Health Sector Shaken by Big Tobacco and Drugmaker Changes

Recent health news highlights Big Tobacco's lobbying against illegal vapes targeting the Trump administration, advancements in Chinese brain chip trials, Corcept's encouraging ovarian cancer treatment results, Isomorphic Labs' $600 million funding round, promising results from Eli Lilly's heart disease drug, and U.S. drugmakers reacting to FDA's changes.

In the evolving world of health news, major tobacco companies are lobbying the Trump administration to address the rise of illegal vapes, focusing on import bans from China. Documents and consultants reveal that companies like British American Tobacco are striving for a crackdown to regain market share from these unauthorized devices.

Meanwhile, cutting-edge innovation in China sees the Chinese Institute for Brain Research and NeuCyber NeuroTech unveiling rapid advancements in brain chip technology. Having successfully implanted Beinao No.1 into patients, they are poised to outpace rivals like Elon Musk's Neuralink, with their plan to accelerate human trials.

In pharmaceuticals, Corcept Therapeutics reports significant progress in ovarian cancer treatment, as an experimental drug combined with chemotherapy shows promise in late-stage trials. This surge in success drove their stock prices to new heights, paralleling the AI-powered Isomorphic Labs, which secured a $600 million funding round to revolutionize drug discovery.

Lastly, shares of U.S. drugmakers dipped following the forced resignation of Peter Marks, the FDA's chief vaccine official, amid a Trump administration-led overhaul of federal health agencies. This upheaval in the regulatory landscape has placed additional pressure on the pharma and biotech sectors.

(With inputs from agencies.)