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Spinifex secures major investment to develop pain drug

Spinifex Pharmaceuticals, an Australian pain drug development company, today announced it has secured venture capital investment of A$12 million from GBS Venture Partners Limited, Brandon Capital Partners and Uniseed to fund the development of its pain management drug, EMA401.

2 Sep 2008

Nature inspires new highly specific drugs and organic products

The best place to seek novel compounds for pharmaceutical drugs, alternative energy sources, and a host of industrial applications, is within natural systems that have evolved over millions of years.

2 Sep 2008

New stem cell tools to aid drug development

Scientists have designed, developed and tested new molecular tools for stem cell research to direct the formation of certain tissue types for use in drug development programmes.

2 Sep 2008

Millions face undiagnosed heart risk in the UK say researchers after mass screening

One in three people with a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) over the next 10 years have not been diagnosed, according to a major study in the September issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

2 Sep 2008

Pre-hospital treatment on the way to percutaneous coronary intervention

For patients with acute ST-segment-elevation AMI (STEMI) within 12 hours after symptom onset and with persistent ST-segment elevation, or new or presumednew left bundle-branch block with concomitant ST-segment elevation, restoring coronary blood flow as early as possible is the main goal of reperfusion strategies.

2 Sep 2008

Safety of antithrombotic treatment in acute coronary syndromes

The management of acute coronary syndromes (with or without ST segment elevation) requires the use of anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel and/or glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors), beta-blockers, thrombolytics in some cases, and revascularization / reperfusion.

2 Sep 2008

Factor Xa inhibitor Apixaban and antiplatelet therapy after acute coronary syndrome

Data from a phase II study of an investigational drug designed to block formation of blood clots show potential for added protection against a second heart attack or stroke among patients who are already taking state-of-the-art prevention therapy.

2 Sep 2008

Results from the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in aortic stenosis study

The SEAS (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis) study has investigated the effects of intensive cholesterol lowering with the combination of simvastatin (40 mg daily) and ezetimibe (10 mg daily) in patients with aortic stenosis.

2 Sep 2008

European guidelines for acute pulmonary embolism

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a relatively common cardiovascular emergency. Clots originating in the leg veins may become detached and obstruct the lung vessels. This obstruction may lead to a rise of pressure in the pulmonary circulation and possibly to life-threatening heart failure.

2 Sep 2008

Survey reveals confusion of pregnant women

A survey in Britain of mothers and pregnant women has revealed an astonishing level of confusion and perplexity about being pregnant.

2 Sep 2008

Economic pressures lead some uninsured to stop medications, cut doses

The Jackson Clarion-Ledger on Wednesday examined how some U.S. residents who cannot afford health insurance are reducing the amount of medications they take or cutting doses, as well as seeing the doctor less frequently, to save money.

1 Sep 2008

Maine HIV/AIDS housing facility to close, cites declining demand

The only assisted living facility in Maine that cares specifically for HIV-positive people, Peabody House, will close by the end of the year because of declining demand, officials at the Frannie Peabody Center said Tuesday, the Portland Press Herald reports.

1 Sep 2008

WSJ examines drugmakers' use of 'unbranded product advertising' to promote disease awareness, treatment options

The Wall Street Journal on Friday examined "unbranded product advertising" for brand-name drugs, which allow drugmakers to drive television viewers to Web sites promoting drugs without the requirement of listing the products' side effects in the TV advertisement.

1 Sep 2008

Uganda's Health Ministry orders $1.8 million worth of antiretrovirals to address drug shortage

Uganda's Ministry of Health is expecting a batch of antiretroviral drugs to "arrive any time," Sam Zaramba, director-general of health services, announced on Tuesday following a drug shortage confirmed by health officials in the country last week, the New Vision/AllAfrica.com reports.

1 Sep 2008

Delegates at Asia-Pacific meeting call for increased efforts to fight HIV/AIDS in region

Health officials and experts from countries in the Asia-Pacific region with a low prevalence of HIV/AIDS Thursday in Manila, Philippines, pledged to intensify national efforts to curb the spread of the disease, the Independent Online reports.

1 Sep 2008

Bryostatin extends stroke treatment time to 24 hours, repairs brain tissue

Scientists at the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) have discovered that Bryostatin -- and a related class of drugs discovered at BRNI -- administered 24 hours after stroke can rescue and repair brain tissue. These findings are markedly advanced compared to current stroke treatments that must be administered within three hours and are unable to repair damaged brain tissue.

1 Sep 2008

Advances in the management of diabetes mellitus

The need for long term studies to establish the best means of treating Diabetes, was underlined by Prof John Cleland from the University of Hull at the ESC Congress in Munich. Prof Cleland listed the latest treatment available for patients and voiced his concern about the side-effects and efficacy of available anti-diabetic drugs.

1 Sep 2008

Antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory drugs: are they safe?

Since Rofecoxib (Vioxx) was withdrawn from the worldwide market based on the safety findings of the Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) study, the uncertainty around the cardiovascular safety of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors remains and leaves practitioners with difficult management decisions for the hundreds of millions of patients worldwide who continue to require pain-relieving therapy to maintain an acceptable quality of life.

1 Sep 2008

Primary prevention of coronary heart disease: challenges and achievements

The European Society of Cardiology together with other partner Societies has engaged in a comprehensive programme of prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) since 1994. Guidelines on this important topic have been developed and updated at regular intervals over the last 13 years, most recently in 2007.

1 Sep 2008

New genetic link to inflammatory bowel diseases discovered

A study which entailed scientists trawling through the genetic code of thousands of people, has revealed two new genes involved in childhood inflammatory bowel disease, a painful condition that includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).

1 Sep 2008