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Inhibitors of cellular enzymes could be developed for SARS treatment

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that inhibitors of an enzyme called cathepsin L prevent the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus from entering target cells. SARS is caused by an emergent coronavirus. There is no effective treatment at this time.

1 Aug 2005

Heparinase I is not a suitable replacement for protamine

The results of an international clinical trial led by Duke University Medical Center researchers has shown that a new drug is not a suitable replacement for protamine, a drug that has been used for more than 40 years after coronary artery bypass surgery to return thinned blood to its normal state.

1 Aug 2005

People with HIV in developing countries do just as well on antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs as do people with HIV on ART programs in developed countries

It also shows that people with HIV who are given free ART drugs will do "significantly" better at fighting the disease compared to those who must pay for the drugs.

1 Aug 2005

FDA bans antibiotic use for poultry

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of a poultry antibiotic made by Bayer.

31 Jul 2005

Amazing 'smart bomb' drug zaps cancer cells in mice without damaging healthy cells

Scientists say they have developed an anti-cancer 'bomb' which has a similar behavior to a Trojan horse.

28 Jul 2005

Echinacea little use in relieving colds

According to a new study by the University of Virginia School of Medicine, taking the the herbal remedy Echinacea, to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, is a waste of time and offers no more relief than a placebo.

28 Jul 2005

Carbon monoxide could turn out to be a life-saver for patients recovering from organ transplants

Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas that kills thousands of Americans every year, could turn out to be a life-saver for patients recovering from organ transplants, strokes or heart attacks, according to new research from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.

28 Jul 2005

Participants in the gene therapy market discover new ways to improve clinical efficiency and generate revenue

The gene therapy market has had limited success with products during the clinical development process. Due to toxicological complications and poor therapy efficacy, healthcare authorities have suspended several gene therapy trials worldwide.

28 Jul 2005

Fat-dissolving fads: Too good to be true?

The search for a non-surgical method to get rid of unwanted fat is not new - and neither is 'mesotherapy', a technique which claims to dissolve fat by injections of medications or vitamins, minerals and herbs.

26 Jul 2005

BSD Medical receives notice of allowance for new patent

BSD Medical today announced that the company has received "official notice of allowance" for a new patent that is expected to be issued by the U.S. Patent Office.

26 Jul 2005

Combination therapy based on artemisinins might not be the ideal treatment for malaria

If used alone, artemisinins will cure the most severe type of malaria - falciparum malaria - in seven days. However, when used on their own, they have a high risk of the malaria coming back and hence must be combined with other antimalarials to work best.

26 Jul 2005

Testosterone patch may produce modest increases in sexual desire

A testosterone patch may produce modest increases in sexual desire and frequency of satisfying sexual experiences in women who develop distressful, low sexual desire following hysterectomy and removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries, according to a study in the July 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

25 Jul 2005

Provectus to begin clinical trials of new cancer treatment, PV-10

Provectus Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has obtained final clearance to begin the first Phase 1 clinical trial of PV-10, the Company's lead cancer treatment.

21 Jul 2005

Biologic treatments to treat the physical symptoms of psoriasis

More than 4.5 million adults in the United States have been diagnosed with psoriasis and 21 percent of those have moderate to severe psoriasis. This chronic condition, characterized by thick, red, scaly plaques that itch and bleed, not only makes the activities of daily life difficult, but also can affect a person's emotional well being.

21 Jul 2005

New program will help fill a drug-discovery void as pharmaceutical companies have largely abandoned natural products research

The natural world has been medicine's most effective arsenal, providing life-saving antibiotics and our most potent anti-cancer drugs.

20 Jul 2005

New design for HIV vaccine trials in animals

Emory University researchers have proposed a new design for HIV vaccine trials in animals that would more closely mimic how humans are exposed to the virus - potentially giving AIDS researchers a more effective tool in developing successful treatments to prevent HIV infection.

20 Jul 2005