Health News Roundup: Musk's Neuralink to start human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients; Over 30,000 pigs culled in Italy's north to counter swine fever and more

Last year, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalise cannabis, but in the absence of specific measures, the government had to hastily issue rules to prevent its unchecked use, particularly among children. Eli Lilly sues over US sales of bogus Mounjaro for weight loss Eli Lilly on Tuesday said it was suing 10 U.S. medical spas, wellness centers and compounding pharmacies for selling products claiming to contain tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its diabetes drug Mounjaro which is expected to be approved for weight loss later this year.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Musk's Neuralink to start human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's brain-chip startup Neuralink said on Tuesday it has received approval from an independent review board to begin recruitment for the first human trial of its brain implant for paralysis patients. Those with paralysis due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may qualify for the study, it said, but did not reveal how many participants would be enrolled in the trial, which will take about six years to complete.

Nasal spray alternative to EpiPen suffers setback as FDA seeks fresh study

The U.S. health regulator has declined to approve a nasal spray that would have been the first needle-free emergency treatment for allergic reactions, a surprise decision that sent shares of its developer ARS Pharmaceuticals down 47% premarket. The rejection and request for additional testing sharply contrasts the backing from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) independent experts for the spray, neffy, in May.

Over 30,000 pigs culled in Italy's north to counter swine fever

Almost 34,000 pigs at 12 farms in the northern Italian region of Lombardy have been culled to counter the spread of African swine fever (ASF), a spokesperson for the region said on Wednesday. Lombardy is the Italian region with the largest number of bred pigs. The outbreak appears to mark an intensification of a wave of the disease first detected in Italy in 2022.

Ypsomed signs autoinjector supply deal with Novo Nordisk

Swiss medical technology company Ypsomed announced on Wednesday a long-term supply deal with Novo Nordisk for autoinjectors, the latest sign of how the Danish drugmaker's weight-loss drug business is a boon for pharmaceutical services companies. Ypsomed said it would expand its manufacturing capacities over the coming years, with Novo Nordisk contributing a significant part of the investment for the additional production infrastructure.

Thai lawmakers plan fresh push to tighten use of cannabis

Thailand's legislators will renew a push for an overarching law on use of cannabis for medical and research purposes, a senior lawmaker said on Wednesday, more than a year after the narcotic was legalised without proper regulations. Last year, Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to decriminalise cannabis, but in the absence of specific measures, the government had to hastily issue rules to prevent its unchecked use, particularly among children.

Eli Lilly sues over US sales of bogus Mounjaro for weight loss

Eli Lilly on Tuesday said it was suing 10 U.S. medical spas, wellness centers and compounding pharmacies for selling products claiming to contain tirzepatide, the active ingredient in its diabetes drug Mounjaro which is expected to be approved for weight loss later this year. In four separate lawsuits filed in Florida and Texas federal courts, Eli Lilly is seeking orders barring Better Life Pharmacy, ReviveRX, Rx Compound Store and Wells Pharmacy Network from selling tirzepatide, and requesting unspecified damages.

AdaptHealth says terminated appointment contract for incoming CEO

AdaptHealth said on Wednesday the company and recently appointed CEO Crispin Teufel mutually agreed to terminate Teufel's employment contract. The company had appointed Teufel as CEO in June, but he was sued in August by former employer Linde, which was seeking to block his appointment for an unspecified time.

Anti-obesity drugs can shrink more than patients

Starry-eyed venture capitalists love to talk about how promising startups might capture a chunk of a giant total addressable market (TAM). This concept can also work in reverse, though. New anti-obesity drugs have the potential to transform public health, while obliterating demand for products and services from the medical, food and fitness industries. Think of them as total unaddressable markets (TUM). Drugs developed by Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly appear to be the first truly effective diet treatments. They work by targeting receptors in the brain that reduce appetite and help people feel fuller for longer. Originally developed to tackle diabetes, they're gaining traction as treatments for obesity. In one clinical trial, patients taking Eli Lilly's soon-to-be-launched weight-loss drug lost about 50 pounds (23 kg). The benefits for public health are potentially huge. In August, Novo said Wegovy, its obesity drug, reduced the incidence of serious cardiovascular events like strokes and heart attacks by 20% in overweight patients who have a history of heart disease but don't have diabetes. Sales are already soaring. Last year, Novo sold nearly $2.5 billion worth of Wegovy and Ozempic, its treatment for people with diabetes. Analysts expect that figure to balloon to $16 billion by 2027, according to forecasts compiled by Visible Alpha. Demand for the medicines, collectively known as GLP-1 drugs, far exceeds what manufacturers can currently produce. Yet excitement has lifted Novo's market capitalisation to $420 billion, making it Europe's most valuable company. Lilly, whose diabetes treatment is called Mounjaro, has seen its market value nearly double to more than $500 billion in under 18 months. Such a dramatic revolution in public health will also produce losers, though. The drugs are designed to suppress appetite, mimicking a gut hormone which is released after eating. During trials, patients showed reduced appetite and even an aversion towards food generally. This has the potential to affect giant groups such as Switzerland's Nestlé, Cadbury and Oreo maker Mondelez International, and Kraft Heinz. These companies dominate a global market for snacks which is currently worth more than half a trillion dollars in revenue per year and is expected by Fortune Business Insights to expand to nearly $840 billion by 2029. Fast food groups like McDonald's, Burger King and KFC owner Yum Brands could also face shrinking or shifting demand.

EU executive proposes 10-year glyphosate approval extension

The European Commission proposed on Wednesday extending EU approval for use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer AG's Roundup weed killer, by 10 years. The World Health Organization's cancer research agency concluded in 2015 that glyphosate was probably carcinogenic to humans, but other agencies around the world, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the European Chemicals Agency, have classified glyphosate as non-carcinogenic.

India's Rainbow Medicare taps growing demand from international patients

India's Rainbow Children's Medicare will expand its services for international patients at its hospitals in an attempt to triple the revenue from that business this year, a top executive said. The Hyderabad-based pediatric hospital chain plans to add 1,000 beds over the next five years to its 1,655 beds across hospitals in six cities and step up facilities that support complex surgical procedures.