Health News Roundup: Philippines reports H5N1 bird flu outbreak on poultry farm; Drugmaker seeks approval for China's first biosimilar Ozempic and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Tennessee court weighs blocking abortion ban during pregnancy complications

A Tennessee state court on Thursday weighed a bid by a group of doctors and women to block officials from enforcing the state's near-total ban on abortion in instances when dangerous pregnancy complications arise. Lawyers for seven women who were denied abortions following pregnancy complications and two doctors told the three-judge panel in Tennessee's Twelfth Judicial District Court in Nashville that a medical exception in the state's abortion ban was so vague that physicians were turning away patients seeking emergency care.

Costco offering members access to weight-loss programs including medication

Costco Wholesale will offer its members access to weight-loss programs, including prescription drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, from online healthcare services provider Sesame, as the companies expanded their partnership. The wholesale retailer's members can subscribe to Sesame's weight-loss program for $179 for three months, compared with $195 for non-members, Sesame said in a blog post on Tuesday.

Bird flu dairy cow outbreak widens in Ohio, Kansas, New Mexico

Bird flu has infected a dairy herd in Ohio for the first time and was detected in additional herds in Kansas and New Mexico, according to the U.S. government, expanding an outbreak in cows that has raised concerns about possible risks to humans.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed infections in herds across six states since it first reported cases in Texas and Kansas on March 25.

UK watchdog says Theramex-Viatris deal raises competition concerns

Britain's competition watchdog said Theramex's purchase of European rights to two of Viatris' women's healthcare products ranges could lead to higher prices and fewer options for hormone replacement therapies (HRT). The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its phase 1 probe found the deal could reduce options in an already concentrated HRT market, lead to price hikes and pose a threat to entry of new products.

Sanofi to settle 4,000 Zantac cancer lawsuits in US state courts

Sanofi has reached an agreement in principle to settle 4,000 U.S. lawsuits linking the discontinued heartburn drug Zantac to cancer, the company said on Wednesday. Sanofi did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. The agreement, which still needs to be finalized, will resolve most of the lawsuits against the French pharmaceutical company in U.S. state courts, with the exception of Delaware where the majority of the cases are pending.

Wider bird flu spread raises concern for humans, animal health body says

The spread of bird flu to an increasing number of species and its widening geographic reach have raised the risks of humans being infected by the virus, the head of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Thursday. Monique Eloit's comments come after the U.S. government reported cases of the disease in dairy cows in several states and a person in Texas, which she said would only be a strong concern if there had been a transmission between cows, something the U.S. authorities are still investigating.

Mitsui and Rohto to buy $594 million Chinese medicines company Eu Yan Sang

Japan's Mitsui & Co said on Thursday it had teamed up with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co to buy Eu Yan Sang International in a deal valuing the Singapore-based traditional Chinese medicines firm at S$800 million ($594 million). Mitsui said in a statement that a special purpose company jointly owned by Mitsui and Rohto would acquire around 86% of Eu Yan Sang from Righteous Crane Holding.

Amylyx Pharma to remove ALS drug from US, Canada markets

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals will withdraw its amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) drug - its only product in the market - from the U.S. and Canada after the treatment failed in a key late-stage trial. The drugmaker on Thursday also announced a 70% reduction in its workforce. It had 384 full-time employees at the end of 2023.

Philippines reports H5N1 bird flu outbreak on poultry farm

The Philippines has reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, on a poultry farm in the centre of the country, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Thursday. The virus killed 4,475 birds out of a flock of 60,529 on a farm in the province of Leyte, the Paris-based WOAH said in a report, citing local authorities.

Drugmaker seeks approval for China's first biosimilar Ozempic

A drugmaker in China has developed a biosimilar version of Novo Nordisk's popular diabetes drug Ozempic and applied for approval to sell it there, in a potential challenge to Novo's expansion plans in the country. Hangzhou Jiuyuan Gene Engineering said on Wednesday in a post on its official social media account that it was seeking approval to sell the drug, which it calls Jiyoutai, to control blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.

(With inputs from agencies.)