Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Brazil detects Newcastle disease at turkey farm, raising export concerns

Brazil has detected a case of Newcastle disease at a turkey farm in the southern state of Santa Catarina, Agriculture Minister Andre de Paula said on Monday, raising concerns about potential disruptions to poultry shipments from the world's largest chicken meat exporter. China, one of Brazil's largest markets for chicken ​meat, halted imports from Rio Grande do Sul after a Newcastle disease case was confirmed at a commercial farm in the state in 2024. The ban was lifted earlier this year.

Novo's CagriSema helped women lose 25% of weight on average, analysis shows

Novo Nordisk ​said on Tuesday its next-generation experimental drug, CagriSema, showed 25% weight loss on average in women with obesity or overweight, according to data analyzed after the completion of a ‌late-stage study. CagriSema, viewed as a ​successor to the Danish drugmaker's blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, could help Novo claw back ground lost to rival Eli Lilly in the fast-growing weight-loss market. Wegovy faces patent expiries after 2030.

Roche puts future German investments 'on hold'

Swiss drugmaker Roche is reviewing all future investments in Germany over healthcare cost-cutting policies, the company's Germany chief said in an interview with newspaper Welt published on Monday. "We have put all future investment decisions in Germany on hold for the time being," said Daniel Steiners, head of Roche Germany, adding that for the pharmaceutical industry, policymakers had "recently destroyed a lot of trust."

HK-listed Metis TechBio, Eli Lilly strike drug-delivery deal worth up to $1.1 billion

Hong Kong-listed Metis TechBio said on Monday it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Eli Lilly worth up to $1.1 billion to research and develop tissue-specific drug delivery technologies. The Chinese biotech will use its proprietary AI-driven drug-delivery platform ‌to develop next-generation technologies aimed at improving how LNP-based drugs reach target tissues.

Roche to unveil lung, breast cancer data at ESMO 2026

Roche said on Monday it will present new late-stage trial results at the ESMO 2026 cancer meeting in Madrid, including data showing its lung cancer drug divarasib worked better than current KRAS G12C treatments. The company will also show data that its breast cancer pill giredestrant improved outcomes without hurting patients' quality of life, and that its experimental drug Tam-Peli showed strong results in several hard-to-treat tumours.

Polish lawmakers vote to ease abortion ban, but face likely presidential veto

Poland's lower house of parliament on Tuesday voted to allow abortion in case of foetal abnormalities and to decriminalise providing help in getting an abortion, as lawmakers seek to reverse a near-total abortion ban introduced by the previous government. The legislation, however, is almost certain to be vetoed by the nationalist president.

Hims & Hers Health launches online weight management service for men in Germany

Hims & Hers Health said on Tuesday it launched an online weight management service for men in Germany, marking a deeper investment by the US telehealth firm in one of Europe's largest healthcare markets. Here are some details:

In Russia, five patients test positive for Mpox, RIA cites hospital

Five ‌patients hospitalised in the Russian city of St Petersburg have tested positive for Mpox, the state RIA news agency reported on Monday, citing the local hospital for infectious diseases. All five were in a stable condition with mild or moderate symptoms for which they were being treated, RIA quoted a representative at the Botkin hospital as saying.

US FDA issues guidance on apps used with prescription drugs

The US FDA on Tuesday issued guidance aimed at clarifying how drug companies can develop, distribute and label apps used alongside their prescription medicines. Here are some details:

Early US flu ‌season, current strain may signal risk for younger people; doctors urge shots

Doctors are urging Americans aged 6 months and older to get vaccinated against the flu after an unusual early rise in cases on the West Coast that virologists are still working to understand. It could be the strain itself. The predominant flu strain this year is H1N1, which caused the 2009 swine flu pandemic and is now a standard part of the flu shot. But this year’s version of the virus has a new mutation called G155E.

Nigeria confirms Ebola case in patient who arrived from Uganda

Nigeria's government said on Tuesday there was a case of Ebola in the capital, Abuja, after laboratory tests confirmed the viral infection. Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate told the public broadcaster that the female patient had travelled from Uganda in East Africa.

Kenya confirms new Ebola case, total at nine, health ministry says

Kenya has confirmed a new Ebola case, bringing the total number of infections to nine, the health ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry said the latest case was a close family member of the first patient and had already been placed in quarantine.

AstraZeneca-Amgen asthma drug hits 69% remission in esophageal disease trial

Amgen and AstraZeneca said on Tuesday their asthma drug helped reduce swallowing difficulties and achieved disease remission in 69% of patients with a type of chronic inflammatory disorder of the esophagus. The result builds on August data, when AstraZeneca said the drug met the trial's main goals after 24 ⁠weeks of treatment by reducing ​esophageal inflammation and easing swallowing difficulties versus placebo.

Trump signs order creating NIH division, task force for women's health

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order alongside first lady ⁠Melania Trump on Monday creating a White House task force and a National Institutes of Health division focused on women's health. The task force will be led by White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who recently announced that she is cancer-free, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump said at a White House event.

Haemonetics says FDA clears vascular closure device

Haemonetics said on Monday the US Food and Drug Administration approved its device designed to seal arterial openings created during minimally invasive heart and vascular procedures. Shares of the medical technology company rose about 1.2% in extended trading.

California settles 23andMe data breach claims for $6 million

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced the state will receive a $6 million ⁠settlement payment in 23andMe's bankruptcy, resolving California's legal claims related to a 2023 data breach that exposed 6.9 million customers' genetic and other personal information. California had unsuccessfully tried to block the $305 million sale of 23andMe assets to TTAM Research Institute, a nonprofit controlled by 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki. The state had argued that the bankruptcy sale violated California's Genetic Information Privacy Act, and it had said consumers did not give express consent to the sale.

As weight-loss drug users turn to dietary supplements, doctors, regulators raise flags

For Allison Vecchio, 42, GLP-1 drugs were "a reset button on life," but at a price — side effects like gastrointestinal distress, brittle nails, and feelings of weakness ​so intense that at times she could not leave her bed. But the Fort Pierce, Florida-based ER nurse said the symptoms eased when she began a cocktail of supplements that included fiber, collagen and electrolytes, a haul that costs $200 to $300 a month. "You really have to take the reins" to turn mere weight loss into improved health, she said.

Fecal waste contaminates sinkholes, drinking wells in Mexico's Yucatan, Greenpeace says

Water from wells and sinkholes in Mexico's Yucatan state that residents use for drinking is contaminated with fecal bacteria, according to ⁠a Greenpeace report published on Tuesday, which said nearby pig farms and municipal wastewater were likely sources. Greenpeace called for an immediate moratorium on new industrial livestock operations and farm expansions in the state, home to the ancient Maya civilization.

Brazil avoids nationwide China poultry ban after Newcastle disease case

Brazil's government said on Tuesday that China's restrictions on poultry imports following an outbreak of Newcastle disease at a turkey farm in Santa Catarina will be limited to that state, easing concerns about broader trade disruptions. Analysts had flagged the scope and duration of China's restrictions as key factors in assessing potential impacts on exporters, while noting that the outbreak was unlikely to cause lasting damage to the industry.

AstraZeneca partners with Oracle for AI-driven clinical trials

AstraZeneca said on Tuesday that it ⁠is working ​with Oracle to use AI and real-world data to identify eligible patients for clinical trials and monitor safety signals, among other measures, as the drugmaker looks to improve clinical research. The collaboration will combine AstraZeneca's drug development expertise with Oracle's AI and healthcare data capabilities to support patient matching and research

US FDA approves GSK's hepatitis B drug, offering patients chance to stop long-term treatment

The US FDA said on Tuesday it had approved British drugmaker GSK's hepatitis B drug Hibsago, allowing patients with the liver infection a way to keep the virus under control after stopping treatment. The drug, chemically known as bepirovirsen, is the first FDA-approved antisense oligonucleotide for chronic hepatitis B, according to the agency.

US health agency confirms third measles-related death this year

The United States has logged a third measles-related death this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday, as the country battles its worst outbreak in decades. The toll matches the previous year's total, with the agency reporting 4,410 confirmed cases nationwide as of October 15.

Novartis ends mid-stage Fabhalta trial targeting serious kidney condition

Swiss drugmaker Novartis has terminated a mid-stage study testing its drug Fabhalta in patients with a serious kidney condition, citing "strategic considerations", ⁠according to a federal clinical trials registry. The trial was evaluating whether the oral medication was safe and effective for treating lupus nephritis when added to standard medical care

Brazil's Newcastle poultry outbreak unlikely to have major long-term impact, analysts say

An outbreak of Newcastle disease in Brazil is unlikely to cause lasting damage to the country's poultry industry if authorities contain it quickly, analysts said, though uncertainty over trade restrictions, particularly from China, remains a key risk for exporters. Brazil, the world's largest chicken meat exporter, confirmed a case of the disease at a commercial ⁠farm in the southern state of Santa Catarina on Monday, prompting containment measures and triggering concerns over poultry trade flows.

Cherry or tabasco? Perfumers test weight-loss drug users' appetite ⁠for food-inspired scents

From cherry and banoffee pie to tabasco and sesame, the list of food aromas popping up in luxury fragrances keeps growing. Now some perfume makers are starting to ask if weight-loss drugs might be reshaping what consumers want in a scent. So-called gourmand fragrances like Thierry Mugler's pioneering cotton candy-inspired Angel and Nina Ricci's toffee apple scent Nina have been around for decades. More recent growth in the segment has been attributed to the pandemic-era boom in online retail — when familiar food associations helped sales of perfumes that cannot be smelled before purchase — and the growing prominence of Gen Z consumers.

Unilever to sell Welly bandage brand to Forward Consumer Partners

Unilever said on Monday it has agreed to sell Welly Health PBC to private-equity firm Forward Consumer Partners, but did not disclose financial terms of the sale. The consumer products giant had acquired a ‌majority stake in the US brand, known for its colorful adhesive bandages, in 2021 from Welly co-founder Eric ‌Ryan for an undisclosed price.

Germany's Merck buys Silence Therapeutics in $1.3 billion RNA drug deal

German drugmaker Merck KGaA said on Monday it would acquire UK-based Silence Therapeutics in an all-cash deal for about $1.3 billion, bolstering its pipeline of precision medicines and adding RNA-targeting drug technology. Merck will pay $20 per American depositary ​share for Silence, representing a premium of 130% to the stock's last close. US-listed shares of Silence more than doubled in morning trading.