J&J, Bayer, Sanofi, GE: This Week in Healthcare

1. Johnson & Johnson, AOA Reveal Menopause Eye Health Gap

October marks the beginning of global Menopause Awareness Month, a moment dedicated to recognising the effects menopause has on billions of lives, careers and overall health.

But despite advocacy efforts, many common menopause symptoms receive improper recognition – leading women to overlook signs of healthcare decline and delay treatment. 

Following a global study conducted with Ipsos, Johnson & Johnson has revealed findings that indicate menopausal women fail to recognise optical health decline as a symptom of midlife hormonal changes. 

Of the women surveyed, 60% did not consider that changes to their vision could be related to menopause. 82% confirmed they had not pursued optometric care for issues like irritated eyes and blurred vision. 

"These findings highlight a broader issue in women’s health. Too often, important aspects of health and healthy aging can be overlooked or addressed in isolation,” says Teri K. Geist, President of the American Optometric Association (AOA). 

"We’re thrilled to collaborate with Johnson & Johnson to bring greater awareness to this often-overlooked connection and help make eye health a more routine part of the conversation around women’s lifelong health.”

2. UK Government Backs Plan for Healthcare AI Regulation

The UK Government has accepted all 44 recommendations from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare, following the publication of its report on 10 September 2026.

Outlining how medical AI regulation should evolve across UK healthcare, the report followed an extensive public consultation process involving more than 12,000 clinicians and patients. 

The National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare is an advisory body established by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to review current regulations and provide recommendations for a regulatory framework for AI in healthcare.

Commenting on the UK Government’s acceptance of the recommendations, Lawrence Tallon, the MHRA’s CEO, says: “The independent National AI Commission, led by NHS doctors, has given us a clear and ambitious blueprint for how we make the UK the best place to get AI products to patients safely, quickly and in a way that maintains public trust.  

“I am pleased that today the Government is accepting its recommendations in full, whilst setting out a clear plan and oversight structure to deliver them.”

3. Inside GE HealthCare’s Photon-Counting CT Technology

In its latest regulatory win, GE HealthCare has secured a CE Mark for Photonova Spectra, which indicates that a product meets high safety, health and environmental protection requirements for sale within the European Economic Area (EEA).

Photonova Spectra is the company’s photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) system powered by proprietary Deep Silicon detector technology.

The regulatory milestone follows US FDA 510(k) clearance and Japanese regulatory approval earlier in 2026, paving the way for commercial activities and wider access to the technology across EEA markets. 

Photonova Spectra is designed to combine ultra-high-definition anatomical imaging with spectral information, giving clinicians additional data from CT examinations. 

For Chad Rowland, Executive Director of Global CT at GE HealthCare, the significance of the technology lies in the additional information it could provide when conventional CT images leave clinical questions unanswered.

“Today, clinicians can often see an abnormality on a CT image but may not have enough information to determine what they’re seeing,” Chad says. “In complex cases, it can be difficult to distinguish between materials or identify subtle tissue differences.

"PCCT is designed to address that challenge by capturing both high-resolution anatomical detail and spectral information in the same acquisition,” he explains.

4. Bayer to Invest US$2.2bn in Ohio Manufacturing Facility

The US is set for another multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical manufacturing facility after Bayer announced it will begin constructing a US$2.2bn “flexible, modular campus” in New Albany, Ohio.

Bayer’s latest investment builds on more than US$7bn invested in US pharmaceutical R&D and manufacturing over the last five years. 

A slew of other pharmaceutical giants have pledged similar investments into the US manufacturing ecosystem in 2025 and 2026, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Roche.

Commenting on the planned facility, Bayer’s Global Chief Operating Officer Sebastian Guth writes on LinkedIn: “This new site is the next step in our journey, expanding Bayer’s capacity to manufacture high-quality medicines at scale and closer to the patients who need them."

He continues: “I see this investment from both a US and global perspective: It strengthens our presence in one of Bayer’s most important growth markets while helping us bring our next generation of medicines to patients around the world.”

5. Sanofi and Regeneron Confirm US$8bn Partnership Renewal

Sanofi and Regeneron’s partnership is well-established and highly productive, having delivered one of the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest success stories in Dupixent.

The blockbuster anti-inflammatory drug used by millions across the globe is used to treat a range of conditions, including eczema, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, the companies are renewing their long-standing collaboration, with hopes of building on their track record in immunology.

The renewal involves US$1bn in upfront payments to Regeneron, alongside up to US$7bn in milestone-related payments.

Regeneron is a US biotechnology company developing medicines across immunology, oncology, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases and genetic medicine.

Commenting on the partnership on LinkedIn, Sanofi CEO Belén Garijo says, “What started 20 years ago as a bold bet has become one of the most productive partnerships in our industry. Together, we have transformed how we treat diseases driven by type 2 inflammation and built a world-leading immunology business in the process.

“What excites me most is that we are not resting on that achievement. We are doubling down to deliver therapies that will matter deeply to patients living with immune-mediated diseases and to build a pipeline that will define our future.”