Encephalopathy News and Research

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Fera Pharmaceuticals launches Neptazanetm tablets for reducing intraocular pressure

Fera Pharmaceuticals is pleased to announce the launch of Neptazane (Methazolamide) 25 mg and 50 mg tablets. Both strengths are available in 90 count bottles.

3 Jul 2010

ZIOPHARM Oncology announces guidance on palifosfamide Phase III trial in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced guidance today regarding the Company's planned pivotal Phase III trial for palifosfamide in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma, including details of the proposed study's design, timing and regulatory review.

21 Jun 2010

New insight into transmission of prion diseases

Prion diseases are lethal neurodegenerative disorders that include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE; commonly known as mad cow disease) in cows. A team of researchers, led by Adriano Aguzzi and Christina Sigurdson, at Universit-tsSpital Z-rich, Switzerland, has generated data in mice that provides greater understanding of the factors that determine how easy it is for prion diseases to be transmitted to a new host species.

15 Jun 2010

Evidence-based review of TBI in sport

Experts from Johns Hopkins Medicine hosted a press conference following a continuing medical education program on the epidemiology of head injury in professional football. The program was an evidence-based review of traumatic brain injury in the sport.

14 Jun 2010

Salix submits efficacy supplement for XIFAXAN NDA for Non-C IBS and IBS-related bloating

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that the Company has submitted an efficacy supplement to NDA 21-361 for XIFAXAN® (rifaximin) 550 mg tablets for the proposed indication of treatment of non-constipation irritable bowel syndrome (Non-C IBS) and IBS-related bloating.

8 Jun 2010

ZIOPHARM presents positive data from PICASSO Phase II trial for soft tissue sarcoma at 46th ASCO

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that Dr. Claire Verschraegen of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque and first author of the abstract, "A phase II randomized controlled trial of palifosfamide plus doxorubicin vs. doxorubicin in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (PICASSO)," (Abstract #10004) presented in an oral session today updated positive data from PICASSO.

8 Jun 2010

Highlights from June 2010 issue of American Journal of Pathology

Dr. Kanneboyina Nagaraju and colleagues at the Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC demonstrate that affected muscle may directly contribute to inflammation in muscular dystrophy. Their report can be found in the June 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

26 May 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals announces availability of Xifaxan tablets for reducing risk of overt HE recurrence

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced the availability of Xifaxan (rifaximin) 550 mg tablets for the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence in patients 18 years of age or older. Those HE patients may now fill their Xifaxan 550 mg prescriptions in U.S. pharmacies and should speak with their doctors about this important treatment option.

24 May 2010

54% of liver cirrhosis patients experience neurocognitive impairments

More than half of patients who have cirrhosis of the liver also display neurocognitive impairments such as short term memory loss, a study led by a Loyola University Health System researcher has found.

7 May 2010

Targeted antibiotics provide safe, long-lasting improvement for IBS patients, says study

A targeted antibiotic provides effective and long-lasting relief of Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms, according to the results of two multisite Phase III clinical trials designed by Cedars-Sinai researchers. Rifaximin is the first drug treatment for IBS that relieves symptoms while it's being administered and continues to benefit patients after they stop taking the drug.

5 May 2010

Breast-feeding may help lower risk of death from Shigella infection in developing countries: Study

Teaching parents about the importance of continued breast-feeding may help to lower the risk of death from brain disease (encephalopathy) related to Shigella infection in developing countries, reports a study in the May issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

4 May 2010

Science behind ME

Juliet Chenery-Robson decided to use photography to make people look at Myalgic Encephalopathy in a different light when her 18-year-old daughter Emilia was diagnosed with the illness five years ago.

29 Apr 2010

Presence and type of cirrhosis complications are strong predictors of mortality: Study

A recent study by Danish researchers discovered patients with alcoholic cirrhosis had a high prevalence of complications at the time of the disease diagnosis.

29 Apr 2010

Cellular IPOD plays role in prion biology

Cells take advantage of a biologically ancient compartment to sequester prions, an action that can initially prevent the prions’ phenotypic expression, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. While in this compartment, less heritable prion plaques mature to a more transmissible state.

27 Apr 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals announces novel patient and health care provider support program for HE

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced plans for the Hepatic Encephalopathy Living Program (H.E.L.P.). H.E.L.P. is a first-of-its-kind patient and health care provider support program for the management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and will launch on May 24, 2010. The program will provide patients with HE educational materials, co-pay assistance, treatment adherence support and a 24-hour toll-free hotline.

27 Apr 2010

CSTE receives $1M gift from NFL to research long-term effects of repetitive brain trauma in football players

The National Football League (NFL) will give a $1 million unrestricted gift to the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) at Boston University School of Medicine to support the Center's research.

21 Apr 2010

Ocera Therapeutics presents data on prevalence of neurocognitive impairment in cirrhotic patients

Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. presented an analysis of the prevalence of neurocognitive impairment in ambulatory cirrhotic patients. The data came from the screening period of the ASTUTE Study, an ongoing Phase 2b study evaluating the safety and efficacy of AST-120 (spherical carbon adsorbent) in the treatment of mild hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). The poster was presented yesterday at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Liver (EASL) in Vienna, Austria. Efficacy and safety data from the ASTUTE study are expected in the summer of 2010.

17 Apr 2010

IGEN Networks signs MOU with Bio Business Development

IGEN Networks Corp. is pleased to announce that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bio Business Development Corp. International, Inc. to negotiate the acquisition of the exclusive global distribution rights to the patented lateral-flow diagnostic testing platform technology for rapid detection of the infectious prion protein diseases.

1 Apr 2010

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals submits Acetadote sNDA for non-acetaminophen acute liver failure

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. has submitted a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the use of Acetadote® (acetylcysteine) Injection in patients with non-acetaminophen acute liver failure. Acetadote was launched by Cumberland in 2004 as the first U.S.-approved injectable drug to treat acetaminophen overdose.

30 Mar 2010

Hepatic encephalopathy drug XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets receives FDA marketing approval

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted marketing approval for XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets for reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence in patients 18 years of age or older. HE is a serious disorder caused by chronic liver failure, resulting in cognitive, psychiatric and motor impairments. This approval was supported by findings from the largest randomized trial of maintenance therapy in HE conducted to date, which assessed the efficacy and safety of XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets and demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in the risk of overt HE recurrence.

25 Mar 2010