Health News Roundup: GSK's blood cancer drug meets primary goal in late-stage trial; Australia begins crackdown on vaping, to ban import of single-use devices and more

Sanofi, which is collaborating on the drug with Regeneron, said in a statement on Monday that a second Dupixent phase 3 trial for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease showed the drug reduced exacerbations of the disease by 34%. Idaho asks US Supreme Court to allow near-total abortion ban Idaho officials on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to temporarily halt a federal judge's ruling that blocked the Republican-governed state from enforcing its near-total abortion ban in medical-emergency situations following a legal challenge by Democratic President Joe Biden's administration.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

GSK's blood cancer drug meets primary goal in late-stage trial

GSK said on Monday that its blood cancer drug Blenrep had reached a key goal in a late-stage trial, as the British drugmaker looks to bolster its oncology business after a series of setbacks. The drug, when combined with existing drug bortezomib plus steroid dexamethasone, significantly extended the time before the disease progressed, or the patients died, in those suffering from relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma - the third most common type of blood cancer which is considered difficult to treat.

Australia begins crackdown on vaping, to ban import of single-use devices

Australia will ban imports of disposable vapes in January, the Health Minister said on Tuesday, the first step in a crackdown aimed at curbing the growing popularity of these nicotine-filled devices with young people. The ban will be expanded in March to include all non-therapeutic vapes, including refillable devices, while importers of vapes for medical purposes will need permit from the Office of Drug control, Health Minister Mark Butler said in a statement.

Sanofi looks to widen Dupixent use to treat 'smoker's lung' after second trial win

Sanofi plans to seek U.S. approval for its best-selling anti-inflammatory drug Dupixent to be used in the treatment of "smoker's lung", also known as COPD, after a second large trial showed significant benefits. Sanofi, which is collaborating on the drug with Regeneron, said in a statement on Monday that a second Dupixent phase 3 trial for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease showed the drug reduced exacerbations of the disease by 34%.

Idaho asks US Supreme Court to allow near-total abortion ban

Idaho officials on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to temporarily halt a federal judge's ruling that blocked the Republican-governed state from enforcing its near-total abortion ban in medical-emergency situations following a legal challenge by Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. Republican state officials urged the justices to pause U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill's August 2022 preliminary injunction issued after he concluded that the state's abortion restrictions conflicted with a federal law that ensures that patients can receive emergency "stabilizing care."

US FDA approves SpringWorks Therapeutics' non-cancerous tumor treatment

The U.S. health regulator on Monday approved SpringWorks Therapeutics' drug for treating adult patients with desmoid tumors, making it the first approved treatment for this type of non-cancerous soft-tissue growth. Shares of the company were up about 18% after the bell.

Britain detects first human case of flu strain similar to pig virus

Britain said on Monday it had detected a first human case of flu strain A(H1N2)v, which is similar to a virus currently circulating in pigs, and that the individual concerned had experienced a mild illness and fully recovered. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said that the case was detected as part of routine national flu surveillance and the source of infection was not known.

Moderna begins work on China mRNA manufacturing site

U.S. vaccine maker Moderna began construction of its first facility in China this month to manufacture mRNA medicines, the company said on Tuesday. Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine has yet to be approved in China, but the company said in July it had signed a deal with the city government of China's financial hub Shanghai to work towards opportunities for it to research, develop and manufacture mRNA medicines in the country.

Lilly's Mounjaro leads to more and faster weight loss than Novo obesity drug, data analysis finds

Overweight or obese adults lost more weight and shed pounds faster using Eli Lilly's Mounjaro than those taking Novo Nordisk's popular rival weight loss drug, according to an analysis of health records and other data. Within one year of starting treatment, 42.3% of those taking tirzepatide - the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound - had lost at least 15% of their weight, compared with 19.3% among patients taking semaglutide - the main ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, the study published on medRxiv in advance of peer review found.

China's respiratory illness surge not as high as pre-pandemic - WHO official

The spike in respiratory illnesses that China is currently suffering is not as high as before the COVID-19 pandemic, a World Health Organisation official said, reiterating that no new or unusual pathogens had been found in the recent cases. Maria Van Kerkhove, acting director of the WHO's department of epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said the increase appeared to be driven by a rise in the number of children contracting pathogens that they had avoided during two years of COVID restrictions.

3M, DuPont defeat massive class action over forever chemicals

A U.S. appeals court on Monday handed 3M, Corteva Inc subsidiary E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co and other manufacturers of toxic so-called "forever chemicals" a big win in their fight against legal liability for the substances, rejecting a lower court's ruling that would have allowed about 11.8 million Ohio residents to sue the companies as a group. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a lower court's approval of the massive class action, which included virtually every resident of Ohio and put considerable legal pressure on the chemical manufacturers to settle the plaintiffs' claims.