Efficacy News and Research

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Hope for treating relapse to methamphetamine abuse

"Reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior after an extended period of abstinence is the number-one cause of drug-addiction relapse," said Brookhaven neuroanatomist Stephen Dewey, who led the research team. "This animal study suggests that vigabatrin could potentially prevent human methamphetamine addicts from relapsing."

13 Nov 2008

Phosphagenics' diclofenac enters trial phase in humans

Phosphagenics Limited ("Phosphagenics") announced today that it has initiated a phase 1 human clinical trial using its patented drug delivery system, TPM, for the targeted delivery of a leading non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), diclofenac.

12 Nov 2008

Analyses of Merck's HIV vaccine 'Step' study

Results from the Step study, a test-of-concept efficacy study of a Merck & Co., Inc. HIV vaccine candidate, were published online in two papers in The Lancet.

12 Nov 2008

Intraspinal implant of mesenchymal stem cells may not heal the demyelinated spinal cord

Multiple sclerosis is a disease caused by the loss of the myelinated sheath surrounding the nerve fibers of the spinal cord.

12 Nov 2008

Promising clinical trial for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 2% of the population and is considered a psychiatric disorder. It is the number four psychiatric pathology in terms of frequency following phobias, disorders relating to alcohol and drugs, and depression.

12 Nov 2008

An ideal therapy for peptic ulcer disease

Since the discovery of the etiological role of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) in peptic ulcer disease, its eradication became the main objective of therapy, and several treatment regimens were developed.

11 Nov 2008

Raptor Pharmaceuticals announces positive results for Convivia program

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. has announced positive results in its Phase IIa study of oral 4-methylpyrazole ("4-MP") in subjects with ALDH2 deficiency, or ethanol intolerance, as the initial development stage of its Convivia program.

11 Nov 2008

Rivaroxaban shows promise in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Researchers reported on a study of a new oral anti-clotting agent - rivaroxaban - designed to identify doses that would be safe to test in subsequent Phase III efficacy and safety trials. The results of ATLAS ACS-TIMI 46 were presented as a late-breaking clinical trial at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

11 Nov 2008

Elimination of sugar-sweetened beverages from school menus shown not to affect total consumption by adolescents

With childhood obesity increasing, school administrators and public health officials are reducing availability of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in schools.

11 Nov 2008

T-cell-based strategy for HIV-1 vaccines still viable option

The question of whether or not to continue to pursue the development of T-cell-based HIV-1 vaccines has been a source of controversy following last year's widely publicized failure of the field's most promising candidate, a vaccine developed by Merck known as V520.

10 Nov 2008

Xolair (Omalizumab) shows promise in treating allergic asthma inadequately controlled by inhaled corticosteroid

Data presented today at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) show that Xolair (Omalizumab) for Subcutaneous Use significantly reduced asthma attacks in children aged six through 11 with moderate or severe persistent allergic asthma inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids.

10 Nov 2008

Pycnogenol cuts jetlag in half

Scientists have found that Pycnogenol, a natural plant extract from the bark of pine trees, can reduce jetlag symptoms by half. Pycnogenol is the patented trade name for a water extract of the bark of the French maritime pine (Pinus pinaster ssp. atlantica), which is grown in coastal southwest France.

9 Nov 2008

EMD Serono launches patient registry for egg freezing

EMD Serono, Inc., an affiliate of Merck KGaA of Darmstadt, Germany, announced the launch of the Human Oocyte Preservation Experience (HOPE) Registry surrounding next week's 64th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

8 Nov 2008

Visualizing asthma-causing immune cells at work

Immune cells known as eosinophils have a central role in causing asthma.

7 Nov 2008

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals presents data of Voreloxin in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and ovarian cancer

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. presented data from three clinical trials of the company's lead drug candidate, voreloxin (formerly SNS-595), at the Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium held in New York on November 4-8.

7 Nov 2008

10 years of stem cells science

Ten years ago this month (Nov. 6, 1998), the publication in the journal Science of a short paper entitled "Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Derived from Human Blastocysts" rocked biology - and the world - as the all-purpose stem cell and its possibilities were ushered into the limelight.

7 Nov 2008

Significant weakness found in dementia screening method

A research team led by Dr Alisoun Milne, a Senior Lecturer at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent, has identified weaknesses in the most widely employed dementia screening instrument currently used in primary care.

7 Nov 2008

Nanoparticles dramatically improve effectiveness of antibacterial treatments

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a new technology which can dramatically improve the effectiveness of antibacterial treatments.

7 Nov 2008

FDA approves Ranexa for the treatment of chronic angina

CV Therapeutics, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new, first line indication for Ranexa(R) (ranolazine extended-release tablets) for the treatment of chronic angina.

7 Nov 2008

Efficacy, dosage concerns unresolved on sublingual immunotherapy

Although sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is used in Europe and other countries, experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Seattle say questions remain unanswered regarding its effectiveness, appropriate use, dosage, and safety of administration.

7 Nov 2008