The initial public offerings (IPOs) in the biopharmaceutical sector surged 68.4 per cent to reach $8.52 billion globally in 2024, according to a new report.

The sector saw an upturn in 2024, with 50 completed IPOs raising $8.52 billion, from $5.06 billion raised in 2023 and marking the highest total IPO value raised since 2021.

This rebound, driven by US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, marks the highest total since 2021, said GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

While cautious, investors are showing increased interest in companies with strong clinical data, signalling a recovery in the public markets and a shift toward more advanced-stage biopharmaceuticals.

Zambia confirmed its second mpox-related death as the cumulative cases reached 49 in the southern African country.

Minister of Health Elijah Muchima said on Thursday that the second mpox-related death, involving a 10-year-old child, was recorded in Mpika District, Muchinga Province.

The country recorded its first mpox-related death last month after reporting its first mpox case in October last year.

In remarks delivered during an update press briefing, the minister said the country recorded 13 new cases between April 2 and 15, bringing the total number to 49, with cases reported in six of the country's 10 provinces so far.

Indian pharmaceutical companies are ramping up efforts to expand their footprint in the lucrative US oncology generics market, which is currently valued at $145 billion and growing at a robust pace of 11 per cent annually, according to a new report.

In recent months, several Indian drugmakers have secured approvals from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for generic versions of cancer drugs which marked a steady increase in the entry of complex generics and biosimilars into the American market.

With oncology emerging as one of the fastest-growing therapy segments globally, Indian firms are positioning themselves to tap into this high-value space by leveraging their strength in affordable manufacturing, technical expertise, and increasing regulatory approvals, the report said.

Medical experts on Friday emphasised the critical link between dietary habits and liver health, saying that healthy changes today can cut liver disease risk by 50 per cent.

Ahead of the World Liver Day which falls on April 19, healthcare experts said that food is medicine, as cases of liver diseases among both urban and rural populations rise in the country.

Doctors said that liver disease is no longer confined to alcohol abuse — there is a worrying rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to unhealthy eating patterns, obesity, and lack of exercise.

A recent large-scale study published in Frontiers in Nutrition has reinforced the critical role of diet in liver health.

Hackers could exploit genomic data vulnerabilities using next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technology, warns a study on Thursday urging the need to secure it.

The powerful sequencing tool NGS is used for the development of tailor-made medicines, cancer diagnostics, infectious disease tracking, and gene research.

Researchers from the University of Portsmouth, UK, raised concerns over how the tool can be exploited for data breaches, privacy violations, and even future biothreats by hackers.

While the steps are essential for generating accurate results, they also open up multiple points of vulnerability. As many DNA datasets are openly accessible online, the study warns cybercriminals can misuse the information for surveillance, manipulation, or malicious experimentation, said the researchers in the study published in the journal IEEE Access.

Boosting awareness, early diagnosis, and improving access to care is crucial to fight haemophilia and other bleeding disorders in the country, said Union Minister JP Nadda on World Haemophilia Day on Thursday.

World Haemophilia Day is observed every year on April 17 to raise awareness about bleeding disorders. The theme this year is: "Access for all: Women and Girls Bleed Too".

Haemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder where blood does not clot properly, even in minor injuries.

“On #WorldHaemophiliaDay, let’s raise awareness about haemophilia and other bleeding disorders, promote early diagnosis, and improve access to care,” said Nadda, in a post on social media platform X.

“This year’s theme -- “Access for All: Women and Girls Bleed Too” -- urges us to recognise the unique challenges faced by women and girls and ensure inclusive, equitable healthcare for all,” he added.

Stem cell therapies are a safe and effective way of treating Parkinson's disease, according to results of two independent clinical trials.

The two papers, published in the journal Nature, investigated the use of cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells and human embryonic stem cells, respectively.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by the progressive loss of neurons that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter.

Although current treatments, such as ʟ-dopa, can alleviate symptoms in the early stages, their efficacy declines, and they are often accompanied by side effects such as dyskinesia (involuntary movements).

However, the studies found that cell therapy could replenish dopamine-producing (dopaminergic) neurons in the brain. This provided a potentially more effective treatment with fewer adverse effects.

The first phase I/II trial led by researchers from Kyoto University in Japan focussed on seven patients

As many as 561 measles cases have been confirmed in the second largest US state of Texas, as the outbreak continues to grow nationwide, according to figures issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

As many as 20 new cases were reported over the last five days, and at least 58 patients associated with measles have been hospitalised so far, said the DSHS.

"Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities," the DSHS said on Tuesday.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday confirmed 712 measles cases this year in at least 24 states, about 97 per cent of them are in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

Certain common genetic changes may explain why some people with focal epilepsy become less responsive to seizure medications, finds a new global study.

Focal epilepsy is a condition where seizures start in one part of the brain. It is the most common type of epilepsy.

Antiseizure medication is usually prescribed for people with the condition. However, for one in three people with epilepsy (around 20 million individuals worldwide), current antiseizure medications are ineffective. This means that people will continue to have seizures despite taking medication -- a condition called "drug resistance."

It is associated with additional significant health risks in epilepsy, including a higher risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, alongside substantially higher healthcare costs.

The death toll of the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has risen to 127, public health authorities said.

A total of 674 confirmed cases have been recorded from 4,025 suspected cases reported since the onset of the outbreak in January, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said in a statement on Tuesday.

Eighteen out of the 36 states in the most populous African country have been affected by the viral hemorrhagic disease so far this year, with the southern states of Ondo and Edo and the northern state of Bauchi the worst-hit, accounting for more than 70 per cent of the total confirmed cases, the NCDC said.

The NCDC put the case fatality rate at 18.8 per cent, slightly higher than the 18.5 per cent reported during the same period in 2024.

If you are having ice-cold feet and feel heaviness in the legs it may indicate the presence of varicose veins -- swollen, twisted, and enlarged veins in legs or ankles, according to a study.

Varicose veins are usually caused by impaired functioning of the deep or superficial veins, and the perforator veins (short veins that link the superficial and deep venous systems in the legs).

The prevalence of varicose veins ranges from 2 to 30 per cent in adults, with women at higher risk. Typical symptoms include sensations of heaviness, aching, throbbing, and itching; restlessness in the legs; fluid retention and swelling; muscle cramps; and leg ulcers in severe cases.

People suffering from chronic pain -- or pain that lasts at least three months -- may be up to four times more likely to experience depression, according to a study.

Almost 30 per cent of people worldwide suffer from a chronic pain condition such as low back pain and migraines, and one in three of these patients also report co-existing pain conditions.

The study published in the journal Science Advances shows that having chronic pain in multiple parts of the body was linked to a greater risk of depression than having pain at a single site.

People with a certain heart valve abnormality may be at an increased risk of developing severe heart rhythm disorders also known as arrhythmias, according to a study on Tuesday.

Researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden showed that the valve abnormality called Mitral annular disjunction (MAD) increases the risk of ventricular arrhythmias -- a dangerous type of heart rhythm disorder that, in the worst case, can lead to cardiac arrest.

The team found that the risk of arrhythmias persists even after successful valve surgery.

MAD is often associated with a heart disease called mitral valve prolapse, which affects 2.5 per cent of the population and causes one of the heart's valves to leak. This can lead to blood being pumped backward in the heart, causing heart failure and arrhythmias. The disease can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and palpitations.

A new pill has shown promise against antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea -- a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) --, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet.

Cases of drug-resistant gonorrhoea have been increasing rapidly in recent years. If not treated promptly, gonorrhoea can result in serious complications, especially for women, in whom it can lead to increased risks of ectopic pregnancy and infertility.

The new pill gepotidacin -- developed by British drugmaker GSK and currently approved to treat urinary tract infections -- could be the new treatment against gonorrhoea, as there have been no new antibiotics since the 1990s for the STI.

The phase 3 trial, including 622 patients, found that gepotidacin is as effective as the current standard treatment for treating the infection.

A team of Candian researchers has found plasticisers called phthalates, flame retardants, and other harmful chemicals in mattresses of babies and young children who are likely to breathe and absorb these while sleeping, increasing several health risks.

Researchers from the University of Toronto said these chemicals are linked to neurological and reproductive problems, asthma, hormone disruption, and cancer.

"Sleep is vital for brain development, particularly for infants and toddlers. However, our research suggests that many mattresses contain chemicals that can harm kids’ brains,” said Miriam Diamond, Professor at the University of Toronto.

“This is a wake-up call for manufacturers and policymakers to ensure our children’s beds are safe and support healthy brain development,” she added.

The review of studies is published in the journals Environmental Science and Technology and Environmental Science and Technology Letters.

Treating patients earlier with a combination of statins and the cholesterol-lowering drug ezetimibe could prevent thousands of new heart attacks, strokes, and death over a decade, according to a new study.

Cardiovascular disease is by far the most common cause of death worldwide, with heart attack (myocardial infarction) being the most common acute event.

For those who survive a heart attack, the risk of a new heart attack is most significant in the first year after the initial event because the blood vessels are more sensitive, making it easier for blood clots to develop.

Reducing LDL or “bad” cholesterol in the blood can stabilise changes in the vessels, decreasing the risk for new events, said researchers from Lund University in Sweden and Imperial College London.

Imbalance in the digestive system may disrupt brain signals and influence behavioural symptoms in children with autism, according to a study on Monday.

Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) demonstrated that gut metabolites impact the brain, and the brain, in turn, affects behaviour.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, adds to a growing body of science implicating the “gut-brain” axis in autism.

“The brain acts as the intermediary between gut health and autism-related behaviours,” said first author Lisa Aziz-Zadeh, Professor at the Brain and Creativity Institute at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.

Eating bananas or broccoli, rich in potassium, may effectively help lower hypertension -- affecting over 30 per cent of adults globally, according to a study on Monday.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is the leading cause of coronary heart disease and stroke and may also lead to other afflictions like chronic kidney disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and dementia.

Researchers from the University of Waterloo, Canada, found that increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for curbing blood pressure levels than simply reducing sodium intake.

"Usually, when we have high blood pressure, we are advised to eat less salt," said Anita Layton, Professor of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Pharmacy and Biology at the University of Waterloo.

Mongolia's National Centre for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) confirmed 11 new cases of measles infection, raising the national tally to 506.

More than half of the latest confirmed cases were among school-age children who have had only one shot of the measles vaccine, the NCCD said in a statement.

In this regard, the NCCD advised parents to protect their children from a potentially severe disease by getting them two doses of the measles vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted by respiratory droplets and direct contact, news agency reported.

Common complications include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflamed eyes.

According to the World Health Organisation, measles spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can cause severe disease, complications, and even death.

Celltrion, a major South Korean biopharmaceutical firm, on Monday said it has obtained an interchangeability approval for its biosimilar drug for autoimmune disease treatment in the United States.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Celltrion's biosimilar Yuflyma as interchangeable medicine for its original drug Humira in the US, Yonhap news agency reported.

Interchangeability approval is a designation given to drugs that can be substituted for another drug at pharmacies without doctors' prescriptions.

The global Humira market reached 12.59 trillion won ($8.99 billion) last year, with nearly 80 percent of the sales in the U.S. market, the company said in a statement.

Celltrion expects the interchangeability approval will help drive up its Yuflyma sales in the world's biggest pharmaceutical market.

While the risk of cardiovascular outcomes following SARS-CoV-2 infection has been reported in adults, a new study showed that children and adolescents are also likely to develop multiple cardiac signs and symptoms.

The evidence of heart disease post-Covid infection in children and adolescents is limited.

The study, led by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, revealed children and adolescents remained at risk of cardiovascular disease, including higher odds of high blood pressure and heart failure, between one to six months after Covid-19 infection.

The team analysed electronic health records (EHR) data from 19 children’s hospitals and health institutions in the US between March 2020 and September 2023.

A team of UK researchers has found the potential of interleukin-6 (IL-6) as a powerful diagnostic biomarker for the early detection of sepsis in high-risk patient groups, including neonates, children, and pregnant women.

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition resulting from the immune system's overreaction to infection, remains a leading global cause of mortality, accounting for an estimated 11 million deaths annually.

Young children, especially those under five, and pregnant women are highly vulnerable due to immunological changes and increased susceptibility.

Adults with respiratory syncytial virus-associated acute respiratory infection (RSV-ARI) are likely to be at a 2.7-fold higher risk of death within one year, warned a study.

RSV-ARI refers to a group of illnesses caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- a common and highly contagious virus that primarily affects the respiratory tract.

The study presented at the Congress of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global 2025) in Austria, is based on an analysis of data from 5,289 adults (over 18 years) diagnosed with RSV-ARI between 2011 and 2022 in Denmark. They were compared to 15,867 matched controls from the general population and followed up to a year after RSV-ARI onset.

Israeli researchers have developed a new RNA-based blood test for detecting Parkinson's disease long before symptoms emerge.

Parkinson's is often diagnosed only after significant brain damage has occurred, when most relevant neurons are already lost, underscoring the need for early detection.

The new method, detailed in the journal Nature Aging, measures specific RNA fragments in the blood, news agency reported.

It focuses on two key biomarkers: a repetitive RNA sequence that accumulates in Parkinson's patients, and mitochondrial RNA -- which declines as the disease progresses, said the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU).

The Delhi Police dismantled a gambling racket in the city's Vasant Vihar area, apprehending four gamblers and recovering over Rs 31,000 in cash, carbon papers and notepads from their possession.

The operation, undertaken by South-West Delhi Police, followed secret inputs received by a Sub-Inspector on Wednesday, in its bid to identify and dismantle spots of organised crime.

The four gamblers arrested by the Anti Auto Theft Squad (AATS) of Delhi Police have been identified as Pappu Bagh, Sanjay, Mandeep Kumar Gupta and Karan, all in the age bracket of 25-31 years.

North Korea's maternal mortality rate was estimated at 67 per 100,000 live births in 2023, a number dramatically lower than in 2000 but nearly 17 times higher than South Korea's figure, a report showed Friday.

The figures were released in a recent report on maternal mortality estimates, jointly published by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank Group and other international organizations, news agency reported.

The report defines maternal mortality as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of a pregnancy.

An international team of researchers from Israel, the US, and China has developed a genetic method to reprogramme a type of immune cell, turning them from cancer promoters to inhibitors.

The team, led by Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, focused on macrophages -- a type of immune cell that can induce immune responses. But in many cancers, macrophages become allies that protect the tumour, help it grow, and even aid in spreading it to other tissues, news agency reported.

Using advanced gene-editing tools and artificial intelligence, the researchers analysed human tumour samples and identified 120 genes potentially responsible for the transformation.

“Macrophages are highly versatile cells, sort of a ‘Swiss knife’ of the immune system, capable of activating multiple types of functions for different tasks and in different situations,” said Prof. Ido Amit, a faculty member of Weizmann’s Systems Immunology Department.

Health authorities of Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) have issued a public health alert for Legionnaires' disease in central Sydney.

The NSW health department said that five people with recent cases of confirmed Legionnaires' disease all visited Sydney's CDB during their exposure period.

The alert said that the five patients developed symptoms between March 30 and April 4 after spending time in central Sydney, reports news agency.

It said that "no single source" of the infection has been identified, and it is possible that the cases are "unrelated" but that an investigation of a potential source area is underway.

Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia caused by infection with Legionella bacteria, which is found naturally in freshwater. Symptoms typically develop between 2-10 days after exposure and can initially include headaches, fever and a mild cough.

Suffering from migraine headaches and body pain? Blame your poor oral health, according to a study on Wednesday.

The study, which focussed on women, identified specific oral microbes correlated with certain pain conditions. It also suggested a potential relationship between the oral microbiome and the nervous system.

The research examined associations between self-reported oral health, the oral microbiome, and various pain presentations in a group of 67 women from New Zealand with and without fibromyalgia -- a chronic condition characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

The results, published in the journal Frontiers in Pain Research, showed that lower oral health was a statistically significant predictor of frequent and chronic migraine.

Early detection and proper management is crucial for babies born with a birth defect called antenatal hydronephrosis -- a condition where kidneys get swollen due to water accumulation while in the womb --, said experts emphasising the need for raising awareness.

Antenatal hydronephrosis is a common disease, with one or two cases in every 100 pregnancies. It occurs when a foetus develops swelling in one or both kidneys due to urine buildup.

While the initial discovery may cause worry, doctors believe that this condition is often manageable with proper monitoring and care.

“With appropriate follow-up and care, the majority of infants with antenatal hydronephrosis grow up healthy with normal kidney function,” said Dr Prabudh Goel, additional professor, paediatrics surgery, at AIIMS-Delhi.

A three-year-old girl in western Mexico died after contracting avian influenza A (H5N1), becoming the country's first fatal human case of the disease, health authorities said.

The deceased patient tested positive on April 1 and died at 1:35 am local time (0735 GMT) on Tuesday due to respiratory complications caused by the infection.

Local authorities traced the patient's contacts and no additional human cases have been identified, news agency reported.

The bird flu is a viral disease that affects birds, mammals and occasionally humans, the ministry said.

Globally, 464 fatal human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus have been reported in 24 countries over the past two decades, according to the WHO.

UK researchers have found that one in 3,000 people could be carrying a defective gene that significantly raises their risk of having a punctured lung.

Punctured lung -- known as pneumothorax -- is caused by an air leak in the lung, resulting in painful lung deflation and shortness of breath.

In a study, encompassing more than 550,000 people, researchers from the University of Cambridge discovered that between one in 2,710 and one in 4,190 individuals carry a particular variant of gene FLCN that raises the risk of Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome.

Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome is a rare, inherited disorder characterised by benign skin tumours, lung cysts, and an increased risk of kidney cancer. However, not every case of punctured lung is caused by a fault in the FLCN gene.

Good food, sleep, and exercise are crucial for better health, said the government on Monday on World Health Day.

World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year. The theme this year is Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures.

“This #WorldHealthDay, let’s commit to small healthy habits for a brighter, stronger future,” the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shared in a post on social media platform X.

In a video posted along the post, the ministry advised people to eat good food, with more fruits and vegetables; to move more, and sit less.

“Walk, run, dance, or stretch for 30 minutes a day to stay fit,” the ministry said

People who are obese, particularly severely obese, could be at an increased risk of experiencing 16 common health conditions including obstructive sleep apnoea, Type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, according to a study.

Severe obesity, also known as Class III obesity or morbid obesity, is defined by a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with obesity-related health conditions. It is known to pose significant health risks.

Obesity is a known risk factor for adverse health outcomes involving multiple organ systems.

However, previous studies have analysed conditions individually, limiting understanding of obesity's total health burden. External validity has also been limited by the underrepresentation of individuals with class III obesity and of diverse demographic groups, said the researchers from the Johns Hopkins University in the US.

A woman died almost every two minutes, or more than 700 women died daily from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth in 2023, according to data from the UN and World Health Organization on World Health Day on Monday.

World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year. The theme this year Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, urges governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and to prioritise women’s longer-term health and well-being.

The report titled Trends in maternal mortality shows a 40 per cent global decline in maternal mortality ratio (MMR, number of maternal deaths per 100 000 live births) between 2000 and 2023.