Health Innovations: From Therapy Horses to Regulatory Shifts

Current health news includes therapy horses aiding neurological patients, Quest Diagnostics' acquisition of LifeLabs, eye risks linked to Wegovy and Ozempic, FDA approvals for Alzheimer's treatments, Colorado's bird flu case, EU's approval of Dupixent for COPD, and regulatory changes affecting brominated vegetable oil and gender identity protections.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Therapy horses help neurology patients regain confidence, motor skills

In an area of Rome that once hosted horse races, four horses and two ponies move at a much slower pace to help neurological patients restore their movements and confidence. With handles on the side of their saddles, the animals at the San Giovanni Battista Hospital allow some people to take their first halting steps after trauma, strokes, degenerative diseases, as well as long COVID.

Quest Diagnostics expands into Canada with nearly $1 billion LifeLabs deal

Quest Diagnostics said on Wednesday it would acquire Canada-based LifeLabs from pension plan owner OMERS for about C$1.35 billion, or about $985 million, including net debt. LifeLabs, which provides community laboratory tests, would retain its brand, Canadian headquarters and management after the acquisition is closed.

Wegovy, Ozempic linked with sight-threatening eye disorder in study

Patients using Novo Nordisk's wildly popular weigh-loss drug Wegovy and its similar medicines for type 2 diabetes may be at increased risk for a sight-threatening eye condition, according to data from a study published on Wednesday. Wegovy and Novo's diabetes drugs Ozempic and Rybelsus all contain the same active ingredient, semaglutide, and belong to a class of medications known as GLP1 receptor agonists.

Factbox-Lilly follows Biogen-Eisai in securing US FDA approval for Alzheimer's drug

Eli Lilly's Kisunla secured standard approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday for slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Kisunla is now the second drug to get a traditional approval from the U.S. regulator for the brain-wasting disease after Biogen and Japan-based Eisai's Leqembi, marking a major milestone in a field that has witnessed multiple failures.

AbbVie cuts 2024 profit forecast on R&D expenses

AbbVie lowered its 2024 adjusted profit forecast on Wednesday, citing $937 million in milestones, and research and development expenses related to acquisitions. The drugmaker has been focusing on expanding its pipeline since its blockbuster arthritis drug, Humira, lost patent protection last year.

Colorado reports human case of bird flu

Public health officials in Colorado on Wednesday announced an adult man had tested positive for avian flu after reporting mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis, or pink eye. The man is an employee at a dairy farm who had exposure to infected cattle and recovered after antiviral treatment, officials said.

EU approves Sanofi's Dupixent for 'smoker's lungs'

Sanofi and partner Regeneron on Wednesday won European Union approval for wider use of their Dupixent injection in patients with a chronic lung disease, a rare case of the EU clearing a drug faster than the United States. The EU Commission approved Dupixent to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in patients that cannot be helped by standard inhaled drugs, Sanofi said in a statement, following a recommendation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) at the end of May.

US FDA to ban use of brominated vegetable oil in food, soda

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it would revoke the regulation that authorized the use of brominated vegetable oil in food items, effective Aug. 2, as it was no longer safe. BVO is a chemical ingredient containing bromine, which is found in fire retardants. Small quantities of BVO are used legally in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States to keep the flavor evenly distributed.

GSK buys COVID, influenza vaccines from retrenching CureVac

British drugmaker GSK on Wednesday bought partner CureVac out of their alliance on influenza and COVID-19 vaccine development, boosting its messenger RNA credentials and extending the German biotech company's financial lifeline. GSK, one of the world's largest vaccine manufacturers, will take control of CureVac's leading experimental vaccines to fight infections, including seasonal flu and bird flu.

US judge blocks Biden rule adding gender identity protections to healthcare

A U.S. judge on Wednesday blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a new rule against discrimination on the basis of gender identity in healthcare while he hears a lawsuit challenging it by 15 Republican-led states. The rule was finalized in May by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and was set to take effect on Friday. It states that a federal prohibition on sex discrimination, part of the Affordable Care Act health insurance law, extends to discrimination against transgender people.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)