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.

Albertsons must pay $900 million for fueling opioid ​epidemic in Washington state, judge rules

Albertsons must pay the state of Washington $900 million for helping fuel an opioid epidemic in the state by failing through its pharmacies to prevent the misuse of addictive painkillers, a state court judge ruled on Thursday. King County Superior ​Court Judge Janet Helson in Seattle issued the decision after presiding over a non-jury trial in a lawsuit the state's attorney general filed in 2022 against ‌the grocery retailer, which operates ​in Washington mostly under the Safeway brand.

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.

US hospitals brace for tougher 2027 as coverage losses and Medicaid cuts loom

US hospital operators are bracing for revenue pressure from more patients losing insurance coverage from the Affordable Care Act, a potential drop in government aid for treating Medicaid patients and deeper reimbursement cuts beginning in 2028. Major hospital chains including HCA Healthcare, Tenet Healthcare and Universal Health Services are reporting steady patient admissions supported by aging baby boomers who require more medical care.

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.

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

Novavax pushes profitability target to 2029, shares dip

Vaccine maker Novavax pushed back its target for reaching profitability to ‌2029 on Thursday, overshadowing an increase in its annual revenue forecast and sending its shares 9% lower. The loss-making company had been betting on a licensing agreement with French drugmaker Sanofi to make profits by 2028.

Zoetis plans cautiously for 2027 as pet owners cut back on vet visits, shares fall

Animal health company Zoetis said on Thursday it was planning cautiously for 2027 as rising veterinary costs and intensifying competition weigh on its companion-animal business.

The company's shares were down more than 7% in afternoon trading.

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

India's Glenmark quarterly profit falls on lower North America sales

India's Glenmark Pharmaceuticals posted a 56.8% drop in second-quarter profit on Thursday, weighed down by lower revenue from its North American business. The company reported a consolidated net profit of 2.64 billion rupees ($27.93 million) for the quarter ended September 30, compared with 6.10 billion rupees a year ago.

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.

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.

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.

China's Qyuns Therapeutics licenses antibody program to Caldera in up to $780 million deal

Qyuns Therapeutics is licensing an early-stage antibody program to US biotech Caldera Therapeutics in a deal worth up to $750 million plus an upfront fee, the Hong Kong-listed firm said on ⁠Thursday. Here are some details:

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.

US infant bleeding episodes jump as vitamin K refusals rise, two studies find

Rates of life-threatening bleeding in US infants have risen sharply since 2017 as parents ⁠increasingly ​refuse protective newborn doses of vitamin K, a trend that coincides with a growing wave of mistrust toward vaccines and other newborn interventions, two studies published on Thursday found. The studies are the first to show that bleeding rates in US infants have increased along with rising refusals of vitamin K shots.

UK doctor with Ebola evacuated from Congo to London for treatment

A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working on the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been evacuated to Britain and is receiving specialist treatment in an isolation unit in London, the UK government said on Thursday.

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.

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 estimates, driven by growth in its US health insurance business, specialty pharmacy and health services. The company also said it expects its adjusted profit to grow at least 10% in 2027.

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%.

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: