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Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may reduce risk of psychotic disorders

Individuals at extremely high risk of developing psychosis appear less likely to develop psychotic disorders following a 12-week course of fish oil capsules containing long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Feb 2010

Serious liver disorder associated with use of HIV drug, FDA warns

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, a rare, but serious, liver disorder, has been reported in some HIV patients taking Videx/Videx EC (didanosine).

2 Feb 2010

Researchers identify antiviral small molecule that is effective against numerous viruses

Viruses are insidious creatures. They differ from each other in many ways, and they can mutate - at times seemingly at will, as with HIV - to resist a host of weapons fired at them. Complicating matters further is that new viruses are constantly emerging.

2 Feb 2010

Evidence suggests antidepressants may improve post-stroke recovery

Patients who received the antidepressant escitalopram following a stroke appeared to recover more of their thinking, learning and memory skills than those taking placebo or participating in problem-solving therapy, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Feb 2010

Shire announces the Canadian availability of VYVANSE prodrug therapy for ADHD treatment

Canadian families managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have a new treatment option. Today, Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced the Canadian availability of VYVANSE (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate capsule), the first and only prodrug therapy approved for ADHD treatment in Canada.

2 Feb 2010

Experimental vaccine reduced TB rate among HIV-positive people in Tanzania, Study finds

An experimental vaccine was found to reduce the rate of tuberculosis infections in patients living with HIV, "the first time a shot has been shown to reduce cases of the most common AIDS-related cause of death in poor nations," Bloomberg reports (Bennett, 1/29). Tuberculosis accounts for up to one-third of AIDS deaths worldwide, CBC News reports.

1 Feb 2010

TOPICA's IND for onychomycosis antifungal agent accepted by FDA

TOPICA Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the use of luliconazole, its lead product candidate, in patients with onychomycosis (nail and nail bed fungal infections).

1 Feb 2010

FDA approves Allergan's JUVÉDERM XC dermal filler

Allergan, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of JUVÉDERM® XC, a new formulation of the currently FDA-approved JUVÉDERM® dermal filler and the latest advancement in hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers.

1 Feb 2010

Abbott signs licensing agreement with Pierre Fabre SA to develop and commercialize cancer antibody h224G11

Abbott announced today an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Pierre Fabre SA to develop and commercialize h224G11, a pre-clinical monoclonal antibody identified at the Centre d'Immunologie Pierre Fabre (CIPF) in France and targeting the cMet receptor for the treatment of cancer.

1 Feb 2010

Ipsen reports consolidated group sales of €1,032.8M for 2009

Ipsen reported today its sales for the fourth quarter and full year 2009.

1 Feb 2010

Consumers oppose prescription mandate; prefer alternative method to fight meth

Mississippians are expressing outrage at lawmakers' rush to change over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) to a prescription (Rx) drug.

31 Jan 2010

WHO pneumonia expert honored with PACE Global Leadership Award

WHO pneumonia expert Dr. Thomas Cherian will be honored by a group of the world’s leading infectious disease experts today for his pivotal work to accelerate access to vaccines preventing pneumococcal disease, the world’s leading vaccine-preventable killer of children under age five.

31 Jan 2010

Breakthrough in HIV research leads to better treatment potential

Researchers have made a breakthrough in HIV research that had eluded scientists for over 20 years, potentially leading to better treatments for HIV, in a study published today in the journal Nature.

31 Jan 2010

Senomyx launches sucrose enhancer that can reduce 50% of sugar usage

Senomyx is using proprietary technologies to discover and develop novel flavor ingredients for the food, beverage, and ingredient supply industries. The Company’s flavor programs are focused on creating new ingredients that enhance sweet, savory, salty, and cooling tastes, as well as ingredients that reduce bitter taste. These new flavor ingredients include S6973, a unique sucrose enhancer that may be used to reduce up to 50% of the sugar in a variety of products while maintaining the taste of natural sugar.

30 Jan 2010

Gels infused with L-arginine and Arginine heighten arousal

Give the gift of stimulation with gels infused with L-arginine and Arginine that heighten arousal and sensitivity during lovemaking. L-arginine is an amino acid. When applied to the genitals, it has been scientifically documented to increase blood flow to boost orgasms for him and her. Passion Parties' Pure Satisfaction® UniSEX Enhancement Gel is infused with L-arginine and can be used on him and her.

30 Jan 2010

Structure and activities to drive growth and profitability during pharmaceutical new product planning

With the prospect of health-care reform still looming, pharmaceutical and biotech companies face tremendous pressure to keep the costs of their products down.

30 Jan 2010

MPI Research lauds FDA's current guidance on abuse potential of drugs

On January 26, 2010, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a key draft guidance document, Guidance for Industry Assessment of Abuse Potential of Drugs. When finalized, this guidance will represent the FDA’s current position on the abuse potential of drugs. Noteworthy within the document, Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) specified in the Guidance for Industry S7A Safety 471 Pharmacology Studies for Human Pharmaceuticals and in FDA regulations, 21 CFR 472 part 58, now also apply to abuse potential studies in animals.

30 Jan 2010

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals receives $16M over apaziquone collaboration agreement

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today that it has received $15 million from Nippon Kayaku in connection with the collaboration agreement for apaziquone (EOquin®) announced on November 10, 2009, and $1 million from Handok Pharmaceuticals announced on November 23, 2009.

30 Jan 2010

Lanzoprazole and astemizole hold promise for early detection of AD

Investigators from the International Center for Biomedicine and the University of Chile, in collaboration with the Center for Bioinformatics of the Universidad de Talca, have discovered that two drugs, the benzimidazole derivatives lanzoprazole and astemizole, may be suitable for use as PET (positron emission tomography) radiotracers and enable imaging for the early detection of Alzheimer's Disease. The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

30 Jan 2010

NAPRA issues directive on NHPs, CHFA concerned

The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) has issued a directive to the provinces requesting that pharmacists not sell Natural Health Products (NHPs) without a Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN) or Drug Identification Number for Homeopathic Medicine (DIN-HM). NAPRA did not engage in consultations with industry participants who will be adversely affected by this move.

30 Jan 2010