Health News Roundup: US FDA approves Pfizer's blood cancer therapy; Power cuts, heatwave disrupt lives of sick Gazans and more

The two people infected are the husband and daughter of the previous case, the government said in a statement on its website. BioXcel cuts over 50% jobs as it pivots focus to retail market for agitation drug BioXcel Therapeutics Inc said on Monday it will cut more than half of its workforce, as the drugmaker shifts its focus towards developing its agitation treatment for use in at-home settings, sending shares down about 46%.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Power cuts, heatwave disrupt lives of sick Gazans

A heatwave and worsening power cuts in Gaza have left some of those living in the overcrowded Palestinian enclave struggling to breathe. Ismail Nashwan, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, has had to shuttle between his home and hospital since temperatures rose over 38 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), because he could not run his ventilator, or even just a fan, at home.

Shanghai Exchange urges bankers to closely vet Chinese medical firms IPOs - sources

The Shanghai Stock Exchange has urged bankers to pay close attention to the marketing practices of Chinese drug and medical equipment makers seeking initial public offerings (IPOs) amid an escalating anti-corruption drive in the sector, sources said. The bourse asked investment bankers and lawyers to ensure drugmakers' compliance and legitimacy in sales and marketing activities, according to an internal publication the exchange sent to bankers in late July that was reviewed by Reuters.

US FDA approves Pfizer's blood cancer therapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted accelerated approval to Pfizer's therapy for treating patients with a type of blood cancer that is difficult to treat, the company said. The health regulator's decision allows use of the therapy, branded as Elrexfio, in patients with multiple myeloma that is hard to treat or has come back after receiving four or more prior lines of certain classes of treatments.

China's Inner Mongolia reports two cases of bubonic plague

China's northern region of Inner Mongolia reported two cases of bubonic plague on Saturday, following a previous infection that was detected on Aug. 7, the local government said. The two people infected are the husband and daughter of the previous case, the government said in a statement on its website.

BioXcel cuts over 50% jobs as it pivots focus to retail market for agitation drug

BioXcel Therapeutics Inc said on Monday it will cut more than half of its workforce, as the drugmaker shifts its focus towards developing its agitation treatment for use in at-home settings, sending shares down about 46%. The drugmaker said it was taking a three-step approach to restructure its business, including prioritizing development of its drug BXCL501 and reducing marketing expenses.

New Zealand removes final COVID-19 restrictions

New Zealand's government will lift all remaining COVID-19 requirements from midnight Tuesday, bringing an end to some of the toughest COVID-19 pandemic rules in the world more than three years after they were put in place. Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall said in a statement on Monday that from Tuesday people will no longer have to wear a face mask in health care facilities or isolate for seven days after contracting the virus.

New Covid vaccines are on the way as 'Eris' variant rises

A new COVID vaccine is due out next month, but health experts and analysts say it is likely to be coolly received even as hospitalizations from "Eris", a variant of the Omicron form of the coronavirus, rise around the country. Some public health experts hope that Americans will welcome the new shot as they would a flu jab. But demand for the vaccine has dropped sharply since 2021 when it first became available and more than 240 million people in the U.S., or 73% of the population, received at least one shot.

What is 'Eris', the new Covid variant?

COVID infections and hospitalizations are on the rise in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Health officials are pointing at the EG.5 "Eris" coronavirus, a subvariant of the Omicron lineage that originally emerged November of 2021. WHAT IS THE NEW 'ERIS' VARIANT?

Revance's Botox rival gets FDA approval for painful neck muscle condition

The U.S. health regulator has approved expanding the use of Revance Therapeutics' Daxxify to treat a painful neck muscle condition, intensifying the anti-wrinkle injection's rivalry with AbbVie's Botox. The approval by the Food and Drug Administration helps Revance enter the $2.5 billion U.S. market for therapeutic neuromodulator, a method that directly acts on nerves, the company said on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies.)