Inflammatory Disease News and Research

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Researchers discover recycling mechanism of signaling receptors

An international team of researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University's Manojkumar Puthenveedu has discovered the mechanism by which signaling receptors recycle, a critical piece in understanding signaling receptor function. Writing in the journal Cell, the team for the first time describes how a signaling receptor travels back to the cell membrane after it has been activated and internalized.

23 Dec 2010

Merck announces FDA approval for GARDASIL against HPV-related anal cancer

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 and for the prevention of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) grades 1, 2 and 3 (anal dysplasias and precancerous lesions) caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18, in males and females 9 through 26 years of age.

23 Dec 2010

Altering balance among immune system cells could hold potential for T2D-associated inflammation treatment

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have demonstrated that certain T cells require input from monocytes in order to maintain their pro-inflammatory response in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study also showed, for the first time, how a loss in homeostasis in this group of T cells most likely promotes chronic inflammation associated with T2D.

22 Dec 2010

Amira identifies novel pre-clinical candidate for autotaxin lysophosphatidic acid related program

Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has successfully identified a novel pre-clinical candidate for its newest lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-related program, autotaxin. Autotaxin is an enzyme upstream from LPA receptors and has been implicated in a number of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, glioblastoma, lung, breast, ovarian and thyroid cancers.

17 Dec 2010

BELLUS Health, Celtic Therapeutics initiate KIACTA global confirmatory phase III clinical study for AA amyloidosis

BELLUS Health Inc. and Celtic Therapeutics announced today that a global confirmatory phase III clinical study was initiated on December 14, 2010 for KIACTA™ (eprodisate). KIACTA™ is a drug candidate being developed for the treatment of AA amyloidosis, a life-threatening orphan disease that occurs in patients with long-lasting inflammatory conditions, most commonly due to rheumatoid arthritis. The study is designed to confirm the safety and efficacy of KIACTA™ in preventing renal function decline in patients with AA amyloidosis.

16 Dec 2010

BRIC researchers discover new protein that improves immune system

Researchers at BRIC, the University of Copenhagen, have discovered for the first time a protein normally found in the body that can act to prevent chronic tissue inflammation.

15 Dec 2010

Amira's clinical-stage DP2 receptor antagonist program data to be presented at Pacifichem 2010

Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it will present preclinical and clinical data from its DP2 receptor antagonist program on December 17, 2010, at Pacifichem 2010 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The data from Amira's clinical-stage DP2 program will be delivered by Brian Stearns, Ph.D., in a presentation titled "Discovery and optimization of a novel series of DP2 antagonists with efficacy in mouse models of COPD and asthma."

15 Dec 2010

Mouse study shows flu virus infection may protect against asthma

In a paper that suggests a new strategy to prevent asthma, scientists at Children's Hospital Boston and their colleagues report that the influenza virus infection in young mice protected the mice as adults against the development of allergic asthma.

14 Dec 2010

Phase 2 study data of ALD518 demonstrates reversal of anemia in NSCLC patients

Alder Biopharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that data from a Phase 2 study of its ALD518 investigational antibody therapeutic that targets interleukin-6 (IL-6) demonstrate a reversal of anemia in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

9 Dec 2010

Clinical trial results of ACY-1215 in multiple myeloma published in scientific journal of ASH

Acetylon Pharmaceuticals today announced the publication of favorable results of preclinical safety and efficacy testing of its oral selective HDAC6 inhibitor drug candidate, ACY-1215, in multiple myeloma.

7 Dec 2010

Preclinical study results for Syk, JAK inhibitor program presented at ASH 2010

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of preclinical study results for its novel Syk and JAK inhibitor program at the American Society of Hematology's 52nd Annual Meeting and Exposition. Portola's novel Syk and JAK inhibitors are in development to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, and certain cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

6 Dec 2010

New study evaluates use and safety of complementary medicine for children's asthma

Approximately 13 percent of parents turn to alternative therapies to treat their children's asthma, according to a new study from the Universit- de Montr-al. The findings, published recently in the Canadian Respiratory Journal, suggest that this trend is associated with a two-fold higher rate of poor asthma control in children.

1 Dec 2010

Array BioPharma achieves $10 million clinical research milestone in Celgene collaboration

Array BioPharma Inc. announced today that a $10 million clinical research milestone was achieved in its collaboration with Celgene Corporation. Celgene and Array entered into this research collaboration in September 2007. Array anticipates initiating a Phase 1 dose escalation trial in cancer patients with ARRY-382, a small molecule cFMS inhibitor, during the first quarter of 2011.

1 Dec 2010

New findings offer insights into novel treatment avenue for Crohn's Disease, sarcoidosis

A new finding out in the December 1st issue of Genes & Development offers insight into a new treatment avenue for two painful inflammatory diseases: Crohn's Disease and sarcoidosis.

30 Nov 2010

First-ever selective irreversible inhibition of viral protease using targeted covalent drug

Avila Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel targeted covalent drugs, has published research in Nature Chemical Biology demonstrating the first-ever selective irreversible inhibition of a viral protease using a targeted covalent drug.

30 Nov 2010

New irreversible covalent approach to inhibit viral protease

28 Nov 2010

African American cigarette smokers at higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis

A new study determined that African Americans who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA risk is more pronounced among individuals positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, a genetic risk factor for RA. Findings from this study—the largest to date examining the impact of smoking on RA risk in an African American population—are available in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

23 Nov 2010

New findings show promising treatment for MS

Successfully treating and reversing the effects of multiple sclerosis, or MS, may one day be possible using a drug originally developed to treat chronic pain, according to Distinguished Professor Linda Watkins of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

19 Nov 2010

Merck announces FDA Advisory Committee approval of GARDASIL for anal cancer and AIN treatment

Merck announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee has advised that the data presented support an indication for GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer and anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) in both males and females 9 through 26 years of age.

18 Nov 2010

Idera presents data on TLR7, TLR9 antagonist candidate for hyperlipidemia at American Heart Association

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it is presenting preclinical data from a study evaluating the mechanism of action of one of its Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 antagonist candidates in a model of hyperlipidemia.