Health News Roundup: Bird flu likely circulated in US cows for four months before diagnosis -paper; Novo Nordisk trims price for blockbuster obesity drug as competition heats up and more

These are Novo's second set of results since Lilly launched obesity drug Zepbound in the United States in December and highlight the fast-changing dynamics as the two companies go head to head in a market which analysts estimate could be worth as much as $100 billion by the end of the decade. Amgen 'encouraged' by weight-loss drug interim data, shares jump Amgen on Thursday said it was very encouraged after completing an interim analysis of its mid-stage study of experimental weight-loss drug MariTide and will no longer develop its oral obesity candidate AMG786.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Bird flu likely circulated in US cows for four months before diagnosis -paper

Bird flu likely circulated in U.S. dairy cows on a limited basis for about four months before federal officials confirmed the disease that has now spread to nine states, according to a new federally funded research paper. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported the first-ever H5N1 virus infection in a dairy cow in Texas on March 25, following reports of decreased milk yields in multiple states.

British pharmacies vie for weight-loss patients with drug price cuts

Online pharmacies and slimming clinics are cutting prices for Wegovy and Mounjaro in Britain just months after the weight-loss drugs were launched there, as initial supply shortages ease. But growing competition between retailers has raised fears that some patients who buy the drugs themselves, rather than relying on the National Health Service (NHS), will miss out on long-term aftercare if they keep switching providers.

Brazil declares country foot-and-mouth disease-free without vaccination

Brazil declared itself on Thursday as free of foot and mouth disease without vaccination, and will request World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) to recognize that status as it seeks to open more markets for its meat exports. Foot-and-mouth disease causes fever and mouth blisters in animals with foot ruptures, such as cattle, swine, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.

Novartis to buy radiology drug specialist Mariana for $1 billion

Novartis agreed to acquire U.S. radiopharmaceutical company Mariana Oncology for $1 billion upfront, boosting its portfolio of precision cancer treatments in development, the Swiss drug manufacturer said on Thursday. The deal includes up to $750 million of further payments upon achieving certain milestones, it added.

Novo Nordisk trims price for blockbuster obesity drug as competition heats up

Novo Nordisk raised its 2024 outlook on Thursday as the Danish drugmaker races to boost output of its Wegovy weight-loss treatment, while competition from rival Eli Lilly forced the company to cut prices of the drug, knocking its shares. These are Novo's second set of results since Lilly launched obesity drug Zepbound in the United States in December and highlight the fast-changing dynamics as the two companies go head to head in a market which analysts estimate could be worth as much as $100 billion by the end of the decade.

Amgen 'encouraged' by weight-loss drug interim data, shares jump

Amgen on Thursday said it was very encouraged after completing an interim analysis of its mid-stage study of experimental weight-loss drug MariTide and will no longer develop its oral obesity candidate AMG786. Shares of Amgen surged 13% in after-hours trading.

Regeneron's blockbuster eye drug posts weaker sales due to inventory impact

U.S. drugmaker Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc missed Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on Thursday, hurt by softer sales of its blockbuster eye drug Eylea due to reduction in wholesaler inventory. Apart from an impact of about $40 million cut in inventory, Regeneron said changing market dynamics that resulted in lower volumes and lower selling price also hurt Eylea sales.

GSK knew about Zantac cancer risk, attorneys tell jury in first trial

U.S. attorneys for a woman who claims her colon cancer was caused by the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac on Thursday told a jury in Chicago that pharmaceutical companies GSK and Boehringer Ingelheim knew the product could cause cancer if it was not handled properly but failed to warn the public. Mikal Watts, who is representing 89-year-old Angela Valadez, said the companies knew that Zantac’s active ingredient, ranitidine, would turn into a cancer-causing substance called NDMA as it aged or was exposed to extreme temperatures, but did not ensure it was properly handled by transporters, distributors and stores.

Moderna expects US CDC to view its RSV vaccine as equal to rival shots, shares jump

Moderna said on Thursday it expects U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisers to recommend the company's respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine be considered equal to rival shots launched last year. The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company is banking on its experimental shots to make up for plunging demand for Moderna's Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine, its only marketed product.

Bird flu outbreak in dairy cows fails to deter US raw milk sellers

U.S. sellers of raw milk appear undeterred by federal health warnings for consumers to avoid drinking unpasteurized milk in light of a bird flu outbreak that has affected dairy herds in nine states and sickened at least one dairy farm worker. Thirty of the 50 U.S. states permit the sale of raw milk, which accounts for less than 1% percent of U.S. milk sales. A nationwide survey of pasteurized milk - heated to kill pathogens - found avian flu virus particles in about 20% of samples tested.

(With inputs from agencies.)