Health News Roundup: US FDA approves expanded use of Mirum's liver disease drug; US' Harris visits Minnesota abortion clinic in historic first and more

The panel, by a wide 12-to-2 margin, backed the benefits of the injectable drug, called imetelstat, stating the associated risks and toxicities of the treatment were manageable. US FDA approves expanded use of Mirum's liver disease drug The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved the expanded use of Mirum Pharmaceuticals' oral drug to treat itching caused by a liver disorder in patients aged five years and older, the company said on Wednesday.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Israel's Gynica starts clinical trial for endometriosis cure

Israeli biotech startup Gynica said on Thursday it had launched a clinical trial for a treatment for endometriosis, raising hopes for a cure for the disease which afflicts one in ten women and girls of reproductive age around the world. Chief Executive Yotam Hod said Gynica had been doing pre-clinical research and development for the past four years towards "this enormous unmet need".

Geron's blood disorder drug gets FDA advisers' backing

Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday voted in favor of Geron's blood disorder drug,stating that, based on late-stage trial data, the benefits outweigh treatment associated risks in patients. The panel, by a wide 12-to-2 margin, backed the benefits of the injectable drug, called imetelstat, stating the associated risks and toxicities of the treatment were manageable.

US FDA approves expanded use of Mirum's liver disease drug

The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved the expanded use of Mirum Pharmaceuticals' oral drug to treat itching caused by a liver disorder in patients aged five years and older, the company said on Wednesday. Mirum's shares rose 6.6% to $29.6 in extended trading.

Factbox-Madrigal's drug wins first US approval for fatty liver disease NASH as rivals circle

Madrigal Pharmaceuticals' drug became the first to win regulatory approval to treat a serious type of fatty liver disease formerly known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as the race to tap a multi-billion dollar market intensifies. The approval on Thursday follows limited success to develop a treatment for the disease, which is closely tied to obesity and is spreading fast.

Shares in Spanish drugmaker Grifols tumble on Fitch, S&P downgrades

Shares in Grifols fell more than 9% on Thursday after credit rating agencies Fitch and S&P downgraded their ratings for the beleaguered Spanish drugmaker, citing lower than expected free cash flow generation and refinancing risks. The company's shares were down 9.1% at 1400 GMT, the worst performers in Spain's blue-chip index, which was down 0.28%.

US' Harris visits Minnesota abortion clinic in historic first

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday toured a health clinic that offers abortion services while she was in Minnesota, spotlighting growing restrictions on women's rights that Democrats believe will animate voters in November. The visit, believed to be the first of a sitting president or vice president to such a clinic, comes as U.S. President Joe Biden highlights abortion rights as a key issue ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Chemicals in plastics far more numerous than previous estimates, report says

At least 3,000 more chemicals are in plastics — from food packaging to toys to medical devices — than previously estimated by environmental agencies, a report published on Thursday found, raising questions over pollution and consumer safety. While the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) had previously identified around 13,000 plastic chemicals, the report by a team of European scientists found more than 16,000 chemicals in plastics — a quarter of which are thought to be hazardous to human health and the environment.

AstraZeneca to buy Amolyt Pharma for $1.05 billion to boost rare-disease portfolio

Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Thursday it would acquire endocrine diseases-focused firm Amolyt Pharma for $1.05 billion in cash, in a bid to boost its rare diseases portfolio. France's Amolyt, backed by investors including Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk's parent firm Novo Holdings and EQT Life Sciences, is currently in the late-stage development of a therapy for hypoparathyroidism called eneboparatide.

US FDA approves BeiGene's esophageal cancer therapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it has approved BeiGene's drug to treat a type of advanced esophageal cancer in patients who have previously received chemotherapy. The therapy, branded as Tevimbra, was approved as a monotherapy for adult patients with unresectable or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

US FDA approves first drug for fatty liver disease NASH

The U.S. FDA has approved Madrigal Pharmaceuticals' drug for a fatty liver disease known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the first treatment to get the nod for the condition and opening up a multi-billion dollar opportunity. The company's oral drug, called Rezdiffra, has been approved for patients who have NASH with fibrosis, or scarring, that has progressed to stage 2 or 3 in severity, the company said on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)