Health News Roundup: FDA advisers back updated COVID vaccine targeting dominant variant; Roche's cancer therapy gets US FDA nod, heating up competition with AbbVie and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

UAE, Israel foster trade ties with new health agreement

Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Friday signed a health agreement between the UAE's largest health player and Israeli's largest hospital, as the two sides seek to draw economic benefits from their almost three-year relationship.

PureHealth and Sheba Medical Center said they would cooperate on research, medical tourism, training and medical technology, under the memorandum of understanding.

FDA advisers back updated COVID vaccine targeting dominant variant

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday unanimously recommended that updated COVID-19 shots being developed for a fall vaccination campaign target one of the currently dominant XBB coronavirus variants. The panel voted 21-0 in favor of XBB-targeted shots, and the committee's discussion indicated that the XBB.1.5 Omicron subvariant would be preferred.

US FDA halts enrollment in Mersana's cancer drug studies, shares drop

Mersana Therapeutics said on Thursday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had paused enrollment in two studies of its ovarian cancer drug after five deaths in bleeding-related events, sending shares of the company tumbling. Mersana said the cause of the bleeding events was under investigation, but patients who are already enrolled in the studies will continue to receive the treatment.

Humana joins UnitedHealth in flagging cost hit from rising surgeries

Health insurer Humana Inc joined larger rival UnitedHealth in warning of a jump in medical costs this year due to higher-than-expected demand for surgeries and other medical procedures. Claims for health insurance are on the rise as staffing shortages ease at hospitals and older adults catch up on missed hip and knee replacements as well as other non-urgent surgeries that they had delayed during the pandemic.

Roche's cancer therapy gets US FDA nod, heating up competition with AbbVie

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlighted Roche Holding AG's experimental therapy to treat a type of advanced blood cancer, nearly a month after the approval of a rival therapy from AbbVie Inc. Roche's Columvi, an antibody-based therapy chemically known as glofitamab, was approved to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in adults, who had received at least two prior lines of treatment before their cancer relapsed, the Swiss drugmaker said late on Thursday.

EU 'deeply concerned' by risks of new psychoactive drugs - report

A surge in the production of potent new drugs in Europe that can lead to poisoning and death requires more investment in services and stronger policies against illicit substances, an EU study said on Friday. The report by the Lisbon-based EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) said the scale and complexity of illicit drug output within Europe was growing and that users were now exposed to a wider range of psychoactive substances.

Coherus resolves part of dispute with AbbVie over Humira biosimilar

Coherus BioSciences said on Thursday it had agreed to retract a restraining order against AbbVie as the two fight over the terms of launching a lower-priced version of blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira. Earlier this month, Coherus had said it would launch a biosimilar version of AbbVie's Humira, at an 85% discount to the list price of about $6,922, and partnered with Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company to sell it at $569.27.

Exclusive-WHO says toxic syrup risk 'ongoing', more countries hit

There is an ongoing global threat posed by toxic cough syrups, the World Health Organization (WHO) told Reuters, saying it was now working with six more countries than previously revealed to track the potentially deadly children's medicines. The U.N. agency has already named nine countries where tainted syrups may have been on sale after the deaths of more than 300 infants on three continents last year were linked to the drugs.

FDA advisers back XBB-targeted COVID shots for 2023-24 campaign

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday unanimously backed the use of updated COVID-19 vaccines that would target an XBB Omicron subvariant of the coronavirus for the 2023-2024 vaccination campaign. The panel voted 21-0 in favor of XBB-tailored shots.

US FDA extends review for GSK-owned Sierra's blood cancer therapy

GSK Plc said on Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the review period by three months for a drug the British drugmaker gained through its $1.9 billion buyout of Sierra Oncology last year. The regulator delayed its decision to review additional data and is now expected to decide on the drug, momelotinib, by Sept. 16.