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This is the fourth avian influenza infection associated with the multistate outbreak seen in cattle.
Getty Images
Today, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment was announced had detected a human infection of it bird flu. The said person, a milk worker who worked with infected cattle, had only mild symptoms. This is the fourth avian influenza infection associated with the multistate outbreak observed in cattle. So far, there are no signs of the flu spreading from face to face.
The news comes as movement occurs in the world of bird flu vaccines. On Tuesday, Modern announced that it has secured $176 million in federal funding to develop mRNA vaccines against H5N1. earlier today, GSK announced that it was acquiring several mRNA vaccine candidates from CureVac, for Covid, seasonal flu as well as bird flu in a deal worth up to $1.5 billion. These may become necessary if bird flu adapts to humans. Although the federal government has a stock of bird flu vaccines, it is only enough for about 10 million doses.
For more on bird flu – as well as other viruses spreading this summer, including new variants of Covid and West Nile disease – see this Forbes Newsroom video with editor-in-chief Alex Knapp.
This biotech startup raised $12.5 million to find bacteria that help fight cancer
Example of host microbiome visualization from the Kanvas platform.
Canvas Biosciences
In the last two decades, immunotherapies have become a staple tool in doctors’ arsenals for cancer patients. This class of drugs uses the body’s own immune system to attack tumors. But despite their increasing use, checkpoint inhibitors — a type of immunotherapy — are unsuccessful in many cancer patients.
In some cases, this lack of response has to do with the patient microbiome — the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in the gut. Canvas Biosciences aims to offer a safer and more effective solution: treatments that grow microorganisms discovered with the startup’s new spatial biology platform. This technology explores specific interactions between bacteria and immune cells in a patient’s microbiome, which the company aims to use to improve cancer treatments. On Monday, the company announced it had raised $12.5 million in seed funding with the goal of taking its first drug candidate to the clinic.
Read more here.
Pipeline & Deal Updates
Digital Health: K Health, which has developed an AI-powered chatbot to help doctors diagnose and treat primary care patients faster, has raised $50 million led by Claure Group at a $900 million valuation. according to Bloomberg, down from its 2021 peak valuation of $1.5 billion. Part of K Health’s strategy is to partner with hospitals to serve as an entry point for new and existing patients to join a larger system of care. Read more about K Health’s work with Cedars-Sinai in Katie’s story from last year.
Gene therapy: Beacon Therapeutics, a biotech developing gene therapies to restore vision to patients with certain eye diseases; lifted up a $170 million Series B round led by Forbion; The funds will go towards clinical trials for two retinal disease candidates.
Autoimmune: Holoclara, which is developing treatments for allergies and autoimmune disorders derived from worm secretions, developed a $16 million Series A;. The funding will be used to further develop its drug candidates, based on its founder’s research that compounds secreted by parasitic worms prevented the formation of autoimmune diseases in animal models.
COPD: Last week, the FDA approved ensifendrinemarketed by Verona Pharma as Ohtuvayre, an inhaled medicine for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Clinical tests: N-Power Medicine, which is developing a platform for oncologists to better manage patient care during the clinical trial process, announced that it has raised a $72 million Series B round led by the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund.
Telehealth: Walmart is selling virtual care business MeMD to Healthtech startup Fabric for an undisclosed amount. The deal comes two months after the retail giant said it would close 51 health clinics and its telehealth operation.
Retail Care: Walgreens Boots Alliance is looking to reduce its investment in medical clinic operator VillageMD after billions of dollars in losses and the need to focus on more profitable ventures. The pharmacy chain also said it plans to close hundreds of “underperforming” stores and that the turnaround could take several “quarters, not months.” Meanwhile, CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch told Forbes that the health care giant is sticking to its expansion strategy for Oak Street Health to open 50 to 60 seniors clinics next year.
FDA Approves Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s Drug Donanemab
Eli Lilly’s donanemab will be sold under the brand name Kisunla.
NurPhoto via Getty Images
The FDA has approved Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s drug, donanemab, after years of delays to bring the experimental treatment to market. The delay followed concerns that the drug’s benefits were not significant enough relative to its side effects. Clinical trials found that participants treated with donanemab had up to a 39% lower risk of their disease worsening compared to a placebo.
Read more here.
Other health news
The Supreme Court he will consider the FDA’s tough restrictions on flavored e-cigarette products in his next term.
No evidence of serious birth defects in babies born to mothers vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna Vaccines for covid during the first trimester of pregnancy, according to a study in JAMA Pediatrics.
People using Uzbek the Wegovy may have an increased risk of developing a rare form of blindness, according to a study published in JAMA Network that Novo Nordisk criticized as insufficient.
President Biden proposes new standards to protect workers from excessive heat as 2024 could shape up to be the warmest year on record.
All over Forbes
Why applications to historically black colleges are increasing
Why Top Nuclear Experts and Former CIA Brass Join A Grad’s Tiny Fusion Startup
Elon Musk’s ridiculous solution to Tesla’s child labor concerns
What else are we reading?
Not Everyone Loses Weight On Ozempic (Wired)
Why cancer risk drops sharply in old age (Nature)
How the Supreme Court Hurt US Health Care (The Washington Post)