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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

AFQ056 drug improves symptoms in Fragile X patients: Study

The first drug to treat the underlying disorder instead of the symptoms of Fragile X, the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability, shows some promise according to a new study published in the January issue of Science Translational Medicine.

9 Jan 2011

Gigantism gene inherited by hundreds: Study

A gene that predicted gigantism in humans was identified in the DNA of the 18th-century man known as the Irish Giant, who was more than 7 feet 7 inches tall. Copies of the same mutation have been found in patients today who suffer from excessive growth, and scientists have concluded they all inherited the gene from a common ancestor.

9 Jan 2011

Chimerix initiates enrollment in CMX001 clinical study for life-threatening conditions caused by dsDNA viruses

Chimerix, Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing orally-available antiviral therapeutics, today announced that patient enrollment has begun in a multicenter, open-label clinical study of CMX001 (the CMX001-350 study) for the treatment of life-threatening or serious conditions caused by double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses.

7 Jan 2011

Single cellular crisis shatters chromosomes in cancer causation

Remarkable new research overthrows the conventional view that cancer always develops in a steady, stepwise progression. It shows that in some cancers, the genome can be shattered into hundreds of fragments in a single cellular catastrophe, wreaking mutation on a massive scale.

7 Jan 2011

Hologic announces acquisition of Interlace Medical

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, announced today it has acquired Interlace Medical, Inc. (Interlace), the developer and manufacturer of the MyoSure hysteroscopic tissue removal system (MyoSure). Interlace's operations will be integrated within Hologic's GYN Surgical Products division.

From Hologic, Inc. 7 Jan 2011

Chromosome shattering seen in two to three percent of all cancers

Most of the time cancer seems to creep up gradually over time; cells become premalignant, then increasingly abnormal before they become cancerous. But sometimes cancers seem to pop up as if out of nowhere. Now, researchers reporting in the January 7th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have new evidence to explain how that can happen.

7 Jan 2011

Plexxikon, Genentech enter PLX4032 co-promotion agreement

Plexxikon, Inc., announced today that it has signed an agreement with Genentech to co-promote PLX4032 (RG7204) in the United States. PLX4032, an oral, novel kinase inhibitor that targets the oncogenic BRAF mutation, is being tested in late-stage clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic melanoma.

7 Jan 2011

Intrexon Corporation, ZIOPHARM enter partnership to develop, commercialize DNA-based therapeutics

ZIOPHARM Oncology, a small molecule late-stage oncology drug development company, and Intrexon Corporation, a next generation synthetic biology company, announced today a global exclusive channel partnership in oncology where ZIOPHARM will develop and commercialize DNA-based therapeutics using Intrexon's UltraVector Technology.

7 Jan 2011

Spirogen, Genentech enter multi-year ADC research collaboration and license agreement

Spirogen Ltd. a leading oncology-focused company developing DNA sequence targeted agents, announced a multi-year research collaboration and license agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.

7 Jan 2011

Generex, Antigen Express and RXi report positive research data from active immunotherapy collaboration

Generex Biotechnology Corporation, together with its wholly-owned immunotherapeutic vaccines subsidiary, Antigen Express, Inc., and RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a recognized leader in RNAi-based therapeutics, today announced that they have obtained positive early research data from their collaboration to explore the use of RXi's RNAi technology to develop proprietary vaccine formulations for active immunotherapy.

7 Jan 2011

Scientists perform surgery on single cell to extract and examine mitochondria

Medical researchers who crave a means of exploring the genetic culprits behind a host of neuromuscular disorders may have just had their wish granted by a team working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where scientists have performed surgery on single cells to extract and examine their mitochondria.

7 Jan 2011

Poll shows strong support as Smoke-Free Kentucky Campaign launches today

Kentucky health advocates today released a new poll showing 59% of Kentucky voters support passing a law to make all restaurants, bars and other workplaces smoke-free. The release is part of the launch of Smoke-Free Kentucky's campaign to ensure that all Kentuckians have the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air in public places and at work.

7 Jan 2011

Researchers identify genetic mutation responsible for acromegaly disease

An international research team, spearheaded by scientists from the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, has identified the genetic mutation responsible for a disease known as "gigantism" or acromegaly.

7 Jan 2011

Novel AAV gene therapy offers various advantages

A new, simplified method for producing large amounts of viral vector cassettes capable of shuttling genes into host cells will help advance the promising field of gene therapy as applications move into large animal studies and human clinical trials.

6 Jan 2011

Profectus BioSciences commences GENEVAX IL-12 phase 1 study for HIV

Profectus BioSciences, a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against infectious diseases and cancers, and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group announced today the initiation of a phase 1 study of Profectus' multi-antigen HIV plasmid DNA vaccine administered with various doses of GENEVAX™ interleukin-12 pDNA adjuvant and delivered using the electroporation based TriGrid™delivery system developed by Ichor Medical Systems.

6 Jan 2011

Columbia research team identifies bacteria may play a key role in atherosclerosis

Dr. Emil Kozarov and a team of researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have identified specific bacteria that may have a key role in vascular pathogenesis, specifically atherosclerosis, or what is commonly referred to as "hardening of the arteries" - the number one cause of death in the United States.

6 Jan 2011

SuperGen initiates enrollment in first human trial of SGI-110 in MDS and AML

SuperGen, Inc. today announced that it has enrolled the first patient in its first in human study of SGI-110, a second-generation hypomethylating agent, in patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

5 Jan 2011

KINAXO, AstraZeneca enter oncology research collaboration

KINAXO Biotechnologies GmbH announced today that it has entered into a collaboration with AstraZeneca. Under the terms of the agreement, KINAXO will apply its technology platform to support one of AstraZeneca's oncology programs. KINAXO will employ high-end mass spectrometry-based technologies to quantitatively analyze posttranslational protein modifications on a proteome-wide scale.

5 Jan 2011

Low-radiocarbon nutrition permanently reduces genetic damage to brain cells

A new method of child and maternal nutrition could prevent a specific type of genetic damage that would otherwise occur in up to 160 million brain cells in each person over their lifetime. Preventing this genetic damage could have significant implications related to aging and cancer.

5 Jan 2011

Encouraging results from exon skipping gene-based therapy study for DMD

Scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London have reported encouraging results in a new gene-based therapy for Duchenne Muscular dystrophy (DMD) which at present has no known cure and affects one in 3,000 young boys.

4 Jan 2011