Global Health News: Biogen's Strategic Shifts and Ebola Vaccine Efforts

Biogen discontinues Apellis programs post $5.6B acquisition, reallocating resources to Empaveli and Syfovre. U.S. begins Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine efforts as outbreak grows in Africa. The FDA tightens foreign tobacco oversight and declines Sobi's gout therapy approval due to manufacturing concerns. Global cocaine and meth trade booms, a UN report finds.

In the latest health sector development, Biogen has decided to halt or discontinue funding for several of Apellis Pharmaceuticals' projects following its $5.6 billion acquisition. The move is part of a strategic shift to prioritize resources towards established therapies, namely Empaveli and Syfovre.

In a separate health initiative, the United States is actively developing a vaccine for the Ebola Bundibugyo strain following an outbreak in Africa. The Department of Health and Human Services is making significant strides to support containment efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration is enforcing stricter regulations on foreign tobacco manufacturers, a response aimed at curtailing illegal imports. The agency also withheld approval for Swedish firm Sobi's gout treatment, citing errors in their manufacturing process.