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☆ Netanyahu Says at Least 13,000 'Terrorists' Among Palestinians Killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The Gaza health ministry does not break down the death toll between civilians and Hamas militants but has said that 72% of those killed were women and children. So there's no red line (in which) I'm going to cut off all weapons so they don't have the Iron Dome to protect them." Politico quoted Netanyahu as saying on Sunday that Israeli forces would push into Rafah, adding: "You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is, that October 7 doesn't happen again. Three quarters of Hamas battalions had been destroyed and halting the offensive now would only allow them to regroup, Bild quoted Netanyahu as saying.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Axel Springer, Biden, I'm, Politico, Bild, Ludwig Burger, Michelle Nichols, Giles Elgood, Sandra Maler Organizations: Hamas, Welt, Bild, MSNBC Locations: FRANKFURT, Gaza, U.S, Israel, German, Rafah

☆ Sanofi CEO under pressure to woo investors after spending shock
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Paul Hudson, chief executive officer of Sanofi, speaks during the annual results news conference at the company's headquarters in Paris, France, February 4, 2022. The market's shock reaction, compounded by a lack of details of the spending push, overshadowed Sanofi's plan to list its consumer unit, in line with an industry trend. David Song, a portfolio manager and investment partner at Tema ETF, said: "The narrative of Sanofi has been a margin expansion, earnings-driven story for a lot of investors." "Shouldn't investors give credit to managements who care about long-term shareholder value creation?," said Song. ($1 = 0.9206 euros)Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Josephine Mason and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paul Hudson, Sanofi, Benoit Tessier, Hudson, Dan Lyons, Janus Henderson, Markus Manns, David Song, Fabian Wenner, Julius Baer, Union's Manns, Janus Henderson's Lyons, Johnson, Song, Ludwig Burger, Josephine Mason, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Janus Henderson Investors, Germany's Union Investment, Tema, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, British, Hudson, Denver, Swiss, Tema

The logo of Swiss drugmaker Roche is seen at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsZURICH, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Roche (ROG.S) agreed to take over obesity drug developer Carmot Therapeutics (CRMO.O) for $2.7 billion, joining a list global contestants seeking to challenge the dominant makers of weight-loss drugs Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) and Eli Lilly. After encouraging Phase I trial results, the drug is ready to be tested on humans in the second of three trial stages, Roche added. Among recent deals to acquire obesity drug development projects, AstraZeneca (AZN.L) last month agreed to pay up to $2 billion for the rights to an experimental pill from China's Eccogene. Roche will obtain access to Carmot's current R&D portfolio including all clinical and preclinical assets.

Persons: drugmaker Roche, Arnd, ROG.S, Eli Lilly, Swiss drugmaker, Roche, . New Roche, Thomas Schinecker, Ludwig Burger, Noel Illien, Rachel More, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Carmot Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Thomson Locations: Basel, Switzerland, Swiss, ., Alzheimer's

☆ GSK CEO says RSV vaccine revenue to top 1 bln pounds in first year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Michele Gershberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

GSK had previously forecast 2023 sales for Arexvy between 900 million pounds and 1 billion pounds ($1.26 billion) following a strong U.S. launch. "We’re delighted with the start of our RSV vaccine," Walmsley said in a Reuters Newsmaker interview. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Arexvy for adults aged 60 years or older in May and GSK launched the vaccine in the U.S. later in the year. GSK made close to two-thirds of RSV doses given in the United States since early September, according to IQVIA data earlier this month. On Tuesday, rival Pfizer (PFE.N) said it was disappointed in the performance of its RSV shot Abrysvo compared with GSK.

Persons: Walmsley, GSK's, Emma Walmsley, We’re, David Denton, AstraZeneca's, commercialise Johnson, Ludwig Burger, Michael Erman, Josephine Mason, Kirsten Donovan, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: GSK, Reuters, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Pfizer, U.S, Thomson Locations: British, U.S, Europe, Japan, United States

☆ Novartis lifts sales growth target to 5% per year through 2027
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Swiss drugmaker Novartis is pictured at the company's French headquarters in Rueil-Malmaison near Paris, France, April 22, 2020. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Novartis AG FollowSandoz GmbH FollowFRANKFURT, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Novartis (NOVN.S) has dialled up its sales growth target to 5% per year until 2027, citing demand for innovative drugs after it sold off its generic-drugs business. The medium-term target, which excludes any foreign exchange effects, is mainly driven by six drugs, led by Kisqali, it said in a presentation on Tuesday. The sales forecast, up from a previous revenue growth target of 4% through 2027, is also underpinned by demand for Pluvicto, a precision radiotherapy against prostate cancer, and self-administered multiple sclerosis (MS) shot Kesimpta. Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Miranda Murray and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Charles Platiau, Kisqali, Vas, Kesimpta, drugmaker, Sandoz, Ludwig Burger, Miranda Murray, Miral Organizations: Swiss, Novartis, REUTERS, Companies Novartis, Sandoz, FRANKFURT, Thomson Locations: Rueil, Malmaison, Paris, France, Basel, Swiss

☆ Sanofi looks to widen Dupixent use to treat 'smoker's lung' after second trial win
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of French drugmaker Sanofi is seen a the Sanofi Genzyme Polyclonals in Lyon, France, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 27 (Reuters) - Sanofi (SASY.PA) plans to seek U.S. approval for it best-selling anti-inflammatory drug Dupixent to be used in the treatment of "smoker's lung", also known as COPD, after a second large trial showed significant benefits. The company had embarked on a second trial to bolster the statistical reliability of the read-outs. Details of the second trial would be presented at an as yet undisclosed medical conference, Sanofi added. The company has been discussing with major watchdogs across the world whether the BOREAS results were substantial enough to support a regulatory review and what role the second trial would play in reviews.

Persons: Sanofi, Gonzalo Fuentes, BOREAS, Ludwig Burger, Tassilo Hummel, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Sanofi, Polyclonals, REUTERS, Food and Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Lyon, France

Injection pens and boxes of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy are shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, November 21, 2023. REUTERS/Victoria Klesty/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Novo racing to meet demand for obesity drugsObesity market to reach $100 billion by 2030-analystsNew investment in France will boost capacity for obesity, diabetes drugsPARIS/LONDON Nov 23 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) on Thursday announced a $2.3 billion investment to boost production of its wildly popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs at a site in Chartres, France as it races to meet soaring demand. There is a growing crisis in Europe over supply of diabetes therapy Ozempic, which uses the same ingredient semaglutide as the hugely popular weight-loss drug Wegovy, which is not yet widely available in Europe. Thursday's announcement comes after Novo earlier this month announced a $6 billion investment in its native Denmark to boost production. Analysts have estimated the obesity drug market will be worth as much as $100 billion by 2030.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Danish drugmaker, Emmanuel Macron, Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, Eli Lilly, Novo, Anna Ringstrom, Ludwig Burger, Terje Solsvik, David Goodman, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, WIN, French, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, Victoria, France, PARIS, Chartres, Danish, Europe, Union, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, U.S, Paris

☆ Exclusive: Bayer holds call with bond investors after raft of bad news
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Shankar Ramakrishnan | Thomson Reuters | Shankar Ramakrishnan Has Nearly Years Of Financial Journalism Experience In Writing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The bad news prompted some bond investors to question whether Bayer should sweeten the terms of the deal or outright pull it, one of the sources said. The drug-to-pesticides group priced the investment grade bond on Thursday last week, with the deal closing on Tuesday. Bayer priced bonds with maturities between three to 30 years. It was the 10th largest investment grade bond deal by an industrial company this year and attracted more than $22 billion in orders, according to Informa Global Markets. The events were "not enough to trigger a material adverse change clause in bond documents for investors to ask to be paid back," said CreditSights' Brady.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Bayer, Andrew Brady, CreditSights, JP Morgan, Wells, Brady, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Ludwig Burger, Mike Erman, Paritosh Bansal, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Bayer AG, REUTERS, Bayer, Nomura Holdings, Informa Global Markets, Citigroup, Nikko Securities America, RIC, Thomson Locations: Leverkusen, Germany, Seattle

Handout via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Ozempic shortages expected throughout 2024Victoza shortages expected until at least Q2 2024Diabetes drug Ozempic used 'off label' to treat obesityNov 21 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) will ration starter kits of Ozempic in Europe and reduce supplies of another diabetes drug, Victoza, to prioritise producing Ozempic, which has seen a surge in demand from people using it to lose weight. Ozempic contains semaglutide, an ingredient in Novo's hugely popular anti-obesity drug Wegovy. Intermittent Ozempic shortages are expected throughout 2024, while Victoza shortages are expected at least until the second quarter of 2024, according to the statement on the EMA's website. "No new patients should be started on Victoza until at least Q2 2024 when supply is expected to normalise," Novo urged doctors in the document. It also told doctors to consider other injectable GLP-1 drugs or "other suitable alternatives" where Ozempic or Victoza are not available for patients.

Persons: Ozempic, hasn't, Novo, Eli Lilly's, tirzepatide, Ludwig Burger, Eva Mathews, Emelia Sithole, Mark Potter Organizations: Handout, REUTERS, Diabetes, Novo Nordisk, European Medicines Agency, EU, Thomson Locations: Novo, London, Britain, Europe, Danish, United States, France, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Wegovy, Norway, Denmark, EU

☆ Bayer stops blood thinner drug trial due to lack of effect, in major setback
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Logo and flags of Bayer AG are pictured outside a plant of the German pharmaceutical and chemical maker in Wuppertal, Germany August 9, 2019. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 19 (Reuters) - Germany's Bayer (BAYGn.DE) has aborted a large late-stage trial testing a new anti-clotting drug due to lack of efficacy, dealing a fresh blow to the embattled drugmaker and throwing its most promising medium-term development project in doubt. The trial halt, which followed recommendation of independent trial supervisors, marks another setback for a company burdened by a weak herbicide business, high debt and by U.S. lawsuits over the alleged carcinogenic effect of its commonly used Roundup weedkiller. Bayer said it will further analyse the data of the discontinued trial, known as OCEANIC-AF, which was initiated in August 2022. It said the independent trial supervisors recommended the continuation of a separate phase III trial, OCEANIC-STROKE, testing asundexian to prevent repeated strokes in participants who have already suffered one.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Germany's Bayer, Bill Anderson, Bayer, Stefan Oelrich, Johnson, Ludwig Burger, Jose Joseph, Miranda Murray, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Bayer AG, REUTERS, Bristol, Myers Squibb, Johnson, Thomson Locations: Wuppertal, Germany, United States, asundexian, U.S, Frankfurt, Bengaluru

A sign is pictured outside an Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. Incretins are peptide-based drugs such as Mounjaro that mimic gut hormones to suppress appetite and stimulate insulin secretion. Lilly said it had announced investments of more than $11 billion in global manufacturing in the past three years. Major production sites that Lilly runs outside of its U.S. home market are in Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and China. The new Alzey site will employ up to 1,000 highly skilled workers such as engineers, technicians and scientists, said Lilly.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Lilly, Karl Lauterbach, Lauterbach, generics, Patrick Wingrove, Matthias Williams, Jason Neely, David Evans Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S ., Novo Nordisk, European Union, pharma, The U.S ., Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, Germany, Alzey, U.S, United States, Danish, Berlin, Fegersheim, France, European, Indiana , North Carolina, Limerick, Ireland, Spain, Italy, China, The U.S

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. The company declined to comment on the plans but news conferences are planned in Alzey, where sources say the plant will be built, and Berlin on Friday. Other people familiar with the plans told Reuters that at least 1,000 jobs would be created. Eli Lilly said it would unveil "far-reaching investment plans" at Friday's news conference, which will be attended by Germany's economy and health ministers. Mounjaro's success helped Lilly post a 37% gain in third-quarter revenues to $9.5 billion, topping Wall Street estimates.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Mounjaro, TSMC, Lilly's, Lilly, Rene Wagner, Klaus Lauer, Andreas Rinke, Ludwig Burger, Thomas Escritt, Madeline Chambers, Miranda Murray, Christina Fincher Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Basf, Reuters, BASF, U.S ., U.S, Intel, European Union, Novo Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, BERLIN, Germany, Alzey, Berlin, U.S, Ukraine, European, Indianapolis, Danish, Eisai

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - U.S. pharma company Eli Lilly (LLY.N) plans an investment in the single-digit billion dollar range in a new plant in western Germany, people familiar with the matter told Reuters after the company called a news conference for Friday. Eli Lilly said it would unveil "far-reaching investment plans" at Friday's news conference, which will be attended by Germany's economy and health ministers. Mounjaro's success helped Lilly post a 37% gain in third-quarter revenues to $9.5 billion, topping Wall Street estimates. The group's market value has ballooned to around $580 billion, up more than 65% so far this year.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Mounjaro, TSMC, Lilly's, Lilly, Rene Wagner, Klaus Lauer, Ludwig Burger, Thomas Escritt, Chizu Nomiyama, Jane Merriman Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Rights, . pharma, Reuters, U.S ., U.S, Intel, European Union, Novo Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, Germany, Rhineland, Palatinate, U.S, Ukraine, European, Indianapolis, Danish, Eisai

☆ German regulator eyes Ozempic export ban amid shortages across Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Use of Ozempic for weight loss has caused shortages across Europe. Novo Nordisk, which has earmarked $6 billion to boost production in Denmark, said last week the industry was far from being able to produce enough weight-loss drugs to meet global demand. The German association of drug wholesale distributors PHAGRO said in a statement that there was no certainty that exports were causing the shortages. Portugal, Poland, Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Spain, in turn, have rules in place that likely make it impossible to export the drug, Affordable Medicines said. It also urged "all relevant actors" not to export the drugs.

Persons: George Frey REFILE, Spiegel, Lilly, Karl Broich, Eli Lilly's, tirzepatide, BfArM's Broich, Broich, PHAGRO, Germany's BfArM, Ludwig Burger, Miranda Murray, Patricia Weiss, Matthias Williams, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, BfArM, EU, Novo Nordisk's, Spiegel, European Union, Medicines, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, FRANKFURT, United States, Europe, Britain, Belgium, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Medicines Europe, Austria, France, Greece, Czech Republic, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Frankfurt, Berlin

☆ German drug regulator considering export ban on Ozempic
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A box of Ozempic, a semaglutide injection drug used for treating type 2 diabetes and made by Novo Nordisk, is seen at a Rock Canyon Pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S. March 29, 2023. REUTERS/George Frey REFILE - CORRECTING MONTH/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Novo Nordisk A/S FollowBERLIN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - The head of Germany's drug regulator BfArM is considering an export ban on Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) diabetes drug Ozempic, which is in high demand for its weight-loss benefits, to prevent a further worsening of a supply shortage. There is a risk of Ozempic being moved out of the country because it is cheaper there than in many other countries, BfArM president Karl Broich told Spiegel magazine. "We know that some of the syringes that are supplied to Germany for our diabetes patients are channelled to other European countries or the United States," he told Spiegel on Wednesday. We need the medication for the care of diabetes patients and not as a lifestyle drug."

Persons: George Frey REFILE, Karl Broich, Spiegel, Miranda Murray, Ludwig Burger Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Novo Nordisk's, Spiegel, Ludwig Burger Our, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, Germany, United States

☆ Bayer says it is keeping strict line on settling glyphosate litigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 120 metres high Bayer Cross, logo of German pharmaceutical and chemical maker Bayer AG, consisting of 1710 LED glass bulbs is seen outside the industrial park "Chempark" of the chemical industry in Leverkusen, Germany, September 23, 2023. "We have no appetite to write humongous checks," said CFO Wolfgang Nickl in a media call after the release of third-quarter results. He added that Bayer has sound legal and scientific arguments to pursue its cases and appeals in court. Last week, a California jury found Bayer liable in a case brought by a man who claimed his cancer was due to exposure to the company's glyphosate-based Roundup, the third consecutive defeat for Bayer. Before that, Bayer had won nine cases in a row.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Wolfgang Nickl, Bayer, Ludwig Burger, Miranda Murray Organizations: Bayer, Bayer AG, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Leverkusen, Germany, U.S, California

☆ Bayer examines break-up options and prepares to cut management jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bayer will remove multiple layers of management and coordination for a "significant reduction" in the workforce, it said. "We are redesigning Bayer to focus only on what’s essential for our mission – and getting rid of everything else," said Anderson. Analysts have said Bayer shares are trading at a massive discount to rivals in agriculture, pharmaceuticals and consumer health activities, partly weighed down by a preference among many financial investors for pure-play companies. Bayer reported third-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and adjusted for one-off effects fell 31% to 1.685 billion euros, hit by lower earnings at its Crop Science division. Bayer added that it expects a "soft growth outlook and continued challenges" to profitability next year.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Bill Anderson, Anderson, Bayer, Werner Baumann, Ludwig Burger, Miranda Murray, David Goodman Organizations: Bayer AG, REUTERS, Rights, Bayer, Consumer, Roche, Science, Thomson Locations: Leverkusen, Germany

☆ BioNTech cuts 2023 revenue target on reduced prospects for vaccine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The logo of BioNTech is pictured at Biontech's research laboratory for individualised vaccines against cancer in Mainz, Germany, July 27, 2023. In a statement on Monday, the German biotech company cut its outlook for full-year COVID-19 vaccine revenues to about 4 billion euros from 5 billion previously expected and the 17.2 billion reported last year. But the reduced revenue prospects prompted the Mainz-based company to cut its 2023 research and development (R&D) budget for the second time, forecasting a range from 1.8 to 2 billion euros, down from between 2 and 2.2 billion euros laid out in August. Third-quarter revenues were 895 million euros, broadly in line with an analyst consensus compiled by LSEG and down from 3.46 billion from a year earlier. ($1 = 0.9306 euros)Reporting by Ludwig Burger, Editing by Rachel More and Barbara LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Jens Holstein, LSEG, BioNTech, Ludwig Burger, Rachel More, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Pfizer writedowns, Pfizer, Thomson Locations: Mainz, Germany, FRANKFURT

☆ Sanofi loses $21 bln in market value after dropping 2025 profit target
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Under a push to spend more on immunology and inflammation drug development, the company abandoned a target for a 32% operating profit margin for 2025 to focus on "long-term profitability". EPS would see a strong rebound in 2025 but not enough to sustain the previous margin target. CONSUMER STAND-ALONECEO Hudson said the core innovative drugs business had improved enough to soon do without the more predictable cash flows from consumer products. The logo of French drugmaker Sanofi is seen a the Sanofi Genzyme Polyclonals in Lyon, France, September 30, 2023. The timing of the potential consumer listing, which Sanofi said would be in the fourth quarter of 2024 or later, would be set to maximize shareholder value.

Persons: Hudson, Sanofi, drugmaker, Paul Hudson, Terence McManus, Johnson, we've, Gonzalo Fuentes, Roche, Dupixent, Ludwig Burger, Sherry Jacob, Phillips, Mark Potter, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Sanofi, Bellevue Asset Management, Reuters, Barclays, Johnson, GSK, Pfizer, Bayer, Polyclonals, REUTERS, Provention, Merck & Co, Thomson Locations: France, Bellevue, Lyon, Paris

REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT/MUNICH, Oct 26 (Reuters) - German technology groups have warned they are being hit by delays in getting China-bound exports through customs, following the introduction of a German government strategy to reduce economic dependence on demand from China. German chip-making kit supplier Suess MicroTec (SMHNn.DE) late on Wednesday cut its sales forecasts for the second time in three months, blaming tightened controls for exports to China. German customs and the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lobby group Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) told Reuters the BAFA office was appearing to scrutinise export requests more closely or escalate requests to the economy ministry more often. Still, the German chamber of commerce said the political environment was hobbling exports to China.

Persons: Phil Noble, Suess, Friedolin Strack, Burkhardt Frick, Martin Wansleben, Alexander Huebner, Rene Wagner, Christian Kraemer, Thomas Escritt, Anneli, Ludwig Burger, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Office, Economic Affairs, Export Control, Pacific Committee, German Business, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hamburg, Germany, FRANKFURT, MUNICH, China, Asia, Munich, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt

REUTERS/George Frey Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Several people were hospitalised in Austria after using suspected fake versions of the diabetes drug Ozempic, the country's health safety body said, the first report of harm to users in a widening European hunt for counterfeiters. Regional regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), last week warned about pre-filled injection pens falsely labelled as Ozempic, which has seen surging demand for its weight-loss benefits. The maker of the drug, Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO), has flagged a surge in online offers of fake versions of Ozempic as well as its weight-loss drug Wegovy, both based on semaglutide. The BASG did not provide an exact number of people harmed by the fake Ozempic, or say how long-lasting the adverse effects would be on their health. That person likely did not procure the fakes from an official pharmacy, it said, warning that fake injection pens may still be in circulation.

Persons: George Frey, Ozempic, BASG, Wegovy, Miranda Murray, Ludwig Burger, Alexandra Schwarz, Angus MacSwan, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Pharmacy, REUTERS, Rights, European Medicines Agency, EMA, Thomson Locations: Provo , Utah, U.S, Austria, Danish, Germany, Britain, British, Berlin, Frankfurt, Vienna

New Roche CEO Thomas Schinecker is keen to restore Roche's battered drug development record after major late-stage trial setbacks in the areas of Alzheimer's and cancer immunotherapy last year. The acquired drug, against inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, belongs to a class of new treatments known as anti-TL1A antibodies which has attracted major deal activity in the pharma industry. Merck & Co (MRK.N) in April agreed to buy anti-TL1A antibody developer Prometheus Biosciences for $10.8 billion. Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic gastrointestinal disorders with almost 8 million people diagnosed worldwide and 80% of all individuals not experiencing lasting remission, Roche said. "We strongly believe this novel TL1A directed antibody has the transformational potential to make a significant difference for patients living with inflammatory bowel disease and potentially other diseases," said Roche CEO Schinecker.

Persons: drugmaker Roche, Arnd, New Roche, Thomas Schinecker, Schinecker, Roche, John Revill, Ludwig Burger, Friederike Heine, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Roivant Holdings, Pfizer Inc, pharma, Sanofi, Merck & Co, Prometheus Biosciences, Thomson Locations: Basel, Switzerland, ZURICH, FRANKFURT, Swiss, U.S, Japan, Zurich, Frankfurt

☆ Israel will not hold off on ground offensive over hostages-minister tells Bild
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz listens to a talk on the gas platform for Leviathan, Israel's largest gas field, talks, near Haifa bay, northern Israel, August 1, 2023. REUTERS/Ari Rabinovitch/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Israel will not hold off on a possible ground invasion of Gaza over the issue of captives being held there, Israel's energy minister told German tabloid newspaper Bild. In an interview published on Tuesday, energy minister Israel Katz said everything would be done to bring the hostages home. "But that cannot hinder our actions including the ground offensive, if we decide on it," he was quoted as saying. "Hamas wants us to deal with the captives and wants the military to not go in to eliminate their infrastructure.

Persons: Israel Katz, Ari Rabinovitch, Katz, Ludwig Burger, Deepa Babington Organizations: Energy, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Haifa, Israel, Gaza

☆ Merck KGaA raises prospect of return to sales growth next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A logo of drugs and chemicals group Merck KGaA is pictured in Darmstadt, Germany January 28, 2016. The market for semiconductor materials sold by the company's Electronics division, should "recover incrementally in 2024", Merck added. The company reaffirmed that sales would be broadly flat this year, at between 20.5 billion euros ($21.6 billion) and 21.9 billion euros, compared with 22.2 billion last year. The outlook for adjusted core earnings of 5.8 billion to 6.4 billion euros this year, down from 6.85 billion in 2022, was also confirmed. Higher interest rates have dampened investor appetite for risky biotech drug ventures, compounding a decline in coronavirus-related activities.

Persons: Ralph Orlowski, Belen Garijo, Morgan, Merck, JP Morgan, Garijo, Ludwig Burger, Rachel More, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Merck, REUTERS, company's Electronics, Lonza, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Darmstadt, Germany, FRANKFURT, coronavirus, Swiss

☆ Merck KGaA says MS drug has blockbuster potential; key data expected in December
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Merck, seen as leading the race to win approval for a more targeted type of MS drug, said in April that U.S. regulators had paused enrolment of new patients into a trial testing the drug, evobrutinib, knocking the German drugmaker's share price. "The readout of our Phase 3 study is going to happen in December," she added of the pivotal study in the clinical trials process. Novartis (NOVN.S), also in the race, said in April that no signs of liver damage had been seen in trials testing its anti-inflammatory drug candidate remibrutinib so far. Roche (ROG.S) said in May that its BTK inhibitor against MS, reduced brain lesions associated with the disease in a mid-stage trial and that no new safety concerns had emerged. Reporting by Ludwig Burger Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Germany's Merck, Belen Garijo, ROG.S, Ludwig Burger, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Germany's, Merck, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Reuters, Rivals, Sanofi, Novartis, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, U.S, Darmstadt

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