Hepatology News and Research

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Hepatology is the branch of medicine that incorporates study of liver, gallbladder, biliary tree and pancreas as well as management of their disorders.

Telbivudine prevents HBV transmission from mothers to newborns: Study

Researchers studied the treatment of pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) with Telbivudine in their second to third trimesters. The study concluded that both the mothers benefited from treatment and no transmission of HBV to newborns was detected at 28 weeks postbirth.

1 Nov 2010

Vertex reports superior SVR rates with telaprevir-based combination therapy in Phase 3 studies for hepatitis C

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced new data from its Phase 3 studies of people with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C who have not been treated previously. In these studies, the majority of people achieved superior sustained viral response (SVR or viral cure) rates with a telaprevir-based combination regimen, compared to current therapies, regardless of race/ethnicity or stage of liver fibrosis (factors known to limit response to current hepatitis C treatments).

1 Nov 2010

Medivir's partner Tibotec reports Week 24 interim results from TMC435 Phase 2b study in HCV

Medivir AB, the research-based speciality pharmaceutical company focused on the development of high-value treatments for infectious diseases, notes that its development partner, Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, has announced the results of a Week-24 planned interim analysis of the Phase 2 response-guided PILLAR study for TMC435, Medivir's key pipeline asset, a hepatitis C protease inhibitor dosed once-daily.

1 Nov 2010

Intentional foreign body ingestion results in over $2 million hospital costs: Study

A new study from Rhode Island Hospital found that 33 individuals were responsible for 305 cases of medical intervention to remove foreign bodies that were intentionally swallowed, resulting in more than $2 million in estimated hospital costs. The findings appear in the November issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

1 Nov 2010

Study determines long-term clinical outcome of patients posttransplant after anitviral therapy

Researchers from the University of Bari, Italy, concluded that treating patients after transplantation with antiviral therapy creates a sustained viral response (SVR) and protects them from liver-related deaths. The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term clinical outcomes of patients posttransplant who underwent antiviral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of the liver graft.

1 Nov 2010

Tibotec to present Week-24 interim analysis of PILLAR study for chronic HCV treatment at AASLD Meeting

Tibotec Pharmaceuticals announced today the company will present the results of a Week-24 planned interim analysis of the phase 2 response-guided PILLAR study in treatment-naive patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Boston, MA., USA. The data will be presented as part of a late-breaker oral presentation on Monday, November 1.

1 Nov 2010

Researchers generate bioengineered human liver organoid using bioscaffold

Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine demonstrated the generation of a bioengineered human liver organoid using a liver bioscaffold made from an intact liver extracellular matrix, and filled (seeded) with primary human liver progenitor and endothelial cells.

1 Nov 2010

Vertex initiates OPTIMIZE Phase 3b study in patients infected with genotype 1 HCV

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced the initiation of a Phase 3b study called OPTIMIZE that will evaluate twice-daily (BID) dosing of a telaprevir-based combination regimen in people chronically infected with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) who have not been treated previously. This is the first Phase 3 study to evaluate twice-daily dosing of a protease inhibitor for the treatment of hepatitis C. OPTIMIZE will not include a control arm of pegylated-interferon and ribavirin alone.

26 Oct 2010

Boston Scientific's Advanix Biliary Plastic Stents receive FDA 510(k) clearance and CE Mark approval

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CE Mark approval to market its Advanix™ Biliary Plastic Stents for the treatment of biliary strictures, including biliary stone disease, benign biliary strictures, and suspected and confirmed malignancies in the biliary system. The product is now available in Europe and other international markets; the Company plans to launch it in the U.S. this quarter.

21 Oct 2010

Study finds adipose dysfunction linked to steatosis, necroinflammation in G1 CHC patients

Researchers at the University of Palermo in Italy provide the evidence that a higher visceral adiposity index score-a new index of adipose dysfunction-has a direct correlation with viral load and is independently associated with both steatosis and necroinflammatory activity in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (G1 CHC).

20 Oct 2010

Protein hormone inhibits leptin-induced migration of liver cancer cells

A research team from Emory University School of Medicine investigated the role between adiponectin and leptin in obesity-related carcinogenesis. Their findings, published in the November issue of Hepatology, suggest that the protein hormone adiponectin has potential for inhibiting the oncogenic actions of leptin, namely in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and could offer a promising therapy for the disease.

19 Oct 2010

An overview on American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific meeting

The association between obesity and gastrointestinal-related cancers and coronary artery disease; the link between an overweight or obese body mass index and the severity of Crohn's disease; and whether inflammatory bowel disease is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, were among the highlights of new research that was presented this week at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio.

19 Oct 2010

Researchers report breakthrough studies in liver cell transplantation

Two research teams from the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine (Okayama, Japan) have reported breakthrough studies in liver cell transplantation.

19 Oct 2010

Hyperion's HPN-100 granted FDA Fast Track Designation for urea cycle disorders

Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that its investigational compound glycerol phenylbutyrate (HPN-100) has been granted Fast Track Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as adjunctive therapy for the chronic management of urea cycle disorders. Hyperion recently completed its phase III trial which was conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the FDA. The Company plans to announce results from that trial later this year.

18 Oct 2010

Preliminary Phase 2 data of TZP-102 for diabetic gastroparesis to be presented at ACG annual meeting

Tranzyme Pharma announced today that John Wo, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director, Clinical Research, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, will present preliminary TZP-102 Phase 2 data at this year's ACG annual meeting. The event is being held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio TX, October 15-20, 2010. Professor Wo is scheduled to speak on Wednesday, October 20th at 8:50am in Ballroom C1.

18 Oct 2010

Experts use multi-disciplinary approach to provide innovative care for children

Liver tumors affect more than 300 children in the United States each year and management of these children requires coordinated comprehensive care from experts in many disciplines. To answer this problem, Texas Children's Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine announced today the formation of a new Liver Tumor Center that brings together renowned specialists in all aspects of liver cancer who will utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to provide the most comprehensive and innovative care for children afflicted with these diseases.

15 Oct 2010

FibroGen announces initiation of FG-3019 phase 2 study for reversing liver fibrosis

FibroGen, Inc. today announced initiation of a phase 2 study to compare the efficacy of FG-3019, a human monoclonal antibody against connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), with placebo in reversing liver fibrosis (scarring of the liver) due to chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV).

15 Oct 2010

MTN-007 phase trial evaluates vaginal microbicide to prevent rectal transmission of HIV

Tenofovir gel, a vaginal microbicide that has shown promise for preventing HIV through vaginal sex, is being tested in a new trial looking at its safety and acceptability when used rectally. The results of the study, being led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN), will help determine if the gel should be evaluated further for its potential to prevent HIV among both men and women who engage in receptive anal intercourse.

13 Oct 2010

Study shows radioembolisation with TheraSphere effective for primary liver cancer

MDS Nordion, a leading provider of products and services to the global health science market, today announced that the first large European study using Yttrium-90 (Y-90) glass microspheres has been published on the use of TheraSphere, an innovative radioembolisation therapy for the localised treatment of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or primary liver cancer.

7 Oct 2010

Roche receives development and commercialization rights for danoprevir drug

InterMune, Inc. today announced that it has sold worldwide development and commercialization rights to danoprevir (also known as RG7227 or ITMN-191) to Hoffman-La Roche Inc. and F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. for $175 million in cash.

7 Oct 2010

Hepatology News and Research

Further Reading

Telbivudine prevents HBV transmission from mothers to newborns: Study

Vertex reports superior SVR rates with telaprevir-based combination therapy in Phase 3 studies for hepatitis C

Medivir's partner Tibotec reports Week 24 interim results from TMC435 Phase 2b study in HCV

Intentional foreign body ingestion results in over $2 million hospital costs: Study

Study determines long-term clinical outcome of patients posttransplant after anitviral therapy

Tibotec to present Week-24 interim analysis of PILLAR study for chronic HCV treatment at AASLD Meeting

Researchers generate bioengineered human liver organoid using bioscaffold

Vertex initiates OPTIMIZE Phase 3b study in patients infected with genotype 1 HCV

Boston Scientific's Advanix Biliary Plastic Stents receive FDA 510(k) clearance and CE Mark approval

Study finds adipose dysfunction linked to steatosis, necroinflammation in G1 CHC patients

Protein hormone inhibits leptin-induced migration of liver cancer cells

An overview on American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific meeting

Researchers report breakthrough studies in liver cell transplantation

Hyperion's HPN-100 granted FDA Fast Track Designation for urea cycle disorders

Preliminary Phase 2 data of TZP-102 for diabetic gastroparesis to be presented at ACG annual meeting

Experts use multi-disciplinary approach to provide innovative care for children

FibroGen announces initiation of FG-3019 phase 2 study for reversing liver fibrosis

MTN-007 phase trial evaluates vaginal microbicide to prevent rectal transmission of HIV

Study shows radioembolisation with TheraSphere effective for primary liver cancer

Roche receives development and commercialization rights for danoprevir drug

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