Central Nervous System News and Research

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Study points to potential culprit that kills motor neurons in ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is marked by a cascade of cellular and inflammatory events that weakens and kills vital motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The process is complex, involving cells that ordinarily protect the neurons from harm. Now, a new study by scientists in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital points to a potential culprit in this good-cell-gone-bad scenario, a key step toward the ultimate goal of developing a treatment.

27 Mar 2014

Treatment with natalizumab in patients with MS appears linked with JC virus infection

Treatment with natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) appears linked with JC virus (JCV) infection, which can lead to a rare and often fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) that destroys the myelin that protects nerve cells.

25 Mar 2014

China Pharma Holdings' revenue decreases 40% to $32.8 million in fiscal year 2013

China Pharma Holdings, Inc., an NYSE MKT listed corporation with its fully-integrated specialty pharmaceuticals subsidiary based in China, today announced financial results for the year ended December 31, 2013.

21 Mar 2014

Eye abnormalities may help reveal features of early-stage Alzheimer's disease, says study

Investigators at the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute have discovered eye abnormalities that may help reveal features of early-stage Alzheimer's disease. Using a novel laboratory rat model of Alzheimer's disease and high-resolution imaging techniques, researchers correlated variations of the eye structure, to identify initial indicators of the disease.

18 Mar 2014

Researchers develop therapy to attack cervical cancer tumors

One of the most promising technologies for the treatment of various cancers is nanotechnology, creating drugs that directly attack the cancer cells without damaging other tissues' development.

17 Mar 2014

SAGE Therapeutics announces completion of $38 million Series C financing

SAGE Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel medicines to treat specialty, critical and orphan central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced the successful completion of a $38 million Series C financing. OrbiMed Advisors, LLC, EcoR1 Capital Management, Foresite Capital Management and two undisclosed blue chip public investment funds joined existing investors Third Rock Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners.

13 Mar 2014

CRO services division of Galapagos to be acquired by Charles River Laboratories

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the CRO services division of Galapagos NV (Euronext: GLPG), which includes both Argenta and BioFocus.

13 Mar 2014

Patient with autistic behavior experiences improvements in mental health after liver transplant

A patient with a rare metabolic disease that causes liver failure and autistic behavior experienced significant improvements in both her physical and mental health after receiving a liver transplant, according to a new case report published in the American Journal of Transplantation.

12 Mar 2014

Clinical Network Services launches new office near London

Clinical Network Services (CNS) an integrated product development company based in Australia and New Zealand providing broad services in the planning, implementation and delivery of preclinical, Phase 1 and 2 trials, today announced that it has launched a new office near London headed by Paul Cronin who joins as UK Director and Director, Business Development.

10 Mar 2014

Prescriptions for benzodiazepines with opioid analgesics may lead to medication-related deaths

Prescriptions for benzodiazepines are rising in primary care, and their frequent combined use with opioid analgesics may be contributing to medication-related deaths, a finding that goes largely unreported, according to Stanford researchers.

7 Mar 2014

ASTRO white paper recommends specific guidance to follow in the delivery of HDR brachytherapy

The American Society for Radiation Oncology has issued a new white paper, "A review of safety, quality management, and practice guidelines for high-dose-rate brachytherapy," that recommends specific guidance to follow in the delivery of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy to improve quality and patient safety, according to the manuscript published in the March-April 2014 print issue of Practical Radiation Oncology, the official clinical practice journal of ASTRO.

6 Mar 2014

Alzheimer's drug pioneer to be awarded Israel Prize for Medicine

Israel's Minister of Education Shai Piron has announced that the Israel Prize for Medicine will be awarded to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Prof. Marta Weinstock-Rosin. A professor emeritus at the Hebrew University's School of Pharmacy-Institute for Drug Research in the Faculty of Medicine, Weinstock-Rosin is best known for developing Exelon, a blockbuster drug for the treatment of confusion and dementia related to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

5 Mar 2014

Intra-Cellular Therapies initiates Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate pharmacokinetics in patients with dementia

Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced the initiation of ITI-007-200, a Phase I/II clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of low doses of its lead drug candidate, ITI-007, in healthy geriatric subjects and in patients with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

4 Mar 2014

Naurex's GLYX-13 receives FDA Fast Track designation

Naurex Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation to the investigation of GLYX-13, the company's rapid-acting antidepressant in Phase 2 clinical development, as adjunctive therapy in major depressive disorder.

4 Mar 2014

Photoreactive compounds open new routes to treatment of neurological diseases

Photoreactive compounds developed by scientists of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich directly modulate nerve-cell function, and open new routes to the treatment of neurological diseases, including chronic pain and certain types of visual impairment.

3 Mar 2014

Report: Spending on health care for children increased between 2009 and 2012

Spending on health care for children covered by employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) increased between 2009 and 2012, rising an average 5.5 percent a year, with more dollars spent on boys than girls, and higher spending on infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) than any other children's age group, finds a new report released today by the Health Care Cost Institute. Per capita spending on children reached $2,437 in 2012, a $363 increase from 2009. The study shows a growth in prescription use by children through age 18, as well as a rise in the number of teens being admitted for mental health and substance use (MHSU) treatment.

27 Feb 2014

K-PAX Pharmaceuticals works with Stanford University to identify effective treatment for chronic fatigue

K-PAX Pharmaceuticals is working with Stanford University and several other leading research institutions to perform a Phase II double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a currently available FDA-approved medication concurrently administered with a novel mitochondrial support product in order to identify a safe and effective treatment for the chronic fatigue and decreased alertness (i.e. brain fog) that commonly afflicts people with CFS.

26 Feb 2014

FDA approves Iroko Pharmaceuticals’ TIVORBEX capsules

Iroko Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a global specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing the science of analgesia, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TIVORBEX™ (indomethacin) capsules, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), at 20 mg and 40 mg doses for the treatment of mild to moderate acute pain in adults.

25 Feb 2014

Epidemiological studies demonstrate that diseases of central nervous system protect against cancer

Epidemiological studies demonstrate that diseases of the central nervous system such as Alzheimer, Parkinson and schizophrenia protect against cancer. The most remarkable example is Alzheimer's disease, which can reduce the risk of suffering from cancer by up to 50%.

21 Feb 2014

Support for progranulin role in bipolar disorder

Researchers have found reduced levels of plasma progranulin in patients with bipolar disorder, strengthening evidence for its possible role as a biomarker for the condition.

20 Feb 2014