The US Food and Drug Administration has approved TNKase or Tenecteplase, which is a thrombolytic or clot-dissolving agent, for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke in adults.

Ischemic strokes happen when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your brain. It can cause permanent brain damage and death. If enough brain cells die, you can also lose the abilities or body functions those cells control. They are also the most common types of stroke, with 80% of all strokes being ischemic strokes.

How is TNKase administered?

It is delivered as a single five-second intravenous bolus, which is faster than the standard of care Activase or alteplase, which is administered as an intravenous bolus followed by a 60-minute infusion. The manufacturer of TNKase, Genetech said a new 25-mg vial configuration will also be available in the coming months.

How Was TNKase approved?

The approval came at the backdrop of a study that compared TNKase to Activase in patients with acute ischemic stroke. These patients also presented with a disabling neurological deficit. Results show that TNKase was comparable to Activase in terms of efficacy and safety.

How Common Are These Strokes?

In the United States it self, it affects more than 795,000 people each year and is the leading cause of long-term disability. It is also the fifth leading cause of death. Since brain damage can happen if this progresses rapidly, one needs an immediate, fast-acting medical care.

TNKase thus provide a faster and simpler administration which can be critical for anyone. The chief medical officer and head of global product development at Genetech, Levi Garraway, MD., PhD., said, "Today's approval is a significant step forward and underscores our commitment to advancing stroke treatment options for patients."

What Are The Symptoms Of Ischemic Strokes?

Some of the most common symptoms include weakness or paralysis on one side of your face and body. You may also feel trouble speaking or have loss of speech, also known as aphasia. You may faced slurred or garbled speaking, also known as dysarthria. Other symptoms include loss of muscle control on one side of your face, or sudden worsening or loss of your senses, including vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Other symptoms include:

• Loss of coordination or clumsiness
• Blurry vision or double vision
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Nausea and vomiting
• Neck stiffness
• Mood swings or sudden personality changes
• Confusion or agitation
• Seizures
• Memory loss (amnesia)
• Headaches which are sudden and severe
• Passing out or fainting
• Coma

Are There Any Warning Signs?

While these are symptoms one has who is prone to this condition. However, often, many may confuse it with other illnesses. It is best to keep an eye out for warning signs. These could be looking out for yourself or your loved one. Note if there is a sudden loss of balance. Look out for sudden vision loss or changes in one or both eyes. Look for a droop on one or both sides of your face, especially when you smile. Raise both arms and see if one arm sags or drops in a way it usually does not. Note for your speech. Are you as fluent? Are you have trouble speaking? If you see any of such signs, start tracking it and talk to your healthcare provider.

A Phase 3 trial of the new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate VPM1002, sponsored by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, has fallen short of showing that it is as effective as the over 100-year-old BCG vaccine at preventing TB infection in newborns, according to results published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

VPM1002 is a live recombinant vaccine created by genetically modifying BCG. It was originally developed in Germany and licensed to the Serum Institute of India.

The trial compared VPM1002 with BCG in newborns across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa and Gabon.

What Did The Trial Find?

• VPM1002 did not meet the criteria for non-inferiority compared with BCG.
• After a median follow-up of 35 months, QFT conversion (an indicator of TB infection) occurred in 5.3% of infants given VPM1002 versus 4.3% given BCG.
• VPM1002 also failed to meet non-inferiority criteria for other endpoints, including microbiologically confirmed TB.
• No vaccine-related serious adverse events were reported.

“The results favored BCG over VPM1002 across the efficacy endpoints,” said the research team, which included Videlis Nduba of the Kenya Medical Research Institute and Center for Respiratory Disease Research.

The VPM1002 group had more QFT conversions (184 vs 150), confirmed TB cases (18 vs six), unconfirmed TB cases (92 vs 53) and sustained QFT conversions (44 vs 33), researchers said.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The trial included healthy newborns aged 0–14 days weighing at least 2.3 kg.

• 6,940 newborns were randomized; 6,897 received vaccination.
• Of those randomized, 720 were born to mothers living with HIV, while 6,220 were HIV-unexposed.
• The trial ran from November 2020 to June 2022.

Trial Limitations

The trial recorded only 334 of the 632 planned TB infection events. Researchers also noted that TB blood-test results did not always match confirmed TB infections, while more infants in the VPM1002 group had household TB exposure.

“In this paper, what the researchers have measured is developing ‘TB infection’ after vaccination. This does not mean that all babies had TB disease,” said Dr Swathi Krishna, a TB researcher in Maharashtra who was not part of the study.

“A slightly higher number of babies in the VPM group developed infection as compared to the BCG group. This does not explicitly mean that VPM is inferior to BCG, but it falls short of proving its ability in this particular study,” she told HealthandMe.

Why New TB Vaccines Are Needed

BCG, introduced in 1921, remains the only licensed TB vaccine. While it protects children against severe TB, its effectiveness against pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults varies.

VPM1002 is one of 17 TB vaccine candidates in development. TB affected an estimated 10.7 million people and killed 1.2 million globally in 2024.

“There is an urgent need for new tuberculosis vaccines” that are effective across age groups and can be produced at scale, the researchers wrote.

Helen McShane, professor of vaccinology at the University of Oxford, said the findings show that “there are no obvious shortcuts in tuberculosis vaccine efficacy trials.”

Previous Study Of VPM1002 And Immuvac

A Phase 3 trial published in The British Medical Journal in April found:

• Both vaccines could be safe for adults and children in India.
• Neither provided general protection against TB or prevented latent TB infection.
• Both showed an ability to prevent progression to active TB among those who developed latent TB.
• VPM1002 showed 50.4% effectiveness against extrapulmonary TB across all age groups.

India’s food safety regulator has issued notices to two five-star hotels in Delhi’s Aerocity after inspections uncovered a string of food safety, hygiene, storage and licensing violations, including expired food, pest activity and improper handling practices.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) inspected Andaz Delhi and JW Marriott and found serious violations of food safety and hygiene laws. Samples were collected from both properties, upon which further action will be taken.

87 Kg Expired Sweets Found At Andaz Delhi

At Andaz Delhi, inspectors found around 87 kg of expired sweets in the confectionery area, which were destroyed on the spot. Expired cake bases and bread packets were also among them.

The inspectors also saw pest infestation including cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and spider webs, along with poor waste management, inadequate temperature monitoring and improper food storage.

Officials also reported concerns over the segregation of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, including cutting boards for both food categories being kept together in the same water container.

Samples of items including ghee, mayonnaise, coconut milk powder, dal, tomato sauce, marmalade and cookies were collected for testing.

Also read: FSSAI Flags Food Firms For Misleading ‘100%’, ‘Energy Drink’, Immunity Claims

59 Deficiencies At JW Marriott

The inspection at JW Marriott, which continued for about two days, recorded 59 deficiencies. These included licensing and labelling problems, unclean utensils and food-contact surfaces, pest activity and improper storage.

Inspectors also spotted fungus-affected apples, rotten tomatoes, uncovered food, damaged storage containers and cut vegetables that were not stored properly.

Also read: Ahead Of Raksha Bandhan & Janmashtami, FSSAI Destroys 490 Kg Sweets, 275 Kg Paneer In UP Due To Poor Hygiene

Hotels Respond To FSSAI Notices

Andaz Delhi's spokesperson said that it had reviewed the deficiencies from an FSSAI inspection conducted in June, reinforced its food safety and hygiene practices and submitted its compliance response.

Its spokesperson said, "Health, safety and well-being of our guests and colleagues remain our highest priority."

JW Marriott also said it is committed to guest wellbeing and maintains “rigorous food safety, hygiene and quality standards.”

Also read: FSSAI Orders Halt Of Ghee Sales Amid Adulteration Crackdown: How To Spot Fake Ghee & Its Effects On Your Health

FSSAI’s Recent Crackdowns

The action against the five-star properties comes amid a much wider food-safety enforcement drive across India. Earlier this month, inspections in Bengaluru targeted multiple five-star hotels, where officials found expired meat, milk and sauces, as well as vegetables with fungal growth.

More than 30 notices went to food-service establishments including KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Costa Coffee, while five Domino’s licences were suspended.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has witnessed one of the most aggressive state-level food safety drives under FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, with more than 3,000 raids and inspections reported since he took charge in May.

The action has targeted restaurants, hotels, warehouses and major food chains, with licences suspended where serious violations were found. Mundhe told Reuters, "Those who try to not comply, they will face what is expected from the regulator. You are dealing with the lives of people."

Pennsylvania has reported the first two measles-related deaths of 2026 in the US, both involving unvaccinated individuals. One was reportedly an infant, while details about the second person have not been released.

While the cause of the infant’s death is disputed, Lancaster County Coroner confirmed that measles antibodies were found in postmortem testing, raising significant concerns

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), the deaths mark the first measles-related deaths in the state in 35 years.

Pennsylvania Reports 424 Measles Cases

Pennsylvania is among the hardest-hit states in the US outbreak, with 424 cases reported across 28 counties, including 94 in the past week. At least 73 people have been hospitalized with measles complications.

Lancaster County has reported 197 confirmed cases. The county also has a low MMR vaccination rate, with coverage falling from 95.5% in 2017 to 87.6% last year. Local physicians and health officials say the actual case count is likely higher.

Infants Face Higher Risk

The first MMR dose is recommended at 12 to 15 months, followed by a second dose at 4 to 6 years.

“The real vulnerability is in infants between 6 and 11 months of age, as maternal antibody is waning and they haven’t gotten their first dose of the MMR vaccine,” said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Dallas.

In areas with high measles exposure, health authorities may recommend an early MMR dose from 6 months of age. This was done during last year’s Texas outbreak, when two unvaccinated girls died of measles.

Questions Over the Reported Deaths

Gov. Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Debra Bogen announced the two deaths at a Tuesday press conference in Lancaster County and urged people to get vaccinated.

“We hope and we pray that those deaths will be the last,” Shapiro said. “This illness and death from measles is completely preventable.”

The state initially withheld details, citing privacy concerns. The lack of information prompted questions from local officials and lawmakers.

Republican Sen. Scott Martin said the announcement had not been independently verified. Republican Rep. Dave Zimmerman called for more information, while county commissioner Josh Parsons said the local coroner could not confirm any measles deaths.

Coroner Says Infant Did Not Die From Measles

The state confirmed information about the infant’s death on Wednesday after Lancaster County Coroner Stephen Diamantoni said his office was investigating a newborn who tested positive for measles and died from a ruptured spleen.

Diamantoni said the newborn died shortly after birth from a laceration of the spleen, not measles, although measles antibodies were found in postmortem testing.

“The newborn had measles” but did not “die of measles,” Parsons said, citing the coroner.

No details have been released about the second person whose death was announced by the state.

Shapiro, Kennedy Clash Over Vaccination Rates

Shapiro blamed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s policies and rhetoric for contributing to outbreaks.

Kennedy rejected the claim, saying Pennsylvania’s vaccination decline began before his tenure and arguing that distrust created during the Covid-19 pandemic had weakened confidence in vaccines.

US Reports 2,777 Measles Cases

The US has confirmed 2,777 measles cases this year, the highest number in 35 years.

Measles has been considered eliminated in the US since 2000 because it has not continuously spread for a year. The Pan American Health Organization is expected to decide in November whether the US has lost its elimination status.