Health News Roundup: Novocure's lung cancer device slows progression to brain in trial, shares rise; US FDA approves Merck's therapy for rare lung condition and more

Reuters reported last month that FDA inspectors found problems with record keeping and quality controls for animal experiments at Neuralink last June, less than a month after the startup said it was cleared to test its brain implants in humans. Viking Therapeutics' weight-loss tablet shows promise in small study Viking Therapeutics' experimental tablet reduced weight by as much as 3.3% when tested in volunteers enrolled in a small early-stage trial, meeting Wall Street expectations and sending the company's shares up 15% in premarket trading on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Novocure's lung cancer device slows progression to brain in trial, shares rise

Novocure said on Wednesday that its device met the main goal of a late-stage trial by slowing the progression of cancer to the brain in patients with a type of lung cancer, sending its shares up about 33% in before-the-bell trading. The positive trial data comes just months after the U.S. drug regulator had accepted the company's premarket approval application for the device for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) together with standard systemic therapies.

Ex-leaders of Massachusetts veterans' home avoid prison over COVID outbreak

Two former leaders of a Massachusetts veterans' home that was the site of one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks at a U.S. long-term care facility on Tuesday resolved criminal neglect charges against them without having to go to prison. Former Holyoke Soldiers' Home Superintendent Bennett Walsh and former Medical Director David Clinton withdrew their previous not-guilty pleas during hearings in Hampshire Superior Court and admitted there were facts sufficient to find them guilty of the charges against them, prosecutors said.

US FDA approves Merck's therapy for rare lung condition

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Merck's treatment for adults with high blood pressure due to constriction of lung arteries, adding another potential blockbuster drug to the pharmaceutical giant's portfolio. Shares of Merck were up more than 4% in extended trading.

US Supreme Court appears skeptical of challenge to abortion pill access

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday signaled that it is unlikely to limit access to the abortion pill as the justices appeared skeptical that the anti-abortion groups and doctors that are challenging the drug have the needed legal standing to pursue the case. The justices heard arguments in an appeal by President Joe Biden's administration of a lower court's ruling in favor of the plaintiffs that would limit how the medication, called mifepristone, is prescribed and distributed. The case places reproductive rights back on the Supreme Court's agenda in a presidential election year.

Japan warns on surge in potentially deadly strep throat cases

Japanese health authorities have warned about a jump in potentially deadly strep throat infections, with cases running about three times higher than last year in Tokyo. Across the country, infections of streptococcus bacteria of the throat are being diagnosed at quadruple the pace of the past five years, according to a health ministry report earlier this month.

British satisfaction with healthcare drops to new low ahead of election

British satisfaction with the state-owned National Health Service (NHS) dropped to a record low for 2023, showing the challenge for the government over a key concern for voters ahead of an election expected this year. The British Social Attitudes survey found that 24% of people were satisfied with the service in 2023, five percentage points down from last year and the lowest level recorded since people were first asked in 1983.

Exclusive - US lawmaker seeks answers on FDA inspection of Musk's Neuralink

A U.S. lawmaker involved in health policy has asked the Food and Drug Administration why it did not inspect Elon Musk's Neuralink before allowing the brain implant company to test its device in humans. Reuters reported last month that FDA inspectors found problems with record keeping and quality controls for animal experiments at Neuralink last June, less than a month after the startup said it was cleared to test its brain implants in humans.

Viking Therapeutics' weight-loss tablet shows promise in small study

Viking Therapeutics' experimental tablet reduced weight by as much as 3.3% when tested in volunteers enrolled in a small early-stage trial, meeting Wall Street expectations and sending the company's shares up 15% in premarket trading on Tuesday. Popular market leaders from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are administered under the skin, with companies also testing oral versions that they hope will offer patients a more convenient option.

Moderna secures $750 million from Blackstone Life Sciences to develop flu shots

Moderna said on Wednesday that Blackstone's life sciences arm would offer $750 million in funding towards its flu vaccines, bolstering its efforts to advance multiple vaccines to stem a post-COVID slump in sales. The biotech firm is developing several new vaccines, including for cancer and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and plans to spend about $4.5 billion on research and development in 2024.

Boat Race rowers told to avoid the water as UK sewage dumping surges

Victorious rowers in Britain's University Boat Race have been warned not to jump into the River Thames this weekend due to alarming levels of E. coli bacteria, as official data showed sewage spills hit a record high in 2023. Regular dumping of raw sewage in rivers and seas has sparked anger in Britain, with privatized water companies accused of failing to invest in infrastructure, meaning they are routinely dumping sewage in waterways.

(With inputs from agencies.)