Degenerative Disease News and Research

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Dompé’s investigational biotech molecule receives orphan drug designation for treatment of neurotrophic keratitis

The Dompé biopharmaceutical company announced today that the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has officially designated recombinant human Nerve Growth Factor (rhNGF) - the investigational biotech molecule developed by Dompé based on research by Nobel Laureate Rita Levi Montalcini - as an orphan drug for the treatment of neurotrophic keratitis.

8 Dec 2015

Lewy Body Composite Risk Score detects LBD and Parkinson's disease dementia in three minutes

Although Lewy Body disease (LBD) is the second-most-common degenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease, it's not exactly a household name. It affects more than 1.3 million Americans, is poorly recognized, and diagnosis is often significantly delayed. Patients with LBD simultaneously experience losses in cognitive function, mobility and behavior.

27 Oct 2015

New hope for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

New hope for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients. A mouse genetic study in PLoS Medicine reports that targeting the P2RX7 gene, a purinoreceptor, may halt the progression of DMD.

14 Oct 2015

Sonic hedgehog gene maintains normal physiological state and repair process of adult lungs

The whimsically named sonic hedgehog gene, best known for controlling embryonic development, also maintains the normal physiological state and repair process of an adult healthy lung, if damaged, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published online this week in Nature in advance of the print edition.

6 Oct 2015

Scientists identify new pathway that may protect brain from Alzheimer's disease

It is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease: Toxic protein fragments known as amyloid-β clumped together between neurons in a person's brain.

19 Aug 2015

First clinical trial to test use of retinal progenitor cells for treating retinitis pigmentosa begins

Participants are being enrolled in the first clinical trial that tests the use of retinal progenitor cells to treat retinitis pigmentosa, reported project director Dr. Henry Klassen of UCI's Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. The product of stem cell research at UCI, these retinal progenitors are similar to stem cells in terms of potential regenerative properties, but they're specific to the retina.

13 Aug 2015

Reduced pain, disability predict satisfaction after spine surgery

Patient satisfaction ratings after surgery for spinal degenerative disease—especially in terms of reduced pain and disability—are a good indicator of the procedure's effectiveness, reports a study in the August issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

25 Jul 2015

Two UM researchers receive $500,000 to improve treatment for mild traumatic brain injury

Two University of Montana researchers were among six final winners nationally to receive $500,000 from the Head Health Challenge I, an up-to-$10 million program sponsored by General Electric Co. and the National Football League.

24 Jul 2015

Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock now offers fully integrative medicine services to Central Texans

Scott & White Healthcare - Round Rock is now offering integrative medicine services to Central Texans that include massage therapy and acupuncture at two of its regional clinics: Scott & White Clinic - Avery Ranch and Baylor Scott & White Clinic - Round Rock South.

21 Jul 2015

Anika Therapeutics announces positive results from CINGAL phase 3 trial for knee osteoarthritis

Anika Therapeutics, Inc.,, a leader in products for tissue protection, healing, and repair based on hyaluronic acid technology, today reported positive results from the CINGAL 13-02 study evaluating the safety of a repeat injection of Cingal for symptomatic relief of osteoarthritis of the knee.

10 Jul 2015

New study aims to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease, improve quality of life

Raising awareness of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and improving the quality of life for sufferers is the aim of a new study at Griffith University.

24 Jun 2015

Research explores screening methods, clinical care for patients with Alzheimer's and all forms of dementia

Every 67 seconds someone is the United States develops Alzheimer's disease or some form of dementia. It's the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and it's the only cause of death in the top 10 in America that cannot be prevented, cured or slowed. This month, as the nation observes "Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month," James E. Galvin, M.D., M.P.H., one of the most prominent neuroscientists in the country, is at the helm of cutting-edge research, screening methods and clinical care for all forms of dementia and cognitive impairments as well as neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

16 Jun 2015

UC Davis funds BRAIN-STIM program to uncover potential treatments for neurodegenerative disorders

In 2013, President Obama announced the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, unveiling plans to make a bold investment to understand the human mind with the intent to uncover ways to prevent, treat and cure brain disorders like Alzheimer's, autism, and epilepsy.

9 Jun 2015

UF research opens door to better diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson's disease

University of Florida researchers have identified a biomarker that shows the progression of Parkinson's disease in the brain, opening the door to better diagnosis and treatment of the degenerative disease.

27 May 2015

Microsoft's Kinect games controller hacked to relieve Parkinson's symptom

Scientists at Brunel University London have developed a system for Parkinson's sufferers to counter two of the most common and distressing symptoms of the degenerative disease.

30 Apr 2015

RegeneRx joint venture retains Ora to carry out RGN-259/GBT201 clinical trials in U.S.

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced its U.S. joint venture with G-treeBNT (ReGenTree LLC) has retained Ora, Inc. to conduct a phase 3 clinical trial for the orphan disorder, neurotrophic keratopathy (NK), and a 2b/3 dose-response, confirmatory trial for dry eye syndrome (DES) in the U.S. Both trials will be testing ReGenTree's preservative-free eye drops, RGN-259/GBT201, this year.

16 Apr 2015

Study: Standard nursing assessments may help improve outcomes in cirrhosis patients

Patients hospitalized with advanced cirrhosis, a chronic and degenerative disease of the liver, are at increased risk of death. The tools currently used to assess that risk are limited in predicting which patients will need a liver transplant and which will be healthy enough to survive transplantation.

8 Apr 2015

UK scientists find new approach to treat Parkinson's disease

UK scientists have developed a peptide that sticks to the protein that causes Parkinson's disease, stopping it from killing brain cells. The research highlights a potential new route for slowing the progress of this incurable disease.

26 Feb 2015

DePuy Synthes Spine receives 510(k) clearance to market SYNAPSE OCT System with posterior cervical screws

DePuy Synthes Spine today announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its SYNAPSETM Occipital-Cervical-Thoracic (OCT) System with posterior cervical screws, the first time cervical screws have been indicated for use with a screw-rod posterior fixation system.

29 Jan 2015

Offspring of mice treated with drug had delayed onset, reduced symptoms of Huntington's disease

Famine, drug abuse and even stress can "silence" certain genes, causing health problems in generations to come. Now scientists are wondering—could therapies that change gene expression in parents help their children?

23 Dec 2014