Drugs News and Research

RSS

FDA grants clearance for HPβCD treatment for Niemann Pick Type C disease

Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to introduce Trappsol Cyclo (Hydroxypropyl Beta Cyclodextrin or HPβCD) into the brains of six year old identical twin girls dying of a rare brain-destroying cholesterol disease called Niemann Pick Type C (NPC).

24 Sep 2010

Avandia restricted by the FDA and EMEA

The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has restricted the use of the controversial diabetes drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) due to its propensity to increase cardiovascular disease risk.

24 Sep 2010

Antipsychotics slightly raise risk for blood clots

Antipsychotics or medications that are used to treat psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are reported to raise the risk of dangerous blood clots.

23 Sep 2010

FDA grants ZIOPHARM's darinaparsin Orphan Drug Designation for peripheral T-cell Lymphoma treatment

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to darinaparsin (Zinapar™ or ZIO-101) for the treatment of peripheral T-cell Lymphoma (PTCL). The United States Orphan Drug Act of 1983 was created to provide incentives for companies to develop and market treatments for diseases or conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.

23 Sep 2010

Raltegravir could be valid target against all Herpesviridae

Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) headed by the coordinator of the Structural and Computational Biology Programme, Miquel Coll, have published a new study that demonstrates that raltegravir, the drug approved in 2007 for the treatment of AIDS that is sold by Merck under the name Isentress, cancels the function of an essential protein for the replication of one kind of herpes virus.

23 Sep 2010

Antibacterial ingredient in soap becomes guiding light for future development of drugs for toxoplasmosis

The antibacterial ingredient in some soaps, toothpastes, odor-fighting socks, and even computer keyboards is pointing scientists toward a long-sought new treatment for a parasitic disease that affects almost two billion people. Their report on how triclosan became the guiding light for future development of drugs for toxoplasmosis appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

23 Sep 2010

Boehringer Ingelheim, Eurofins Medigenomix partner in DNA banking and pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, an international research-driven pharma company, and Eurofins Medigenomix GmbH, a competence center for genetic analyses of the Eurofins Scientific Group, concluded a long-term service agreement in the area of DNA banking, as well as a master service agreement for pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic services. For DNA banking Eurofins Medigenomix is supporting operations of Boehringer Ingelheim's central DNA bank at Biberach an der Riss.

23 Sep 2010

LSUHSC hosts international scientific conference on drug abuse research and politics

Topics ranging from the future of addiction research and treatment to the binational implications of Mexico's decriminalization of drugs will be presented at the 10th Annual International Conference of the National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) on Drug Abuse September 30 - October 2, 2010 at The Westin New Orleans Canal Place.

23 Sep 2010

Scientists to develop methotrexate nose drops for brain cancer

Scientists are reporting the development and successful initial testing of a new form of methotrexate the mainstay anticancer drug designed to be given as nose drops rather than injected. It shows promise as a more effective treatment for brain cancer, they say. The report appears in ACS' Molecular Pharmaceutics, a bi-monthly journal.

23 Sep 2010

Interleukin Genetics announces clinical study data on osteoarthritis progression

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. and the Thurston Arthritis Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced today findings from a large clinical study to evaluate the role of genetic factors in osteoarthritis progression which showed patients with radiographic evidence of knee osteoarthritis who inherited a specific pattern of genetic variations in the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene were almost twice as likely to progress to severe disease as other patients.

23 Sep 2010

Vaxonco initiates Phase I clinical trial of novel DNA-based polyepitope vaccine against malaria

Vaxonco Inc., a Korean company specializing in peptide-based vaccines and Ichor Medical Systems (Ichor), whose advanced TriGrid™ Delivery System (TriGrid™) is being tested worldwide for its ability to enhance delivery of DNA drugs and vaccines, announced today the initiation of a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate a novel DNA-based polyepitope vaccine against malaria.

23 Sep 2010

New study signals hope for treatment of rare neurodegenerative disease

A new study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists signals hope for treatment of a neurodegenerative disease and a new model for understanding the mechanism at work in other more common neurodegenerative disorders.

23 Sep 2010

FDA approves fingolimod drug for multiple sclerosis

The first oral medication for multiple sclerosis was approved today by the Food & Drug Administration. Physicians praised the decision to approve the drug, called fingolimod, saying it would give multiple sclerosis patients new options for treatment.

23 Sep 2010

Opinions: Genetically-modified crops can improve vaccines; MDG focus on women and girls; U.S. leadership for MDGs; Boosting access to drugs; Merits of bilateral development assistance

"The U.N. estimates that diarrheal diseases kill 1.8 million people every year. … So you might take it as good news that American company Ventria Bioscience says it has hit on an improvement to existing rehydration therapies, which could mean another tool in the fight against diarrhea," according to a Wall Street Journal editorial examining the delays the company has experienced since it first sought to have its product approved by the FDA back in 2004, even "[a]fter a panel of food, medicine, immunology, child nutrition and health experts had declared its product safe."

23 Sep 2010

Nerve inflammation may cause postsurgical neuropathies: Study

A new Mayo Clinic study found that nerve inflammation may cause the pain, numbness and weakness following surgical procedures that is known as postsurgical neuropathy. The development of postsurgical neuropathies is typically attributed to compression or stretching of nerves during surgery. This new research shows that, in some cases, the neuropathy is actually caused by the immune system attacking the nerves and is potentially treatable with immunosuppressive drugs.

23 Sep 2010

DCGI approves ADXS11-001 human testing for cervix cancer

As part of approving the human testing of ADXS11-001 the lead agent for the treatment of cervix cancer of Advaxis, Inc., the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) immunotherapy company the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) required that the agent be tested to assure its safety prior to use.

23 Sep 2010

Biogen Idec concurs with FDA on safety monitoring for Gilenya through REMS

Biogen Idec is committed to improving the lives of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and no company is doing more for these patients. There has been a desire within the MS community for an oral treatment for a long time, and the approval of Gilenya has made this a reality.

23 Sep 2010

Scientists develop humanized mouse model to study typhoid fever

Better treatments and prevention for typhoid fever may emerge from a laboratory model that has just been developed for the disease. The model is based on transplanting human immune stem cells from umbilical cord blood into mice that are susceptible to infections.

23 Sep 2010

Women face sexual function problems after breast cancer

A new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine looked at whether women were more likely to experience sexual problems after breast cancer. The results showed that 70% of women were facing sexual function problems approximately two years post diagnosis.

23 Sep 2010

U.S. joins whistleblower suit against Pfizer for drug marketing

The Wall Street Journal: "The Justice Department is trying to take the lead in a lawsuit accusing Pfizer Inc.'s Wyeth unit of improperly promoting an organ-transplant drug for unauthorized uses and paying illegal kickbacks to doctors. The lawsuit was filed by two former Wyeth sales representatives who were responsible for promoting Rapamune, an immunosuppressant used to prevent the body's rejection of transplanted kidneys.

23 Sep 2010