Reuters Health News Summary

09/19/2016 8:56

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Novartis intensifies Entresto push with new analysis

Novartis on Monday intensified its bid to convince doctors to prescribe its heart failure drug Entresto, releasing an analysis that concluded the medicine contributed to higher quality of life scores compared with an older drug. The decline in health-related quality of life scores among patients hospitalized with reduced ejection fraction heart failure was less steep among Entresto patients compared to those taking the drug enalapril, Switzerland's Novartis said in a statement.

GSK cuts vaccine price for refugees, bowing to pressure

GlaxoSmithKline is cutting the price charged for its pneumococcal vaccine when given to refugees, following complaints about the product's "exorbitant" cost by medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres. The British drugmaker said on Monday it would provide Synflorix, which protects children against pneumonia and other diseases, at a discounted price of $3.05 per dose to recognized civil society organizations.

Global fund raises $12.9 billion to fight AIDS, TB and malaria

A global fund has raised over $12.9 billion from international donors as part of a campaign aimed at effectively eradicating AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis by 2030, conference organizers said on Saturday. The Global Fund asked government, faith-based and private-sector partners to raise a total of $13 billion at a donor conference in Montreal to support its activities over the next three years, starting in 2017.

Drug resistance in people and animals may push millions into poverty: World Bank

If drug-resistant infections in people and animals are allowed to spread unchecked, some 28 million people will fall into poverty by 2050, and a century of progress in health will be reversed, the World Bank said on Monday. By 2050, annual global GDP would fall by at least 1.1 percent, although the loss could be as much as 3.8 percent - the equivalent of the 2008 financial crisis - the Bank said in a report released ahead of a high-level meeting on the issue at the United Nations in New York this week.

Novartis says MS drug cut risk of disability advance in study

Novartis's investigational multiple sclerosis drug cut the risk of disability progression in patients with a tough-to-treat form of the disease versus a placebo, the Swiss company said on Saturday, citing a new analysis of a late-stage trial. Novartis is testing BAF312 against secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), which includes patients whose relapsing-remitting MS moves to a new phase characterized by a progressive worsening of neurological function.

Study shines a light on low winter-time male libido

Exposure to bright light can raise testosterone levels and lead to greater sexual satisfaction in men with low sexual desire, according to the results of a small scientific trial. Scientists at the University of Siena in Italy found that regular, early-morning use of a light box - similar to those used to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD - helped men increase testosterone and improved their sex lives.

Astellas, Vical herpes vaccine fails mid-stage study

Japan's Astellas Pharma Inc and San Diego-based Vical Inc said their experimental herpes vaccine failed a mid-stage study involving certain kidney transplant patients. Vical's shares was down about 18 percent in light premarket trading on Monday.

09/19/2016 8:56