Health News Roundup: US FDA puts clinical hold on Iovance's cancer therapy trial; Abortion battles shift to medical emergencies, travel and more

Bristol Myers had announced a $14 billion buyout of schizophrenia drug developer Karuna Therapeutics on Friday, nearly two months after newly-appointed CEO Chris Boerner officially took the helm at the drugmaker. AstraZeneca to buy China's Gracell Biotechnologies in $1.2 billion deal AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it will buy Gracell Biotechnologies for up to $1.2 billion as the Anglo-Swedish pharma company furthers its cell therapy ambitions and boosts its presence in China, the world's second-largest pharmaceuticals market.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Bayer wins latest Roundup cancer trial, ending losing streak

Bayer has won a trial in a lawsuit brought by a California man who said he developed cancer from exposure to its Roundup weedkiller, ending what had been a five-trial losing streak for the company in trials over similar claims. The verdict was handed down on Friday by a jury in San Benito County, California Superior Court, Bayer announced. The company said in a statement that the verdict was "consistent with the evidence in this case that Roundup does not cause cancer and is not responsible for the plaintiff's illness."

Italian may regain use of hand after nerve transfer from amputated leg

A man may regain the use of his hand, left paralysed by a severe road accident, thanks to a pioneering nerve transfer operation from his partly amputated leg, doctors in northern Italy said. Surgeons at Turin City Hospital (CTO) transferred part of the man's sciatic nerve, which controlled the movement of his amputated foot, to his brachial plexus, the network of nerves that connect the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm and hand.

Bristol Myers to buy RayzeBio for $4.1 billion in targeted cancer therapy push

Bristol Myers Squibb said on Tuesday it would buy RayzeBio for about $4.1 billion to bolster its cancer drug business, marking the second multi-billion dollar deal struck by the drugmaker in less than a week. Bristol Myers had announced a $14 billion buyout of schizophrenia drug developer Karuna Therapeutics on Friday, nearly two months after newly-appointed CEO Chris Boerner officially took the helm at the drugmaker.

AstraZeneca to buy China's Gracell Biotechnologies in $1.2 billion deal

AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it will buy Gracell Biotechnologies for up to $1.2 billion as the Anglo-Swedish pharma company furthers its cell therapy ambitions and boosts its presence in China, the world's second-largest pharmaceuticals market. The cash deal, which adds several experimental therapies to AstraZeneca's portfolio, values Gracell at $2 per ordinary share, or $10 per American Depository Share, of Gracell, representing a premium of 61.6% from its last close on Dec. 22.

Abortion battles shift to medical emergencies, travel

The legal landscape surrounding abortion has been roiled by uncertainty since the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which had guaranteed abortion rights nationwide. Abortion providers and reproductive rights groups have brought a slew of lawsuits seeking to invalidate new bans and abortion restrictions that went into effect in many Republican-led states after Roe fell, invoking women's rights under state constitutions. The cases often resulted in preliminary victories followed by whiplash reversals on appeal, leaving providers and patients in limbo.

US FDA puts clinical hold on Iovance's cancer therapy trial

The U.S. health regulator has placed a clinical hold on Iovance Biotherapeutics' trial of its experimental cell therapy in lung cancer patients after a patient death, the company said on Wednesday, sending its shares down about 20%. The company will pause enrollment in the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) trial during the hold, while patients who were previously treated with the therapy will continue to be monitored.

(With inputs from agencies.)