Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

Americans are still cracking open cold ones, but what’s inside their cans is changing. More people are now reaching for cannabis beverages, nonalcoholic drinks infused with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main ingredient in marijuana that makes you feel high. Some varieties also include cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical compound found in marijuana or hemp that proponents say helps relieve pain, anxiety and other health symptoms. The drinks come in different forms including seltzers, juices, sodas and teas. Consumer demand for cannabis beverages is growing as Americans drink less booze. According to a July Gallup survey, the percentage of U.S. adults…

(Reuters) -An Australian court on Wednesday stopped U.S. drugmaker Cosette from abandoning its A$672 million ($437.6 million) takeover of Mayne Pharma, which now awaits clearance from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB). The ASX-listed pharmaceutical company said on Thursday it would take all steps within its scope to implement the deal. Shares in Mayne Pharma jumped as much as 14.8% to A$6.5 at open in Sydney, but were still trading way below the A$7.40 apiece that Cosette had offered. Cosette has been trying to terminate its offer, after saying in May that it was reviewing the deal because of a…

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Novo Nordisk’s shares fell 5.6% in early trade on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the price of the Danish drugmaker’s best-selling weight-loss drug would be lowered. Trump made the comments during a White House event on fertility treatments and drug pricing. He was asked by reporters to identify the name of a drug that he earlier in the event said would be made less expensive. “I was referring to Ozempic, or – I was referring to – the fat loss drug?…. They’ll be much lower,” Trump said. Although Novo’s Ozempic is approved for…

(Reuters) -Rani Therapeutics on Friday announced a licensing deal to develop and sell an oral version of Chugai Pharmaceutical’s experimental antibody, with options to expand to five additional drugs, potentially valuing the deal at $1.09 billion. Shares of San Jose-based Rani more than doubled in premarket trading. Under the deal, Rani will receive a $10 million upfront payment, up to $75 million in technology transfer and development milestones, as well as up to $100 million in sales milestones and single-digit royalties for the first licensed program, which targets a rare disease. Tokyo-based Chugai has the option to license up to…

(Reuters) -Medical device maker Boston Scientific said on Friday it will buy the remaining equity in privately held Nalu Medical for about $533 million in cash, expanding its portfolio of treatments for chronic pain. Boston Scientific has been a strategic investor in Carlsbad, California-based Nalu Medical since 2017, supporting its development of neurostimulation technologies for chronic pain. The deal gives Boston Scientific access to Nalu’s neurostimulation device, designed to deliver targeted relief to adults living with chronic pain in areas such as the shoulder, lower back and knee, through peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). PNS is used primarily to treat chronic…

By Amina Niasse NEW YORK (Reuters) -WeightWatchers said on Monday it will partner with Amazon (AMZN) to deliver medications including injectable GLP-1 obesity treatments for its members, a move the telehealth provider said will make it easier for some customers to receive prescriptions. WeightWatchers customers will be able to check whether their medications are in stock and have the refrigerated drugs delivered more efficiently by using the Amazon Pharmacy option on its website, said WeightWatchers Chief Operating Officer Jon Volkmann. WeightWatchers, also known as WW International (WW), emerged from bankruptcy in July having shed debt and with a plan to…

Open enrollment — the annual window when employees can adjust their benefits — may deliver sticker shock this year. Workers are likely to pay between 6% to 7% more for their 2026 employer-sponsored health insurance, more than double the current rate of inflation, according to a new analysis from consultant Mercer. That means employees could pay about $2,400 next year for single coverage in an employer-provided preferred provider organization, or PPO, the most common type of medical plan, Mercer said. Families would likely face paycheck deductions of $8,900 a year for their coverage, according to the group, whose projections are…

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -The chair of Wegovy maker Novo Nordisk and six other independent board members will step down next month after a dispute over strategy with the drugmaker’s controlling shareholder, the Novo Nordisk Foundation The company said on Tuesday that Helge Lund and the other independent directors would step down at an extraordinary shareholder meeting on November 14. The Foundation said it would propose Lars Rebien Sorensen, a former Novo CEO and current chair of the Foundation, as temporary chairman of the drugmaker for two to three years. Novo ousted CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen in May over concerns that the…

(Reuters) -Blackstone and TPG have agreed to acquire medical diagnostics firm Hologic in an up to $18.3 billion deal, it said on Tuesday, marking one of the largest healthcare take-private transactions this year. Under the agreement, Blackstone and TPG will pay $76 apiece in cash to acquire all outstanding Hologic shares, implying a premium of nearly 6% to stock’s last closing price. Shareholders are also eligible for a non-tradable right to receive up to $3 per share, contingent on certain global revenue goals for its breast health business in fiscal years 2026 and 2027, bringing the total potential payout to…

By Sneha S K and Sriparna Roy (Reuters) -Elevance Health on Tuesday beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit as the health insurer managed to keep medical costs in check, sending its shares 3% higher in premarket trading. Several insurers such as Elevance, UnitedHealth and Centene have warned of elevated costs across government-backed plans following increased demand for healthcare across the United States over the last two years. Despite a dynamic healthcare environment, Elevance’s results were in line with expectations and reflected the company’s disciplined execution across its platforms, CEO Gail Boudreaux said. “As we plan for 2026, we remain…