicular lymphoma drug after further trial fails and more

Early data from the Danish drugmaker's Select trial released in August demonstrated that Wegovy, which has been shown to help patients lose an average of 15% of their weight, also reduced incidence of heart attack, stroke or death from heart disease by 20%. Critically ill British girl dies after life support removed - family Indi Gregory, a critically ill eight-month-old baby girl from Britain who was taken off life support over the weekend following a legal battle, has died overnight, her family said on Monday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Novo Nordisk shares rise as Wegovy shows heart benefits beyond weight loss

Novo Nordisk shares rose 3% on Monday as the market reacted to data the drugmaker presented over the weekend showing that the heart protective benefits of its popular obesity drug Wegovy are not solely due to weight loss. The data presented on Saturday at a major medical meeting in the United States gave investors and analysts even more confidence in the cardiac benefits of Wegovy after Novo released preliminary data in August from its large study, sending its shares soaring 17% on the day to record highs.

Wegovy's heart benefits due to more than weight loss, Novo says

Novo Nordisk on Saturday said the heart protective benefits of its wildly popular Wegovy obesity treatment are due to more than weight loss alone, according to new data presented at a major medical meeting on Saturday. Early data from the Danish drugmaker's Select trial released in August demonstrated that Wegovy, which has been shown to help patients lose an average of 15% of their weight, also reduced incidence of heart attack, stroke or death from heart disease by 20%.

Critically ill British girl dies after life support removed - family

Indi Gregory, a critically ill eight-month-old baby girl from Britain who was taken off life support over the weekend following a legal battle, has died overnight, her family said on Monday. Gregory's parents lost a legal fight last month to keep her on life-support machines and have her transferred to a Vatican children's hospital in Rome.

Aclaris shares plummet on terminating development of rheumatoid arthritis drug

Aclaris Therapeutics on Monday said it would stop development of its rheumatoid arthritis treatment after it failed in a mid-stage trial, sending its shares plunging 84% before the bell. The trial tested two doses of the drug, zunsemetinib, along with anti-rheumatic drug methotrexate compared to placebo and methotrexate in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who have inadequate response to methotrexate alone.

Bayer withdraws follicular lymphoma drug after further trial fails

Bayer on Monday said it would voluntarily withdraw the follicular lymphoma drug Aliqopa, also known as copanlisib, from the U.S. market after a trial designed to confirm its benefit did not show the desired effect on overall survival. The decision follows discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bayer said in a statement.

Rising temperatures, longer monsoon drive Bangladesh's worst dengue outbreak

Rising temperatures and a longer monsoon in Bangladesh because of climate change are providing ideal breeding conditions for the dengue-spreading mosquito, experts said, as the country grapples with its worst-ever outbreak of the viral disease. The death toll from Bangladesh's outbreak in 2023 is 1,476 as of Nov. 12, with 291,832 infected, official data showed. Hospitals have struggled to cope with the rising number of patients in the densely populated South Asian country.

EU regulator backs GSK's bone marrow cancer therapy

British drugmaker GSK on Monday said the human medicines committee of the European Medicines Agency had recommended approving its oral therapy to treat anaemia in patients with a type of bone marrow cancer called myelofibrosis. A decision for the marketing authorization of the therapy, momelotinib, is expected by early 2024, GSK said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)