Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

ByteDance completes $290 million fundraising for AI drug unit after its spin-off, sources say

Chinese social media and internet company ByteDance has completed a $290 million fundraising for its AI drugmaking unit after spinning it off from the group, two people with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday. Shanghai-headquartered Anew Labs, which uses AI for drug discovery, has achieved a valuation of $1.5 billion after its inaugural external fundraising, ​said one of the sources.

Pentagon to proceed with controversial testosterone testing after pause

The Pentagon is reinstituting a mandatory testing program for testosterone deficiency among US service members age 30 and older, a spokesperson said on Thursday, bringing back a program that many medical experts have described as unnecessary ​and potentially harmful. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has promoted the use of testosterone to improve military readiness, first announced the screening mandate in July.

AstraZeneca-Daiichi breast cancer drug cleared for NHS use in ‌England

AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo ​said on Thursday their breast cancer treatment Enhertu has been approved for use in England's state-run healthcare system, expanding access to a drug that has been available in Scotland since 2023. The companies said they will now seek approval for access from health bodies in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ebola outbreak in Congo is still serious, African health body says

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo is still serious, with data indicating gaps in infection prevention and control, Africa's top public health agency said on Thursday. On Saturday, Congo Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said there were "encouraging signs" in the fight against Ebola since "the peak reached in mid-August", and that transmission "has been gradually slowing down".

Xenon pauses new enrollment in depression drug trials over side-effect concerns

Xenon Pharmaceuticals on Thursday said it has temporarily paused enrolling new patients in clinical studies testing its experimental drug for major and bipolar depression, following reports of mental and nervous system-related side effects. Shares of the drug developer ‌tumbled more than 25% in after-hours trading.

Frankfurt reports third malaria death in airport-linked outbreak

A third person has died from malaria around Frankfurt Airport in what German officials have described as an extremely rare air-traffic-related outbreak of the tropical disease. In a statement on Thursday, the city of Frankfurt said one of two infected residents of the Schwanheim district north of the airport had died in the care of the city's university hospital.

US Health Secretary Kennedy Jr. adds eight new members to key health committee

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday named eight new members to the advisory panel that decides which preventive medical care, such as routine cancer screening or HIV prevention, should be provided at no cost under health insurance plans. The Preventive Services Task Force, which typically holds three annual meetings and has 16 members, last met a year ago.

Novo, Orbis sign up to $1.4 billion deal to develop oral drugs

Orbis Medicines said on Thursday it had signed a drug discovery and licensing agreement worth up to $1.4 billion with Novo Nordisk to develop oral therapies for cardiometabolic diseases, traditionally treated with injectable drugs. Here are the details:

US Senate panel sets hearing for Trump's FDA pick

The U.S. Senate health committee will hold a confirmation hearing next week for Dr. Heidi Overton, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the embattled Food and Drug Administration, the panel said on ‌Thursday. The hearing will take place on September 24, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee said in a statement. Trump nominated Overton, a White House policy aide, in August, turning to an "America First" ally to steady an agency shaken by staff losses, low morale and fights over vaccines, the abortion pill and drug approvals.

Screwworm infests US horse before port reopens to Mexican livestock

The U.S. confirmed a case of New World screwworm in a horse in New Mexico on Thursday, as the federal government prepared to resume imports of Mexican livestock into the state after blocking trade in an attempt to keep ‌out the flesh-eating parasite. Screwworm infested a horse in Grant County, New Mexico, in the southwest corner of the state near the Mexican border, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website. It was the state's second confirmed case since screwworm entered the U.S. from Mexico in June.

Novo partners with Anthropic to speed up drug development with Claude

Novo Nordisk has partnered with Anthropic to use the AI giant's Claude models to speed up discovery and development of new medicines, the companies said on Wednesday. Here are more details:

Drugmakers prepare for next phase of space pharmaceuticals as ISS retirement nears

As the International Space Station nears the end of its operational life, drugmakers are laying the groundwork for commercial pharmaceutical research and manufacturing in low Earth orbit, while working with regulators to establish rules for producing medicines in space. Pharmaceutical, biotechnology and space company executives told Reuters they are working to demonstrate that such manufacturing outside the bounds of Earth can be done reliably and inexpensively.

Dr Reddy's signs India distribution deal for Takeda's Qdenga dengue vaccine

Dr Reddy's Laboratories said on Friday it had signed an agreement with Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical to promote and distribute the Qdenga dengue vaccine in India. The deal comes months after India's drug regulator approved Qdenga for use in both children and adults, making it the first dengue vaccine cleared for the country.

Healthcare firm Ramsay Generale de Sante sees 2027 revenue rising by up to 3%

French healthcare provider Ramsay Generale de Sante expects its revenue to grow by 2% to 3% in 2027, with a stable core profit margin compared to 2026, it said ahead of its capital markets day on Thursday. The ⁠company expects its gross capital expenditure to ​average about 4% of revenue over fiscal years 2027 to 2029, it added in the press release.

US regulators urge more research on testosterone therapy for women as experts ⁠debate benefits, risks

US health regulators on Thursday called for more data on testosterone therapies for women, with FDA officials urging manufacturers to conduct studies that could support future approvals of female-specific products. US Food and Drug Administration officials said companies could potentially use data from testosterone products approved overseas, but would still need to satisfy US standards.

CVS Health's Aetna to streamline cancer treatment approvals

CVS Health's Aetna health insurance unit will cut back next year on the preapprovals it requires for treatment for cancer patients to only one medical prior authorization process early on, the company said on Thursday. Providers will get the insurer's go-ahead for care by submitting documentation showing a patient is receiving treatment for cancer rather than submitting separate approvals for its various components such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment, imaging and some immunotherapies.

Texas abortion ⁠ban caused pregnant woman's death, lawsuit claims

The family of a Texas woman who died from a pregnancy-related condition has sued the state's Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, and doctors who treated her, claiming an abortion could have saved her life and the state's near-total ban on the procedure is unconstitutional. The lawsuit filed Tuesday in state court in San Antonio by the family of Tierra Walker claims her doctors refused her requests to perform an abortion even though she was having a medical emergency that qualified for an exception from Texas' strict abortion laws.

Majority of US Gen Z healthcare workers eye new jobs within the year, survey shows

A majority of younger U.S. healthcare workers plan to explore new jobs within the next year, even ​as many want long-term stability with a single employer, a survey released on Wednesday found. The findings highlight a retention challenge for U.S. healthcare employers already facing a projected shortage of nearly 500,000 workers by 2038, as an aging workforce and rising demand put pressure on staffing.

Fiji declares HIV a national crisis as diagnoses surge

Fiji has declared HIV a national crisis after new diagnoses climbed 27% last year, intensifying concern that an epidemic once concentrated among people who inject drugs is spreading more widely through the Pacific island nation. The government said in a statement posted on Facebook ⁠that 2,016 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2025 and estimated that one in 60 adults was living with the disease.

Novartis halts ALS drug development after mid-stage trial failure

Novartis has halted development of an experimental drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after it failed to meet goals in a mid-stage study, marking the latest disappointment for the Swiss drugmaker this year. This follows an earlier setback for a closely watched heart drug, last week's late-stage failure of a muscle-wasting drug, and the halt of eight of 10 studies for its rap-cel cell therapy this month after three patient deaths. These developments have intensified investor scrutiny of its pipeline.

Republican senator faults Trump vaccine policy for US measles deaths as panel weighs health nominees

The U.S. Senate health committee's Republican chairman on Wednesday blamed the approach toward vaccines taken by President Donald Trump's administration for recent ⁠measles ​deaths in Pennsylvania and pressed the president's pick for surgeon general to state plainly that vaccines do not cause autism. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana physician who chairs the panel, delivered the critical opening statement as the nation grapples with its worst measles outbreak in more than 35 years. Cassidy said three people in Pennsylvania have died of measles, with a fourth death under review, because of misinformation and misguided policies.

Advent to invest $328.5 million in India's Yatharth Hospital for 24.9% stake

U.S.-based private equity firm Advent International said on Thursday it will invest 31.5 billion rupees ($328.53 million) in Yatharth Hospital for a 24.9% stake, sending shares of the Indian hospital operator to a record high. Shares rose as much as 8.6% to an all-time high of 1,067 rupees.

Scientists challenge US NIH grant screening as unconstitutional

A group of scientists filed a class-action lawsuit on Wednesday against the U.S. National Institutes of Health, alleging the agency is unconstitutionally screening research grants to suppress viewpoints the Trump administration disfavors on topics like diversity, gender identity and climate change. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, names NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and DOGE as defendants. It is backed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and ⁠other groups.

Exclusive-Pennsylvania asks for CDC measles help amid Kennedy dispute

The Pennsylvania health department has requested emergency support from the US CDC as it grapples with one of the country's largest and most deadly measles outbreaks, though with certain terms, according to a document reviewed by Reuters on Thursday. The request comes on condition that the federal agency recognize four measles-associated deaths reported by the state, raising the stakes in a dispute with the Trump administration.

Longeveron explores strategic options after therapy fails mid-stage trial for infant heart condition

Longeveron on Wednesday said it would explore strategic options after its experimental stem cell therapy failed ⁠to meet the main goal of a mid-stage trial for a rare infant heart condition. Shares of the company, which have gained 32% so far this year, plunged nearly 60% in after-hours trading.

A ⁠decade after mercury ban, toxic skin bleachers still offered on top retailers' websites

More than 20 banned skin-bleaching products containing mercury are available for purchase on third-party marketplaces run by Amazon, Temu and TikTok Shop in several countries, despite decades of efforts by health advocates and regulators to prevent their sale, a Reuters review of publicly available information found. Regulators, companies and multinational entities have for years tried to coordinate efforts to take these products off shelves and websites. More than 150 nations are parties to the 2013 Minamata Convention that banned the manufacture, import or sale of mercury-containing products, which according to the World Health Organization can damage the kidneys, brain and nervous system.

Ultragenyx sets $3.95 million price for rare disease gene therapy

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical said on Thursday it has set a U.S. list price of $3.95 million for its newly approved gene therapy Fayuvi, launching one of the world's most expensive drugs as a one-time treatment for a rare, fatal childhood disease. The U.S. Food ‌and Drug Administration approved Fayuvi for pediatric patients with Sanfilippo syndrome Type A, an inherited condition that progressively damages ‌the brain and nervous system.

Virbac confirms outlook as Supercharge platforms drive profit growth

French animal health company Virbac reported higher half-year core profit on Thursday with a recurring operating profit, excluding amortization of assets due to acquisitions, rising 6.8% to 144.2 million euros ($165.50 million), compared with 135.0 million euros a year earlier. Virbac confirmed its 2026 outlook at ​the upper end of its target range (5.5%-7.5%), with CEO Paul Martingell citing the "scaling power" of the group's Supercharge platforms and the successful integration of Thyronorm.