Muscle Wasting News and Research

RSS

GlaxoSmithKline to acquire Sirtris Pharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline and Sirtris Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which GlaxoSmithKline will acquire Sirtris Pharmaceuticals for approximately USD720 million (or approx. GBP362 million) through a cash tender offer of USD22.50 (or approx. GBP11.33) per share.

22 Apr 2008

Long-term use of mechanical ventilation contributes to the deterioration of human diaphragm muscle

A new study by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine shows, for the first time in humans, that ventilators combined with diaphragm disuse contributes to muscle atrophy in the diaphragm in as little as eighteen hours.

28 Mar 2008

Millionaire leaves millions for research into motor neuron disease

A self-made millionaire Peter Goodenough who died from motor neuron disease (MND) left more than $6 million to the University's Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) to help find a cure for MND.

19 Mar 2008

Long-term muscle improvements shown in gene therapy study in mice

Injecting a gene responsible for making a specific protein into a mouse that's used as a model for muscular dystrophy can lead to long-term improvements in the animal's muscle size and strength, a new study shows.

14 Mar 2008

Myostatin shows promise for muscular dystrophy

Myostatin, a protein that blocks muscle growth, has shown promising results as a potential therapeutic target for treating muscular dystrophy in animal studies, where its inhibition led to increased muscle mass and strength.

12 Mar 2008

Potential new gene therapy strategy for muscle-wasting diseases

Investigators in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital have identified the role of a protein that could potentially lead to new clinical treatments to combat musculoskeletal diseases, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

11 Mar 2008

Long-term muscle improvements shown in gene therapy study in mice

11 Mar 2008

Human growth hormone abuse raises serious health risks

Human growth hormone (HGH), when medically necessary, is a safe and effective clinical treatment for children and adults.

13 Feb 2008

Doctors uncertain about approaches to care for heart failure patients

Less than one fourth of physicians specializing in geriatrics, internal or family medicine or cardiology believe they can accurately predict the whether patients with heart failure are at risk of dying, new Saint Louis University research found.

12 Feb 2008

Endurance training improves metabolism in mice

Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have demonstrated that in mice, the use of barbells may be as important to losing weight and improving health as the use of running shoes.

7 Feb 2008

Myostatin inhibitors may make injuries more likely

Block the action of a protein that normally regulates muscle mass, and watch your muscles grow.

23 Jan 2008

Stem cell therapy restores muscle function in mice with muscular dystrophy

Scientists in Texas have been able to restore muscle function in mice with muscular dystrophy by using embryonic stem cells.

21 Jan 2008

New insight into factors that drive muscle-building stem cells

A report in the January issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press, provides new evidence explaining how stem cells known as satellite cells contribute to building muscles up in response to exercise.

9 Jan 2008

Discovery of molecular signal that helps muscle regenerate and protects it from atrophy

It does not take much to injure a muscle. Sometimes one sudden, inconsiderate movement does the job.

20 Dec 2007

Reprogrammed human adult stem cells rescue diseased muscle in mice

Scientists report that adult stem cells isolated from humans with muscular dystrophy can be genetically corrected and used to induce functional improvement when transplanted into a mouse model of the disease.

13 Dec 2007

Study to look at effect of exercise and nutrition on muscle in old age

Experts at The University of Nottingham are looking to recruit men of two specific age groups to help understand the effect of exercise and nutrition on muscle in old age.

29 Nov 2007

Discovery of gene responsible for statin-induced muscle pain

Statins, the popular class of drugs used to lower cholesterol, are among the most commonly prescribed medications in developed countries.

27 Nov 2007

Researchers identify compound that eliminates myotonia - a symptom of muscular dystrophy

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have identified a compound that eliminates myotonia - a symptom of muscular dystrophy - in mice. The research was published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

16 Nov 2007

Male contraception

For decades, pundits have predicted new contraceptives for men within the next 5 to 10 years.

29 Sep 2007

Call for more genetic research in the sport and exercise sciences

Genetic research into athletic ability should be encouraged for its potential benefits in both sport and public health, a leading group of scientists meeting at the University of Bath said today.

13 Sep 2007