Chronic News and Research

RSS

Water Street Healthcare Partners acquires Medical Specialties Distributors

Water Street Healthcare Partners, a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on health care, announced today that it has acquired Medical Specialties Distributors, LLC (MSD). Headquartered in Stoughton, Massachusetts, MSD is the nation's leading provider of infusion products, supplies, biomedical services and technology solutions to the growing home infusion therapy market. The acquisition expands Water Street's current group of health care companies to 12.

From Baxter International Inc. 31 Jul 2010

Measuring GAPDH inhibiting antibodies can result in long-term treatment for MS

UCI immunologists have found that testing for increased levels of antibodies that inhibit energy production in neurons can detect axon and neuron degeneration in multiple sclerosis earlier than existing diagnostic tools.

31 Jul 2010

The House fails to pass aid measure for sick 9/11 responders

The Associated Press: "A bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to people sickened by World Trade Center dust fell short in the House on Thursday, raising the possibility that the bulk of compensation for the ill will come from a legal settlement hammered out in the federal courts." The measure failed to draw the necessary two-thirds majority. Democrats had opted for this procedural route rather than a simple majority because it blocked potential GOP amendments.

31 Jul 2010

Research Roundup:COBRA subsidies; Children's insurance and dental coverage; Adopting health IT; Race and heart treatments

Archives of Internal Medicine: Racial Differences In Admissions To High-Quality Hospitals For Coronary Heart Disease - "Racial disparities in the management of coronary heart disease (CHD) are widely documented, yet the reasons behind persistent gaps in quality of care are not fully understood," write the authors, who examined "Medicare patients with acute myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) admitted during 2002 through 2005 to hospitals located in markets with top-ranked cardiac hospitals, as ascertained from the US News and World Report 'America's Best Hospitals' annual rankings."

31 Jul 2010

Scientist examines relationship between stress of human isolation, immune system

A remote Canadian island is being used to simulate isolated space flight conditions for a NASA-funded medical research study that could produce important information to assist astronauts in potential long duration flights to Mars or an asteroid.

30 Jul 2010

Intrinsic brain connectivity in fibromyalgia associated with chronic pain intensity

A recent study from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and University of Michigan provides the first direct evidence of linkage between elevated intrinsic (resting-state) brain connectivity and spontaneous pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). This research shows an interaction of multiple brain networks, offering greater understanding of how pain arises. Details of the study appear online and in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

30 Jul 2010

FDA approves two SCS leads for use with Boston Scientific's Precision Plus Spinal Cord Stimulator System

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of two spinal cord stimulation (SCS) leads for use with its Precision Plus™ Spinal Cord Stimulator System, the world's first rechargeable SCS device for the management of chronic pain of the trunk and/or limbs. The Linear™ 3-4 and Linear™ 3-6 Percutaneous Leads offer wider contact spacing to expand the lead choices available to physicians. The Company plans to launch the products immediately in the U.S.; they were launched in Europe and other international markets earlier.

30 Jul 2010

Bio-Path commences dosing in Liposomal Grb-2 Phase I cancer study

Bio-Path Holdings, Inc.,, a biotechnology company with drug development operations in Houston, Texas, announced today that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I study of its cancer drug candidate, Liposomal Grb-2 (L-Grb-2 or BP-100-1.01), in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) or Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

30 Jul 2010

Study on link between SNP and concentrations of serum creatinine

Scientists at deCODE genetics and colleagues at Radboud University in the Netherlands today describe how the impact of a single letter variation in the sequence of the human genome conferring risk of kidney disease varies with age and with the onset of other diseases. The study provides independent confirmation of the association made in an earlier study between a version of the the SNP, located on chromosome 16p12, and risk of chronic kidney disease. It also confirmed the link between the SNP and concentrations of serum creatinine, a key indicator of kidney function.

30 Jul 2010

Medtronic launches Defeat-HF clinical trial to evaluate SCS for heart failure

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the global launch of the Defeat-HF (Determining the Feasibility of Spinal Cord Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure) clinical trial. It is the industry's first prospective, randomized study evaluating the clinical feasibility of spinal cord stimulation, or neurostimulation, to improve clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure.

30 Jul 2010

Anthera initiates PEARL-SC Phase 2b study of A-623 for lupus

Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing drugs to treat serious diseases associated with inflammation, today announced it has initiated PEARL-SC, the Phase 2b study of A-623, a novel inhibitor of B-Cell Activating Factor, or BAFF, for the treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (lupus). Lupus patients suffer from a chronic autoimmune disease, which often leads to severe skin rash, fatigue, joint pain, major organ complications, and cardiovascular disease.

30 Jul 2010

Shionogi's CUVPOSA receives FDA approval for treatment of chronic severe drooling

Shionogi Inc., a U.S.-based group company of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of CUVPOSA™ (glycopyrrolate), the first liquid treatment for patients ages 3-16 who suffer from chronic severe drooling associated with neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy. CUVPOSA™ was designated an Orphan Drug by the FDA.

30 Jul 2010

Geron second-quarter net loss decreases to $17.0 million

Geron Corporation today reported financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010.

30 Jul 2010

Transforaminal injection of steroids is a viable alternative for lumbar radicular pain surgery

A recent study from Australian researchers determined that transforaminal injection of steroids was a viable alternative to surgery for lumbar radicular pain due to disc herniation. Full details of the study appear in the August issue of Pain Medicine, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, and the International Spine Intervention Society.

30 Jul 2010

Prostate basal cell can spawn tumors in prostate gland: Research

A type of prostate cell that has been largely ignored by cancer researchers can, in fact, trigger malignant prostate cancer, according to new studies by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists and their colleagues.

30 Jul 2010

Resting brain activity associated with spontaneous fibromyalgia pain

29 Jul 2010

BCBSNC receives CEO Cancer Gold Standard certification

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has received CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation, recognizing the organization's commitment to reducing the risk of cancer for employees and their families by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, encouraging early detection through cancer screenings, and ensuring access to quality treatment.

29 Jul 2010

Researchers find how angiotensin influences immune system

Researchers in Heidelberg and Stanford have discovered a new signalling pathway of brain cells that explains how widely used antihypertensive drugs could keep inflammation in multiple sclerosis in check. The peptide angiotensin not only raises blood pressure but also activates the immunological messenger substance TGF beta on a previously unknown communication pathway in the brain.

29 Jul 2010

Toxic chemicals contribute to chronic disease epidemic: Health care sector leaders

Health care sector leaders are urging Congress to move swiftly to pass chemical reform legislation, citing the measure as critical to public health protection. On the eve of tomorrow's hearing on the "Toxic Chemicals Safety Act of 2010," a bill intended to overhaul the nation's chemical regulatory system, the sector is highlighting the link between preventing disease, containing costs, and reforming the law.

29 Jul 2010

MedTera, HealthPrize Technologies partner to help patients self-manage their diseases

MedTera, an integrated marketing solutions company dedicated to improving education, promotion and communications in the healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, today announced its formal partnership with HealthPrize Technologies, a web-based software company that motivates people to fill and stay on prescription medications.

29 Jul 2010

Chronic News and Research

Water Street Healthcare Partners acquires Medical Specialties Distributors

Measuring GAPDH inhibiting antibodies can result in long-term treatment for MS

The House fails to pass aid measure for sick 9/11 responders

Research Roundup:COBRA subsidies; Children's insurance and dental coverage; Adopting health IT; Race and heart treatments

Scientist examines relationship between stress of human isolation, immune system

Intrinsic brain connectivity in fibromyalgia associated with chronic pain intensity

FDA approves two SCS leads for use with Boston Scientific's Precision Plus Spinal Cord Stimulator System

Bio-Path commences dosing in Liposomal Grb-2 Phase I cancer study

Study on link between SNP and concentrations of serum creatinine

Medtronic launches Defeat-HF clinical trial to evaluate SCS for heart failure

Anthera initiates PEARL-SC Phase 2b study of A-623 for lupus

Shionogi's CUVPOSA receives FDA approval for treatment of chronic severe drooling

Geron second-quarter net loss decreases to $17.0 million

Transforaminal injection of steroids is a viable alternative for lumbar radicular pain surgery

Prostate basal cell can spawn tumors in prostate gland: Research

Resting brain activity associated with spontaneous fibromyalgia pain

BCBSNC receives CEO Cancer Gold Standard certification

Researchers find how angiotensin influences immune system

Toxic chemicals contribute to chronic disease epidemic: Health care sector leaders

MedTera, HealthPrize Technologies partner to help patients self-manage their diseases

Industry Focus eBook - Forensics & toxicology (2nd edition) eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Latest News