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FDA's call for further review of pirfenidone disappointing for Pulmonary Fibrosis patients, says CPF

The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF), representing tens of thousands of patients, is responding to the news that the FDA chose to ask for further study of Pirfenidone, which will delay potential approval of the first drug in the treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF), a lethal lung disease that is irreversible, progressive and deadly in an average of three years. On March 9, 2010, an FDA Advisory Committee recommended approval of the drug by the FDA.

5 May 2010

Protein PEA-15 stops T-cell proliferation

New research has identified that a key protein called PEA-15 stops T-cell proliferation by blocking the cell's ability to reproduce. The control of T-cell proliferation is essential in preventing certain blood cancers and autoimmune diseases, as well as the orchestration of the immune response to infection. Findings of the study are reported in a recent online issue of The FASEB Journal, a publication of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

5 May 2010

New pathology test may help doctors distinguish between two overlapping esophageal disorders: Study

A pathology test may help doctors distinguish between two separate but overlapping esophageal disorders that require different courses of treatment, according to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

5 May 2010

UK GTAC, MHRA approve Scancell's Phase I clinical trial of SCIB1 DNA ImmunoBody vaccine

Scancell Holdings Plc,, the developer of therapeutic cancer vaccines, today announced at BIO2010 in Chicago that its proposal to conduct a Phase I clinical trial on SCIB1, its DNA ImmunoBody® vaccine being developed for the treatment of melanoma, has been approved in the UK by the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee and by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Medicines Division.

5 May 2010

Argos Therapeutics announces presentations on sCD83 protein capabilities at 2010 American Transplant Congress

Argos Therapeutics today announced two oral presentations detailing data on its soluble CD83 (sCD83) protein program at the 2010 American Transplant Congress, held May 1-5 in San Diego. The data, which were produced by Argos in collaboration with scientists from the University of Western Ontario, demonstrate that sCD83 is capable of inducing immune system tolerance to transplant grafts and suppressing an anti-donor antibody response, via a multi-faceted mechanism-of-action that impacts B and T cells, as well as dendritic cells.

5 May 2010

UVA exposure at early age does not cause melanoma

Early life exposure to ultraviolet A light does not cause melanoma in a fish model that previously made that connection, scientists from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported today in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

5 May 2010

StemCells first-quarter total revenue up 307%

StemCells, Inc., a leading stem cell technology company with the dual focus of novel therapeutics and innovative research products, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010 and recent business highlights.

5 May 2010

ChemoCentryx reports positive data with Traficet-EN in Crohn's disease trial

ChemoCentryx, Inc., today announced that it reported positive data with Traficet-EN™ (CCX282-B) in the Maintenance period of PROTECT-1 (Prospective Randomized Oral Therapy Evaluation in Crohn's disease Trial-1). Traficet-EN maintained a clinical remission rate (Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) less than 150) of approximately 50% in Crohn's patients over the course of 36 weeks, whereas in the placebo group remission decreased progressively from 50% to 31%.

5 May 2010

Study: Parvovirus therapy offers complete regression of malignant brain tumors

Particular parvoviruses normally infect rodents, but they are also infectious for human cells. However, they do not cause any disease symptoms in humans. Most importantly, these viruses have an astonishing property: They kill infected tumors cells without causing any damage to healthy tissue.

5 May 2010

High doses of antioxidant nutritional supplements may predispose cells to develop cancer

High doses of antioxidant nutritional supplements, such as vitamins C and E, can increase genetic abnormalities in cells, which may predispose supplement-takers to developing cancer, according to a new study from the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.

5 May 2010

Anavex reports promising results from ANAVEX 2-73 Alzheimer's disease compound in animal studies

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. is pleased to report promising results from animal studies with ANAVEX 2-73, the company's lead compound for the treatment and modification of Alzheimer's disease.

5 May 2010

Animal study shows insulin prevents artery damage

Long suspected of worsening artery damage in patients with diabetes, insulin instead protects blood vessels, a new study by Joslin Diabetes Center scientists indicates.

5 May 2010

Idera Pharmaceuticals reports net loss of $1.9M for first-quarter 2010

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of DNA- and RNA-based drug candidates targeted to Toll-like Receptors, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

5 May 2010

Osiris Therapeutics' Prochymal granted FDA Orphan Drug Designation

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has been granted Orphan Drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Prochymal as a treatment for type 1 diabetes mellitus. The FDA instituted the Orphan Drug Act to promote the development of treatments for underserved patient populations. To be eligible for Orphan Drug designation, the treatment must target a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 new patients per year in the United States.

5 May 2010

Scientists discover key molecular mechanism in breast cancer metastasis

Scientists at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center have identified a key molecular mechanism in breast cancer that enables tumor cells to spread to adjacent or distant parts of the body in a process called metastasis.

5 May 2010

Roche announces Health Canada approval for ACTEMRA to treat RA

Roche today announced that Health Canada has approved ACTEMRA(TM) (tocilizumab) to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of the joints and surrounding tissues that is associated with intense pain, irreversible joint destruction and systemic complications, such as fatigue and anemia.

4 May 2010

Celldex reports net loss of $6.6 million for first-quarter 2010

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. Celldex reported a net loss of $6.6 million, or $0.21 per share, for the first quarter of 2010 compared to a net loss of $7.7 million, or $0.49 per share, for the first quarter of 2009. At March 31, 2010, Celldex reported cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $75.4 million, which the Company believes will be sufficient to meet estimated working capital requirements and fund operations into 2012.

4 May 2010

Aethlon Medical plans to initiate patient recruitment for cancer immunotherapy study

Aethlon Medical, Inc., the pioneer in developing therapeutic filtration devices to address infectious disease and cancer, announced today that it plans to initiate patient recruitment for a cancer immunotherapy study by year end. The pilot study seeks to demonstrate an improved immune function in cancer patients as a result of the Aethlon Hemopurifier removing tumor-secreted exosomes from the circulatory system.

4 May 2010

HPV test recommended for national cervical cancer screening programmes

Two studies suggest that testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV) - the major cause of cervical cancer - could be used in national cervical cancer screening programmes.

4 May 2010

Synta Pharmaceuticals reports net loss of $9.3 million for first-quarter 2010

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

4 May 2010