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New compound effective at blocking damage to the retina in diabetic retinopathy

Researchers at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center have identified a compound that could interrupt the chain of events that cause damage to the retina in diabetic retinopathy. The finding is significant because it could lead to a novel therapy that targets two mechanisms at the root of the disease: inflammation and the weakening of the blood barrier that protects the retina.

30 Jul 2012

Fruit flies help pinpoint genetic changes that spell cancer

By studying fruit flies, scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have successfully devised a fast and cost-saving way to uncover genetic changes that have a higher potential to cause cancer. With this new approach, researchers will now be able to rapidly distinguish the range of genetic changes that are causally linked to cancer (i.e. "driver" mutations) versus those with limited impact on cancer progression.

30 Jul 2012

Long-term use of reverse geometry lenses may induce inflammatory response

Continuous long-term overnight use of reverse geometry lenses results in a significantly increased presence of inflammatory mediators compared with wearing 30-night silicone-hydrogel contact lenses or wearing no lenses, show study results.

27 Jul 2012

Fusion of FGFR and TACC gene leads to glioblastoma

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have discovered that some cases of glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer, are caused by the fusion of two adjacent genes.

26 Jul 2012

VEGF inhibitor fails to improve nonsquamous NSCLC overall survival

Adding motesanib to carboplatin–paclitaxel does not boost overall survival in patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer, including those with adenocarcinoma, say MONET1 investigators.

24 Jul 2012

Stromal cells offer chemotherapy clue in early lung cancer

Podoplanin-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts predict recurrence in stage I lung adenocarcinoma, which could help identify patients suited for adjuvant chemotherapy, research shows.

24 Jul 2012

Angion Biomedica initiates BB3 Phase II trial in heart attack

Angion Biomedica Corp. announced today that the first patient was dosed in a Phase II multicenter clinical trial evaluating BB3 for the treatment of heart attack (acute myocardial infarction).

19 Jul 2012

Nerve growth factors sense OAB in children

Researchers may have found a reliable biomarker for diagnosing overactive bladder in children and monitoring their treatment outcome.

18 Jul 2012

Studies describe ability of targeted exercise training on cognitive impairment and dementia

Four studies reported today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) describe the ability of targeted exercise training to promote improved mental functioning and reduced risk for cognitive impairment and dementia in cognitively healthy older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

16 Jul 2012

Nottingham researchers to lead Avastin clinical study for AMD

Nottingham researchers are leading a study to test the effectiveness of a controversial drug in the treatment of a common loss of vision.

12 Jul 2012

Manipulating retinal recipient microenvironment impacts photoreceptor cell transplantation

A research team in the United Kingdom has found that insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) impacts cell transplantation of photoreceptor precursors by manipulating the retinal recipient microenvironment, enabling better migration and integration of the cells into the adult mouse retina.

12 Jul 2012

Breast cancer drug bevacizumab slows progression but has no overall survival benefit

The cancer drug bevacizumab (Avastin®) offers only a modest benefit in prolonging disease progression in patients with advanced stage breast cancer, according to a systematic review by Cochrane researchers. The researchers assessed the efficacy of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy, an established cancer treatment in this indication, and found no overall survival benefit when adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy.

11 Jul 2012

Biomarkers predict benefit of targeted therapy in metastatic renal-cell cancer

In metastatic renal-cell cancer, the level of cytokines and angiogenic factors identify those patients with an aggressive disease course who derive the greatest benefit from treatment with the molecular-targeted therapy pazopanib, a retrospective analysis of clinical trials shows.

10 Jul 2012

Lipid ceramide helps cells keep cilium or antenna from retracting

A lipid that helps lotion soften the skin also helps cells find and stay in the right location in the body by ensuring they keep their "antennae" up, scientists report.

10 Jul 2012

Protein interactions outside breast cancer cells can permanently stop proliferation

Protein interactions outside breast cancer cells can send signals to the cancer cells to permanently stop proliferating, a new study showed in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.

10 Jul 2012

EGF helps prevent inflammation-induced cancer

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a protein that normally regulates intestinal healing. However, biological therapies, like EGF, also may pose the risk of increasing the possibility of cancer. Philip Dubé, PhD, and Brent Polk, MD, both of the Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles have demonstrated that in preclinical models, EGF encourages healing and provides powerful anti-inflammatory properties that prevent inflammation-induced cancer.

10 Jul 2012

Gene defect linked to cluster of systemic complications

Research teams from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and Paris, France have discovered a gene defect linked to a cluster of systemic complications, including life-threatening thoracic aortic disease and intracranial aneurysms. The new syndrome is similar, but distinct from known syndromes such as Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

9 Jul 2012

Human immune response: TCD scientists make breakthrough which could lead to new drug therapies

A team of researchers at Trinity College Dublin’s School of Medicine has gained new insights into a protein in the human immune system that plays a key role in the protective response to infection and inflammation. The research findings have just been published in the internationally renowned peer-reviewed Journal of Biological Chemistry.

9 Jul 2012

New somatostatin vaccines promote weight loss

New vaccines promote weight loss. A new study, published in BioMed Central's open access journal, Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology, assesses the effectiveness of two somatostatin vaccinations, JH17 and JH18, in reducing weight gain and increasing weight loss in mice.

9 Jul 2012

FDA approves KRAS gene mutation test for colorectal cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first genetic test that can help some colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and their doctors determine if the drug Erbitux (cetuximab) would be an effective treatment based on the absence of a gene mutation. The therascreen KRAS RGQ PCR Kit can provide information about the KRAS gene mutation in patients whose CRC has spread to other parts of their body (metastasized).

7 Jul 2012