Atorvastatin News and Research

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SNP biomarker could reduce guesswork associated with prescribing drugs

A tiny gene mutation in human liver cells could one day influence how high or low a dose patients need of about half of the clinically used drugs on the market, new research suggests.

11 May 2010

Study: Atorvastatin may slow down MS progression

A UCSF-led study examining the impact of statins on the progression of multiple sclerosis found a lower incidence of new brain lesions in patients taking the cholesterol-lowering drug in the early stages of the disease as compared to a placebo.

15 Apr 2010

Results of research study on the expression of KIF6 in mouse model

Celera Corporation and its collaborators at The University of Washington, WA, and Indiana University, IN, today announced the presentation of data from a research study that investigated the expression of KIF6 in a mouse Celera Corporation model. A key finding was that KIF6 was specifically expressed in macrophages and chondrocytes in mouse atherosclerotic lesions, but not in normal arteries.

12 Apr 2010

Pravastatin benefits elderly carriers of KIF6 gene variant with prior vascular disease

Celera Corporation today announced the publication of data reporting that elderly (over age 70) carriers of the KIF6 gene variant with prior vascular disease received significant benefit from pravastatin (Pravachol®) therapy. Previous research has shown that a variant of the KIF6 gene, a member of the molecular motor protein kinesin family, is associated with up to a 55% increased risk of primary and recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD) events in the placebo arms of the clinical trials, and that this increased risk is virtually eliminated with statin therapy.

26 Mar 2010

Almost 62% of Canadians age 65 and older use five or more classes of prescription drugs: CIHI study

Almost two-thirds (62%) of Canadians age 65 and older living in the community in six provinces are using five or more classes of prescription drugs, according to a study released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

19 Mar 2010

Lipitor 80 mg may help reduce risk of major cardiovascular events in high-risk patients

Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) 80 mg was associated with a significantly reduced risk of major cardiovascular events compared with Lipitor 10 mg among patients with both coronary heart disease (CHD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were obese or had metabolic syndrome. These data, from two sub-analyses of the Treating to New Targets (TNT) trial that were designed and completed following the completion of TNT, were presented today at the 59th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Atlanta, Ga.

16 Mar 2010

Sigma-Aldrich and Pfizer sign new agreement

Sigma-Aldrich® today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Pfizer under which Sigma-Aldrich will sell approximately 100 Pfizer-developed small molecule compounds to life science researchers for target characterization, assay development, screening and in vivo animal model applications.

15 Mar 2010

Eprotirome lowers bad cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(A) without statin side effects

A new drug, eprotirome, has been shown to significantly lower bad cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(A), without the side effects that statins cause in many people. Results of a study were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

10 Mar 2010

FDA grants approval for Abbott's antiretroviral medication Norvir

Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of a new tablet formulation of the company's antiretroviral medication Norvir ® (ritonavir). The new Norvir tablets can be stored at room temperature and do not require refrigeration, making it more convenient for patients.

11 Feb 2010

Study shows more women die of heart disease each year than men

Cardiovascular disease (commonly referred to as heart disease) is the leading cause of death for women worldwide. Almost every minute, a woman in the U.S. dies from heart disease. Despite the prevalence of heart disease in women, a 2005 American Heart Association study showed that 92% of primary care physicians and 83% of cardiologists were not aware of the fact that more women than men die of heart disease each year.

10 Feb 2010

Anthera Pharmaceuticals reaches agreement with the FDA on SPA for VISTA-16 clinical study

Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing drugs to treat serious diseases associated with inflammation, announced today that it reached an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for the Phase 3 clinical study named VISTA-16 (Vascular Inflammation Suppression to Treat Acute Coronary Syndrome - 16 Weeks) for its lead product candidate, A-002, an oral sPLA2 inhibitor, in combination with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, or statin, therapy for short-term (16-week) treatment of patients experiencing an acute coronary syndrome.

8 Feb 2010

Mylan first to file ANDA patent for Caduet Tablets

Mylan Inc. today confirmed that it was sued by Pfizer in connection with the filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Amlodipine Besylate and Atorvastatin Calcium Tablets 2.5/10 mg, 2.5/20 mg, 2.5/40 mg, 5/10 mg, 5/20 mg, 5/40 mg, 5/80 mg, 10/10 mg, 10/20 mg, 10/40 and 10/80 mg.

5 Feb 2010

OrbusNeich's clinical data demonstrates the benefits of Genous Bio-engineered R stent

OrbusNeich announced that clinical data presented today at Asia PCR/Singapore LIVE 2010 demonstrated the benefits of the Genous Bio-engineered R stent in the treatment of two challenging patient subsets.

24 Jan 2010

Eli Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America to co-promote LIVALO in the U.S

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Kowa Company, Limited, and Kowa's U.S. subsidiary, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., today announced that Lilly and Kowa Pharmaceuticals America have entered into a co-promotion agreement in the United States to commercialize LIVALO® (pitavastatin). Lilly and Kowa have also entered into a licensing agreement in Latin America. LIVALO is a statin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2009 for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia and mixed dyslipidemia.

24 Dec 2009

Special issue focuses on cardiovascular disease prevention and outcomes

Emerging research on cardiovascular risk factors and treatment effects are helping clinicians gain a better understanding of which patients are most likely to benefit from close monitoring, lifestyle changes and/or additional therapeutic interventions.

14 Dec 2009

High blood pressure: A major risk factor for stroke and heart disease

Today, Jamieson Laboratories, in partnership with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), is holding a one day Blood Pressure Blitz in Toronto's underground PATH system in an effort to educate consumers about the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor of heart disease.

20 Nov 2009

Dual niacin-statin therapy improves blood cholesterol levels but does not diminish plaque buildup

The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.

19 Nov 2009

Findings of Merck's anacetrapib phase IIb study presented at the AHA sessions

In a phase IIb study in 589 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed hyperlipidemia treated with anacetrapib as monotherapy or co-administered with atorvastatin, there were persistent lipid effects in the higher dose arms in both the monotherapy and co-administration treatment groups eight weeks after stopping active therapy with anacetrapib.

18 Nov 2009

Pediatric data for Pfizer's Lipitor submitted to the EMEA

Pfizer Inc announced it has submitted pediatric data for Lipitor® (atorvastatin) to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). Pfizer has also developed a new chewable form of Lipitor, including a pediatric-appropriate 5 mg dose, which is part of this submission.

18 Nov 2009

Upsher-Smith Laboratories publishes results of SLIM Study

Results of the SLIM Study ("Slo-Niacin® and Atorvastatin Treatment of Lipoproteins and Inflammatory Markers in Combined Hyperlipidemia") were recently published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

17 Nov 2009