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Initiation of QVA149 Phase III clinical programme by Novartis triggers $7.5M milestone payment to Sosei

Sosei Group Corporation announce the commencement of the Phase III clinical programme by Novartis, with QVA149, a once-daily, dry powder bronchodilator for inhalation combining a fixed dose of the once-daily beta2-agonist QAB149 (indacaterol) and the long-acting muscarinic antagonist NVA237 (glycopyrronium bromide) for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The start of Phase III triggers a $7.5m milestone payment to Sosei.

10 May 2010

GSK participates in FDA advisory committee's rotavirus vaccine meeting

GlaxoSmithKline today participated in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee meeting convened to discuss recent findings of porcine circovirus (PCV) in rotavirus vaccines. Although the committee did not issue any formal recommendations, members widely acknowledged that the benefits of vaccinating infants worldwide against rotavirus disease clearly outweigh the theoretical risks associated with the presence of porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV-1) in the vaccines.

10 May 2010

A new generation of cereal based products for patients with celiac disease

A wide range of gluten free cereals have been studies in detail as part of the HEALTHGRAIN project of the European Union, and their impact on product quality has been assessed. Enzyme technology, bioprocessing as well as high-pressure processing technology have been successfully applied to improve the quality, safety and nutritional attributes of gluten free cereal products.

10 May 2010

Findings may help develop a new class of drugs for diabetes

More than half a century after researchers identified a promising way to treat diabetes based on blocking the breakdown of insulin in the body, a research team led by a scientist at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have developed potent molecules that can do just that.

10 May 2010

Lancet examines Canada's G8 strategy for maternal, child health initiatives

A Lancet World Report examines the details of the Canadian government's strategy for the G8 maternal and child health initiative and reactions from global health leaders and politicians to the plan, including the announcement during a meeting of G8 leaders Halifax, Nova Scotia, that the initiative would not support abortion.

10 May 2010

Women's empowerment, regional integration, malaria prevention discussed at WEF on Africa

On the second day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, Graca Machel, founder and president of the Foundation for Community Development, called on African governments to implement strategies aimed at empowering women in order to accelerate the continent's social and economic development, Tanzania Daily News/allAfrica.com reports.

10 May 2010

FAO head calls for more African agriculture investment to boost food security

Country and donor under-investment in agriculture has hindered food security across Africa, Jacques Diouf, director-general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said on Thursday at the group's 26th Regional Conference for Africa in Luanda, Angola, Reuters reports.

10 May 2010

Americans facing grievous harm from chemicals in the air, food and water

The U.S. President's Cancer Panel has come out with a new report on cancer risks and preventive measures, but policy makers don't seem interested. While the report is being praised by cancer awareness activists the majority of the government seems strangely unaffected by the new report. The President's Cancer Panel usually has three members appointed by the President but as of now there are only two people on the panel, namely Dr. Leffall and Dr. Margaret L. Kripke.

9 May 2010

President's cancer panel focuses on environmental chemicals

An expert panel that advises the president on cancer said Thursday that Americans are facing 'grievous harm' from chemicals in the air, food and water that have largely gone unregulated and ignored. The President's Cancer Panel called for a new national strategy that focuses on such threats in the environment and workplaces.

7 May 2010

IBM to analyze best way to cut childhood obesity

IBM "will put computer models to work analyzing the reams of available data on the different factors that might affect obesity - things such as consumer behavior, the location of grocery stores, the availability of physical activity facilities and even community transportation options - and see how those factors interact.

7 May 2010

New report: Evaluation of Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints in Chronic Disease

Claims about the health benefits of foods and nutritional supplements have proliferated in recent years, most of them based on studies measuring ingredients' effects on biomarkers as substitutes for actual clinical outcomes.

7 May 2010

Newly updated informational website on E. coli

An outbreak of E. coli O145 in three states has hospitalized 12, three of whom have developed hemolytic Uremic syndrome, a severe complication of E. coli infection. Victims in Michigan, Ohio, and New York are ill with E. coli O145, which has been linked to a recall of tainted lettuce by Freshway Foods.

7 May 2010

Ardea Biosciences reports lower net loss of $10.1M for first-quarter 2010

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. a biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of gout, cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), reported recent accomplishments and financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

Osiris Therapeutics reports net income of $2.4M for first-quarter 2010

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., the leading stem cell therapeutic company focused on developing and marketing products to treat medical conditions in the inflammatory, cardiovascular and orthopedic areas, announced today its results for the first quarter of fiscal 2010.

7 May 2010

Plant breeding can be used to produce new types of wheat with enhanced health benefits

Wheat products, and in particular, wholegrain products, are important sources of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and other components which are beneficial for human health. Analysis of a diverse range of wheat varieties within the HEALTHGRAIN project of the European Union has shown substantial variation (up to four-fold) in the content and composition of these components.

7 May 2010

Arena Pharmaceuticals reports lower net loss of $31.3 million in first-quarter 2010

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

BioSpecifics Technologies total revenues for first-quarter increase to $2.7M

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase-based products, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. The Company also highlighted key commercial and regulatory progress during the quarter, and provided its expected milestones for the remainder of 2010.

7 May 2010

First Edition: May 7, 2010

Today's health policy headlines explore a range of issues -- from how health reform politics are playing in midterm election campaigns to hospital action in the marketplace.

7 May 2010

New changes to 'Extra Help' program enables more people save on prescription drug costs

Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for "Extra Help" may be eligible to pay no more than $2.50 for generic drugs and $6.30 for each brand name drug thanks to changes to Medicare's Low-Income Subsidy Program for Part D prescription drug costs (also known as LIS or "Extra Help") that take effect this year. These changes make it easier than ever for people on Medicare with limited incomes to save on their drug costs.

7 May 2010

Aceto third-quarter net sales up 24.5% to $99.3 million

Aceto Corporation, a global leader in the sourcing, quality assurance, regulatory support, marketing and distribution of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, specialty chemicals and crop protection products, today announced results of operations for its fiscal 2010 third quarter and nine months ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010