Reuters Health News Summary

A Congo Ebola outbreak has infected over 70 medics, with 17 deaths, and health officials are struggling with shortages of protective gear, while a new pneumococcal vaccine has been approved for high-risk US children and teens.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

More than 70 Congo medics infected with Ebola since outbreak started, WHO says

A senior World Health Organization official said on Friday that 75 medics in the Democratic Republic of Congo had been infected with Ebola and 17 of them had died since the current outbreak started there. Ebola was thought to be ​circulating months before the outbreak was first declared by Congolese officials on May 15, meaning many medics were exposed to the disease before they even knew it was present. Even now, health officials say supplies of the basic gear to ​protect themselves like gloves and masks are running short.

Merck's pneumococcal vaccine wins US approval for high-risk children, teens

Drugmaker Merck said on Thursday the U.S. health regulator has approved ‌an expanded use ​of its pneumococcal vaccine for children and teenagers who face a higher risk of catching the bacterial disease due to chronic health conditions. Here are the details:

Pfizer CFO Dave Denton to leave company in August

Pfizer said on Thursday that finance chief Dave Denton will leave on August 15 to return to the consumer goods industry, after helping the U.S. drugmaker navigate its post-COVID transition. The company named Cecile Guegan, senior vice president of finance for its global biopharmaceuticals business, as interim chief financial officer. Guegan has held a range of finance roles over 20 years at Pfizer.

Biogen targets immunology growth with $1 billion RayThera deal

Biogen has struck a deal to acquire private biotechnology company RayThera for up to $1 billion, the companies said on Wednesday, as the U.S.-listed drugmaker seeks to expand its pipeline in immunology. The transaction ‌will include an upfront payment to RayThera shareholders, along with additional payments tied to clinical and regulatory milestones, the companies said in a statement.

Experimental first-in-class heart drug may also help heal kidneys

We also report on new understanding of how Ebola infections may persist in the brain and other organs for months, and a troubling spread of drug-resistant bacteria outside of the hospital setting. EXPERIMENTAL HEART DRUG SHOWS PROMISE IN KIDNEYS

Ebola response received less than 10% of pledges, Africa CDC says

Less than 10% of pledges made to support the fight against Ebola in Congo and Uganda have been received from donors, Africa's top health body said on Thursday. Donors have pledged $910 million, including $80 million from African Union member states, according to the latest data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Exclusive-KKR eyes at least $1 billion stake in Medicover's India hospital arm, source says

KKR is in advanced talks to buy a majority stake in the Indian business of Sweden's Medicover for at least $1 billion, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said, a deal that would expand its healthcare bet in the world's most populous nation. Stockholm-listed Medicover issued a press ‌release soon after Reuters sent a request for comment on Wednesday night, saying Medicover Hospitals India is in discussions with KKR "regarding a potential sale of its Indian operations."

Sri Lanka battles surge in dengue fever, with more than 44,000 cases so far this year

Sri Lanka is battling the worst outbreak of mosquito-borne dengue fever in years, with more than 44,000 cases and 28 deaths recorded since January, an official said on Friday, putting public hospitals under strain. Dengue is common during Sri Lanka's monsoon season, but unplanned urbanisation ‌coupled with damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah, which hit the island nation in late November, has worsened the outbreak this year, authorities said.

Trump administration asks appeals court to let Kennedy pick vaccine panel members

The Trump administration is urging a U.S. appeals court to overturn a ruling that blocked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointees from serving on a key vaccine advisory panel, saying the committee is unable to make annual recommendations on flu shots after a judge wrongly disabled it. The U.S. Department of Justice made that argument in a brief filed late on Wednesday before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in its appeal of Boston-based U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy's March 16 ruling, which also blocked the panel from reducing the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccinations.

US health department proposes testosterone therapy label updates

The U.S. health department said on Thursday it was seeking updates to labels for testosterone replacement therapies after reviewing new clinical data and other evidence. The proposed changes would remove limits on use in men with age-related low testosterone, revise warnings on enlarged prostate and update information related to prostate cancer risk, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.

US Health Department announces over $700 million to combat mental health, addiction, homelessness

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday announced more than $700 million in new funding opportunities aimed at tackling ⁠mental illness, addiction and homelessness. The ​package includes a new $96 million grant program, Safety Through Recovery, Engagement, and Evidence-based Treatment and Support, or STREETS, which will award funding to eight communities, ⁠the Department of Health and Human Services said.

What pet owners need to know about New World screwworm

Screwworm, a parasitic fly whose flesh-eating larvae feed on living animals, re-entered the U.S. Southwest in June for the first time since the 1970s, posing a threat to the livestock industry as well as wildlife and household pets. This is what veterinarians say pet owners, particularly those near the U.S.-Mexico border, need to know:

Congo says number of confirmed Ebola cases rises to 896

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 896, including 232 deaths, government data showed late on Thursday. The number represented the total number of ⁠confirmed cases as of Wednesday, according to a situation report that documented 21 new cases and six new deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Argentina loosens restrictions for biotech patents, says cabinet chief

Argentina's government has repealed a regulation that had restricted patents for biotech developments, cabinet chief Manuel Adorni said on X on Friday. "The measure aligns the country with international standards and will enable the attraction of investments and new technologies to the production sector, especially the agricultural one," he said.

FTC requiring Aurobindo Pharma to divest from four drug products to complete acquistion of Lannett

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is requiring Aurobindo Pharma ​Limited to divest four different generic drug products to complete its $250 million acquisition of Lannett Company Inc., the agency said on Thursday in a statement. The agency will require Aurobindo to divest to Quagen Pharmaceuticals an immunosuppressant prescribed to prevent organ transplant rejection, a cholesterol management drug, a drug prescribed to treat dry mouth in radiation therapy patients and a drug prescribed to reduce stomach acid.

US launches trade investigation into Germany over drug pricing

The U.S. has launched a trade investigation into a German plan ⁠to lower its spending on pharmaceutical products, to see whether it is unreasonable or discriminatory, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Thursday. The probe comes under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, Greer said, adding that his office will open a docket for submission of written comments on June 25 and its Section 301 Committee will hold a public hearing on the probe in September.

Kardigan surges in Nasdaq debut after upsized $400 million IPO

Kardigan's shares rose 31% above their initial public offering price on Thursday after the heart drug developer raised $400 million in an upsized U.S. initial public offering, signaling strong investor appetite for new biotech listings. The Princeton, New Jersey-based company's shares opened ⁠at $16.25, above ​its IPO price of $16 per share, and were last up 22.3%.

Cholera death toll in northeast Nigeria rises to 90, UN says

At least 90 people have died and more than 12,000 others have been infected in a fast-spreading cholera outbreak in Nigeria's conflict-hit Borno state, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday. Death toll from the outbreak that began in early May rose from 74, with about 7,800 infections reported.

US FDA advisers vote in favor of Moderna's flu vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's advisers on Thursday backed approval of Moderna's flu vaccine in adults aged 50 and older, saying its benefits outweigh the risks. All nine panel members unanimously voted in favor of use of the shot in adults between 50 and 64 and in adults aged 65 and above.

US CDC activates $107 million in emergency funding for Ebola response

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday it would make available $107 million in emergency funding to strengthen its domestic and international response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of ⁠Congo and Uganda. The agency currently has 23 field staff supporting epidemiological investigations and the DRC health ministry, Dr. Satish Pillai, the incident manager for the CDC's Ebola response, said in a briefing. There are over 125 CDC staff across the DRC and Uganda working on the response, he said.

Australia, last continent without H5 bird flu, detects first suspected case

Australia has detected its first suspected mainland case of H5N1 bird flu in a remote part of the country's southwest, authorities said on Friday. A migratory sea ⁠bird known as a brown skua found in Western Australia's Cape Le Grand National Park tested positive for avian influenza, and further testing is being conducted to ⁠confirm the strain, said state Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis.

Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine backed by FDA advisers

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday backed approval of Moderna's flu vaccine for adults aged 50 and older, saying its benefits outweigh its risks, boosting the company's chances of launching the first mRNA-based seasonal flu shot. The FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting was seen as a test of whether the agency is reverting to its longstanding approach to vaccine reviews after recent leadership turnover.

Early use of Novocure's brain cancer therapy shows no significant survival benefit in late-stage trial

Novocure said on Thursday that a late-stage trial showed early use of its non-invasive cancer therapy did not significantly improve overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed brain tumors. The company's shares were down ‌19.1% at $14.29 in morning trading.

Committee recommends Canada not permit euthanasia solely for mental illness

Euthanasia should not ‌be allowed for people seeking to be killed by medical professionals exclusively for mental illness reasons, according to a report published on Wednesday by a Canadian parliamentary committee. The report advises the Canadian government to amend its Criminal Code “to indefinitely exclude persons whose sole underlying medical condition is ​a mental illness from eligibility for medical assistance in dying,” saying the conditions needed for “safe and equitable implementation” cannot currently be met.