Inflammatory Disease News and Research

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Gout incidence lower in women than men: Study

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that women with serum uric acid levels over 5 mg/dl had a significantly lower risk of developing gout than men. This study, the first to examine the relationship between uric acid levels and gout risk in women, also evaluated purported risk factors for gout and found that increasing age, obesity, hypertension, alcohol use, and diuretic use to be among leading contributors for women.

30 Mar 2010

Study: Hormone replacement in joint fluid might be beneficial in treating osteoarthritis

German researchers determined that concentrations of the sex hormones, testosterone in men and estrogen in women, may have a positive effect on the regenerative potential of cartilage tissue. The study suggests hormone replacement in the joint fluid of men and women might be beneficial in treating late stages of human osteoarthritis by regenerating damaged tissue.

30 Mar 2010

High fructose corn syrup linked to skyrocketing rates of obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of obesity in the United States have skyrocketed since the introduction of high fructose corn syrup in 1970. In that time, obesity rates have gone from 15 percent of the U.S. population to roughly one-third.

29 Mar 2010

EMA accepts MAA filing of ViroPharma's Cinryze for HAE

ViroPharma Incorporated today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted the filing of its Marketing Authorization Application for Cinryze for acute treatment and prophylaxis against hereditary angioedema, which was submitted through the centralized procedure in March 2010. ViroPharma is seeking European approval for both prevention and treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema.

25 Mar 2010

Portola Pharmaceuticals commences Phase 1 trial of PRT062607 for chronic inflammatory diseases

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has initiated its first in human Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers of PRT062607, a novel, oral Syk-specific kinase inhibitor in development to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and certain cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In preclinical in vivo models of RA, PRT062607 was shown to reduce inflammation in a dose-dependent manner.

23 Mar 2010

Can-Fite BioPharma files patent application for treatment of Uveitis with A3 adenosine receptor ligands

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company, traded on the TASE and developing anti- inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs, announced today the filing of a patent application, in conjunction with the United Stated National Institutes of Health (NIH), for the treatment of Uveitis with its A3 adenosine receptor ligands.

23 Mar 2010

Genes role in protecting intestinal tract from colitis may lead to potential targets for treatment

Scientists report a protein made by a gene already associated with a handful of human inflammatory immune diseases plays a pivotal role in protecting the intestinal tract from colitis.

19 Mar 2010

USPTO allows Regulus Therapeutics' claims covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a for regulating immune response

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed claims in U.S. Application Serial No. 11/977,506 covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a to regulate immune response. This patent is owned by Stanford University and licensed exclusively to Regulus. miR-181a has been shown to regulate the response of immune cells, such as T lymphocytes, to specific stimuli and modulation of miR-181a could lead to a novel treatment of inflammatory disease.

18 Mar 2010

CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves cognitive function of MS patients

CogniFit™, Inc., a leading maker of Brain Fitness Software (www.cognifit.com), announced a new, independent study that shows CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves the cognitive function and skills of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.

16 Mar 2010

Cellzome, GSK form second major alliance to develop new anti-inflammatory drugs

Cellzome today announced that it has formed a second strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). This new collaboration gives GSK exclusive access to Cellzome's proprietary Episphere(TM) technology in the emerging field of epigenetics as applied to immunoinflammatory disease. Epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in controlling immune cell differentiation and inflammatory gene expression during an excessive inflammatory response.

10 Mar 2010

Abbott announces definitive agreement to acquire Facet Biotech

Abbott and Facet Biotech Corporation announced today a definitive agreement for Abbott to acquire Facet, enhancing Abbott's early- and mid-stage pharmaceutical pipeline.

9 Mar 2010

Harvard University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute complete major licensing agreement with Acetylon

Harvard University and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced today that they have concluded a major licensing agreement with Acetylon under which Harvard and Dana-Farber granted an exclusive therapeutic license to a robust platform technology and chemical methodology that enables high-throughput screening and lead optimization for HDAC inhibitor compounds.

9 Mar 2010

Salmonella-infected mice help understand how symptoms of HLH develop

A new University of Colorado at Boulder study shows mice infected with the bacteria salmonella develop clinical signs consistent with a deadly and poorly understood human inflammatory disease, a finding that may lead to new therapies.

26 Feb 2010

Increase in anti-Apo A-I, anti-HDL and anti-CRP may lead to atherosclerosis in SLE patients

A study by researchers in Australia and the United Kingdom suggests that autoantibodies to fat binding proteins significantly increase in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with active disease. This increase in anti-apolipoprotein (anti-Apo A-I), anti-high-density lipoprotein (anti-HDL), and anti-C-reactive protein (anti-CRP) may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis in SLE patients, placing them at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

25 Feb 2010

SSRIs exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and may provide drug development opportunities for RA

A new study found that fluoxetine (Prozac-) and citalopram (Celexa-) treatment significantly inhibited disease progression of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Research led by Sandra Sacre, Ph.D. from the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) in the UK studied the anti-arthritic potential of these drugs, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), most commonly used to treat depression.

25 Feb 2010

Changes in vaginal pH make women more susceptible to infections

Changes in vaginal pH as a result of common “pH triggers” make women more susceptible to infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV). Understanding how the vaginal environment responds to pH fluctuation helps health professionals prevent and treat these conditions.

18 Feb 2010

Pediatric patients face number of cardiac conditions that can impact their health

While heart disease is traditionally associated with adults, pediatric patients face a number of cardiac conditions that can impact their health.

18 Feb 2010

AstraZeneca, Rigel Pharmaceuticals announce exclusive worldwide license agreement for R788

AstraZeneca and Rigel Pharmaceuticals today announced an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the global development and commercialization of fostamatinib disodium (R788), Rigel's late-stage investigational product for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and additional indications.

16 Feb 2010

getSTDtested.com launches "Kiss Chlamydia Goodbye" campaign

getSTDtested.com, a physician driven, STD testing and treatment online clinic today announced a campaign called "Kiss Chlamydia Goodbye" to encourage young women to take action to prevent chlamydia.

12 Feb 2010

Bioactive lipid LPA mediates fibrogenesis in bleomycin mouse model of scleroderma

Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that their collaborators, Andrew Tager, M.D. and Flavia V. Castelino, M.D. of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, will present a preclinical proof-of-concept study which demonstrates that the bioactive lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), through its high affinity LPA1 receptor, is an important mediator of fibrogenesis in the bleomycin mouse model of scleroderma. Data will be presented as part of a poster session for the 1st Systemic Sclerosis World Congress to be held in Florence, Italy, February 11 to 13, 2010.

11 Feb 2010