Folic Acid News and Research

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Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. When a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine.

Foods with folic acid in them include leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas and nuts. Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products also contain folic acid. If you don't get enough folic acid from the foods you eat, you can also take it as a dietary supplement.

Research on worms may help develop ways to maintain fertility in humans

Princeton scientists have identified genes responsible for controlling reproductive life span in worms and found they may control genes regulating similar functions in humans. The work suggests that someday researchers may be able to develop ways to maintain fertility in humans, allowing women who want to delay having children to preserve that capacity and extend their reproduction, and to prevent maternal age-related birth defects.

25 Oct 2010

CRN reinforces importance of DHA before, during and after pregnancy

In response to a study regarding fish oil use during pregnancy published in the October 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry, reminds pregnant and lactating women of the undisputed importance of consuming the recommended amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) throughout pregnancy.

20 Oct 2010

Folic acid supplement does not reduce cardiovascular events, cancer or death

Use of folic acid supplements appears to lower blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine—theorized to be a risk factor for heart and blood vessel disease—but does not appear to be associated with reduced rates of cardiovascular events, cancer or death over a five-year period, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies in the October 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Eli Lilly presents ALIMTA Phase III trial results at ESMO Annual Meeting

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that its global Phase III trial evaluating ALIMTA (pemetrexed for injection) in combination with cisplatin in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN) did not meet its primary endpoint for overall survival. Data were presented for the first time today at the 35th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

11 Oct 2010

Allos announces favorable survival data from FOLOTYN Phase 2b study

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. today announced the presentation of favorable survival data from the Company's international, randomized Phase 2b investigational study of FOLOTYN relative to erlotinib in patients with Stage IIIB/IV (advanced) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, patients receiving FOLOTYN had a 16 percent reduction in the risk of death compared to erlotinib in the overall (intent-to-treat) population.

11 Oct 2010

Tips on pregnancy care from NHS Choices

Having a baby is one of the most exciting things that can happen, but parents-to-be might be feeling nervous as well. If it's a first baby, it's hard to know what to expect and you'll want to know what's normal for pregnancy and what's not.

5 Oct 2010

International experts to discuss effect of diet on children's mental and behavioral development

Can diet affect our children's long-term mental and behavioural development. This question will be addressed by a number of international leading experts on child nutrition next 6th of October in York, at a public event organized within the 7th Framework Programme Nutrimenthe, entitled "Effect of diet on the mental performance of children".

5 Oct 2010

Non-reversible gastric bypass surgery linked to increased risk of fetal neural tube defects

An increasing number of obese adolescents, particularly females, are undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Yet a case study presented Sunday, Oct. 3, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco, highlights the possible link between gastric bypass surgery in adolescent girls and an increased risk for neural tube defects, which can lead to varying degrees of disability such as paralysis and mental retardation due to damage to the nervous system, in their future children.

4 Oct 2010

Bayer’s new oral contraceptive receives FDA approval

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new oral contraceptive, Beyaz (drospirenone / ethinyl estradiol / levomefolate calcium tablets and levomefolate calcium tablets).

28 Sep 2010

FDA approves Beyaz tablets to increase folate level in women

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Beyaz tablets, an estrogen/progestin combined oral contraceptive that also contains a folate (levomefolate calcium 0.451 mg).

27 Sep 2010

Allos Therapeutics to present FOLOTYN trial results at ESMO Congress

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that results from the Phase 2b investigational trial of FOLOTYN (pralatrexate injection) versus erlotinib in patients with Stage IIIB/IV (advanced) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will be presented at the 35th European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress

10 Sep 2010

Gemcitabine does not improve survival compared with fluorouracil plus folinic acid in resected pancreatic cancer

Use of gemcitabine, a drug that can be effective in treating advanced and resected pancreatic cancer, did not result in improved overall survival after pancreatic cancer resection (surgical removal) compared to patients who received fluorouracil and folinic acid, another treatment regimen that has shown effectiveness, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Sep 2010

Avoidance of fluoride reduces anemia in pregnant women and decreases pre-term births

Fluoride avoidance reduced anemia in pregnant women, decreased pre-term births and enhanced babies' birth-weight, concludes leading fluoride expert, AK Susheela and colleagues, in a study published in Current Science (May 2010).

3 Sep 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals to present results on RNAi therapeutics at ACS National Meeting

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it will make a total of 16 oral presentations at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2010 240th National Meeting & Exposition being held in Boston, Mass. from August 22-26, 2010.

24 Aug 2010

Educational intervention program encourages Latina women towards postpartum care

Latinas participating in an educational intervention program were two-and-a-half times more likely to seek postpartum care than were those who did not have access to a similar program, a new study finds.

20 Aug 2010

VitaPath Genetics launches VitaTrack Folate Tracker

VitaPath Genetics, the Spina Bifida Association and the National Council on Folic Acid today announced the launch of the free iPhone application—the VitaTrack Folate Tracker— which allows women to track their daily intake of folate and folic acid. Maintaining an adequate level of folic acid prior to and during pregnancy can reduce the risk of serious birth defects like Spina Bifida by up to 70%. Studies show that folic acid may also help prevent congenital heart disease, pre-term labor, and cleft lip and palate.

30 Jul 2010

Allos reports topline results from Phase 2b trial of FOLOTYN vs erlotinib in advanced NSCLC

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. today announced topline results from the Company's randomized Phase 2b investigational trial of FOLOTYN® (pralatrexate injection) versus erlotinib in patients with Stage IIIB/IV (advanced) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who had received one or two prior systemic treatments including at least one prior platinum-based regimen. The objective of the trial was to estimate the efficacy of FOLOTYN compared to that of erlotinib as assessed by overall survival.

28 Jul 2010

Allos reports net loss of $20.0 million for second-quarter 2010

Allos Therapeutics, Inc. today reported its financial results and business highlights for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

28 Jul 2010

Genzyme accepts CMS decision for delaying Renvela administration to dialysis patients

Genzyme Corp.today said it welcomed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' decision not to include oral medications without IV equivalents in Medicare's End Stage Renal Disease patient benefit. According to the final rule, these medications, including Genzyme's Renvela (sevelamer carbonate), will not be included in the bundle until January 1, 2014.

28 Jul 2010

Scientists develop novel chemotherapeutic method for anticancer drug delivery

Combining nature and Greek mythology, researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed a tiny "Trojan Horse" system for delivering cancer-fighting drugs. With this system, the drugs are delivered only once they are inside the cancerous cells, so there is no damage to the healthy cells in the surrounding area.

28 Jul 2010

Folic Acid News and Research

Further Reading

Research on worms may help develop ways to maintain fertility in humans

CRN reinforces importance of DHA before, during and after pregnancy

Folic acid supplement does not reduce cardiovascular events, cancer or death

Eli Lilly presents ALIMTA Phase III trial results at ESMO Annual Meeting

Allos announces favorable survival data from FOLOTYN Phase 2b study

Tips on pregnancy care from NHS Choices

International experts to discuss effect of diet on children's mental and behavioral development

Non-reversible gastric bypass surgery linked to increased risk of fetal neural tube defects

Bayer’s new oral contraceptive receives FDA approval

FDA approves Beyaz tablets to increase folate level in women

Allos Therapeutics to present FOLOTYN trial results at ESMO Congress

Gemcitabine does not improve survival compared with fluorouracil plus folinic acid in resected pancreatic cancer

Avoidance of fluoride reduces anemia in pregnant women and decreases pre-term births

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals to present results on RNAi therapeutics at ACS National Meeting

Educational intervention program encourages Latina women towards postpartum care

VitaPath Genetics launches VitaTrack Folate Tracker

Allos reports topline results from Phase 2b trial of FOLOTYN vs erlotinib in advanced NSCLC

Allos reports net loss of $20.0 million for second-quarter 2010

Genzyme accepts CMS decision for delaying Renvela administration to dialysis patients

Scientists develop novel chemotherapeutic method for anticancer drug delivery

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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