Current Health News Roundup: From Novo Nordisk Fire to Global Flu Surveillance

This summary highlights recent health news, including a fire at Novo Nordisk’s HQ, FDA concerns over Guardant’s test, the first human avian flu case in Australia, and a surge in attacks on healthcare in war zones. Other updates cover Biogen's acquisition and AstraZeneca’s growth plans.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Fire at Novo Nordisk office building under control

A large fire that broke out at a Novo Nordisk office building in Denmark on Wednesday has been brought under control, the local fire department said. The blaze started outside but later spread to an office building at the company's Bagsvaerd location, which houses the global headquarters of Novo, maker of the blockbuster Wegovy weight-loss treatment and the Ozempic diabetes drug.

US FDA staff says Guardant's test may fail to detect some pre-cancerous tumors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's staff reviewers on Tuesday raised concerns that Guardant Health's blood test for a cancer of colon or rectum may fail to detect some types of tumors that can later become cancerous. The reviewers, however, said the test may increase compliance with screening for colorectal cancer and help detect it in earlier stages, potentially helping cure patients and prolong survival.

Australia reports first human avian flu infection

Australia reported its first human case of avian influenza on Wednesday in a child who authorities said had been infected in India but made a full recovery, while a different highly contagious strain was found on an egg farm. The H5N1 strain of avian flu has swept the globe in recent years, killing billions of farmed and wild birds and spreading to tens of mammal species.

Japan's Otsuka to stop development of Alzheimer's disease drug

Japan's Otsuka Pharmaceutical said on Wednesday it would stop developing an experimental drug to treat agitation and restlessness caused by symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. The drug candidate, AVP-786, failed to show statistically significant improvement of agitation associated with Alzheimer's dementia in a late-stage study, Otsuka said.

Biogen to buy Human Immunology Biosciences for up to $1.8 billion deal

Biogen said on Wednesday it had agreed to buy privately held Human Immunology Biosciences for up to $1.8 billion, gaining access to targeted therapies for patients with severe immune-related diseases. The deal consists of $1.15 billion in upfront and up to $650 million in potential milestone payments if Human Immunology's lead product felzartamab, a monoclonal antibody, achieves certain development milestones.

US CDC asks states to keep flu testing on high this summer

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Tuesday advised states to aid in H5N1 bird flu surveillance by increasing testing of influenza A virus samples during the summer season to help detect even rare cases of transmission of the virus in humans. CDC's Principal Deputy Director Nirav Shah asked for the increased vigilance ahead of the typical seasonal decline in influenza activity and testing due to the ongoing outbreak of H5N1 among poultry and U.S. dairy cattle.

Attacks on health care in war zones surge 25% last year, NGOs say

Attacks on medics and health facilities in war zones jumped in 2023 to the highest level since records began 11 years ago, a group of non-governmental organisations said on Wednesday, with nearly half attributed to state forces. The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, composed of 40 groups including medical charities, reported 2,562 incidents of violence or obstructions including arrests, killings and kidnappings of doctors and strikes across hospitals in 30 conflicts including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.

AstraZeneca aims for $80 billion in total revenue by 2030

AstraZeneca aims to grow revenue by about 75% to $80 billion by 2030, it said on Tuesday, boosted by the expected launch of 20 new medicines and through growth in its cancer, biopharmaceuticals and rare disease portfolio. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker had reported total revenue of $45.81 billion last year and earlier expected to launch at least 15 new medicines between 2023 and 2030.

Australia to ban knock-offs of popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic, Mounjaro

Australia said on Wednesday it will ban copies of drugs used for weight loss such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, arguing that so-called compounded versions are not rigorously tested and are potentially unsafe. Demand for Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro has soared due to the diabetes drugs being used for their weight-loss effects. They belong to a growing class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists that reduces food craving and slows digestion, helping patients feel sated for longer.

Kansas abortion providers seek to block law requiring them to report patients' reasons

Abortion providers in Kansas are asking a state court to block a new law requiring them to report patients' reasons for getting abortions to state authorities. In a motion filed late on Monday in Johnson County Civil Court, the providers said the law, passed by the state's Republican legislature in April over the veto of its Democratic governor and set to take effect in July, would violate their right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution and their patients' right to personal autonomy.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)