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Australia's CSL (CSL.AX), opens new tab said on Tuesday it will pay $117 million upfront to Dutch firm VarmX for an exclusive option to acquire the privately held company and advance the development of a blood coagulation treatment. The deal gives CSL the right to buy VarmX after reviewing Phase 3 trial data for VMX-C001, a treatment designed to restore blood clotting in patients taking anticoagulation therapies. Patients take anticoagulation treatments, more commonly known as blood thinners, to prolong the time taken for blood clotting and reduce the possibility of developing serious conditions such as strokes and heart attacks. If CSL exercises its option and regulatory milestones are met, VarmX could receive up to $388 million through the treatment's commercial launch, anticipated in 2029, plus additional commercial milestones thereafter, the biotech major said in a statement. Under the collaboration agreement, CSL will fund VarmX's Phase 3 trial evaluating VMX-C001 in patients taking Factor X inhibitors, a protein essential for blood clotting. The partnership marks CSL's latest strategic move following a business restructuring last month that included job cuts and plans to spin off its vaccine division — moves that wiped billions off the company's market value. "The move by CSL is strategically in-line with its...

What Is The Forecast For The Influenza Drug Market From 2024 To 2029? The market size of influenza medication has seen substantial growth in the past years. The growth is expected to surge from $0.98 billion in 2024 to $1.04 billion in 2025, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.4%. The expansion in the historical timeframe is a result of heightened occurrences of seasonal flu outbreaks, increased spending on healthcare, rising awareness about vaccinations, broader use of antiviral drugs, and a surge in government-led immunization drives. In the coming years, the influenza drug market is projected to experience robust expansion. The market is predicted to reach $1.32 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.0%. The predicted growth during this forecast period is due to the escalating incidence of flu-like diseases, enhanced access to global healthcare, the development of healthcare infrastructure in evolving economies, high demand for combination therapies, and an increased emphasis on preventive healthcare. Key trends expected during this forecast period comprise innovation in vaccine development, advancements in diagnostic capabilities, the creation of next-gen antivirals, progress in antiviral research, and advancements in drug delivery systems.

Amid the Trump administration’s call for a crackdown on direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, a new survey shows that many people with chronic conditions have been inspired by such ads to take some sort of action for their health. Swoop conducted the survey of more than 900 members of MyHealthTeam—the group of condition-specific support communities Swoop acquired at the start of this year—between March and July, focusing on the impacts of treatment advertisements across channels. The individuals were members of communities centered on HIV, MASH, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, heart disease, diabetes and more. The resulting report, published this week ahead of Swoop’s presentation at the Fierce Pharma Week conference in Philadelphia, shows that 67% of patients said they’d taken action after seeing treatment ads, with a little over half of those surveyed saying they took action specifically related to their treatment The most common actions taken after seeing treatment ads—with between 21% and 32% of respondents saying they’d done so—included asking a doctor about treatment options or specific medications, or setting up an appointment to talk to a doctor about a diagnosis or symptoms. Only 15% of those surveyed said they’d visited a pharma company’s website after seeing an ad for one of...

After CPHI Milan drew more than 59,000 attendees in the fall of 2024, the event’s return to Germany for CPHI Frankfurt, to be held Oct. 28–30, 2025, aims to surpass that mark with more than 63,000 professionals from the bio/pharmaceutical industry expected to be present as the conference celebrates its 36th year (1). What’s new and returning at CPHI Frankfurt? For 2025, the three-day event will feature six content theatres and more than 2000 exhibitors, according to a press release (1). This includes expanded content and exhibitor zones that event organizer Informa Markets said reflect recent diversification in the industry, such as bioproduction, finished dosage formulation, drug delivery, and packaging, in addition to a traditional focus on APIs. “CPHI is more than an event, it’s a global experience,” said Tara Dougal, event director, CPHI Frankfurt, in the release (1). “It’s the one place each year where the full pharmaceutical supply chain comes together to collaborate, build relationships, and get business done.” Other feature zones newly added for this edition of CPHI Frankfurt, according to the press release, include areas supporting innovation and deeper engagement within certain sectors. To name two specific concentrations, artificial intelligence-powered drug development and sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing will be spotlighted...

An over-the-counter nasal spray antihistamine reduced rates of COVID-19 infections and common colds in a midstage trial, German researchers reported in JAMA Internal Medicine, opens new tab. The 450 study volunteers used either an azelastine nasal spray, typically used to ease allergy symptoms, or a placebo spray three times a day for 56 days. During that time, COVID infections were confirmed in 2.2% of the participants in the azelastine group and 6.7% of those in the placebo group. The azelastine group also had fewer symptomatic COVID-19 infections, fewer confirmed respiratory infections, and fewer infections with rhinoviruses, the most prevalent common cold-causing germs. In the treatment group, 1.8% developed a rhinovirus infection, compared to 6.3% in the placebo group, the researchers found. If further research confirms these findings, “azelastine nasal spray could provide an additional easily accessible prophylactic to complement existing protective measures, especially for vulnerable groups, during periods of high infection rates, or before traveling,” study leader Professor Robert Bals of Saarland University Medical Center said in a statement.

A vaccine to protect Australia's koalas against chlamydia has been approved for the first time, a move that scientists believe could stop the spread of the deadly disease that has ravaged populations of the beloved endangered marsupial. The single-dose vaccine is now ready to be used nationally at wildlife hospitals, clinics and in the field. Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection also found in humans, accounts for up to half of all koala deaths in the wild. It can also cause infertility and blindness. "Some individual colonies are edging closer to local extinction every day," Peter Timms, professor of microbiology at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said in a statement on Wednesday. He noted that in some populations in the southeast of the state of Queensland and in the state of New South Wales, infection rates are often around 50% and sometimes as high as 70%. The vaccine, which Timms' team developed after more than a decade of research, could reduce the likelihood of koalas developing symptoms of chlamydia during breeding age and cut mortality among wild koalas by at least 65%. "It offers three levels of protection - reducing infection, preventing progression to clinical disease and, in some cases, reversing existing symptoms," he said. The...

Ricardo Funke, the chief of surgery at Clinica Las Condes in Santiago, Chile, had a new assistant during a laparoscopic surgery on Monday - an autonomous artificial intelligence-guided camera that allowed him to carry out a gallbladder removal alone. The procedure combined magnetic surgical instruments with software that autonomously directs the surgical camera, tracking the surgeon’s tools and adjusting angles without a human assistant. Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here. "The camera was following me wherever I moved my hands and the whole process was excellent," Funke told Reuters after the surgery. "This camera lets us do the surgery alone, I did it alone with the robot." Companies, universities and research centers across the world have been developing AI-assisted tools to perform or assist in surgery. According to Precedence Research, opens new tab, the global surgical robot market was estimated to be $15.6 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $64.4 billion by 2034. In July, researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in the U.S. reported on an AI-guided robot that carried out a complicated surgical procedure on pig livers and gallbladders. Researchers said July's surgery hailed a major step towards...

The impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to levy import duties on pharmaceutical products and his push to lower drug prices are likely to be manageable for big U.S. and European drugmakers, according to an analysis by brokerage Morningstar. The report said the near term risk from the push to slash prescription drug prices to match those paid overseas would be "exceedingly low" as it could harm patient access to drugs. In July, Trump had called on drugmakers to provide so-called most-favored-nation prices to every patient enrolled in the government Medicaid health program for low-income people, and to guarantee such pricing for new drugs. The report looked at ten major pharmaceutical firms in the U.S. and Europe - AstraZeneca (AZN.L), opens new tab , Novartis (NOVN.S), opens new tab, Sanofi (SASY.PA), opens new tab, GSK (GSK.L), opens new tab, Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), opens new tab, AbbVie (ABBV.N), opens new tab, Amgen (AMGN.O), opens new tab, Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab, Merck(MRK.N), opens new tab, and Pfizer (PFE.N), opens new tab. While all companies will likely need to pay higher taxes in the long-term after relocating manufacturing to the U.S., European firms will also face elevated costs associated with new facilities, the...

The global fast food QSR market size was worth around USD 300.12 billion in 2024 and is predicted to grow to around USD 498.26 billion by 2034 The global fast food Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market Size was valued at approximately USD 300.12 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 498.26 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.20% between 2025 and 2034. The QSR market comprises restaurants that provide quick service, ready-to-eat meals, and limited table service. Popular segments include burgers, pizza, sandwiches, fried chicken, and Asian cuisine, catering to the growing demand for convenient, affordable, and fast meals. Market expansion is being fueled by rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes, changing lifestyles, and increasing penetration of digital ordering and delivery platforms. In addition, global QSR chains are innovating with healthier menu options, sustainable packaging, and technology-driven customer engagement. Key Insights: As per the analysis shared by our research analyst, the global fast food QSR market is estimated to grow annually at a CAGR of around 5.20% over the forecast period (2025-2034) In terms of revenue, the global fast food QSR market size was valued at around USD 300.12 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach...

The American Academy of Family Physicians said on Monday that it recommends all adults over the age of 18, children and pregnant women to receive COVID-19 vaccines, a contrast to the U.S. government's narrowed approvals for the shots. Its suggested immunizations for COVID are in line with the pediatric physician's group, The American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations from last month. They contrast with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration which two weeks ago approved the updated vaccines for people with health conditions and all people aged 65 and older. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy said in May the U.S. no longer recommends routine COVID-19 shots for healthy kids and pregnant women, prompting medical organizations and several states to formulate their own vaccine recommendations. Previously, all Americans had access to the shots. The AAFP recommends all children aged six to 23 months be vaccinated against COVID-19 and employs a risk-based single dose approach for children and teens between two and 18 years old. It also said vaccinations are especially important for people aged 65 or older, those at risk for severe COVID-19 infection, and those who have never received a shot. "History shows us that vaccines have eradicated diseases that were disabling and deadly in the past, and we can keep it...