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Early antiretroviral treatment for people with HIV/TB coinfection could reduce mortality by half

People with HIV/tuberculosis coinfection who began antiretroviral treatment within six months of starting TB treatment had a 55% lower mortality rate than people with HIV/TB coinfection who did not begin antiretroviral therapy until after they had finished a six-month TB treatment course, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Business Day reports (Kahn, Business Day, 9/18).

22 Sep 2008

New kinds of optical sensors make MRI scans safer

Magnetic resonance scans will be safer for children and other patients needing anaesthesia, thanks to new kinds of optical sensors developed by a team of European researchers.

21 Sep 2008

Review of drug delivery market

Combating losses due to patent expiries has become a high priority for pharmaceutical companies. Investing in new drug delivery technologies is becoming a critical strategy for them to maintain a strong presence in this cut-throat market as they offer the potential to enhance the life cycle of established drugs.

18 Sep 2008

Antibiotics in preterm labour linked to cerebral palsy in infants

New research has linked the practice of giving antibiotics to some women at risk of premature birth to cerebral palsy and other problems in infants.

18 Sep 2008

S*BIO initiates trials of oral JAK2 inhibitor for hematological malignancies

S*BIO Pte Ltd today announced the initiation of multi-center Phase I clinical trials of SB1518, a potent and orally-active JAK2 inhibitor, in patients with leukemia and certain types of lymphoma.

17 Sep 2008

Discovery of promising new chemotherapy target for a deadly form of leukemia

Cancer researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered a promising new chemotherapy target for a deadly form of leukemia. Their discovery hinges on a novel "double agent" role for a molecular signal that regulates cell growth.

17 Sep 2008

Triple cocktail of medicines to tackle stroke risk

Scientists at The University of Nottingham are to investigate whether giving recovering stroke patients a triple cocktail of medicines could reduce their chances of a further attack.

17 Sep 2008

British scientists to develop blood test for Alzheimer's

Researchers from Nottingham's two universities are joining forces to develop a simple blood test to diagnose Alzheimer's disease.

17 Sep 2008

Genetic screening effective for initial HIV treatment

A major study from a team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College and Massachusetts General Hospital has found that a recent change to HIV-treatment guidelines recommending genetic screening is cost-effective under certain conditions. The new recommendation suggests conducting a genetic screening test prior to prescribing the drug abacavir, one of the preferred first-line drugs for the treatment for HIV-infected adults.

17 Sep 2008

Gastric bypass surgery does not always guarantee a significant weight loss

According to a new report gastric bypass surgery is not always a great success story.

17 Sep 2008

Geron issued U.S. patent for cardiomyocytes from human embryonic stem cells

Geron Corporation has announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,425,448, with broad claims to cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The patent runs until at least April 2025 (subject to any patent term extension that may be available). Geron's GRNCM1 program is developing hESC-derived cardiomyocytes for the treatment of heart disease.

16 Sep 2008

AIDS Healthcare Foundation says "shame on Abbott"

As part of its ongoing campaign to lower drug prices and improve access to lifesaving AIDS treatments globally, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which operates three free treatment clinics in Mexico (Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Tuxtla Gutierrez) today unveiled a new print advertisement criticizing Abbott Laboratories, Inc. for the steep price it charges for its key AIDS drug Kaletra in Mexico.

16 Sep 2008

FDA warns Ranbaxy Labs and issues import alert

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued two Warning Letters to Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., of the Republic of India, and an Import Alert for generic drugs produced by Ranbaxy's Dewas and Paonta Sahib plants in India.

16 Sep 2008

Study questions use of newer antipsychotic drugs in children

A new study has found that older antipsychotic drugs are as effective as newer ones for some children.

16 Sep 2008

Breast cancer vaccine could protect against aggressive HER2-positive breast tumours

Women with a certain type of breast cancer have been given hope in the form of a vaccine which promises to eliminate the cancer tumours.

16 Sep 2008

Older antipsychotic drugs as effective, offer fewer side effects in children than newer drugs, study finds

The two most frequently prescribed antipsychotic drugs for children and adolescents offer no additional benefit and are more likely to cause side effects than an older, less costly medication, according to a National Institute of Mental Health study published on Monday, the New York Times reports.

16 Sep 2008

CMS to suspend competitive acquisition program for medications covered under Medicare Part B

A CMS official last week said that the agency on Jan. 1 will suspend the Competitive Acquisition Program, launched in 2006 to supply certain medications to physician offices, because of "contractual issues" related to proprietary data, CQ HealthBeat reports.

16 Sep 2008

FDA grants priority review status to Novartis' ACT Coartem

Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis on Monday announced that FDA has granted priority review status for its malaria treatment Coartem, Dow Jones reports.

16 Sep 2008

Study identifies immune response that enables TB bacteria to multiply, provides new target for TB drugs

Researchers have identified an immune system response to tuberculosis that enables TB bacteria to spread through the lungs, providing a new target for TB drug development, according to a study published Sunday in Nature Immunology, AFP/Washington Times reports.

16 Sep 2008

Scientists identify ependymoma genes

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have isolated three important genes involved in the development of a type of childhood brain cancer. The breakthrough is revealed in a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

15 Sep 2008