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FDA approves St. Jude Medical's Unify CRT-D and Fortify ICD devices

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and first U.S. implants of its Unify™ cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and Fortify™ implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The new devices feature advanced battery technology and circuitry that allow for the smallest device footprint in the industry and rapid charge times, without any compromise in device longevity or power.

13 May 2010

Michelle Obama releases plan to 'reverse childhood obesity'

USA Today: "First lady Michelle Obama unveiled a plan today to 'reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity' and called for help from governments, schools and businesses as well as the families themselves. ... Obama and her aides released a task force report titled Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation. The goal, she said, is to 'ensure that our children can have the healthy lives and the bright futures that they deserve'" (Jackson, 5/11)

13 May 2010

Boston Scientific receives CE Mark approval for TAXUS Element Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its corporate partner, Boston Scientific Corporation, has received CE Mark approval for its TAXUS(R) Element(TM) Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System, Boston Scientific's third-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) technology.

13 May 2010

SunOpta first-quarter revenues increase 14.7% to $266.1 million

SunOpta Inc., a leading global company focused on natural, organic and specialty foods and natural health products, today announced financial results for the quarter period ended April 3, 2010. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars and results are reported in accordance with U.S. GAAP, except where specifically noted.

13 May 2010

FDA approves Evia pacemaker for distribution in the U.S.

BIOTRONIK today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the Evia pacemaker for distribution in the U.S., giving physicians and patients access to a unique Bradycardia system designed and manufactured with BIOTRONIK's unparalleled legacy of quality.

13 May 2010

Bioniche third-quarter consolidated revenues increase 111% to $15.6 million

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for its Fiscal 2010 third quarter, ended March 31, 2010.

12 May 2010

FDA approves Aeterna Zentaris' AEZS-108 IND for bladder cancer

Aeterna Zentaris Inc., a late-stage drug development company specialized in oncology and endocrine therapy, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its doxorubicin targeted conjugate compound, AEZS-108, in luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) receptor positive urothelial (bladder) cancer.

12 May 2010

First Edition: May 12, 2010

Today's headlines include reports about new congressional budget office projections that increase the 10-year costs of the health overhaul law.

12 May 2010

Updated data from Vical's Phase 2 trial of high-dose Allovectin-7 in metastatic melanoma patients

Vical Incorporated announced the publication in the June issue of Melanoma Research of updated data from the company's Phase 2 trial of high-dose (2 mg) Allovectin-7® in patients with metastatic melanoma. A separate article in the May issue of Expert Opinion on Biological Therapy reviewed results from the Phase 2 trial and previous clinical studies of Allovectin-7®.

12 May 2010

Evotec first-quarter operating loss decreases 93% to € 1.5 m

Evotec AG today reported financial results and corporate updates for the first quarter of 2010.

12 May 2010

COTI announces favourable independent pre-IND gap analysis report for novel oncology drug candidate

Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. announced today that it received a favourable Pre-Investigational New Drug (pre-IND) gap analysis report from an independent team that reviewed its novel oncology drug candidate COTI-2. This represents an important milestone as the Company draws closer to a Phase 1 clinical trial.

12 May 2010

Wheat aleurone contains high levels of potentially healthpromoting compounds

Wheat aleurone is a novel wheat grain fraction with high levels of potentially healthpromoting compounds. New clinical trials with ready-to-eat cereals and bread containing wheat aleurone have been performed, and showed increased blood concentrations of tentatively beneficial compounds such as betaine, and decreased homocysteine and LDL-cholesterol which are both associated with heart disease risk.

12 May 2010

Caffeine helps shift workers make fewer errors: Cochrane researchers

Caffeine can help those working shifts or nights to make fewer errors, according to a new study by Cochrane researchers. The findings have implications for health workers and for any industry relying on shift or night work, such as transportation.

12 May 2010

Children who eat lunch as part of NSLP have increased likelihood of becoming overweight: Research

With obesity becoming an epidemic among school-aged children in this country, a Georgia State University professor has found a link between overweight children and federal school nutrition programs.

12 May 2010

Opinions: Abortion in Canada's G8 initiative; Security of Afghan women; U.S. global development strategy; Mother's Day; U.S. food security initiative; Polio eradication

National Post columnist Jonathan Kay examines the ongoing debate over whether Canada's G8 child and maternal health initiative should include abortions, which according to a 2006 Oxford University Press-World Bank report, are "one small chunk of a bigger puzzle. A much larger problem, in terms of the number of female lives affected, is the decidedly less headline-grabbing subject of hemorrhages - which include antepartun hemorrhages … and primary postpartum hemorrhages.

12 May 2010

Researchers develop new method for tracing carbon flux

Microbial communities are performing important functions all around us - from the earth in our flowerpots to the human gut. Now researchers have developed a method for studying the metabolic functions of microbial communities in detail.

12 May 2010

TFAH commends Childhood Obesity Task Force's report

Trust for America's Health commends the Childhood Obesity Task Force's report, Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation, which includes proposed recommendations for reducing the rate of childhood obesity from 17% to 5% by 2030. The report includes a total of 70 recommendations for specific action steps, many of which can be implemented right away and are minimal or no-cost.

12 May 2010

St. Jude Medical launches Promote Quadra CRT-D in Europe

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced the European launch of its Promote Quadra™ cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D). The Promote Quadra CRT-D is the industry's first quadripolar pacing system, which offers physicians the ability to more effectively and efficiently manage the ever-changing pacing needs of patients with heart failure.

12 May 2010

FDA Dermatology and Ophthalmology Drugs Advisory Committee to review Lux Biosciences’ Luveniq NDA

Lux Biosciences, Inc. today announced that the Dermatology and Ophthalmology Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is scheduled to review its New Drug Application (NDA) for Luveniq™ (oral voclosporin) for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis involving the intermediate or posterior segments of the eye on June 28, 2010.

12 May 2010

Group worries about proposals to allow drug marketing on social media websites

The Center for Digital Democracy is concerned about proposals to allow pharmaceutical companies to market drugs on social media websites. Such a change is under examination by the Food and Drug Administration, the National Journal's Tech Daily Dose reports.

12 May 2010