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Medtronic acquires Osteotech

Moving to expand its Biologics product offerings, Medtronic, Inc., announced today it has completed the acquisition of Osteotech, following payment of $6.50 per share in cash for each share of Osteotech stock, with a total transaction value of approximately $123 million.

16 Nov 2010

FDA grants Impax final approval for generic Allegra-D ANDA

Impax Laboratories, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted final approval of the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for the generic version of Allegra-D® (Fexofenadine Hydrochloride and Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride Extended-release) 60mg/120mg tablets. The Company is preparing for product launch through Global Pharmaceuticals, Impax's generic division.

16 Nov 2010

Clinical Data receives U.S. patent for vilazodone

Clinical Data, Inc. today announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,834,020 claiming the polymorphic form of vilazodone (vilazodone HCl, Form IV), a compound currently in development for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder.

16 Nov 2010

Anti-stroke blood thinner shows promise in large clinical trials

In new and extensive clinical trials an experimental blood thinner called rivaroxaban is at least as good at preventing strokes as the drug warfarin – that has been the most widely used agent for the past five decades in people with erratic heartbeats called atrial fibrillations. Researchers said this Monday that this drug also sharply reduces the risk of major bleeding that is seen with warfarin.

16 Nov 2010

New mechanism breaks drug resistance in ovarian cancer

Drug resistance is a major obstacle in curing ovarian cancer but new research from the Centenary Institute has discovered a treatment that kills ovarian cancer cells in a new way that can break the resistance mechanism.

16 Nov 2010

FDA announces program to facilitate development of external defibrillators to treat abnormal heart rhythms

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a program aimed at facilitating the development of safer, more effective external defibrillators used to treat abnormal heart rhythms through improved design and manufacturing practices. External defibrillators are medical devices designed to diagnose life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms and treat them by delivering electrical energy to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.

16 Nov 2010

Hospira launches two-gram vial of gemcitabine hydrochloride for injection

Hospira, Inc., the world leader in generic injectable pharmaceuticals, today announced it has launched a two-gram vial of gemcitabine hydrochloride for injection.

16 Nov 2010

Study finds two-thirds of asthma patients take combined ICS/LABA treatment

Despite national guidelines recommending that inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) be used alone as the preferred treatment for patients with mild persistent asthma, a new study finds that nearly two-thirds of these patients are taking more costly drugs that combine an ICS and a long-acting beta agonist (LABA) with no apparent additional clinical benefit noted based on pharmacy and medical claims.

16 Nov 2010

Inconsistent food labels contribute to consumer uncertainty about appropriate food intake

People are easily fooled when it comes to food labels, and will eat more of something if they believe it's a "small" portion, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

16 Nov 2010

Canadian government announces new research initiative on childhood obesity

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced new initiatives for research on physical activity and childhood obesity through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

16 Nov 2010

Reducing salt intake can enhance health of young adults in future: Research

Cutting back on salt in teenagers' diets by as little as one-half teaspoon, or three grams, a day, could reduce the number of young adults with high blood pressure by 44 to 63 percent, according to new research presented Sunday, Nov. 14 at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010 meeting in Chicago.

16 Nov 2010

Review: Mercury likely plays role in development of AD

Mercury likely plays a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a review of relevant scientific literature published this month in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Dr. Joachim Mutter of Germany, Dr. Richard Deth of the United States, and other esteemed researchers collaborated on the groundbreaking article Does Inorganic Mercury Play a Role in Alzheimer's Disease? A Systematic Review and an Integrated Molecular Mechanism, which clarifies the need for continuing research to understand the cause of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.

16 Nov 2010

Report shows spells of poverty may have lifelong health implications for children

Spells of poverty, even if temporary, may have lifelong health implications for children, according to the largest report so far reviewing the recent recession's effects on child well-being.

16 Nov 2010

FDA approves Halaven therapy for metastatic late-stage breast cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Halaven (eribulin mesylate) to treat patients with metastatic breast cancer who have received at least two prior chemotherapy regimens for late-stage disease.

16 Nov 2010

Food, drugs of abuse engage same brain systems, show studies

New animal research helps explain why some eat without hunger or to excess. The studies explore the biological effects of poor eating habits, showing that high-fat diets cause lasting brain changes that may impair healthy eating. Additional studies show that food and drugs of abuse engage many of the same brain systems. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news on brain science and health.

16 Nov 2010

Teva presents QNAZE Phase III study results for SAR at ACAAI Meeting

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced results from a Phase III study of QNAZE (beclomethasone dipropionate [BDP]) HFA, a nasal aerosol corticosteroid in development for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR), that demonstrated significantly greater symptom relief compared with placebo.

15 Nov 2010

Sangart's MP4CO receives orphan drug designation for acute pain in sickle cell disease

Sangart, Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines specifically designed to enhance the perfusion and oxygenation of ischemic (oxygen deprived) tissues through targeted oxygen and other gas delivery, today announced that its investigational biopharmaceutical product, MP4CO, has been awarded orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in treating acute painful sickling crises in patients with sickle cell disease.

15 Nov 2010

National health disparities conference wraps up with creative approaches, expectations for new healthcare reform

Focusing on the disparities in the quality of health care across demographic groups, the Fourth Annual National Conference on Health Disparities brought together White House officials and national and local healthcare executives to address a series of key questions about non-medical determinants of health quality and to recommend strategies to bring more equitable healthcare access to the underserved. The determinants discussed at the four-day-long conference, which began November 10, 2010 and concluded Saturday, November 13, 2010, included education levels, health literacy, poverty, public safety, community design, access to care, environmental quality and personal, government and corporate responsibility.

15 Nov 2010

Erroneous defibrillators: FDA new initiative to check safety

More problems are being reported in external defibrillators, the life-saving medical devices located in emergency rooms, airports and other public places. These Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs are generally used in patients who have suffered sudden cardiac arrest if used in the first few minutes after their collapse. They deliver electrical energy to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.

15 Nov 2010

Emerging blood thinners to prevent stroke

As blood thinners emerge in the market for stroke prevention many experts believe is still too early to predict how they will stack up in the $15 billion a year market.

15 Nov 2010