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Health News 8 August 2025 - 28 September 2025

‘Hoarse Voice’ Could Be COVID: “Stratus” Variant Surges—Symptoms Doctors Flag, Where It’s Rising, and What Still Works

‘Hoarse Voice’ Could Be COVID: “Stratus” Variant Surges—Symptoms Doctors Flag, Where It’s Rising, and What Still Works

The XFG (“Stratus”) COVID variant accounted for about 67% of global sequences by late August 2025, according to WHO. The agency classifies XFG as a Variant Under Monitoring with low added public-health risk. Most cases remain mild in vaccinated people. U.S. CDC reports overall COVID activity is declining, with XFG now dominant in wastewater data.
28 September 2025
Alzheimer’s At-Home Shot Approved, Bird Flu Scare, and CDC Shake-Up – Global Biotech & Health Roundup (Aug 29–30, 2025)

Alzheimer’s At-Home Shot Approved, Bird Flu Scare, and CDC Shake-Up – Global Biotech & Health Roundup (Aug 29–30, 2025)

The FDA approved Leqembi IQLIK, the first at-home injectable Alzheimer’s treatment, enabling weekly self-administered doses. U.S. regulators also cleared Sanofi’s Wayrilz, the first BTK inhibitor for chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Cytokinetics’ aficamten outperformed metoprolol in a Phase 3 heart drug trial. WHO warned Gaza has run out of critical medical supplies amid a spike in Guillain-Barré syndrome cases.
30 August 2025
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COVID Booster Shocker, Pharma Mega-Deals & Alzheimer’s Breakthroughs – Global Health Roundup (Aug 28–29, 2025)

COVID Booster Shocker, Pharma Mega-Deals & Alzheimer’s Breakthroughs – Global Health Roundup (Aug 28–29, 2025)

The FDA approved updated COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna but restricted them to seniors and high-risk groups, excluding healthy children. Infectious disease experts warned the move could leave millions unprotected. The CDC director was fired after refusing to follow anti-vaccine directives, triggering mass resignations among top officials.
29 August 2025
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Billion-Dollar Pharma Deals, Biotech Breakthroughs & Global Health Alerts – Biotech & Health News Roundup (Aug 25–26, 2025)

Billion-Dollar Pharma Deals, Biotech Breakthroughs & Global Health Alerts – Biotech & Health News Roundup (Aug 25–26, 2025)

AbbVie agreed to acquire Gilgamesh Pharmaceuticals’ experimental psychedelic depression drug for up to $1.2 billion, planning to advance it to Phase 3 trials. Japan’s Terumo will buy UK-based OrganOx for $1.5 billion, gaining organ preservation technology. LB Pharma filed for a $100 million IPO, the first biotech IPO in six months. Arnatar Therapeutics raised $52 million to develop RNA therapy for Alagille syndrome.
26 August 2025
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Breakthrough Drugs, Big Deals & Public Health Alerts – Biotech and Health News Roundup (Aug 22–23, 2025)

Breakthrough Drugs, Big Deals & Public Health Alerts – Biotech and Health News Roundup (Aug 22–23, 2025)

The FDA approved Ionis Pharmaceuticals’ Dawnzera as the first RNA-targeted therapy to prevent hereditary angioedema attacks, priced at about $57,462 per dose. AbbVie’s Rinvoq met key endpoints in a second Phase 3 alopecia areata trial, while Scholar Rock’s apitegromab showed significant motor gains in spinal muscular atrophy. Gilead’s Kite Pharma will acquire Interius BioTherapeutics for $350 million.
23 August 2025
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Biotech Breakthroughs, Pharma Shakeups & Health Alerts – Global News Roundup (Aug 19–20, 2025)

Biotech Breakthroughs, Pharma Shakeups & Health Alerts – Global News Roundup (Aug 19–20, 2025)

CSL will cut up to 15% of its workforce and spin off its vaccine unit, targeting $500–550 million in annual savings. Medtronic agreed to add two board members and form new committees after Elliott Investment Management took a major stake. Merck KGaA and Skyhawk Therapeutics announced a neurological drug pact worth up to $2 billion. Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Regeneron reported improved Q2 2025 earnings.
20 August 2025
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Miracle Drugs, Mega Mergers & Outbreak Alerts – Biotech & Health News Roundup (Aug 15–16, 2025)

Miracle Drugs, Mega Mergers & Outbreak Alerts – Biotech & Health News Roundup (Aug 15–16, 2025)

Wegovy became the first GLP-1 therapy approved by the FDA for MASH, affecting about 5% of U.S. adults. Tonix’s Tonmya was cleared for fibromyalgia, the first new therapy in 15 years. Pfizer’s inclacumab failed a key sickle cell trial, and Oxbryta was withdrawn. BioNTech agreed to acquire CureVac in a $1.25 billion all-stock deal.
16 August 2025
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Blockbuster Breakthroughs, Setbacks & Surges: Biotech and Health News Roundup (Aug 11–12, 2025)

Blockbuster Breakthroughs, Setbacks & Surges: Biotech and Health News Roundup (Aug 11–12, 2025)

IO Biotech’s melanoma vaccine Cylembia plus Merck’s Keytruda missed statistical significance in Phase 3, with median progression-free survival of 19.4 months versus 11 months for Keytruda alone. The FDA approved PharmaTher’s ketamine (KETARx) for anesthesia and pain. A dengue outbreak in Pacific Island nations has infected over 16,500 and killed 17 in 2025, with Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga hardest hit.
12 August 2025
Breakthrough Cures, Big Pharma Shake-Ups & Health Policy Bombshells – Biotech/Health News (Aug 7–8, 2025)

Breakthrough Cures, Big Pharma Shake-Ups & Health Policy Bombshells – Biotech/Health News (Aug 7–8, 2025)

Scripps Research announced T7-ORACLE, a platform that accelerates protein evolution 100,000-fold in living cells, published Aug. 7 in Science. Harvard scientists reported in Nature that lithium reversed memory loss in Alzheimer’s mouse models. The FDA launched “PreCheck” to speed approval of U.S. drug plants. Regulators imposed new safety warnings on Bluebird Bio’s gene therapy Skysona.
8 August 2025
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