Health News Roundup: Bavarian Nordic wins monkeypox vaccine order from Switzerland; U.S. Supreme Court rebuffs Novartis, allows generic versions of MS drug and more

Novartis had asked the justices to suspend a lower court's ruling that lifted a ban on generic versions of Gilenya, the Switzerland-based company's third highest-selling drug last year with $2.8 billion in sales. Exclusive-NHS drafts stricter oversight of trans youth care England's National Health Service has drafted new guidelines for treating transgender youth that would call for local authorities to be alerted in some cases where young people have obtained puberty blockers and hormone therapies on the private market, according to a copy of the guidelines reviewed by Reuters.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

EU regulator endorses Takeda's dengue vaccine

The European drugs regulator on Friday recommended a dengue vaccine from Japan's Takeda, paving the way for a second vaccine for the mosquito-borne disease that causes millions of infections annually. European Medicines Agency (EMA) advisors backed the use of the Takeda vaccine for those aged 4 and older to prevent any of the four so-called serotypes of dengue.

Bavarian Nordic wins monkeypox vaccine order from Switzerland

Bavarian Nordic said on Friday the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and the Swiss Armed Forces had jointly ordered 100,000 doses of its MVA-BN smallpox and monkeypox vaccine. The Danish company said in a statement it would seek regulatory approval of the vaccine in the country as part of the deal, and deliveries would start imminently.

U.S. Supreme Court rebuffs Novartis, allows generic versions of MS drug

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday turned down Novartis' bid to block the launch of generic versions of the company's blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya in a dispute with China's HEC Pharm Co Ltd and other generic drugmakers. Novartis had asked the justices to suspend a lower court's ruling that lifted a ban on generic versions of Gilenya, the Switzerland-based company's third highest-selling drug last year with $2.8 billion in sales.

Exclusive-NHS drafts stricter oversight of trans youth care

England's National Health Service has drafted new guidelines for treating transgender youth that would call for local authorities to be alerted in some cases where young people have obtained puberty blockers and hormone therapies on the private market, according to a copy of the guidelines reviewed by Reuters. The guidelines are part of a wide-ranging review of treatment for young transgender people seeking NHS care. The current approach, which can include medical interventions, has been criticised by some practitioners who said it rushed people onto medication, and by families who complained the service could not manage fast-growing demand.

Japan's Fujifilm stops work on Avigan as COVID drug

Fujifilm Holdings Corp has ended development of its anti-influenza drug Avigan to treat COVID-19, the firm said on Friday, after more than two years of work on a pill once hailed as Japan's biggest contribution to the global coronavirus fight.

In March, Fujifilm had cut short enrolment in a Phase III trial, saying the emergence of the Omicron variant made it tough to measure the drug's effectiveness in preventing severe symptoms.

China says its zero-COVID policy is the best, most cost-effective, will improve

China's COVID-19 measures are the best, most cost-effective and will continue to improve, a spokesman for the ruling Communist Party said on Saturday. "We firmly believe that the light is ahead and perseverance is victory," Sun Yeli told a news conference in Beijing ahead of the party's 20th congress.

Long COVID at 12 months persists at 18 months, study shows

Most patients with COVID-19 who have lingering symptoms at 12 months are likely to still have symptoms at 18 months, new data suggest. The findings are drawn from a large study of 33,281 people in Scotland who tested positive for the coronavirus. Most of the results are in line with those from earlier, smaller studies.

Biden takes aim at Big Pharma, Republicans in California

U.S. President Joe Biden criticized Republicans and drug companies during a stop at a California community college on Friday as he campaigned for fellow Democrats in November's midterm elections. Biden's trip includes stops in California on Friday and Oregon on Saturday as the president looks to position his party, the Democrats, as a champion of consumers and lower healthcare costs at a time that inflation ranks among voters' top concerns. The midterm elections are on Nov. 8.

Gambia says child deaths linked to cough syrup have risen to 70

Gambia's government on Friday said the number of child deaths from acute kidney injury, thought to be linked to Indian-made cough syrups, has risen to 70 from a previous toll of 69. President Adama Barrow gave the update at an emergency cabinet meeting which he convened on Thursday to discuss the crisis, according to a presidency statement.

Abbott recalls some liquid baby formula over bottle defect

Abbott Laboratories said on Friday it was recalling some ready-to-feed baby formula liquid products including Similac-branded items due to inadequate sealing of some bottle caps. The recall, which equates to less than one day's worth of infant formula used in the United States, is not expected to impact the overall formula supply, Abbott said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)