Health News Roundup: FDA approves Boston Scientific's device for heart condition; Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip in first human and more

The comment by Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen is the first confirmation the site has started production. As Lilly rivalry heats up, Novo CEO details strategy for new Wegovy launches Novo Nordisk will target launches of its mega popular obesity shot Wegovy in markets where it already has strong sales of its older weight-loss drug Saxenda, CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen said, as it faces growing competition from U.S. rival Eli Lilly.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

FDA approves Boston Scientific's device for heart condition

Boston Scientific said on Wednesday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the company's device for a type of heart condition.

Cigna to sell Medicare business to Health Care Service for $3.3 billion - WSJ

Cigna has agreed to sell its Medicare business to Health Care Service Corp for $3.3 billion in cash, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Health Care Service will buy Cigna's Medicare lines, including Medicare Advantage, Medicare supplement and Medicare drug plans, as well as a unit called CareAllies that works with physician groups and other healthcare providers, according to the report.

Vertex non-opioid painkiller meets main goal in late-stage trials

Vertex Pharmaceuticals' experimental drug reduced acute, post-surgical pain without the risk of addiction, a major milestone in the company's decades-long efforts to bring a non-opioid pain medicine to market. The company plans to file for U.S. approval by mid-2024 for the drug, which works by blocking pain signals at its origin before they reach the brain. If approved, it could achieve annual sales of more than $5 billion, according to analysts.

Teva to divest active pharmaceutical ingredient business

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries will divest its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) unit to focus on its core business, the world's largest generic drugs maker said on Wednesday. The API unit, which brought in revenue of $1.05 billion in 2022, makes pharmaceutical ingredients that are used in both generic and branded medicines, and serves over 1,000 clients globally.

Biogen to discontinue development of older Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm

Biogen Inc said on Wednesday it would terminate a post-approval study of its first Alzheimer's drug, Aduhelm, and discontinue all commercialization for the controversial treatment. The strategic shift will help the company focus on its second medicine Leqembi, which is led by Japanese partner Eisai, and develop newer treatments for the mind-wasting disease, Biogen said.

GSK sees strong growth as Haleon split and vaccine drive pays off

GSK beat market estimates for fourth-quarter results on Wednesday, and unveiled an upbeat forecast for 2024 and beyond on the ramp-up of its vaccines and cancer drugs pipeline, underscoring the benefits of its consumer health unit spin-off. This is the British drugmaker's first annual earnings report after it spun off Haleon in July 2022. While GSK has been selling its stake, it still remains a top shareholder in the company that owns Sensodyne toothpaste and other household brands.

Novo confirms Catalent Indiana plant has started filling Wegovy pens

Catalent's Indiana plant in the United States has started filling injection pens for Novo Nordisk's obesity drug Wegovy, the Danish drugmaker's CEO told Reuters on Wednesday, helping to boost output of the popular weekly injection. The comment by Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen is the first confirmation the site has started production.

As Lilly rivalry heats up, Novo CEO details strategy for new Wegovy launches

Novo Nordisk will target launches of its mega popular obesity shot Wegovy in markets where it already has strong sales of its older weight-loss drug Saxenda, CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen said, as it faces growing competition from U.S. rival Eli Lilly. Lilly won approval in November in the U.S., Britain and the European Union for its obesity drug Zepbound, and Novo and Lilly's drugs are the most effective treatments for weight loss approved to date.

Elon Musk's Neuralink implants brain chip in first human

The first human patient has received an implant from brain-chip startup Neuralink on Sunday and is recovering well, the company's billionaire founder Elon Musk said. "Initial results show promising neuron spike detection," Musk said in a post on the social media platform X on Monday.

US says fentanyl talks with China 'meaningful' but more needs to be done-official

Talks between the U.S. and Chinese officials on stemming the flow of chemicals used for the production of deadly fentanyl have been "substantive" but "much more" needs to be done, the head of the White House delegation to Beijing said on Wednesday.

Washington hopes for deeper law enforcement cooperation, including on tackling illicit finance, and wants Beijing to put further controls on the chemicals that can be used to make fentanyl, said Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Jen Daskal.