Ghrelin News and Research

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Ghrelin is a hormone produced mainly by P/D1 cells lining the fundus of the human stomach and epsilon cells of the pancreas that stimulates appetite. Ghrelin levels increase before meals and decrease after meals. It is considered the counterpart of the hormone leptin, produced by adipose tissue, which induces satiation when present at higher levels. Ghrelin is also produced in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus where it stimulates the secretion of growth hormone from the anterior pituitary gland.

Glucagon loses its ability to help obese people, but continues to suppress hunger pangs

Glucagon, a hormone involved in regulating appetite, loses its ability to help obese people feel full after a meal, but it continues to suppress hunger pangs in people with type 1 diabetes, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

21 Aug 2013

Health benefits of sufficient sleep: an interview with Dr Monique Verschuren, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, the Netherlands

We used 6 hours or less per 24 hours as the definition of insufficient sleep, with 7 hours or more as sufficient sleep. In general, this is considered the amount of sleep that is sufficient for adults, although there can be differences between persons with respect to the amount of sleep needed.

6 Aug 2013

High-calorie breakfast protects against diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular problems

Whether you hope to lose weight or just stay healthy, what you eat is a crucial factor. The right nutrients can not only trim your waistline, but also provide energy, improve your mood, and stave off disease. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has found that it's not just what you eat - but when.

6 Aug 2013

Alize Pharma initiates AZP-531 Phase I clinical trial for treatment of type 2 diabetes

Alize Pharma, a company specialized in the development of drugs for the treatment of metabolic diseases and rare diseases, announces today the launch of the first Phase I clinical trial for AZP-531, its unacylated ghrelin analog, in type 2 diabetes.

16 Jul 2013

Study shows link between FTO, ghrelin and impaired brain food-cue responsivity

Individuals carrying the "obesity-risk" allele of the fat mass and obesity associated gene, FTO, are prone to obesity and obesity related eating behaviors such as increased food consumption, preference for high fat foods and lack of satiation after eating.

16 Jul 2013

Coffee and appetite: an interview with Matt Schubert and Associate Professor Ben Desbrow, Griffith University

We wanted to do something a bit different than the “typical” work on caffeine and exercise, and I have considerable interest in appetite regulation, so we built up from there.

15 Jul 2013

NIH awards $12.7M to research groups to explore new treatments for patients in eight disease areas

The National Institutes of Health has awarded $12.7 million to match nine academic research groups with a selection of pharmaceutical industry compounds to explore new treatments for patients in eight disease areas, including Alzheimer's disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and schizophrenia.

19 Jun 2013

Surefire Infusion System to be used for obesity treatment

Surefire Medical, Inc., the developer of a new class of infusion systems designed to maximize targeted delivery of embolization agents without reflux, today announced that the company's Surefire Infusion System will be used in the development of the first clinically viable microcatheter-based, minimally invasive treatment for obesity as an alternative to bariatric surgery.

2 May 2013

Rhythm starts RM-131 Phase 2 clinical trial for treatment of chronic constipation

Rhythm announced today the initiation of an additional Phase 2 clinical trial for RM-131, the company's novel ghrelin agonist, for the treatment of chronic constipation. Ghrelin is a peptide hormone produced in the stomach that stimulates gastrointestinal motility.

16 Apr 2013

Timing of meals predicts weight-loss effectiveness

Most weight-loss plans center around a balance between caloric intake and energy expenditure. However, new research has shed light on a new factor that is necessary to shed pounds: timing. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), in collaboration with the University of Murcia and Tufts University, have found that it's not simply what you eat, but also when you eat, that may help with weight-loss regulation.

30 Jan 2013

STA announces results from ABRAXANE plus gemcitabine phase III trial on pancreatic cancer

Australian biopharmaceutical company Specialised Therapeutics Australia announces that a phase III clinical trial of world leading breast cancer drug ABRAXANE (nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel) in combination with current standard of care gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer has demonstrated substantially improved survival times, with double the number of patients surviving two years.

23 Jan 2013

Rhythm commences RM-493 Phase 2 trial in obesity

Rhythm announced today the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial with RM-493, the company's novel melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) agonist, for the treatment of obesity.

7 Jan 2013

Top 4 reasons why many dieters do not lose weight

The battle of the bulge is on - any movement on the scale yet? "Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance," says Jessica Bartfield,MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care.

4 Jan 2013

Oxnard-based couple receives gastric sleeve surgeries from leading L.A. expert

Married for over ten years, Oxnard-based couple Roger and Mayra Rosales have enjoyed their kids and family life. Still, one element greatly detracted from their happiness for years. Both struggled with obesity, along with frequent illnesses which were part and parcel to the excessive weight.

13 Dec 2012

Study points to complexity of relationship between sleep duration and energy balance regulation

A new study suggests that increasing the amount of sleep that adults get could lead to reduced food intake, but the hormonal process differs between men and women.

30 Nov 2012

Rhythm raises additional $8 million to complete Series B financing

Rhythm announced today that the company has raised an additional $8 million to complete a $33 million Series B financing.

27 Nov 2012

Some types of bariatric surgery may cause bone loss, say endocrinologists

Bariatric surgery, which significantly curtails the amount of food a person can eat, is the most effective treatment against obesity and is being recognized as a potentially valuable tool in the fight against diabetes related to obesity.

3 Nov 2012

Study determines role of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance and weight regulation

Evidence linking partial sleep deprivation to energy imbalance is relevant to weight gain prevention and weight loss promotion. A new study published today in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics bases this finding on an extensive review of literature published over a fifteen-year period.

24 Oct 2012

Rhythm presents RM-131 Phase 1 clinical trial results for diabetic gastroparesis at ACG 2012

Rhythm announced today the results of two Phase 1 clinical trials of RM-131, the company's novel ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis, which demonstrated that RM-131 greatly accelerates gastric emptying in healthy subjects with good tolerability.

22 Oct 2012

Aeterna Zentari expects to file AEZS-130 NDA with FDA for adult growth hormone deficiency

Aeterna Zentaris Inc. today announced that it continues to expect to file a New Drug Application (NDA) early next year, for its oral ghrelin agonist, AEZS-130, as a diagnostic test for adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD), after receiving notification from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that Fast Track designation had not been granted.

27 Sep 2012