Health News Roundup: Merck quarterly profit tops expectations on COVID pill surprise; UK warns of fake Ozempic pens after hospitalisations and more

High profit-margins and increasing demand for Watchman, which brought in sales of $323 million in the reported quarter, will drive growth at Boston for years due to the device's early launch in the market and ease of use, according to analysts. US CDC recommends routine use of Bavarian Nordic mpox vaccine for adults at risk Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic said on Wednesday a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel has voted in favor of recommending the routine use of Jynneos vaccine for adults at risk of mpox.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

GSK's common respiratory virus vaccine shows potential in adults aged 50-59

GSK said its vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) showed positive preliminary results in a late-stage trial to protect adults aged 50 to 59 from the disease that causes thousands of hospitalisations and deaths annually. The British drugmaker's shot, called Arexvy, met the primary goal in the Phase-III trial of eliciting an immune response in adults of the reported age group who are at an increased risk of catching the virus due to certain underlying medical conditions, the company said on Wednesday.

Santhera's drug gets US FDA nod for rare muscular dystrophy

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals said on Thursday that U.S. health regulators have approved its partner Santhera Pharmaceuticals' drug to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients aged two years and older. Shares of Catalyst were up 3.8% in after market trading.

Bristol Myers says it needs another year to hit target for new drugs

Bristol Myers Squibb on Thursday pushed back by a year the time frame for its new-product portfolio to hit $10 billion in revenue as the sales ramp-up of medicines such as psoriasis treatment Sotyktu and multiple sclerosis drug Zeposia takes longer than initially projected. Shares of the drugmaker were off nearly 4% at $54.49 in late morning trading.

Injected version of Eisai/Biogen Alzheimer's drug works as well as IV Leqembi

An injected version of Eisai and Biogen's Alzheimer's drug Leqembi works as well as the current intravenous version at removing toxic brain plaques, according to an analysis presented by Eisai on Wednesday. A weekly shot form of Leqembi, given as two consecutive injections, could simplify use of the groundbreaking Alzheimer's treatment, potentially allowing patients to receive the drug at home instead of traveling to an infusion center twice a month.

Pfizer, BioNtech say flu-COVID shot generates strong immune response in trial

Pfizer and German partner BioNTech said on Thursday that their vaccine to prevent flu and COVID-19 generated a strong immune response against strains of the viruses in an early- to mid-stage trial. The companies said they plan to start a late-stage trial in the coming months.

Merck quarterly profit tops expectations on COVID pill surprise

Merck & Co on Thursday reported higher-than-expected third-quarter results on surprisingly strong demand for its COVID-19 treatment, primarily in Japan, and raised its sales forecast for the drug. Sales of molnupiravir, the COVID-19 antiviral pill sold under brand name Lagevrio, jumped 47% to $640 million in the quarter, crushing Wall Street estimates of $120 million, according to LSEG data.

UK warns of fake Ozempic pens after hospitalisations

Britain on Thursday cautioned the public about buying fake weight-loss pens claiming to contain Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug Ozempic or weight-loss drug Saxenda after reports of a "very small number" of hospitalisations. The warning from the country's medicines regulator comes days after several people were hospitalised in Austria after using suspected fake versions of Ozempic amid a Europe-wide hunt for imitations of the hugely popular drug.

Abbott to cease sale of infant probiotic products after FDA warning

Abbott Laboratories will stop sales of its Similac Probiotic Tri-Blend product used for hospitalized preterm infants after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter, the health regulator said on Thursday. In the letter, the FDA said it was concerned that preterm infants were at risk of potentially fatal diseases or infections caused by bacteria or yeast contained in the probiotics.

Boston Scientific lifts earnings forecast on solid demand for heart devices

Boston Scientific raised its annual profit forecast on Thursday, banking on strong demand for heart devices including its stroke prevention product, Watchman, and a recovery in demand for elective surgeries. High profit-margins and increasing demand for Watchman, which brought in sales of $323 million in the reported quarter, will drive growth at Boston for years due to the device's early launch in the market and ease of use, according to analysts.

US CDC recommends routine use of Bavarian Nordic mpox vaccine for adults at risk

Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic said on Wednesday a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel has voted in favor of recommending the routine use of Jynneos vaccine for adults at risk of mpox. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend that individuals 18 years and older with certain risk factors should receive two doses of Jynneos.

(With inputs from agencies.)