
GSK seeks FDA nod for expanded use of RSV vaccine in adults
If approved in the world's biggest pharmaceuticals market, GSK's vaccine, Arexvy, would be competing for a market share in the 18-49 age group with Moderna's (MRNA.O), opens new tab mRESVIA and Pfizer's (PFE.N), opens new tabAbrysvo, opens new tab.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that causes seasonal infections such as the flu and is a leading cause of pneumonia and death in infants and older adults.
GSK's vaccine is currently approved in the U.S. for preventing RSV-related disease in adults aged 60 and above, and in at-risk adults aged 50 to 59. While it had a lead in approvals initially, it has since lagged behind rivals and sales have fallen sharply.
The FDA is expected to make a decision on the expanded use of Arexvy in the first half of 2026, GSK said. European regulators are also expected to rule on a similar application by then.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Somersaulting red panda dies at California zoo
A red panda known for his somersaults has died at the San Francisco Zoo. The panda, named Tenzing, recently started to experience 'intermittent neurological symptoms,' prompting the zoo's medical staff to take him in for observations. In a social media post announcing his death on Friday the zoo said he started to also exhibit balance issues and episodes became more frequent and lasted longer. After several imaging sessions and testing, staff discovered Tenzing had sarcocystosis, a parasitic infection that is common in red panders, zookeepers said. 'Despite receiving intensive medical care, Tenzing's condition deteriorated rapidly, and he passed peacefully under the care of his dedicated animal health team,' the post read. Tenzing first arrived at the zoo in 2014 as part of The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival plan, specifically for red pandas - a rare and endangered species. The 'fan favorite' animal was best known for his 'playful somersaults and engaging personality,' as he was often featured in viral videos, the zoo wrote. 'His keepers recall his remarkable participation in his own healthcare, including voluntary behaviors like stepping onto a scale, entering a crate, and even holding a brush to create his signature watercolor paintings,' it went on. He was seen in pictures getting examined by a team of doctors in May as they reviewed his brain scans and placed him in the MRI machine. The life span of red pandas is between eight to 10 years in the wild. They are known to live up to 15 years 'under human care.' The zoo said: 'Tenzing lived a rich and full life and will be remembered for his spirited nature, his artistic flair, and his invaluable contribution to global conservation. 'Tenzing was more than an ambassador for this endangered species, he was family. Our entire team deeply feels his passing, but his legacy will live on in the vital conservation work he helped inspire.' Several of Tenzing's fans said their final goodbyes to him after the zoo announced his death. 'So sad. We loved seeing him on our many visits,' one said. 'Oh Tenzing. I'm so sorry you were sick. What an incredibly sad loss for your zoo family, the Red Panda family and all who loved you all around the world,' wrote another. Someone else commented: 'I'm Speechless. My deepest Condolences to everyone.' Red pandas are endangered species because they are often poached, or illegally hunted, and have experienced a habitat loss. Less than 10,000 remain in the world, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Nearly 50 per cent of the red panda's habitat is located in the Eastern Himalayas, but because of the loss of nesting trees and bamboo that they depend on, there is decline in the population. The creatures are often caught in traps meant for other wild animals like pigs and deer. Some are hunted for their distinctive, red pelts, or fur, in Myanmar and China, the website said.


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk-backed Neuralink chip gives patient mind-control superpower
A paralyzed US military veteran is able to play video games, control electronics, and even design 3D objects by using only his thoughts thanks to a coin-sized chip implanted in his brain and backed by tech magnate Elon Musk. RJ, a quadriplegic who lost use of his limbs following a devastating motorcycle accident , is the first patient at a Miami hospital to be fitted with the 'Telepathy' device, developed by Musk's brain-interface company Neuralink. The surgical milestone was completed earlier this year at UHealth Tower, the flagship hospital of the University of Miami Health System. RJ is one of just seven people nationwide to have received the trip. 'I think my favorite thing is probably being able to turn on my TV,' RJ said during a video presentation by Neuralink. 'Like the first time in two and a half years I was able to do that. So that was pretty sweet.' But RJ's abilities now extend far beyond the remote control. Thanks to the chip embedded in the part of his brain that controls movement, he can operate a computer with nothing more than brain signals. That includes shooting zombies in Call of Duty, driving around in Mario Kart, and even designing complex mechanical parts in Fusion 360, a professional CAD program. 'That's what's up,' RJ said. 'Pretty sweet. 'I like shooting zombies. That's kind of nice.' The implant was performed by Dr. Jonathan Jagid, a neurosurgeon and clinical professor at the University of Miami, working with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. The world-renowned center was founded after football legend Nick Buoniconti's son, Marc, was paralyzed in a 1985 game. 'This device is completely invisible to anybody else that interacts with somebody who has it implanted,' Dr. Jagid said in an interview. 'What makes it very unique is how it's been miniaturized. It's a very small device - about the size of a coin.' The Telepathy chip was embedded using a surgical robot developed by Neuralink. The machine implants more than 60 ultra-thin threads, thinner than a human hair, into the brain to detect neural activity. Those brain signals are then wirelessly transmitted to a computer, where software decodes them into commands that can move a mouse, play a video game, or operate other devices. 'The surgery went perfect,' Jagid told the Miami Herald . RJ was discharged just one day later. For RJ, the Neuralink device has done more than give him control over his environment and begun to restore his sense of being. 'They're giving me my spark back… my drive back. They've given me my purpose back,' he said in a written statement. RJ now identifies himself as 'P5' - the fifth human being in the world to be implanted with the chip since Neuralink received FDA approval for clinical trials in 2024. The first patient, Noland Arbaugh, received his implant at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Musk's team believes this is just the beginning. 'It's been an incredible amount of progress,' Musk said during Neuralink's June 27 update. He emphasized the company's cautious approach saying, 'The reason we're not moving faster than we are is because we're taking great care with each individual to make sure we never miss - and so far, we haven't.' Neuralink co-founder and president DJ Seo added that RJ is among seven patients currently enrolled in the trial. Each one has either a spinal cord injury or ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis. All the patients are testing whether the Link can allow the brain to communicate directly with technology - without muscles, nerves, or even speech. At Neuralink's summer presentation, video clips showed patients, including RJ, using their minds to move cursors, select icons, and play games . In one moment that drew cheers from the audience, a participant broke a world record by using thought alone to navigate a cursor at unprecedented speed. 'These are people that can't even move a mouse,' Dr. Jagid said. 'So you have to understand, in its early stages, it's been really successful - allowing them to accomplish goals they could not otherwise accomplish.' But beyond video games and virtual design, the implications are profound. Musk has previously said Neuralink could one day help restore vision, enable speech in those who have lost it, or allow amputees to control prosthetic limbs with thought alone. RJ is already pushing the boundaries. During a group discussion with other chip recipients, he described modifying a quad stick - a specialized joystick for quadriplegics - and writing code to control a remote-controlled truck and plane. 'With the BCI, I wrote code to drive the plane with the quad stick,' he said. 'That's awesome.' The Miami Project's president, Marc Buoniconti, called the trial 'another significant step in finding meaningful solutions for the millions living with paralysis and other significant motor deficits.' His own experience as a quadriplegic whose injury helped launch one of the most respected spinal injury centers in the world adds weight to his praise. 'We hope this partnership leads to life-changing breakthroughs,' he told The Miami Herald. Neuralink is continuing to enroll patients between ages 22 and 75 who are paralyzed due to cervical spinal cord injury or ALS. The company has also received approval to launch similar trials in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. Despite the excitement, not everyone is ready to declare victory. 'This is uncharted territory,' Dr. Jagid cautioned. 'But that's expected with any new technology.'


The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Patient dies from the ‘Black Death' plague less than 24 hours after symptoms first emerged
A PERSON has died from plague just 24-hours after they showed up at hospital with symptoms, health officals have said. The victim was rushed to Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona, US, showing severe symptoms, and died the same day, an email seen by local media suggests. 2 An autopsy later confirmed the presence of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes plague. Officials said the individual had pneumonic plague, the rarest and most dangerous form of the disease. Unlike the more common bubonic type, pneumonic plague infects the lungs and spreads from person to person via airborne droplets. Without urgent treatment, it can kill within just 24 hours, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns. No further details about the patient have been released. It is the first confirmed plague death in Coconino County, in northern Arizona, since 2007, when a case was linked to contact with a dead animal carrying the infection. The Coconino County government said the risk to the public of exposure remains low. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased," Patrice Horstman from the county's Board of Supervisors Chair, said in a statement. "We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time. "Out of respect for the family, no additional information about the death will be released." The Black Death The plague is infamously responsible for the 14th-century Black Death that wiped out half of Europe. It remains on both the WHO and UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) priority pathogen lists due to its potential to cause a pandemic. Though now rare and treatable with antibiotics, plague can still be deadly. Pneumonic cases in particular are fatal in up to 90 per cent of patients if left untreated. There are several forms of plague. Bubonic plague, the most common form, is usually spread through the bite of infected fleas. The disease can be transmitted to humans either by flea bites or through direct contact with infected animals, including pet dogs and cats. The main symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, usually in the neck, groin, thighs, or armpits. These swollen nodes, called buboes, can cause surrounding tissue to turn black and die, a symptom believed to have inspired the name "Black Death." Septicemic plague occurs when the infection spreads to the bloodstream. It can develop on its own or as a complication of bubonic plague, causing symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into the skin and organs. Pneumonic plague, the most severe form, infects the lungs and can spread rapidly between humans through airborne droplets. It often starts as bubonic or septicemic plague that has spread to the lungs if left untreated. Symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and sometimes coughing up blood. Pneumonic plague requires immediate medical attention. Last week, officials from the Coconino County Health Department reported several prairie dog deaths northeast of Flagstaff, which can be a sign of the disease. However, health officials have since confirmed that the recent human plague death is not connected to the prairie dog die-off. Risk to Brits is 'very low' The WHO estimates between 1,000 and 2,000 cases occur globally each year. On average, seven human plague cases are reported in the US each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Meanwhile, plague is no longer found in the UK, and the risk of imported cases is considered 'very low,' according to government guidance. However, Covid jab scientists are developing a Black Death vaccine over fears the disease could re-emerge and kill millions. The team behind the Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine said they had made progress on an injection that could prevent bubonic plague from developing The last significant British outbreak occurred in Suffolk in 1918, though a few isolated cases have been suspected since. History of the Black Death THE Black Death was an epidemic of bubonic plague which struck Europe and Asia in the 1300s. It killed more than 20 million people in Europe. Scientists now know the plague was spread by a bacillus known as yersina pestis. Bubonic plague can cause swelling of the lymph nodes. If untreated, it could spread to the blood and lungs. Other symptoms included fever, vomiting and chills. Physicians relied on treatments such as boil-lancing to bathing in vinegar as they tried to treat people with the plague. Some believed that the Black Death was a "divine punishment" - a form of retribution for sins against God