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St. Jude Medical's Brio neurostimulator receives CE Mark approval

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) today announced CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark approval of the Brio™ neurostimulator, the world’s smallest, longest-lasting rechargeable deep brain stimulation (DBS) device for treating the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. A 67-year-old man who has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than 26 years became the first person to be implanted with the Brio neurostimulator.

9 Sep 2009

HCV treatment study reveals low relapse rate of Pegetron

Recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the largest prospective study of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments Pegetron and Pegasys RBV (R) found both treatments equal in achieving sustained viral response. The study also found that Pegetron had a significantly lower relapse rate and is a safe and effective treatment option which has shown long term viral eradication.

9 Sep 2009

VIVUS' Phase 3 studies find Qnexa effective in tackling obesity

VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) today announced positive results from two final, phase 3 pivotal 56-week studies, EQUIP (OB-302) and CONQUER (OB-303), evaluating the safety and efficacy of Qnexa(TM), an investigational drug, in more than 3,750 patients across 93 sites. The EQUIP and CONQUER studies met all primary endpoints by demonstrating statistically significant weight loss with all three doses of Qnexa, as compared to placebo.

9 Sep 2009

INSPIRE Phase I/IIa study data to be presented at ICAAC

Cytheris SA, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced that data from an interim analysis of its INSPIRE Phase I/IIa study of HIV-infected patients with low CD4 T cell counts treated with a three injection cycle of the Company’s investigative immune-modulator, recombinant human Interleukin-7 (CYT107), will be presented during an oral late breaker session at the 49th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), to be held September 12-15, 2009, in San Francisco, CA.

9 Sep 2009

TURis plasma vaporization electrode for benign prostatic hyperplasia therapy

The TURis plasma vaporization electrode does not cut off tissue with a loop, but energetically vaporizes the tissue with a small button electrode. With the help of the latest plasma technology, cells can be removed by merely gliding the electrode over the prostate tissue.

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 9 Sep 2009

Hairstylists’ role in identifying elderly clients for medical check up

Hairstylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study.

9 Sep 2009

ORT remains underutilized in U.S. prison systems

Almost a quarter of a million individuals addicted to heroin are incarcerated in the United States each year. However, many prison systems across the country still do not offer medical treatment for heroin and opiate addiction, despite the demonstrated social, medical and economic benefits of opiate replacement therapy (ORT).

9 Sep 2009

FDA approves Salix' METOZOLV ODT for treating diabetic gastroparesis

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for METOZOLV™ ODT (metoclopramide HCl) 5mg and 10mg orally disintegrating tablets. METOZOLV ODT is indicated for the relief of symptoms in adults associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis and for the treatment of short-term therapy (4-12 weeks) for adults with symptomatic documented gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who fail to respond to conventional therapy1.

9 Sep 2009

Safeway raises funds to support neuromuscular disease medical research and therapies

Safeway Inc. announced today it has raised a record $10.2 million to support medical research and services for the millions of people living with neuromuscular diseases. The funds were raised during Safeway’s annual Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) campaign, a five-week endeavor to highlight the need to find cures and treatments for muscular dystrophy and related diseases, and presented during the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in Las Vegas Labor Day weekend.

9 Sep 2009

Gabapentin improves sleep quality in menopausal women

Gabapentin, a drug initially used to treat seizures, improves sleep quality in menopausal women with hot flashes, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers report online and in the September issue of the Journal of Women's Health.

9 Sep 2009

Prostate cancer treatment options discussed in a study

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) appears to support the theory outlined in earlier studies that men with more advanced forms of prostate cancer don't benefit from a combination of hormone and radiation therapy.

9 Sep 2009

BioElectronics to file for FDA pre-marketing clearance of its ActiPatch Therapy product

BioElectronics Corp. (PINKSHEETS: BIEL), the maker of inexpensive, disposable drug-free anti-inflammatory devices, today announces its schedule for filing with the U.S. government's Food and Drug Administration for 510(K) pre-marketing clearance for its ActiPatch® Therapy and RecoveryRx™ products. In these applications BioElectronics will seek over-the-counter clearance of its ActiPatch Therapy product for indications for the treatment of heel and foot pain, and for pain relief relative to general musculoskeletal complaints.

9 Sep 2009

Global AIDS Coordinator Goosby believes Zimbabwe's ailing health system can be strengthened

Concluding his recent trip to Zimbabwe, the Global AIDS Coordinator for PEPFAR Eric Goosby said the country can rebuild and strengthen its health care delivery systems, the Zimbabwean reports. "I have seen fatigue in health care delivery in the country. A fatigue that that has come out of sustaining the response (to HIV and AIDS) with diminishing resources, but at the same time a feeling of hope and anticipation that they have hit bottom and are now on the return," Goosby said (9/4).

9 Sep 2009

Regular usage of CGM devices help manage diabetes

The latest data from groundbreaking human clinical trials of the effectiveness of continuous glucose monitors (CGM) show that the primary determinant of improvements in achieving better diabetes control is regular use of monitors - six days per week or more - rather than the age of patients, and that benefits continue well past the time when people with type 1 diabetes begin using the devices - including experiencing fewer low blood sugar emergencies.

9 Sep 2009

Research study examines the depression rate in chronic kidney disease patients

One in five patients with chronic kidney disease is depressed, even before beginning long-term dialysis therapy or developing end-stage renal disease, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

9 Sep 2009

MHLW to grant regulatory approval for KCI to enter Japan market

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI) announced today that it has been informed by the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) in Japan that in October the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) will grant regulatory approval for KCI to begin market development activities in Japan for its innovative V.A.C.® Therapy product.

9 Sep 2009

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to present MS treatment research data

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that new research data furthering the clinical understanding of its diverse multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment franchise will be presented at the 25th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Düsseldorf, Germany, September 9-12, 2009.

9 Sep 2009

Doctors view on surrogate decision making process

A growing number of hospitalized adults are incapable of making their own health decisions, but little research has explored how doctors feel about making medical decisions with a patient's surrogate decision maker.

9 Sep 2009

New technique for tumor therapy under study

In the scientific journal PLoS ONE, Sara Bartels and Siegfried Weiss of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany now show how the bacteria migrate into tumours. A messenger substance from the immune system is the door opener: It makes blood vessels in the cancerous tissue permeable; enabling the bacteria to conquer and destroy the tumour.

9 Sep 2009

Research study highlights unique aspects of tumor immunology

Immune responses are capable of killing tumors before they can be directed toward normal body tissue, according to new scientific findings published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

9 Sep 2009