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WORLD Symposium: Protalix Biotherapeutics to present data on taliglucerase alfa Phase III Gaucher disease trial

Protalix Biotherapeutics, Inc. today announced that data from its pivotal Phase III trial of taliglucerase alfa in patients with Gaucher disease will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Lysosomal Disease Network: WORLD Symposium 2010, February 10-12, 2010 in Miami, Florida.

5 Feb 2010

Scientists discover new technique to destroy individual diseased cells

Using lasers and nanoparticles, scientists at Rice University have discovered a new technique for singling out individual diseased cells and destroying them with tiny explosions.

5 Feb 2010

St. Jude Medical receives European approval for Fortify ST ICD and Unify CRT-D defibrillators

St. Jude Medical, Inc. today announced European CE Mark approval and first implants of its Fortify™ and Fortify ST implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and Unify™ cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D). The devices will be fully launched in Europe later this spring, and U.S. versions of the Fortify ICD and Unify CRT-D are expected to be launched later this year. The reduced size of these new devices compared to those of previous generations creates the smallest available device footprint in the industry.

5 Feb 2010

Lux Biosciences seeks US and European marketing approval for LUVENIQ

Lux Biosciences, Inc. today announced its submission of simultaneous regulatory filings to both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking marketing approval for its investigational drug LUVENIQ™ (LX211; oral voclosporin) for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis involving the intermediate or posterior segments of the eye.

5 Feb 2010

Michael J. Fox Foundation announces more than $2.8M in awards to discover biomarkers of PD

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research today announced more than $2.8 million in awards for 13 new projects to speed the discovery of biomarkers of PD.

4 Feb 2010

ASTRO and ACR release practice guidelines for new radiation treatments

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) have released practice guidelines for image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in the February issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO.

4 Feb 2010

IMRIS to acquire NASL

IMRIS Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NeuroArm Surgical Limited ("NASL"), a privately held company based in Calgary, Alberta, and its magnetic resonance-compatible neurosurgical robot. The companies expect to close the transaction no later than February 8, 2010, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. IMRIS has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Limited ("MDA") to create the next generation of the technology.

4 Feb 2010

"Knowledge deficit" about methadone responsible for resulting deaths

In a unique and comprehensive literature review of poisoning deaths involving opioids from 1999 -- 2009, the deaths involving methadone were found to be disproportionately high. Methadone represented less than five percent of all opioid prescriptions but is responsible for a third of the deaths. After four years of investigation, the major underlying cause was found to be fundamental misunderstandings about the properties of the medicine -- a "knowledge deficit" -- especially when converting patients from other opioids.

4 Feb 2010

First Edition: February 4, 2010

Health care spending is taking an increasingly big bite out of the nation's economy, according to today's headlines.

4 Feb 2010

February issue of Chest releases latest medical news

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are widely used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, new research suggests that ICS may only provide a modest benefit in reducing exacerbations in patients with COPD.

4 Feb 2010

First annual Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum in Winston-Salem

The Regenerative Medicine Foundation today announced the first annual Translational Regenerative Medicine Forum to be held April 6-8, 2010 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem.

4 Feb 2010

ASTRO leads the way to help physicians improve safety and reduce medical errors

The American Society for Radiation Oncology has committed to a six-point patient protection plan that will improve safety and quality and reduce the chances of medical errors, ASTRO Board Chairman Tim R. Williams, M.D., said today.

4 Feb 2010

Paracetamol reduces damage caused to kidneys following severe muscle injury

The commonly-used painkiller Paracetamol can protect against kidney failure after severe muscle injury, according to research at the University of Essex.

4 Feb 2010

Mapping of human genome modification during embryonic development

Scientists at The Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) led an international effort to build a map that shows in detail how the human genome is modified during embryonic development.

4 Feb 2010

New study may allow scientists to develop screening test for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

A simple blood test could predict which patients with the lung-scarring disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are soon to get far worse, an indicator that could one day influence their treatment, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

4 Feb 2010

Scientists identify potential drug therapy target for malaria

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a protein made by the malaria parasite that is essential to its ability to take over human red blood cells.

4 Feb 2010

Sermo announces a new report on evolving trends in CML

Sermo, the world's largest online community for physicians, today announced a Sermo Event™ Report titled "Evolving Trends in CML." The new report measures the impact of ENESTnd trial data on Oncologists' use of Tasigna (Novartis), Sprycel (Bristol Myers-Squibb) and Gleevec (Novartis) in newly diagnosed CML patients and assesses overall trends in CML monitoring and management. While Gleevec will likely remain the #1 treatment, there will be a close race for the runner-up spot amongst second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the front line setting.

4 Feb 2010