Reuters Health News Summary

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

AstraZeneca made $10 billion offer for obesity drugmaker Rhythm, sources say

AstraZeneca made an offer of about $10 billion to acquire obesity drugmaker Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, according to three people familiar with the matter. AstraZeneca offered as much as $134 a share in the non-binding proposal, including payments for milestone achievements, the people said.

Siemens Healthineers begins carve-out of diagnostics unit amid China weakness

German medical ​technology company Siemens Healthineers said on Thursday it had begun carving out its diagnostics business, which it plans to rebrand as Olyrian Diagnostics ahead of a future divestment. The separation process is expected to be completed by mid-2028.

Pennsylvania reports sixth measles-linked death as cases rise

Pennsylvania ​health officials on Wednesday reported the state's sixth measles-associated death this year as the outbreak continued to spread. The state has emerged as the epicenter of the outbreak, accounting for a ‌substantial share of infections reported ​nationwide.

India proposes instant manufacturing licence suspension for drugs failing quality tests

India has proposed rules requiring regulators to immediately suspend manufacturing licences for medicines that fail specified quality standards in government testing, tightening oversight of one of the world's biggest pharmaceutical industries. The rules would apply if government testing finds the drug fails quality standards for impurities or sterility or assay, which measures the amount of active ingredient, or dissolution, which assesses how the drug releases that ingredient.

AbbVie expands Oxford R&D facility as part of £120 million-plus investment

AbbVie has expanded its UK research and development facility in Oxford as part of a more than £120 million ($161 million) investment, the US drugmaker said on Wednesday. The investment comes a few months after the US and Britain finalised an agreement aimed at increasing UK medicine prices in line with President Donald Trump's new US pricing policies.

CVS will split up its pharmacy and ‌insurance business into two companies, WSJ says

CVS Health plans to break up its $117 billion business, separating its retail pharmacies from the Caremark pharmacy benefit management operations and the Aetna insurance company it bought nearly a decade ago, the Wall Street Journal quoted the company as saying on Tuesday. CVS Health, which is set to report quarterly results on Wednesday, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Indian drugmaker Dr Reddy's gets Brazil regulator nod to sell generic Ozempic

Indian drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories said on Thursday it had received regulatory approval in Brazil to market and sell a generic version of Novo Nordisk's blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic. Brazil has 16.6 million adults aged between 20 and 79 living with diabetes, and ranks sixth globally in terms of the number of adults living with diabetes, said Dr Reddy's

Doctors in England launch primary-care trial of blood tests for spotting cancer early

A clinical trial in England will assess whether family doctors' use of simple blood tests that detect multiple common cancers actually result in earlier diagnosis and improved chances of survival. Several such tests, developed by the University of Birmingham and its partners, will be trialed for their ability to detect signs of several cancers in a blood sample ‌and suggest where in the body they come from

UK's Hikma tightens annual profit outlook as branded medicines drive growth

Britain's Hikma Pharmaceuticals on Thursday narrowed its annual profit forecast range closer to the higher end as strong demand in its branded business across in the Middle East and North Africa offset pressure in the injectables division. The drugmaker now expects its full-year operating profit of $740 million to $760 million, compared to the previous forecast of $720 million to $770 million

Kimberly-Clark's China diaper woes linger as it stands by annual outlook

Huggies maker Kimberly-Clark maintained annual sales and profit ‌forecast on Thursday, and blamed a decline in organic sales on false claims about its diaper quality in China. The diaper issue emerged in June when China's state market regulator launched an inquiry following reports claiming that diapers sold by Huggies and Chinese brands Babycare and Bibabebe contained formamide, a substance that can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system.

Merck gets US FDA emergency use nod for treatment of screwworm in dogs

The US Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued an emergency use authorization for Merck's Bravecto tablets to treat New World screwworm in dogs and puppies, expanding treatment options to combat the parasite. Here are more details:

Nurix says Sanofi discontinues autoimmune disease drug program

Nurix Therapeutics said on Tuesday that Sanofi has decided to discontinue development of an experimental treatment for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, eliminating potential future milestone payments and royalties related to the program. Shares of Nurix plunged 38% in extended trading.

CVS to break up $117 billion business, separating pharmacies from insurance; shares fall

CVS Health said on Wednesday it will split in two, separating its retail pharmacies from the Aetna insurance business and pharmacy-benefit operations in a major unwinding of the $117 billion healthcare conglomerate it spent years building. The company forecast 2027 adjusted earnings of at least $8.65 per share, ahead of analysts' estimates of $8.53 per share. But Kevin Gade, chief operating officer at Bahl & Gaynor, said that forecast compared unfavorably to rivals, some of which are more focused on government-sponsored plans that could receive more political backing next year, ⁠after Democrats decisively won control of US ​Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections.

Smith+Nephew cuts outlook after failed orthopaedics deal talks with J&J

Smith+Nephew cut its full-year revenue and profit forecast on Wednesday as the British medical ⁠device maker also confirmed that talks about a potential merger with Johnson & Johnson's orthopaedics unit have ended. The forecast cut follows weaker-than-expected third-quarter growth in Smith+Nephew's biggest orthopaedics business, which has been plagued by years of weak performance, prompting it to seek options for the business, including with J&J.

India's Aurobindo Pharma's quarterly profit rises by a third on strong US demand

Indian drugmaker Aurobindo Pharma reported a nearly 33% rise in second-quarter profit on Wednesday, led by strong demand and volume gains in its US market. Here are more details:

Siemens Healthineers forecasts slower 2027 growth as China weakness persists

German medical technology company Siemens Healthineers forecast slower-than-expected growth in fiscal 2027 on Thursday after weakness in China continued to weigh on its diagnostics business. The company ⁠expects fiscal 2027 comparable revenue growth of 4%-5%, below analyst expectations of 5.5%.

Novo hikes outlook again as it speeds up Wegovy pill rollout

Obesity drugmaker Novo Nordisk raised its 2026 outlook for the third time this year on Wednesday as quarterly sales of its Wegovy pill beat forecasts, bolstering the Danish firm's efforts to recover ground lost to US rival Eli Lilly. Novo, which is clawing back into the obesity drug race after sliding sales and shares in recent years, raised its full-year adjusted sales and operating profit forecast to between 2% growth and a 2% decline at constant exchange rates, up from flat to a 6% fall.

3M stock soars following $7.35 ​billion 'forever chemicals' settlement

Shares of 3M hit an 8-1/2-year high on Wednesday after the industrial products company agreed to pay $7.35 billion to settle litigation by people who said its "forever chemicals" injured them, and 3M officials predicted enough claimants would join for the settlement to take effect. Payouts would cover personal injury claims related to firefighting foam made by 3M and be distributed over nine years to as many as 120,000 people, the St. Paul, Minnesota-based company said on Wednesday. It announced the settlement on Tuesday after US markets closed.

British healthcare ⁠worker with Ebola to be evacuated from Congo to UK, document shows

A British healthcare worker infected with Ebola is being medically evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Britain for specialist treatment, according to an official document seen by Reuters. The patient is in a stable condition and is expected to arrive in Britain on Wednesday or Thursday, before being transferred by a specialist ambulance to a high-consequence infectious disease unit, the document showed.

Weak US sentiment hurts dietary supplement sales, offsetting broader growth, Novonesis CEO says

Novonesis CEO said on Thursday that changing US consumer behaviour and weaker buying power were weighing on the North American dietary supplement market, which the biotech firm expects to return to growth only in the second half of 2027. Revenue in ⁠Novonesis' Human ​Health business fell 8% in the third quarter, as a decline in North American offline dietary supplements offset growth in dietary supplements elsewhere, Ester Baiget said during a post-earnings call.

Ebola survivors comfort sick children in Congo's isolation wards

Whenever Jerkis Mahamba hears a child cry out in the Ebola ward in Butembo, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, he puts on protective gear and rushes to their side. He has a very good idea of what they are going through. Mahamba caught the highly infectious disease himself in September and recovered after 18 days of treatment at the same centre. His ordeal gave him immunity from the strain of the virus coursing through Congo, meaning he can work with young patients when their own parents aren't allowed to touch them.

Rezera launches US IPO as biotech listings wave continues

Drug developer Rezera launched its US initial public offering roadshow on Thursday, adding to a rush of biotech firms that have tapped the fall IPO window. The Boston, Massachusetts-based company is seeking up to $216.7 million by offering 16.7 million shares priced between $11 and $13 apiece.

Health Rounds: GLP-1 drugs help control prediabetes better than current standard medicine

Today we feature a trio of interesting studies ⁠that will be presented in detail at the American Heart Association scientific sessions in Chicago this weekend. GLP-1 DRUGS MAY OUTPERFORM METFORMIN FOR PREDIABETES

Cigna raises annual profit forecast on strength in health services unit

Cigna on Thursday raised its annual profit forecast after beating third-quarter results, as the health insurer benefits from gains in its specialty-pharmacy and health-services businesses, sending its shares up about 4% in premarket trading.

The company has been reducing its exposure to government-backed health insurance plans due to elevated medical costs. It exited Medicare Advantage last year and said it would stop ⁠offering Affordable Care Act plans at the end of 2026.

Health insurers, hospitals rally after sweeping midterm win for Democrats

Shares of Medicaid-focused US health insurers and hospital operators rose ⁠in early trading on Wednesday as Democrats' sweep of the Senate and House of Representatives in the midterm elections fueled hopes of sector-friendly policy changes. Centene shares climbed over 8% to $73.12, Elevance Health about 3% to $4 and Molina Healthcare about 6% to $220.99. Hospital stocks, such as HCA Healthcare, Tenet Healthcare and Universal Health Services gained between 6% and 8%.

Swiss pharma industry behind in technology and clinical trials, index shows

Switzerland's pharmaceutical and chemicals industries are slipping behind when it comes to technology and clinical trials, a yearly Global Industry Competitiveness Index showed on Wednesday. While the country continued to rank third overall in the index of most competitive locations, behind the US and Ireland, industry lobby scienceindustries, which funded the study conducted by BAK Economics, said there was still cause for concern.

French blood banks hit alongside cyberattack on European supermarkets

The refrigerators at three regional blood banks in ‌France were hit by a cyberattack overnight between Sunday and Monday, at the same time hackers struck supermarkets ‌from Sweden to Belgium. "Several regional facilities of the French Blood Establishment (EFS) were affected by a cybersecurity incident that impacted certain cold storage room monitoring and control systems," the health ministry said in a statement.

Evommune licenses Hinova autoimmune drug in up to $1.1 billion deal

Evommune said on Wednesday it had licensed rights ​to an experimental autoimmune disease treatment from China's Hinova Pharmaceuticals in a deal worth up to about $1.1 billion in milestone payments. Here are some details: