Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China's Fosun International wins approval ​for ClubMed Hong Kong spin-off

Fosun International has received approval ​from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to proceed ‌with ​the proposed spin-off and separate listing of its resort-operator unit ClubMed Lifestyle, it said late on Friday. Details of the initial public offering (IPO) are yet to be finalised, the Chinese conglomerate said in ‌an exchange filing.

Lilly to buy Merida Biosciences for up to $2.88 billion in autoimmune drug push

Eli Lilly said on Monday it would acquire privately held Merida Biosciences for up to $2.88 billion in cash, as it seeks to expand its pipeline of potential treatments for immunity-related ‌and allergic diseases. Lilly has been on an acquisition spree following windfall profits from the success of its obesity drugs. Its deal ‌spending in 2026 has outpaced that in the prior years, as it aims to expand beyond obesity and diabetes.

US FDA approves Takeda, Protagonist's drug for rare blood cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-its-kind drug from Takeda Pharmaceutical and Protagonist Therapeutics to treat a rare blood cancer, the health regulator ⁠said on ​Friday. The approval of rusfertide brings a ⁠highly anticipated, less-invasive treatment option for thousands of patients who have historically relied on frequent bloodletting procedures to manage their condition.

Booming weight-loss drug demand in Brazil ⁠fuels thriving black market and health fears

When Brazilian customs agents opened jars of dulce de leche aboard a tourist bus arriving from Paraguay in ​April, they discovered hundreds of vials of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the popular weight-loss drug Mounjaro, mixed inside the ⁠sweet spread. The routine inspection turned into one of Brazil's largest seizures of weight-loss medications, with the total shipment exceeding 2,500 vials, according to the Federal Revenue Service. But ⁠it ​was hardly an anomaly.

Samsung Biologics to launch takeover bid for PolyPeptide in September

Samsung Biologics will launch its takeover offer for Swiss contract drugmaker PolyPeptide Group in September, the South Korean company said in an offer prospectus on Monday. The companies had announced ⁠in July that Samsung Biologics would launch an offer of 1.46 billion Swiss francs ($1.80 billion), with the aim of delisting PolyPeptide from ⁠the Swiss stock exchange.

More than 6,000 ⁠people infected with Ebola in Congo, government figures show

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed the 6,000 mark, government data showed on Monday. The epidemic has ‌become the largest ‌in the central African country's history, surpassing the previous worst outbreak that ​lasted from 2018 to 2020.