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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).

4% of South Asian people carry mutated gene that causes heart failure

One in 25 people from India and other south Asian countries carries a mutated gene that causes heart failure.

9 Jun 2010

Covance opens state-of-the-art biorepository facility at Greenfield

Covance Inc., a leading provider of drug development services, announced today that it has opened a state-of-the-art biorepository facility at its Greenfield, Indiana location. The 20,000-square-foot building is dedicated to long-term storage of clinical trial specimens. The facility is able to store a wide-range of specimens, including plasma, serum, whole blood, DNA, PBMC, and tissue.

9 Jun 2010

Idera reports preliminary results from IMO-3100 Phase 1 clinical trial for autoimmune, inflammatory diseases

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced preliminary results from a Phase 1 clinical trial of IMO-3100, its lead Toll-like Receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR9 antagonist drug candidate for potential applications in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this trial, healthy subjects in five dosage cohorts received single doses of IMO-3100 from 0.04 to 0.64 mg/kg. IMO-3100 was well tolerated at all dose levels.

8 Jun 2010

FDA grants Cepheid marketing clearance for Xpert SA Nasal Complete molecular test

Cepheid today announced it has received clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to market Xpert® SA Nasal Complete, the first and only molecular test designed for the simultaneous detection and differentiation of both Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in less than one hour. The test runs on Cepheid's GeneXpert® System, the world's leading molecular platform for accuracy, speed, and ease-of-use.

8 Jun 2010

Vitiligo associated with genes variations linked to body's immune response

Scientists including researchers from the University of Florida have discovered additional evidence that generalized vitiligo - a disease that typically causes patches of white skin on the face, neck and extremities that pop star Michael Jackson may have experienced - is associated with slight variations in genes that play a role in the body's natural defenses.

8 Jun 2010

Gene variant linked to ability of Tibetans to cope with low-oxygen conditions identified

A new study pinpoints the genetic changes that enable Tibetans to thrive at altitudes where others get sick.

8 Jun 2010

Researchers discover RAF oncogene that may drive aggressive forms of prostate cancer

The Prostate Cancer Foundation announced today that researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered the RAF oncogene that drives fatal melanomas may also drive the aggressive forms of prostate cancer in the clinic.

8 Jun 2010

Genta presents tesetaxel dose-ranging trial results at ASCO 2010

Genta Incorporated announced today the presentation of results from two dose-ranging trials of tesetaxel, the Company's novel oral tubulin inhibitor. Results showed potential activity in patients with taxane-resistant cancers, along with no evidence of hypersensitivity and a low incidence of nerve damage, both of which are common side effects of standard taxanes.

8 Jun 2010

Optomap Retinal Exam allows patients take complete look at eyes

Have you been putting off a trip to the optometrist because you dread getting your eyes dilated? While your doctor has said that dilation is the most important part of your eye exam, the discomfort, blurry vision and silly sunglasses associated with the eye drops are enough to make you put off scheduling a regular appointment. Now thanks to new state-of-the-art equipment, there are no more excuses for putting off your appointment.

8 Jun 2010

Form of epigenetics may play role in pulmonary arterial hypertension: Researchers

A rare but fatal disease of blood vessels in the lung may be caused in part by aberrant silencing of genes rather than genetic mutation, new research reports. Pulmonary arterial hypertension, a syndrome characterized by gradual blockage of blood vessels in the lungs, has been linked to genetic causes in a small percentage of patients. But University of Chicago researchers have now found that a form of epigenetics - the modification of gene expression - causes the disease in an animal model and could contribute to the disease in humans.

8 Jun 2010

Chronix' DNA blood tests detect prostate, breast cancer with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity

Chronix Biomedical today reported new data further demonstrating that its DNA blood tests have the potential to accurately detect early stage breast and prostate cancers. Chronix's proprietary technology identifies disease-specific genetic fingerprints based on DNA fragments that are released into the bloodstream by damaged and dying (apoptotic) cells.

8 Jun 2010

ZIOPHARM presents positive data from PICASSO Phase II trial for soft tissue sarcoma at 46th ASCO

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that Dr. Claire Verschraegen of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque and first author of the abstract, "A phase II randomized controlled trial of palifosfamide plus doxorubicin vs. doxorubicin in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (PICASSO)," (Abstract #10004) presented in an oral session today updated positive data from PICASSO.

8 Jun 2010

Protein p53 becomes activated to control creation of ova and spermatozoids: Study

Protein 53 is very important in protecting against cancer given that it prevents cancer-causing mutations from accumulating and its inactivation is closely linked to the proliferation of tumour cells. UAB lecturer Ignasi Roig participated in the study. Formed by an international research team, the study served to discover that this protein played an unexpected physiological role: it also becomes activated during the formation process of ova and spermatozoids.

8 Jun 2010

PhotoMedex announces combination study of XTRAC Velocity laser and Clobex spray for generalized psoriasis

PhotoMedex, Inc. announced today that John Koo, MD will be the principal investigator in a clinical study assessing the efficacy of the XTRAC Velocity® excimer laser in the treatment of generalized psoriasis when used in combination with Clobex® spray. Dr. Koo is Professor and Vice Chairman in the Department of Dermatology at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. Spearheading the study will be Dr. Koo's colleague, Tina Bhutani, MD.

8 Jun 2010

Cyclacel reports positive interim data from sapacitabine Phase 2 study for myelodysplastic syndromes

Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today interim response data from a Phase 2 randomized trial of oral sapacitabine capsules, a novel nucleoside analogue, in older patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) that have failed hypomethylating agents. The data were presented at an oral poster discussion session at the 2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

8 Jun 2010

Chronix's serum DNA assays have potential to detect early stage breast cancer, prostate cancer

Chronix Biomedical today reported new data further demonstrating that its serum DNA blood tests have the potential to accurately detect early stage breast cancer and prostate cancer. Chronix's proprietary technology identifies disease-specific genetic fingerprints based on circulating DNA fragments that are released into the bloodstream by damaged and dying (apoptotic) cells.

7 Jun 2010

Adeona completes 50% enrollment in Part 2 CopperProof-2 study of oral zinc cysteine for Alzheimer's Disease

Adeona Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the completion of 50% enrollment in Part 2 of its clinical study, A Prospective, Randomized, Double Blind Trial of a Novel Oral Zinc Cysteine Preparation in Alzheimer's Disease (CopperProof-2).

7 Jun 2010

Genta reports combined data from Genasense Phase 3 trials for advanced melanoma

Genta Incorporated announced today the presentation of combined data on early endpoints from the Company's randomized Phase 3 trials of Genasense® (oblimersen sodium) Injection plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma. The presentation included a "pooled analysis" that assessed combined efficacy results for the endpoints of overall response and progression-free survival from both studies. The data were presented today at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, IL.

7 Jun 2010

Vitiligo is associated with variations in genes that play role in body's natural defenses: Scientists

Scientists including researchers from the University of Florida have discovered additional evidence that generalized vitiligo — a disease that typically causes patches of white skin on the face, neck and extremities that pop star Michael Jackson may have experienced — is associated with slight variations in genes that play a role in the body's natural defenses.

7 Jun 2010

Plexxikon announces Phase 1 extension study results of PLX4032 in metastatic colorectal cancer

Plexxikon announced today the results of a Phase 1 extension study in metastatic colorectal cancer that showed clinical activity of PLX4032 as a single agent in this hard-to-treat patient population. PLX4032 is a novel, oral small molecule targeting an oncogenic BRAF mutation found in over 50 percent of melanomas, about 10 percent of colorectal cancers and eight percent of all solid tumors.

7 Jun 2010

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

4% of South Asian people carry mutated gene that causes heart failure

Covance opens state-of-the-art biorepository facility at Greenfield

Idera reports preliminary results from IMO-3100 Phase 1 clinical trial for autoimmune, inflammatory diseases

FDA grants Cepheid marketing clearance for Xpert SA Nasal Complete molecular test

Vitiligo associated with genes variations linked to body's immune response

Gene variant linked to ability of Tibetans to cope with low-oxygen conditions identified

Researchers discover RAF oncogene that may drive aggressive forms of prostate cancer

Genta presents tesetaxel dose-ranging trial results at ASCO 2010

Optomap Retinal Exam allows patients take complete look at eyes

Form of epigenetics may play role in pulmonary arterial hypertension: Researchers

Chronix' DNA blood tests detect prostate, breast cancer with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity

ZIOPHARM presents positive data from PICASSO Phase II trial for soft tissue sarcoma at 46th ASCO

Protein p53 becomes activated to control creation of ova and spermatozoids: Study

PhotoMedex announces combination study of XTRAC Velocity laser and Clobex spray for generalized psoriasis

Cyclacel reports positive interim data from sapacitabine Phase 2 study for myelodysplastic syndromes

Chronix's serum DNA assays have potential to detect early stage breast cancer, prostate cancer

Adeona completes 50% enrollment in Part 2 CopperProof-2 study of oral zinc cysteine for Alzheimer's Disease

Genta reports combined data from Genasense Phase 3 trials for advanced melanoma

Vitiligo is associated with variations in genes that play role in body's natural defenses: Scientists

Plexxikon announces Phase 1 extension study results of PLX4032 in metastatic colorectal cancer

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