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KYTHERA receives U.S. patent allowance for ATX-101

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent application that claims synthetic deoxycholic acid or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, including the synthetic form that is used in ATX-101, a potential first-in-class, injectable drug under clinical investigation for the reduction of submental fat, which commonly presents as an undesirable "double chin."

1 Jun 2012

JMC publishes results from Rexahn’s RX-3117 preclinical cancer study

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing potential best in class oncology and CNS therapeutics, today announced the publication of a research article in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry on the anti-tumor activity of its RX-3117 compound.

1 Jun 2012

Biochemiresistor can quickly detect small traces of contaminants in liquids

A whole new class of biosensor that can detect exceptionally small traces of contaminants in liquids in just 40 minutes has been developed by a UNSW-led team of researchers.

1 Jun 2012

Researchers devise strategy to directly activate natural ‘death’ protein

Researchers at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center have devised a strategy to directly activate a natural "death" protein, triggering the self-destruction of cells. They say the development could represent a new paradigm for designing cancer drugs.

1 Jun 2012

Researchers investigate how iPFK2 enzyme may benefit some obese people

Why is it that some obese people are healthier than others? This was one of the main questions Dr. Chaodong Wu of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Texas A&M University System - and a group of researchers tried to answer in a recent study.

1 Jun 2012

Oncothyreon commences PX-866 and vemurafenib Phase 1/2 combination trial for melanoma

Oncothyreon Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase 1/2 trial of PX-866 in combination with vemurafenib.

1 Jun 2012

RXi’s RXI-109 IND receives FDA clearance to proceed into clinical trials

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation today announced that it has received clearance for its investigational new drug application (IND) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate clinical trials with RXI-109, a self-delivering RNAi compound that selectively targets Connective Tissue Growth Factor.

1 Jun 2012

Researchers identify new peptide that can block fibrosis of the skin and lungs

A member of the Scleroderma Foundation's Board of Directors has led a team of researchers who have identified a peptide that can block fibrosis of the skin and lungs, according to a report published today.

31 May 2012

New photoactive compound eradicates 'Iraqibacter' from wounds and skin infections

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, have developed a novel approach for eradicating drug-resistant bacteria from wounds and skin infections, using light to trigger the controlled release of nitric oxide. The UCSC team developed a photoactive compound that releases nitric oxide when exposed to light, and loaded it into a porous, biocompatible material that could be applied as a sprayable powder.

31 May 2012

UCLA research projects aim to improve lives of children with serious illnesses

New hope for deadly pediatric brain tumors; opening the door to improved diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in children; and advanced genetic testing to better understand the causes of autism and cancer in kids. These research projects are currently underway at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA under the umbrella of the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute (CDI), and aim to dramatically improve the lives of children with serious illnesses.

31 May 2012

Exelixis commences cabozantinib phase 3 pivotal trial in mCRPC

Exelixis, Inc. today announced the initiation of COMET-1, a phase 3 pivotal trial of cabozantinib in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

31 May 2012

Marshall Edwards initiates ME-344 Phase I trial in solid tumors

Marshall Edwards, Inc., an oncology company focused on the clinical development of novel therapeutics targeting cancer metabolism, announced today that the first cohort of patients has been dosed in a Phase I clinical trial of ME-344, the Company's lead mitochondrial inhibitor drug candidate, in patients with refractory solid tumors.

30 May 2012

Scientists develop synthetic peptide that overcomes cancer cells’ survival defenses

Scientists at the Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center have developed an anti-cancer peptide that overcomes the stubborn resistance to chemotherapy and radiation often encountered in certain blood cancers when the disease recurs following initial treatment.

30 May 2012

Link between high levels of PCB and distribution of abdominal fat

There is a correlation between high levels of the environmental toxin PCB and the distribution of body fat to the abdomen. This is shown in a new study published today in the scientific journal Obesity. Abdominal fat is already known to increase the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, among other conditions.

30 May 2012

Positive results from Alkermes’ ALKS 5461 phase 1/2 study on MDD

Alkermes plc today presented positive results from the phase 1/2 study of ALKS 5461, a novel drug compound for major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients who have an inadequate response to standard therapies for clinical depression, in an oral session at the 52nd Annual New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (NCDEU) Meeting in Phoenix.

30 May 2012

Fluxion Biosciences announces launch of Discovery Services business

Fluxion Biosciences, a privately held drug discovery tools and services company, announced today that it is launching a Discovery Services business to support growing demand for assay support on Fluxion's unique cell analysis platforms.

From Fluxion Biosciences 29 May 2012

Spectrum initiates enrollment in RenaZorb Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations with a primary focus in oncology and hematology, today announced the initiation of patient enrollment in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of RenaZorb in healthy volunteers.

29 May 2012

Bioengineers develop first structure to grow small human blood vessels

Mice and monkeys don't develop diseases in the same way that humans do. Nevertheless, after medical researchers have studied human cells in a Petri dish, they have little choice but to move on to study mice and primates. University of Washington bioengineers have developed the first structure to grow small human blood vessels, creating a 3-D test bed that offers a better way to study disease, test drugs and perhaps someday grow human tissues for transplant.

29 May 2012

Scientists identify new reason why some curry dishes might be good for you

Scientists have just identified a new reason why some curry dishes, made with spices humans have used for thousands of years, might be good for you.

25 May 2012

New compound can enhance apoptosis in cancer cells

The BCL-2 protein family plays a large role in determining whether cancer cells survive in response to therapy or undergo a form of cell death known as apoptosis.

25 May 2012