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.

Humana raises full-year profit forecast on lower medical costs

Humana raised its annual profit forecast on Friday as it expects medical costs to remain in check during the year. The company, one of the largest providers of Medicare Advantage plans for older adults and people with disabilities, is bucking an industrywide pullback by expanding enrollment in these plans amid a broader retreat by rivals.

Mexico reports bird flu outbreak in Yucatan Peninsula

Mexico reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on a farm in the Yucatan Peninsula, its first outbreak in poultry in more than two years, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said in a report on Friday, citing local authorities. The spread of avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has raised concerns ‌among governments and the poultry industry after it ravaged flocks around the world in recent years, disrupting supply, fuelling higher food prices and raising the risk of human transmission.

Wisconsin reports infant death linked to measles outbreak

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said on Thursday that an infant had died in connection with the ongoing measles outbreak in the state. The coroner listed measles as the immediate cause of death, the department said, declining to release further details to protect the family's privacy.

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.

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

Denmark's Leo Pharma could postpone IPO amid market turmoil, Berlingske reports

Danish drugmaker Leo Pharma is considering postponing its planned initial public offering until 2027 due to the ongoing turmoil in global financial markets, daily Berlingske reported on Friday, citing unnamed sources. A company spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by ‌Reuters.

Health Rounds: New blood test matches gold standard for liver disease diagnosis

Today we feature two studies being presented at The Liver Meeting, the annual gathering of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, which got underway on Thursday in Denver. “LIQUID BIOPSY” STAGES LIVER DISEASE FROM BLOOD SAMPLE

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.

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.

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.

Lilly to sell obesity drugs directly on Hims & Hers site

Eli Lilly said on Friday it struck a deal to allow telehealth company Hims & Hers Health to sell obesity drugs Zepbound and Foundayo directly on its platform. Shares of Hims & Hers rose more than 7% in premarket 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.

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%.

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:

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.

Ro launches healthcare research unit, plans to offer data to drugmakers

Telehealth firm Ro announced on Friday it is launching a healthcare research lab powered by artificial intelligence to study patient outcomes and potentially offer insights to drugmakers. Chief Executive Zach Reitano said increased data could provide insights for insurers weighing coverage of expensive medications, allow drugmakers to identify which patients benefit ⁠from a ​specific treatment, and improve health outcomes for individuals on its platform.

UK doctor with Ebola returns from Congo to London for treatment

A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working on the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo returned to Britain on Thursday, with health authorities saying the risk of the deadly disease spreading to the wider public remains low. It is the first case involving a British national linked to the current outbreak, although several other people from elsewhere in Europe have been infected. Imported cases are rare, with a handful of confirmed cases recorded in Britain since 1976.

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.

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.

FDA grants J&J accelerated ⁠approval for head and neck cancer treatment

The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday granted accelerated approval to Johnson & Johnson's treatment for patients with an advanced form of head and neck cancer whose disease has worsened after chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The drug, Rybrevant Faspro, is approved for patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, a hard-to-treat cancer for which effective treatment options remain limited, the FDA said.

India's Gland Pharma beats quarterly estimates on strong Europe, US sales

India's Gland Pharma reported a bigger-than-expected 58.3% jump in second-quarter profit on Friday, boosted by strong sales in its key European and US markets. The Hyderabad-based company's consolidated net profit of 2.91 billion rupees ($30.9 million) was up from 1.84 billion rupees a year ago, beating analysts' average estimate of 2.75 billion rupees, according to data ‌compiled by LSEG.

Moderna lifts annual revenue forecast on strong COVID vaccine demand overseas

Moderna lifted its full-year ‌revenue forecast on Friday, after strong international demand for its COVID-19 vaccine and payments from partnerships helped the biotech swing to profit in the third quarter. The strong results provide fresh momentum for Moderna's efforts to build a sustainable business through new products, including its newly approved ​flu vaccine and a personalized cancer vaccine candidate, which investors see as key to the long-term growth of its mRNA platform.