Experimental first-in-class heart drug may also help heal kidneys

• Pfizer expanded its obesity pipeline through a $150 million deal for YaoPharma’s oral GLP-1 agonist and a separate $150 million investment in GLP-1 and amylin drug candidates. • Sanofi acquired Blueprint Medicines for $9.5 billion to secure oncology and rare disease assets, including the approved drug Ayvakit.

• U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced on Thursday that the U.S. has launched a trade investigation into Germany's pharmaceutical pricing policies. • The probe follows an April proposal by the German Ministry of Health to overhaul its statutory healthcare system to close a 20 billion euro ($23 billion) funding gap.

• The FDA has granted a new indication for the drug Tzield, expanding its use to patients who have already progressed to Stage 3 type 1 diabetes. • This latest approval aims to preserve residual beta cell function, building on previous expansions in April 2026 that extended the drug's use to children as young as one year old.

• At the Reuters Pharma USA 2026 event, industry experts discussed the shift toward "optichannel" engagement to better influence physician prescribing habits. • AstraZeneca’s IO Women’s Cancer Lead, Dicla Veliz Salce, highlighted that strong clinical trial data alone is often insufficient to change medical behavior.

• The Democratic Republic of Congo reported that confirmed Ebola cases have risen to 896, with 232 deaths recorded as of late Thursday. • Government data indicates a significant increase in infections, highlighting the severity of the current health crisis.

• A new study reveals that Texas's abortion ban has led to a 2.52 percentage-point increase in maternal mental health issues, with the impact more than doubling for mothers using Medicaid or CHIP. • Data presented by Dr. Julie Kanter at the European Hematology Association 2026 Congress shows that current clinical trial eligibility for sickle cell disease (SCD) therapies excludes 90% of adults living with the condition.

• The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is experiencing a period of instability characterized by the loss of thousands of employees through terminations or resignations. • The agency's accumulated expertise has been eroded, particularly within the drug and biologics centers, including the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

• MedPage Today reports on several critical health trends, including a progesterone supply shortage affecting patients, clinicians, and pharmacists. • Experts warn that extreme heat, rather than infectious diseases, may represent the primary health risk for attendees at the upcoming World Cup.

• The U.S. FDA has approved Merck's pneumococcal vaccine for expanded use in children and teenagers with chronic health conditions that increase their risk of infection. • This follows a June 2024 approval for adults and is based on a late-stage trial of 874 participants where the vaccine matched or outperformed the older PPSV23 version.

• Experts gathered at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2026 Congress to present the latest clinical trial updates and investigational research. • The event focused on advancing treatment options for patients suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and various other hematologic malignancies.

• In early 2026, the FDA implemented four strategic actions to modernize drug development, shifting focus toward flexibility and human-centric science. • The agency is prioritizing evidence quality and analytical sophistication over the sheer volume of data, acknowledging that advances in genomic medicine and biomarkers have outpaced old frameworks.