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BioCancell's Phase I/IIa clinical trial of BC-819 shows positive result for pancreatic cancer

BioCancell, a developer of anti-cancer drugs, announced success in attaining the goals of its Phase I/IIa clinical trial of BC-819 as a treatment for pancreatic cancer, which demonstrated an excellent safety profile and preliminary efficacy.

2 Nov 2010

Novel technology using quantum dots increases drug uptake in lung injury

Researchers at the University at Buffalo have developed a novel technology using quantum dots that is expected to have major implications for research and treatment of tuberculosis, as well as other inflammatory lung diseases.

2 Nov 2010

Minn. will accept federal assistance, Tenn. tackles burgeoning drug abuse problem

Politico: "Minnesota will accept federal assistance under the Democrats' health reform law after all, despite Gov. Tim Pawlenty's executive order barring voluntary participation in federal health care programs. The state's Management and Budget Office was one of 700 new organizations that signed up for the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, a $5 billion program that helps pay for the insurance costs of retirees between the ages of 55 and 64.

2 Nov 2010

Study finds inhaled corticosteroids increase type 2 diabetes risk

Patients taking inhaled corticosteroids are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and more so with higher doses, say researchers at the Jewish General Hospital's Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (LDI) In Montreal. The risk is of special concern for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and much less significant for asthmatics.

2 Nov 2010

HHS awards CTI $977,917 in grants under Therapeutic Discovery Tax Credit program

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has been awarded $977,917 in grants under the Therapeutic Discovery Tax Credit program that was enacted under the U.S. government's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The program targets projects that show potential to produce new therapies, address unmet medical needs, reduce the long-term growth of health care costs and advance the goal of curing cancer.

2 Nov 2010

Kenya first of four countries to launch UNICEF, partners initiative aimed at PMTCT of HIV

On Friday, UNICEF and the Kenyan government announced a partnership aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV by providing HIV-positive mothers with packs of medicines they can easily administer to themselves or their babies at home, IRIN/PlusNews reports.

2 Nov 2010

Arthritis drugs also prevent post-operative cognitive decline: Study

Anti-inflammatory drugs currently used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis may also help prevent cognitive problems after surgery, according to a new study by researchers at Imperial College London and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

2 Nov 2010

NICE to lose its power to ban life saving drugs

Ministers have finally clarified that patients would not be denied life-extending drugs just because the NHS rationing body decides they are too expensive. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) the drug watchdog in the UK will be stripped of its powers to stop drugs being available on the NHS due to price. The arbitrary limit on the cost of new drugs – around £30,000 per year of extended high-quality life – will be scrapped from 2014.

1 Nov 2010

Alcohol - the worst drug!

A new study shows that alcohol abuse is by far the worst habit to have when compared to other recreational drugs like crack or heroin. Neuropharmacologist David Nutt, of Imperial College London who is also a former British government drug advisor and his team rated 20 different drugs on a scale that takes into account the various harms caused by a drug. Drugs are rated on the nine harms a drug causes to an individual and seven harms a drug causes to the society. The scale was developed by a panel of experts called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ICSD), ranges from 0 (no harm) to 100 (greatest possible harm). It is weighted so that a drug that scores 50 is half as harmful as a drug that scores 100.

1 Nov 2010

AHRQ: Hospital admissions for adverse drug reactions have doubled

News outlets report on the hospital industry, including admission rates, mergers and quality improvement programs.

1 Nov 2010

Insurance costs continue to surge

The cost of health insurance continues to surge, and the effect of the new health law is still unclear, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

1 Nov 2010

Valeant, Kadmon enter strategic agreement for taribavirin and ribavirin

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. and Kadmon Pharmaceuticals LLC have concluded two strategic agreements for the development and commercialization of taribavirin and the commercial marketing of ribavirin in the treatment of viral diseases, including hepatitis C virus (HCV).

1 Nov 2010

FDA approves cancer drug Afinitor for treatment of rare genetic disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the cancer drug Afinitor (everolimus) on Friday to treat patients with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) associated with tuberous sclerosis (TS), a rare genetic disorder. This approval was for treatments of SEGA that can not be treated with surgery.

1 Nov 2010

GOG to initiate combination elesclomol-paclitaxel Phase 2 clinical trial for ovarian cancer

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) will initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial of elesclomol in combination with paclitaxel for the treatment of persistent or recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.

1 Nov 2010

Short courses of antibiotics have long-term impact on microbial flora of human gut

Short courses of antibiotics can leave normal gut bacteria harbouring antibiotic resistance genes for up to two years after treatment, say scientists writing in the latest issue of Microbiology, published on 3 November.

1 Nov 2010

Momenta reports $32.1M net income for third quarter 2010 vs. $14.6M net loss for third quarter 2009

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex drugs, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2010.

1 Nov 2010

Nycomed acquires majority stake in Guangdong Techpool Bio-Pharma

Nycomed today announced that it is significantly expanding its presence in China through the acquisition of a majority stake in Guangdong Techpool Bio-Pharma Co., Ltd. (Techpool), a fast-growing Chinese bio-pharmaceutical company based in Guangdong. Techpool, founded in 1993, specialises in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of biologic drugs derived from natural sources.

1 Nov 2010

Inhibitex announces initiation of INX-189 Phase 1b clinical trial for HCV infection

Inhibitex, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a Phase 1b, multiple ascending dose (MAD) clinical trial of INX-189, its nucleotide polymerase inhibitor in development for the treatment of chronic infections caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV).

1 Nov 2010

BetterRxCard helps McLennan County residents save on prescription drugs

BetterRxCard, the free prescription discount card sponsored by McLennan County, today announced the program has saved $138,562 for McLennan County residents during its initial six months. "Anything we can do to assist in reducing or deferring the costs to our citizens we are glad to participate in," said McLennan County Judge Jim Lewis.

1 Nov 2010

Global Genes Project launches new campaign to create awareness about rare diseases

The Global Genes Project, a non-profit advocacy organization that aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of rare diseases worldwide, today launched the 7,000 Bracelets for Hope campaign. The 7,000 Bracelets for Hope campaign is designed to draw attention to an estimated 7,000 different chronic, life-threatening and fatal rare diseases and disorders affecting approximately 30 million Americans and millions more globally.

1 Nov 2010

Drugs News and Research

BioCancell's Phase I/IIa clinical trial of BC-819 shows positive result for pancreatic cancer

Novel technology using quantum dots increases drug uptake in lung injury

Minn. will accept federal assistance, Tenn. tackles burgeoning drug abuse problem

Study finds inhaled corticosteroids increase type 2 diabetes risk

HHS awards CTI $977,917 in grants under Therapeutic Discovery Tax Credit program

Kenya first of four countries to launch UNICEF, partners initiative aimed at PMTCT of HIV

Arthritis drugs also prevent post-operative cognitive decline: Study

NICE to lose its power to ban life saving drugs

Alcohol - the worst drug!

AHRQ: Hospital admissions for adverse drug reactions have doubled

Insurance costs continue to surge

Valeant, Kadmon enter strategic agreement for taribavirin and ribavirin

FDA approves cancer drug Afinitor for treatment of rare genetic disorder

GOG to initiate combination elesclomol-paclitaxel Phase 2 clinical trial for ovarian cancer

Short courses of antibiotics have long-term impact on microbial flora of human gut

Momenta reports $32.1M net income for third quarter 2010 vs. $14.6M net loss for third quarter 2009

Nycomed acquires majority stake in Guangdong Techpool Bio-Pharma

Inhibitex announces initiation of INX-189 Phase 1b clinical trial for HCV infection

BetterRxCard helps McLennan County residents save on prescription drugs

Global Genes Project launches new campaign to create awareness about rare diseases

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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