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Kindstar, Insight Genetics collaborate to improve cancer care in China

Molecular diagnostics company Insight Genetics and Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc., China's leading diagnostics company, today announced that the companies are partnering to enhance cancer care in the People's Republic of China and surrounding regions.

1 Jun 2012

Researchers investigate how iPFK2 enzyme may benefit some obese people

Why is it that some obese people are healthier than others? This was one of the main questions Dr. Chaodong Wu of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Texas A&M University System - and a group of researchers tried to answer in a recent study.

1 Jun 2012

Vitamin D3 supplements could provide more health benefits

New research funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has shown that vitamin D3 supplements could provide more benefit than the close relative vitamin D2.

1 Jun 2012

Obstetric, perinatal difficulties ‘not linked to bipolar disorder risk’

Results from a US study indicate that obstetric and perinatal difficulties are not associated with an increased risk for bipolar disorder in children.

31 May 2012

Smoker's genetic makeup can help predict response to drug therapy

The same gene variations that make it difficult to stop smoking also increase the likelihood that heavy smokers will respond to nicotine-replacement therapy and drugs that thwart cravings, a new study shows.

31 May 2012

Life Technologies, OpGen enter collaboration on Whole Genome Mapping and Ion Torrent sequencing

Life Technologies Corporation and OpGen, Inc., a commercial stage whole genome analysis company, today announced that they have signed a collaboration agreement to develop systems, technologies and applications intended to improve the management and surveillance of microbial outbreaks in the public health and infectious disease markets.

31 May 2012

Too much salt and aldosterone leads to high blood pressure, tissue damage

Nearly 40 percent of the small adrenal tumors that cause big problems with high blood pressure share a genetic mutation that causes patients to retain too much sodium, researchers report.

31 May 2012

UCLA research projects aim to improve lives of children with serious illnesses

New hope for deadly pediatric brain tumors; opening the door to improved diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children; and advanced genetic testing to better understand the causes of autism and cancer in kids. These research projects are currently underway at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA under the umbrella of the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute (CDI), and aim to dramatically improve the lives of children with serious illnesses.

31 May 2012

Simple blood test can detect genetic faults in patients with cancer

A simple and cost-effective blood test could be used to monitor how a patient is responding to treatment and detect genetic faults in their cancer as they happen, according to a Cancer Research UK study.

31 May 2012

Data from Response Genetics' tests against cancer to be presented at ASCO 2012

Response Genetics, Inc., a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic tests for cancer, announced today four presentations to be held during the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL from June 1 to June 5, 2012. Study results are based on the company's proprietary technology and approach.

31 May 2012

DHA prevents age-related vision loss in lab tests

An omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, known as DHA, prevented age-related vision loss in lab tests, demonstrates recently published medical research from the University of Alberta.

31 May 2012

Genetics can predict success of smoking cessation and need for medications

Genetics can help determine whether a person is likely to quit smoking on his or her own or need medication to improve the chances of success, according to research published in today's American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers say the study moves health care providers a step closer to one day providing more individualized treatment plans to help patients quit smoking.

31 May 2012

Pfizer’s XALKORI now available in Canada

Pfizer Canada is pleased to announce that XALKORI (crizotinib) is now available in Canada. Recently approved with conditions by Health Canada, XALKORI is an oral monotherapy for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

31 May 2012

AssureRx closes $12.5M Series C financing

AssureRx Health, Inc. today announced the closing of a $12.5 million Series C financing. The personalized medicine company, which provides clinically-relevant information to help physicians select the right drug for individual neuropsychiatric patients, will use the funds to increase commercial activities for its two flagship pharmacogenomic products, GeneSightRx Psychotropic and GeneSightRx® ADHD, as well as next generation product development activities.

31 May 2012

Gender link discovered for colorectal cancer

Researchers have identified three new colorectal cancer risk loci, including one on the X-chromosome, bringing the total number of independent loci associated with the disease to 20.

30 May 2012

Omixon Target, a next generation sequencing analysis software for targeted sequencing, released by Omixon

Today Omixon – a genomic software company - announced the commercial release of Omixon Target, a next generation sequencing analysis software for targeted sequencing. Omixon built its new software Target with the vision of helping diagnostic labs to adopt next generation sequencing to replace and complement traditional capillary Sanger sequencing.

30 May 2012

Beyond chemotherapy to cure leukemia

The fight against cancer is not won in a single battle: long after a cancer has been beaten into remission, it can return. The reason for this is under debate, and much is unclear.

30 May 2012

New technique promotes dramatic increase in cardiac function

LoneStar Heart Inc., today announced the advancement of a new therapeutic strategy aimed at genetic reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into functioning heart muscle cells to treat damage following a heart attack and other forms of heart disease.

30 May 2012

Researchers identify mechanism key in drug allergy

Adverse drug reactions are a major issue that cause harm, are costly and restrict treatment options for patients and the development of new drugs. A groundbreaking finding by researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology could lead to a new way to dramatically improve drug safety by identifying drugs at risk to cause potentially fatal genetic-linked hypersensitivity reactions before their use in man.

30 May 2012

Genetic analysis on Korean mummy reveals unique HBV genotype C2 sequence

The discovery of a mummified Korean child with relatively preserved organs enabled an Israeli-South Korean scientific team to conduct a genetic analysis on a liver biopsy which revealed a unique hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C2 sequence common in Southeast Asia.

30 May 2012