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New NIH projects to target Fragile X syndrome, nicotine addiction and AMD

The National Institutes of Health has launched three innovative projects that will focus on development of therapeutics for Fragile X syndrome, nicotine addiction, and age-related macular degeneration. These projects are funded through the NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network which provides access to a variety of drug development resources.

1 Aug 2013

AstraZeneca, FibroGen partner to develop, commercialize anemia drug candidate FG-4592

AstraZeneca and FibroGen today announced that they have entered into a strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize FG-4592, a first-in-class oral compound in late stage development for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.

31 Jul 2013

FibroGen, Astellas initiate Phase 2 study of ASP1517/FG-4592 for treatment of anemia linked with CKD

Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo:4503) (Astellas) and FibroGen, Inc. (FibroGen) announced today the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical study in Japan of ASP1517/FG-4592 for treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients on dialysis.

31 Jul 2013

Study may lead to personalized treatments for mitochondrial energy disorders

Researchers have identified a master network of signaling molecules that acts like a "fuse box" to regulate the cellular effects of defective energy flow in mitochondrial respiratory chain diseases—a diverse set of difficult-to-treat genetic-based energy disorders.

25 Jul 2013

Study results suggest reexamination of biological, medical importance of X chromosome

Painstaking new analysis of the genetic sequence of the X chromosome—long perceived as the "female" counterpart to the male-associated Y chromosome—reveals that large portions of the X have evolved to play a specialized role in sperm production.

24 Jul 2013

FDA takes action to remove illegal diabetes products from market

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking action to remove from the market illegal products, including some labeled as dietary supplements, that claim to mitigate, treat, cure or prevent diabetes and related complications.

24 Jul 2013

University of Florida receives RPB Sanders Construction grant

Research to Prevent Blindness has awarded a prestigious, one-time laboratory grant of $600,000 to the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Florida, College of Medicine. The newly created laboratory will be permanently named the RPB Mildred Krahmer Sanders and William Clifford Sanders Laboratory for Vision Research.

20 Jul 2013

Brigham and Women's Hospital study examines sustained inattentional blindness in expert observers

If you were working on something at your computer and a gorilla floated across your computer screen, would you notice it? You would like to think yes, however, research shows that people often miss such events when engaged in a difficult task.

20 Jul 2013

Investigators report complete catalog of genes expressed in retina

Investigators at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School have published the most thorough description of gene expression in the human retina reported to date. In a study published today in the journal BMC Genomics, Drs. Michael Farkas, Eric Pierce and colleagues in the Ocular Genomics Institute at Mass. Eye and Ear reported a complete catalog of the genes expressed in the retina.

20 Jul 2013

IVAN study: Lucentis and Avastin effective in treating wet AMD

An anti-cancer drug has been proven to be equally as effective in treating the most common cause of blindness in older adults as a more expensive drug specifically formulated for this purpose.

20 Jul 2013

Human filariasis research: an interview with Professor Mark Taylor, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Filariasis refers to a group of diseases caused by parasitic worms, which are transmitted by blood feeding insects. Two species infect the lymphatic and blood systems causing lymphatic filariasis, which in some people can lead to gross swelling of the limbs and 'elephantiasis'.

18 Jul 2013

Researchers discover new protein that encourages ‘bad’ blood vessel growth

The discovery of a protein that encourages blood vessel growth, and especially 'bad' blood vessels - the kind that characterise diseases as diverse as cancer, age-related macular degeneration and rheumatoid arthritis - has been reported in the journal Nature.

18 Jul 2013

Standardized vascular health checks may improve health and cost-effectiveness outcomes

Archimedes Inc., a healthcare modeling company, today announced the results of a two-year long collaboration with Novo Nordisk A/S, a world leader in diabetes care, which evaluated the effects of standardized vascular health checks on expected health outcomes.

17 Jul 2013

Immunization in developing countries: an interview with Dr. Jos Vandelaer, Chief of Immunization for UNICEF

Overall, worldwide, immunization programs reach around 83% of all children – this is an enormous achievement. With this level of immunization coverage, we prevent over 2 million deaths, year after year. This statistic is often forgotten or taken for granted.

11 Jul 2013

Tel Aviv researcher says lessons from Israel's health-care system could optimize eye health

According to the World Health Organization, 80% of blindness is preventable or treatable - but it remains a severe health concern across the globe, even in industrialized countries.

11 Jul 2013

EyeTechCare's EyeOP1 device to be installed in four healthcare facilities in France

EyeTechCare SA, which develops non-invasive therapeutic medical devices for the ophthalmology market based on the use of ultrasound, today announces that its EyeOP1 device is to be installed in a number of hospitals in France, namely Lille University Hospital, Grenoble University Hospital and the Quinze-Vingts and Saint-Joseph hospitals in Paris. The first use of this device for the routine treatment of glaucoma patients is slated from July onwards.

4 Jul 2013

African-American kids with T2D and risk for retinopathy are less likely to receive eye exam

In one of the few studies to provide information on eye screening of children, African-American children with the greatest risk for disease of the retina as a complication of Type 1 diabetes are the least likely to have received an eye exam, reports a team of researchers including senior author Terri H. Lipman of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

2 Jul 2013

Mayo Clinic provides tips to stay safe this summer

A backyard fireworks display may look pretty and get family and friends excited, but when it comes to lighting fireworks, leave it to the professionals, Mayo Clinic physicians are advising. Each year, Mayo Clinic doctors see dozens of patients who have lost fingers and limbs, gotten severe burns and suffered hearing loss as a direct result of using fireworks. Even seemingly harmless fireworks - such as sparklers - can cause severe burns and even blindness.

2 Jul 2013

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine receives US$ 10 million to continue research against human filariasis

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has received US$ 10 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to continue their breakthrough drug discovery and development research against human filariasis - parasitic worm infections which cause river blindness and elephantiasis, some of the world’s most debilitating diseases affecting up to 150 million people in 83 countries throughout the tropics.

1 Jul 2013

'Sleep Mask' prototype: The world's first non-invasive treatment for sight loss

Rt Hon David Willetts MP has seen the 'Sleep Mask' prototype - the world's first non-invasive treatment for sight loss that will save the need for expensive hospital treatment - at Northumbria University's Northern Design Centre (NDC).

28 Jun 2013

Blindness News and Research

New NIH projects to target Fragile X syndrome, nicotine addiction and AMD

AstraZeneca, FibroGen partner to develop, commercialize anemia drug candidate FG-4592

FibroGen, Astellas initiate Phase 2 study of ASP1517/FG-4592 for treatment of anemia linked with CKD

Study may lead to personalized treatments for mitochondrial energy disorders

Study results suggest reexamination of biological, medical importance of X chromosome

FDA takes action to remove illegal diabetes products from market

University of Florida receives RPB Sanders Construction grant

Brigham and Women's Hospital study examines sustained inattentional blindness in expert observers

Investigators report complete catalog of genes expressed in retina

IVAN study: Lucentis and Avastin effective in treating wet AMD

Human filariasis research: an interview with Professor Mark Taylor, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Researchers discover new protein that encourages ‘bad’ blood vessel growth

Standardized vascular health checks may improve health and cost-effectiveness outcomes

Immunization in developing countries: an interview with Dr. Jos Vandelaer, Chief of Immunization for UNICEF

Tel Aviv researcher says lessons from Israel's health-care system could optimize eye health

EyeTechCare's EyeOP1 device to be installed in four healthcare facilities in France

African-American kids with T2D and risk for retinopathy are less likely to receive eye exam

Mayo Clinic provides tips to stay safe this summer

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine receives US$ 10 million to continue research against human filariasis

'Sleep Mask' prototype: The world's first non-invasive treatment for sight loss

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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