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Scientists shed light on 3-D structure of olfactory receptor binding site

Banana, mango or apricot - telling these smells apart is no problem for the human nose. How the olfactory organ distinguishes such similar smells has been uncovered by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the RUB. The scientists were the first to shed light on the dynamics of the three-dimensional structure of the binding site of an olfactory receptor. In so doing, they also found a characteristic pattern of hydrogen bonds between odorant and receptor, which accounts for the specificity of the olfactory sensors.

14 Dec 2011

Promising results from Fate Therapeutics' ProHema Phase 1b trial on hematologic malignancies

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today promising clinical results from a Phase 1b trial of ProHema (FT1050-enhanced umbilical cord blood) as part of double-umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplants in adult patients with hematologic malignancies who have undergone reduced-intensity conditioning therapy.

14 Dec 2011

Older women may face negative consequences with weight regain after loss

The holidays are upon us and, for many Americans that means some degree of weight gain and the subsequent New Year's resolution to diet. However, shedding the pounds may have some negative consequences on the overall health of older women if the weight loss is not maintained, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

14 Dec 2011

Baxter to acquire Synovis

Baxter International Inc. and Synovis Life Technologies, Inc. today announced a definitive agreement for Baxter to acquire Synovis, a leading provider of biological and mechanical products for soft tissue repair used in a variety of surgical procedures.

From Baxter International Inc. 14 Dec 2011

ImmusanT secures $20M in Series A financing

ImmusanT, Inc. announced today it has raised $20 million in Series A financing from Vatera Healthcare Partners LLC to advance development of the biotechnology company's immunotherapeutic vaccine Nexvax2, companion diagnostic and monitoring tool for celiac disease.

14 Dec 2011

Matrix protein tenascin C regulates astrocyte development

How astrocytes, certain cells of the nervous system, are generated was largely unknown up to now. Bochum's researchers have now investigated what influence the cell environment, known as the extracellular matrix, has on this process.

13 Dec 2011

WPI to develop smart phone app for foot ulcers, advanced diabetes

An interdisciplinary research team at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has received a $1.2 million award from the National Science Foundation to develop a smart phone application that will help people with advanced diabetes and foot ulcers better manage their disease.

13 Dec 2011

Rainbow Biosciences signs letter of intent to form new joint venture with n3D

Rainbow Biosciences, a division of Rainbow Coral Corp. announced today that it signed a letter of intent to acquire or form a new joint venture with cutting-edge biotech firm n3D Biosciences, Inc.

12 Dec 2011

ICON agrees to acquire BeijingWits

ICON plc, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries, today announced that it has agreed, subject to closing conditions, to acquire BeijingWits Medical Consulting Ltd., a leading CRO in China.

12 Dec 2011

New findings from Micromet's blinatumomab phase 1 trial on DLBCL

New findings from a phase 1 trial presented yesterday at the 53rd Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting demonstrate Micromet's blinatumomab induces durable responses in patients with extensively pre-treated diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

12 Dec 2011

Positive dose-escalation/expansion data from Array BioPharma's ARRY-614 Phase 1 MDS study

Array BioPharma Inc. today announced positive dose-escalation/expansion data for its novel, small molecule dual p38/Tie2 inhibitor, ARRY-614.

12 Dec 2011

Alios BioPharma, Vertex initiate ALS-2200 and ALS-2158 clinical study in HCV

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated and Alios BioPharma, Inc. today announced the initiation of two clinical studies for the nucleotide analogues ALS-2200 and ALS-2158, which are inhibitors of the hepatitis C NS5B polymerase.

12 Dec 2011

Memgen to present ISF35 clinical trial data on CLL at 53rd ASH meeting

Memgen, LLC announces the following abstract on ISF35, the Company's lead product, will be presented during the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in San Diego, CA.

12 Dec 2011

PubMed Health, CRD announce new partnership

A new partnership between the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) at the University of York and PubMed Health is launched today.

11 Dec 2011

Positive results from Puma's neratinib Phase II trials presented at CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

Puma Biotechnology, Inc., a development stage biopharmaceutical company, announced that results from ongoing Phase II clinical trials of Puma's investigational drug PB272 (neratinib) were presented at the 2011 CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium that is currently taking place in San Antonio, Texas.

9 Dec 2011

Experimental sublingual vaccine shows promise against influenza infection

Scientists from the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) have discovered that an antigen common to most influenza viruses, and commonly referred to as matrix protein 2 (M2), when administered under the tongue could protect mice against experimental infection caused by various influenza viruses, including the highly pathogenic avian H5 virus and the pandemic H1 ("swine flu") virus.

9 Dec 2011

caprotec's CCMS technology identifies novel co-targets of three anti-cancer drugs

caprotec bioanalytics GmbH announced today the discovery of previously unknown specific drug-protein interactions for several anti-cancer drugs and the identification of potential novel co-targets of the drug molecules through the use of company's CCMS technology.

9 Dec 2011

Positive results from Genentech's pertuzumab plus Herceptin Phase III study on HER2-positive mBC

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced results from CLEOPATRA, the first randomized Phase III study of the investigational HER2-targeted medicine pertuzumab.

8 Dec 2011

AFECTAIR may be an effective alternative to SoC for delivery of inhaled nitric oxide

Discovery Laboratories, Inc. today released new data showing that use of AFECTAIR resulted in as much as a 70 percent reduction in the amount of nitric oxide required to deliver the desired dose of the therapeutic gas when compared with current standard of care.

7 Dec 2011

ZIOPHARM receives European patent allowance for palifosfamide to treat cancer

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that it has received an allowance from the European Patent Office for Patent Application No. 05 821 125.1, entitled "Salts of Isophosphoramide mustard and analogs thereof as anti-tumor agents" with claims directed to pharmaceutical compositions of a novel DNA cross-linker, including palifosfamide and their use in treating cancer.

7 Dec 2011