Biotech news, week of September 7, 2026

Reports ran from 22:08 UTC on Sep 8 to 17:00 UTC on Sep 9.

The outlets that reported this event are listed with links to their reports; no summary of ours passed our automated checks for it, which says nothing about the event (how they work).

Reported by timesunion.com, orlandosentinel.com, MedPage Today and whec.com.

Reported by manilatimes.net and thestarphoenix.com.

• ACT Ecolabel
• My Green Lab

Machine summary Protagonist's board authorized a $300 million repurchase, backed by $849.5 million in cash and royalty streams from two FDA-approved drugs. Protagonist Therapeutics announced a $300 million share repurchase program. Partnered products generate milestone and royalty income.

1. Board authorized up to $300 million in share repurchases of Protagonist Therapeutics common stock.
2. On June 30, 2026, Protagonist held cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities worth $849.5 million.
3. The repurchase program does not require the company to acquire any particular number of shares, and it may be altered, halted, or stopped at any time.

Reported by Seeking Alpha and finanznachrichten.de.

• Protagonist Therapeutics

Reported by Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Times Argus, MedPage Today and chicagotribune.com.

• mifepristone

Machine summary Research presented at the European Respiratory Society in Spain found that semaglutide was associated with fewer asthma attacks and COPD flare-ups, according to reports. Professor Chloe Bloom said the results are not enough to recommend the medications specifically as treatment for asthma or COPD.

Reported by turnto23.com and Abc 15.

• Semaglutide
• European Respiratory Society

Machine summary On September 10, the CDC put out a health alert that pointed to a 17% rise in inquiries about rabies between July and August relative to the same months a year earlier.

1. The CDC said rabies-related inquiries rose 17% from July through August compared with the same period last year.
2. The CDC said rabies spreads primarily through bites or scratches from infected animals, with common U.S. carriers including raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes.
3. According to the CDC, post-exposure prophylaxis consists of multiple rabies vaccines along with human rabies immune globulin, and it is close to 100% effective when given promptly.
4. The CDC's advisory noted a 33% rise in the use of rabies vaccines and a 76% rise in immunoglobulins this year.

Reported by iHeartRadio.

• Human rabies immune globulin
• Post-exposure prophylaxis

Machine summary Former Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas, who announced he was HIV positive in 2019, came to Rio de Janeiro this summer for the International AIDS Conference and the Tackle HIV campaign, according to reports.

1. Gareth Thomas, a former Welsh rugby star who announced he was HIV positive in 2019, came to Rio de Janeiro this summer to participate in the International AIDS Conference and the Tackle HIV campaign, the reports state.
2. Thomas said, according to the reports, "People are still afraid of those three letters," referring to HIV.
3. According to the reports, Brazil has close to 1.1 million people living with HIV—the highest figure in Latin America—and discrimination is still one of the largest barriers to ending AIDS as a threat to public health in the country.

Reported by kalw.org, wvxu.org, knpr.org, krwg.org, kenw.org and capeandislands.org.

• International AIDS Conference
• Tackle HIV
• HIV