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.

Gene variant linked to liver cirrhosis in Caucasians

A new study by German researchers found that a variation in the PNPLA3 (adiponutrin) gene was associated with cirrhosis of the liver and elevated transaminase (liver enzyme) levels in alcoholic Caucasians. The risk of cirrhosis in alcoholics in the genetic high risk group might be as high as 25 to 50%. Full findings are published in the January 2011 issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

16 Dec 2010

Liver cancer in cirrhotic patients effectively treated with radiofrequency ablation

Researchers from Italy determined that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe and effective therapy for managing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients. The high repeatability of RFA is advantageous in controlling recurrences of cancerous tumors in the liver. Results of this 10-year retrospective study are available in the January 2011 issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

16 Dec 2010

RFA highly valuable therapy for controlling cancerous nodules

16 Dec 2010

Gene variation linked to liver cirrhosis in alcoholic caucasians

16 Dec 2010

Scientists create functioning human intestinal tissue from pluripotent stem cells

For the first time, scientists have created functioning human intestinal tissue in the laboratory from pluripotent stem cells.

13 Dec 2010

Penicillamine challenge ineffective for detecting Wilson's disease in asymptomatic children

An Italian research team confirmed that the scoring system for Wilson's disease (WD) provides good diagnostic accuracy with 93% positive and 92% negative predictive values, respectively in children with mild liver disease. In asymptomatic children, a urinary copper excretion above 40 μg/24 hours was suggestive of WD, however the penicillamine challenge test (PCT) did not provide an accurate diagnosis in this patient subset.

1 Dec 2010

IBD patients with hospital-acquired infections experience increased risk of inpatient mortality

Death and length of stay are increased among hospitalized inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients who develop hospital-acquired infections, according to a study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

1 Dec 2010

Research shows anti-microbial medications lead to acute liver failure

New research shows that anti-microbial medications are a common cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) leading to acute liver failure (ALF), with women and minorities disproportionately affected.

1 Dec 2010

Kenneth Rainin announces 2011 Innovator Awards Program for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The Kenneth Rainin Foundation announced today its 2011 Innovator Awards Program for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The Program, now in its second year, is designed to accelerate the pace of discovery in IBD research.

30 Nov 2010

FDA approves Merit's phase 3 clinical trial protocol to treat primary liver cancer with QuadraSphere Microspheres

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Merit Medical Systems, Inc.'s phase 3 clinical trial protocol to treat primary liver cancer with QuadraSphere™ Microspheres (hqTACE) for delivery of doxorubicin. The clinical trial will involve U.S. and international interventional radiologists who treat patients with localized, unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer.

29 Nov 2010

Most 'worried well' groups at risk of liver disease

Growing groups of the so-called "worried well" are putting their lives at risk by shunning visits to their GP over alcoholic health related matters, according to new evidence.

25 Nov 2010

Collective efforts in transplantation reduces risk of treatment-related complications in blood cancer

A decade of refinements in marrow and stem cell transplantation to treat blood cancers significantly reduced the risk of treatment-related complications and death, according to an institutional self-analysis of transplant-patient outcomes conducted at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

25 Nov 2010

HIV treatment drugs also help prevent HIV infection in high-risk men: Study

In a significant advance for HIV prevention research, a clinical trial confirms that the same drugs used for treating HIV can also help prevent HIV infection in the first place.

24 Nov 2010

Vertex submits NDA for telaprevir for treating hepatitis C

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced that it has completed the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval for telaprevir, Vertex's investigational treatment for people with hepatitis C.

23 Nov 2010

Lower VAT on alcohol served in pubs may deliver health benefits

Alcoholic drinks served in pubs should be taxed at a lower level than drinks bought from shops, says an expert in this week's BMJ.

20 Nov 2010

Vertex to enroll additional treatment arm in telaprevir/VX-222 Phase 2 clinical trial for HCV

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced plans to enroll an additional treatment arm as part of its ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating 12-week regimens of Vertex's lead investigational hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, telaprevir, in combination with its lead investigational HCV polymerase inhibitor, VX-222.

10 Nov 2010

Hyperion HPN-100 phase III pivotal study for urea cycle disorders meets primary endpoint

Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that the Company's phase III pivotal study of glycerol phenylbutyrate (HPN-100), an investigational drug for the treatment of urea cycle disorders (UCDs), met its primary endpoint. The non-inferiority study, conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2009, evaluated the ammonia control of glycerol phenylbutyrate as compared to sodium phenylbutyrate (BUPHENYL®).

3 Nov 2010

Combining telaprevir regimen with standard therapy improves SVR rate in hepatitis C

For patients with the most common form of hepatitis C being treated for the first time, the addition of an investigational hepatitis C-specific protease inhibitor called telaprevir to the current standard therapy markedly improved their sustained viral response (SVR or viral cure) rate.

3 Nov 2010

ADVANCE Phase 3 study confirms clinical benefits of telaprevir regimen in patients with HCV infection

The Phase 3 results from the ADVANCE study confirm the clinical benefits of telaprevir-based combination therapy regimens. The study reports an improvement in treatment discontinuation rates due to adverse events compared to Phase 2 studies, and demonstrates an increase in sustained viral response (SVR) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The primary endpoint for this study was SVR 24 weeks after last treatment.

2 Nov 2010

Boceprevir combinational therapy improves SVR rate in patients with HCV genotype 1

The final results of the RESPOND-2 trial demonstrated that combination therapy with Boceprevir yields higher sustained virologic response (SVR) rates for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 who did not respond to or relapsed after treatment with peginterferon alpha 2b and Ribavirin.

2 Nov 2010

Hepatology News and Research

Further Reading

Gene variant linked to liver cirrhosis in Caucasians

Liver cancer in cirrhotic patients effectively treated with radiofrequency ablation

RFA highly valuable therapy for controlling cancerous nodules

Gene variation linked to liver cirrhosis in alcoholic caucasians

Scientists create functioning human intestinal tissue from pluripotent stem cells

Penicillamine challenge ineffective for detecting Wilson's disease in asymptomatic children

IBD patients with hospital-acquired infections experience increased risk of inpatient mortality

Research shows anti-microbial medications lead to acute liver failure

Kenneth Rainin announces 2011 Innovator Awards Program for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

FDA approves Merit's phase 3 clinical trial protocol to treat primary liver cancer with QuadraSphere Microspheres

Most 'worried well' groups at risk of liver disease

Collective efforts in transplantation reduces risk of treatment-related complications in blood cancer

HIV treatment drugs also help prevent HIV infection in high-risk men: Study

Vertex submits NDA for telaprevir for treating hepatitis C

Lower VAT on alcohol served in pubs may deliver health benefits

Vertex to enroll additional treatment arm in telaprevir/VX-222 Phase 2 clinical trial for HCV

Hyperion HPN-100 phase III pivotal study for urea cycle disorders meets primary endpoint

Combining telaprevir regimen with standard therapy improves SVR rate in hepatitis C

ADVANCE Phase 3 study confirms clinical benefits of telaprevir regimen in patients with HCV infection

Boceprevir combinational therapy improves SVR rate in patients with HCV genotype 1

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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