Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China's drug regulator accepts Novo Nordisk's application for oral Wegovy

Novo Nordisk said on Thursday that China's drug regulator had accepted its application to sell the oral version of its GLP-1 weight-loss drug Wegovy, as the Danish drugmaker seeks to catch up with rival Eli Lilly in the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market. Novo, Lilly, Pfizer and local firm Innovent Biologics are competing ​for market share with their versions of once-weekly GLP-1 weight-loss injections in China, as the country's National Health Commission has said the rate of overweight or obese people could reach more than 65% by 2030.

WHO says Ebola outbreak in Uganda is over, as ​cases rise in Congo

The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Uganda is over but it is not under control in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, a World Health ‌Organization official told a briefing ​on Wednesday. The all-clear for Uganda follows a declaration on July 28 from the Ugandan government that it was free of the disease, which caused 20 cases and two deaths in the country.

US FDA approves Lilly's Mounjaro to reduce cardiovascular risk

Eli Lilly said on Friday the U.S. FDA has approved its diabetes drug Mounjaro to reduce the chances of heart attack or stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk of cardiovascular events. Mounjaro is the company's diabetes drug that targets the GLP-1 protein and is also used for weight loss. In the U.S., the obesity version is sold under the brand name Zepbound.

AstraZeneca-Amgen asthma drug succeeds in late-stage oesophagus disease trial

AstraZeneca said on Thursday its asthma drug Tezspire met the main goals of a late-stage trial in patients with a chronic inflammatory disorder of the oesophagus, offering the company a boost after a string of ‌pipeline setbacks. While the outcome could help restore some confidence in AstraZeneca's pipeline, which has been squeezed by a series of trial failures and regulatory setbacks, investors remain focused on the upcoming results of two cancer trials seen as more supportive of the company's growth prospects and share price.

Meta settlement falls short on teen mental health protections, whistleblower says

A whistleblower whose testimony helped build a child safety case against Meta Platforms said on Wednesday that the firm's settlement with a coalition of U.S. states does not meaningfully address harms from social media that he described in court. Former Meta safety engineer Arturo Bejar told a judge and eight jurors last week that the firm had knowingly underreported the frequency with which teens were harmed on its platforms, pushed them toward content that made them feel bad about themselves and failed to correctly adjudicate reports of child predation.

US FDA approves Roivant-Priovant's skin and muscle disease drug

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it approved a treatment from Roivant and partner Priovant Therapeutics for a rare disease, making it the first oral drug for the condition affecting skin and muscles. Shares of Roivant closed up 2% at $37.58 in afternoon trading.

US widens lettuce-related cyclosporiasis probe to 20 states

U.S. health authorities have ‌widened their probe into a cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce from central Mexico after detecting cases in three additional states, raising the total to 20 states, the FDA and CDC said on Thursday. The outbreak, linked to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants and sourced from Taylor Farms' operations in Mexico, has grown to 11,458 cases, including 495 hospitalizations.

China approves J&J psoriasis pill Icotyde, says drugmaker

China's drug regulator has approved Johnson & Johnson's oral pill for psoriasis, the company said on Thursday, intensifying competition in the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market with rivals including Bristol Myers ‌Squibb and AbbVie. Psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune condition that causes itchy, scaly, and inflamed patches of skin, affects more than 8.4 million patients in China, according to J&J. Other treatments include its own Tremfya, Bristol Myers' Sotyktu and AbbVie's Skyrizi.

Health Round: Younger lung cancer patients more easily matched to targeted therapies

We also report on an analysis that confirms the importance of taking your blood pressure meds on schedule. YOUNGER LUNG CANCER PATIENTS HAVE MORE TARGETABLE TUMORS

Kimberly-Clark seeks EU approval for $40 billion Kenvue deal

Kimberly-Clark has asked EU regulators permission for its proposed $40 billion takeover of Tylenol maker Kenvue, documents on the EU Commission's website showed. Kimberly-Clark announced the takeover in November last year.

Success after a century of failures: Inside Moderna and Merck's cancer vaccine breakthrough

Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, was at a Lebanese restaurant celebrating a friend’s birthday late on August 13 when he got the call. An mRNA cancer vaccine the company had been developing with Merck had hit its mark — the first success of a therapeutic cancer vaccine in late-stage testing after more than 100 years of failed attempts.

Revolution's lifesaving pancreatic cancer drug wins speedy FDA approval

The U.S. FDA has approved Revolution Medicines' groundbreaking pancreatic cancer drug after it was shown to double the survival rate of patients with advanced disease in a large trial, offering new hope to those with the deadly cancer. The once-daily pill, to be called Rasonque, was approved for metastatic pancreatic cancer in patients who have received prior treatment or cannot receive combination chemotherapy. The drug is ⁠designed to block several forms of ​the RAS protein, which helps drive tumor growth in many pancreatic cancers.

Nestle wants India to consult on food-labelling rules amid debate on packaging warnings

Nestle wants India to ⁠consult with companies when drafting rules for front-of-pack health labelling on food and drinks to ensure it is done "scientifically," its chief executive said, amid a public debate on the lack of such measures in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has for years tried to implement some form of warning labels on packaging, but dropped a proposal after companies like Coca-Cola and industry groups representing the likes of Nestle in March opposed the measures, Reuters reported earlier this week.

Biopharma firm BioXcel Therapeutics files for bankruptcy in US

AI-driven biopharma firm BioXcel Therapeutics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. on Thursday. Here are more details:

Huawei plans for more AI pharma tie-ups, says healthcare president

Chinese technology conglomerate Huawei plans to expand its AI ⁠cooperation with local pharmaceutical firms into drug development and clinical practice, a senior executive said. The move highlights Huawei's ambitions to gain a foothold in the fast-growing AI drug discovery market, where pharmaceutical companies are investing in modelling tools and automated laboratories to shorten development timelines and improve efficiency.

US states sue to block new conditions for family-planning grants

A group of mostly Democratic-led U.S. states filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to block President Donald Trump's administration from stripping funding for family planning services for low-income and uninsured people from states and providers that oppose the Republican president's agenda. The lawsuit by officials from 23 states, filed in Maryland federal court, claims that new conditions on what is known ​as Title X funding will unlawfully penalize states and providers that refuse to discourage contraception or provide gender-affirming care to transgender people.

Kennedy advisers recommend doubling US autism spending on care, family support

A U.S. advisory committee on autism adopted a new strategic plan on Thursday that calls on federal agencies to nearly double investment in research and initiatives focusing on medical care, housing, aging, and other priorities to support people with the condition and their families. The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, an advisory panel appointed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ⁠this year to reshape federal priorities in autism, recommended boosting investment by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies to roughly $760 million annually from $390.4 million to address a sweeping array of issues impacting people with autism and their families.

LeapFrog plans up to $100 million in India healthcare investments over two years

Global private equity firm LeapFrog Investments plans to invest $80 million to $100 million in India's healthcare sector over the next two years, a top executive told Reuters, as it seeks to benefit from the rising demand for medical services. Expanding insurance coverage and greater use of diagnostics and preventive care in a country with high rates of chronic disease have boosted healthcare spending. India's healthcare sector was valued at about $180 billion in 2023 and ⁠is expected ​to grow to $320 billion by 2028, government data showed.

Congo starts Ebola vaccinations for health workers

Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday began vaccinating frontline health workers with a vaccine approved for a different Ebola species, as authorities seek to contain the country's largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak on record. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said Congo had received more than 50,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine and would begin vaccinations in provinces affected by the outbreak, prioritising health workers.

EU flags shortage of schizophrenia drug injections due to manufacturing issues

The European Medicines Agency on Thursday disclosed a shortage of an injectable medicine used to treat schizophrenia in some member EU states due to issues at contract manufacturer Pharmathen International. Paliperidone palmitate, the drug in short supply, is used as a treatment in adults with schizophrenia whose condition has been stabilized with antipsychotic drugs like paliperidone or risperidone.

Cytokinetics eyes expanded use of heart drug after promising late-stage data

Cytokinetics said on Friday detailed late-stage data showed its drug, aficamten, significantly improved symptoms and exercise capacity in patients with a genetic heart condition that currently has no approved treatments. The results, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, will support the biotech's supplemental U.S. marketing application planned in the ⁠fourth quarter of 2026.

US FDA approves Gilead's once-daily combination pill for HIV treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Gilead Sciences' once-daily oral combination pill for treatment of adults whose HIV infection has already been reduced to very low levels, the company said on Thursday. The drug, branded Bixlenvo, combines Gilead's HIV medicines bictegravir and lenacapavir.

Roaches to the rescue: Australian scientists develop cyborg cockroaches for medical missions

A swarm of giant cockroaches may sound like the stuff of nightmares, but Australian researchers say the insects could one day be used by search-and-rescue teams to deliver ⁠lifesaving drugs to people trapped after disasters. Scientists from the University of Queensland and the University of New South Wales have developed paramedic cyborg cockroaches, dubbed "paraborgs", equipped with miniature injection devices ⁠and cameras.

Beyond the Scale: Men turn to cosmetic clinics to complete weight-loss transformation

As top-selling weight-loss drugs help more U.S. men slim down, a growing number are seeking cosmetic treatments for sagging skin, hair loss and dental issues to complete their physical transformation, patients and plastic surgeons say. Mark C., a 57-year-old from Hoboken, New Jersey, has spent the past five years taking obesity medications, first Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and then Eli Lilly's Zepbound, shedding 50 pounds (23 kg) in the process. As the weight came off, so did some of the fullness in his face.

CEPI backs Minapharm's experimental Ebola vaccine with up to $16.5 million funding

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations will provide up to $16.5 million to Egypt-based pharmaceutical company Minapharm Group to advance an experimental Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine into human trials in Africa, the organizations said on Thursday. This is the fifth Bundibugyo vaccine candidate backed by CEPI in ‌response to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which the group described as the country's largest and ‌deadliest Ebola outbreak.

US FDA approves updated COVID vaccines for 2026-27 season

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi and Pfizer-BioNTech's updated COVID vaccines, the companies said on Thursday, after an advisory panel recommended that the shots should target the dominant XFG variant. Four COVID shots had been approved for ​use in the United States: Moderna's mNEXSPIKE and Spikevax, Pfizer-BioNTech's, Comirnaty — all three mRNA-based vaccines — and Novavax-Sanofi's, protein-based shot that takes longer to manufacture.