Reuters Health News Summary

Haleon's shares fell despite beating profit expectations due to concerns over sluggish European demand and weak respiratory sales, casting doubt on meeting its sales targets.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Sensodyne maker Haleon slips as sales growth concerns overshadow profit beat

Sluggish European demand and weak respiratory sales raised doubts on Thursday about whether Haleon can meet its sales targets, sending shares in the consumer health company lower despite better-than-expected first-half profit. The British maker of Theraflu and Flonase cold medicines and Sensodyne toothpaste reported first-half organic revenue growth of 2.6%, in ​line with forecasts, but meaning a stronger second half is needed to hit its medium-term target of 4% to 6% growth.

US FDA advisers back Replimune skin cancer drug trial data

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's panel of outside advisers on Thursday voted ​to back results from a trial studying Replimune's drug for a type of skin cancer. The FDA had declined to approve the drug, RP1, for a second time in April, citing ‌reliance on a study ​without a control group, and sought more data demonstrating adequate evidence of the drug's effectiveness.

Merck, Wellcome partner with global health group to make Ebola vaccine for clinical trials

Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based joint venture between Merck and the global charity Wellcome, is gearing up to manufacture doses of a promising experimental vaccine against the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for a fast-spreading outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The effort is backed by up to $8.5 million in funding from the global partnership Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, those involved in the effort said on Thursday.

Teladoc tumbles on revenue forecast cut as BetterHelp demand shifts hurt

Teladoc shares fell more than 26% on Thursday, a day after the virtual healthcare provider trimmed its annual revenue forecast and flagged challenges at its mental health services unit BetterHelp. BetterHelp, Teladoc's direct-to-consumer mental health business, has been a key focus for investors as the ‌company shifts to offer insurance-covered services on the platform.

India takes action against 90% of inspected high-risk pharmaceutical facilities, regulator says

India has taken enforcement action against about 90% of inspected pharmaceutical facilities identified as high-risk under a nationwide quality drive, the drug regulator's chief said, as authorities step up oversight following global scrutiny of Indian-made drugs. The crackdown is part of a broader effort to strengthen quality standards in India, often called the "pharmacy of the world", after Indian-made cough syrups were linked by global health authorities to child deaths in countries including Gambia, Uzbekistan and Cameroon.

Braveheart Bio targets $1.2 billion valuation in US IPO

Braveheart Bio is targeting a valuation of up to $1.2 billion in its U.S. initial public offering, the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company said on Thursday. The San Francisco, California-based company aims to raise $318.8 million in the IPO by offering 18.8 million shares priced between $15 and $17 each.

Cigna raises annual profit forecast on strength in specialty drug unit

Cigna on Thursday raised its annual profit forecast, after beating quarterly earnings estimates on growth in its pharmacy and specialty drug businesses. The company has been reducing its exposure to government-backed health insurance businesses due to elevated medical costs, exiting Medicare Advantage last year and announcing it will stop offering plans under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, at the ‌end of 2026.

Regeneron beats quarterly estimates on eczema drug strength, shares rise

Regeneron on Thursday beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter revenue and profit, helped by strong demand for its eczema drug Dupixent and a high-dose version of its eye drug Eylea. Shares rose nearly 5% before the bell.

US Senate panel advances Trump CDC pick Schwartz

The U.S. Senate health committee voted on Thursday to advance the nomination of President Donald Trump's pick for CDC director Dr. Erica Schwartz, handing his administration a rare win after repeated failed attempts to fill top health posts. The Senate Health, Education, ‌Labor and Pensions Committee sent Schwartz, Trump's third pick to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to the full Senate on a 13-10 vote, with Democratic Senator Tim Kaine the lone member to cross party lines.

Drugmakers, retailers must face 'maximum strength' claim in decongestant false ad litigation in US

A federal appeals court on Thursday revived portions of nationwide litigation in which consumers accused drugmakers such as Procter & Gamble and retailers such as CVS of selling billions of dollars of over-the-counter decongestants that didn't work. The litigation comprised about 100 lawsuits filed after a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel found in September 2023 that oral phenylephrine, an ingredient in such products as Vicks NyQuil Severe Cold & Flu and Advil Sinus Congestion & Pain, was no better than a placebo.

Cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan rise to 10,386 in ongoing outbreak

Michigan reported 10,386 cases linked to an outbreak of cyclosporiasis on Thursday, up 309 from its last update a day earlier. Cases of the intestinal infection have risen steadily across the U.S., with the outbreak resulting in 193 hospitalizations, according to the state health department's latest update. There have been no deaths reported so far.

GSK, Relation Therapeutics sign up to $110 million AI drug discovery deal

British biotech firm Relation Therapeutics said on Wednesday it had entered into a research collaboration with GSK worth up to $110 million to generate human cellular datasets and train AI models for identifying potential new drug targets. Here are some details:

Pfizer's oral drug restores skin pigmentation in late-stage vitiligo trials

Pfizer said on Thursday ⁠its oral drug helped restore ​skin color in patients with a common form of vitiligo in two late-stage trials, paving the way for regulatory submissions seeking approval in the autoimmune skin disease. Here are the ⁠details:

Lilly, Resilience to invest $750 million in US drug manufacturing expansion

Drugmaker Eli Lilly and privately held contract manufacturer Resilience will invest $750 million to expand pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and strengthen the domestic medicine supply chain, Resilience said on Thursday. Global drugmakers have been ramping up U.S. manufacturing since last year and stockpiling inventory as President Donald Trump's administration moves to impose 100% tariffs on branded drugs unless companies cut prices or make medicines domestically.

Labcorp raises annual profit forecast on strong testing demand

Laboratory operator Labcorp raised its annual profit forecast and posted better-than-expected second-quarter results on Thursday, as steady demand for diagnostic testing and growth in its drug-development services business boosted performance. Shares of the company rose about 1% in morning trading, reversing premarket losses.

Veterans' ⁠PTSD resolves with psychedelic therapy in small US study

Military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder who got no relief from conventional treatments went into remission following treatment with the psychedelic drug psilocybin in a small U.S. pilot study, researchers say. In the United States, psilocybin and almost all other psychedelic drugs are controlled substances in the same class as heroin or ecstasy, meaning they are deemed to have no medical use and high risk for abuse.

Smallpox DNA is recovered from Spanish conquest-era Chilean mummies

When Spanish conquistadors arrived in the New World some five centuries ago, they brought muskets, cannons, armor, horses and attack dogs as they set about colonizing the Americas. But the biggest blow they delivered ​came from something else entirely — smallpox and other infectious diseases that ravaged indigenous populations. Researchers now have obtained the first direct molecular evidence of the smallpox unwittingly carried from the Old World to the New World that wiped out untold millions of people in Mesoamerica and South America. They recovered ancient viral DNA from the mummies of two people who died during the early Spanish colonial period in an Inca community in northern Chile.

Capricor plummets after FDA panel votes against Duchenne heart disease therapy

Shares of Capricor Therapeutics fell 50% in ⁠morning trading on Thursday after the U.S. FDA's panel of experts voted against the effectiveness data of its cell therapy for a heart condition related to Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Late on Wednesday, the panel voted nine-to-three against deramiocel, aligning with concerns of the FDA's staff that the company had not provided sufficient evidence of the therapy's effectiveness, while questioning changes to key analyses after its late-stage study was completed.

Baxter raises annual profit forecast on strength in drug compounding business

Baxter International on Thursday raised its annual profit forecast and beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly results, helped by strong sales in its drug-compounding business, sending its shares soaring 17% in morning trading. The medical products maker is in the middle of a turnaround led by cost-cutting, after a period of uncertainty around its infusion pump ⁠business.

Stryker beats ​quarterly estimates on strong demand for medical devices

U.S. medical device maker Stryker on Thursday beat Wall Street estimates for second-quarter results, aided by strong demand for its implants and devices used in complex procedures ranging from spinal to orthopedic surgeries. However, the company's shares fell 9% in extended trading after the Michigan-based firm missed analysts' estimates for medical surgery and neurotechnology sales in the quarter, its largest revenue-generating segment.

Sanofi drug pipeline worries, Dupixent dependence shake shares

Sanofi raised its full-year sales forecast on Thursday on strong demand for blockbuster drug Dupixent, but its shares fell 8% as investors focused on pipeline cuts and one-off gains. Shares in Sanofi were on track for their worst performance since September 2025, when eczema drug amlitelimab failed in a key study, after the drugmaker's first results under its new chief executive Belén Garijo, who took charge in May.

Cytokinetics wins UK approval, NICE backing for heart disease drug

Britain's medicines regulator approved Cytokinetics' drug for a rare heart condition on Thursday, with the country's cost-effectiveness watchdog recommending it for NHS reimbursement, potentially reaching about 6,600 patients. The drug, under the brand name Myqorzo, is approved for patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM), a condition in which the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick and ⁠forms an obstruction that can reduce blood flow to the body.

UK reports rise in cyclospora infections linked to Mexico travel

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Thursday it was seeing a sharp rise in cyclospora infections among travellers returning from Mexico and urged people to follow food and water hygiene measures while abroad. The agency said the parasite causes stomach illness, mainly through contaminated food, and does not spread from person to person.

Explainer-What to know about the US outbreak of cyclosporiasis intestinal illness

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ⁠and dozens of states are investigating a surge in cases of cyclosporiasis intestinal illness. Michigan has now reported more than 10,000 cases and is searching for links beyond the ⁠initial cases tied to lettuce. The outbreak, one of the largest U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreaks in recent years, has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Yum Brands' Taco Bell restaurants in nine states. Investigations are continuing into other sources.

Explainer-Could Fauci face criminal charges for refusing Senate COVID questions?

Anthony Fauci could face criminal prosecution after refusing to answer more than 100 Senate questions about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, setting up a confrontation with Republican lawmakers that could test the limits of congressional power to compel testimony. Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, testified this week before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee whose Republican chair, Rand Paul of Kentucky, a longtime Fauci antagonist, has said he will call a vote to refer Fauci for contempt of Congress.

Bristol Myers raises 2026 forecast as Eliquis, newer medicines power results

Bristol Myers Squibb lifted its full-year revenue and profit forecast ‌on Thursday as strong sales of blood thinner Eliquis and newer medicines pushed second-quarter results well past analysts' estimates. The ‌drugmaker has been working to offset declining sales of older medicines facing generic competition, particularly blood cancer treatment Revlimid, once its top-selling medicine.

Dexcom raises annual revenue forecast on strong demand for glucose monitors

Medical device maker Dexcom raised its full-year revenue forecast and beat quarterly estimates on Thursday, banking on sustained demand for ​its continuous glucose monitors that track blood sugar levels, sending shares of the company up over 4% in extended trading. Here are the details: