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New foundational research may advance pharmacological therapies for neurological disorders

Investigators in the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Faculty of Medicine, have made a major breakthrough in our understanding of nerve impulse generation within the brain.

17 Feb 2010

Neurotoxin study may help find new therapies to block hyperactive ion channels

There are approximately 500 species of cone snails, each producing 50 - 200 different conotoxins. A similar number of peptide toxins are produced by snakes, spiders, sea anemones, scorpions and other venomous animals. The animals use the neurotoxins to paralyze their prey.

11 Feb 2010

Fluxion Biosciences to defend against alleged automated patch clamp system patent infringement lawsuit

Fluxion Biosciences, Inc. announced today that a lawsuit alleging patent infringement had been filed against it in the US District Court of Northern California by Cellectricon AB, its competitor in the field of automated ion channel screening systems for drug discovery. Cellectricon has asserted U.S. Patents Nos. 7,390,650, 7,470,518, and 7,563,614 in the litigation, as well as U.S. Patent No. 5,376,252, which is owned by Gyros and licensed to Cellectricon.

From Fluxion Biosciences 3 Feb 2010

Cellectricon resumes litigation against Fluxion Biosciences over alleged patent infringement

Cellectricon AB today announced that it has resumed its litigation against Fluxion Biosciences, Inc. Cellectricon filed the lawsuit in July 2009 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging infringement of several United States patents issued or licensed to Cellectricon for microfluidic technology used in Cellectricon's state-of-the-art ion channel drug screening solution, the Dynaflow(R)HT System. Cellectricon's U.S. Patents Nos. 7,390,650, 7,470,518 and 7,563,614 have been asserted in the litigation, as well as U.S. Patent No. 5,376,252, which is owned by Gyros, and licensed to Cellectricon.

From Fluxion Biosciences 2 Feb 2010

Fluxion Biosciences expands its IonFlux automated patch clamp system

Fluxion Biosciences announced today a product expansion for its IonFlux automated patch clamp system which includes full automation and walk-away capability.

From Fluxion Biosciences 27 Jan 2010

FDA approves fampridine-SR drug for treatment of multiple sclerosis

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug fampridine-SR for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have been evaluating the effects of the drug in MS for more than 10 years- it is the first medication shown to enhance some neurological functions in people with the disease - and their efforts helped pave the way for today's action by the FDA.

23 Jan 2010

Fast Forward, JDRF announce collaborative partnership with Axxam SpA

Fast Forward, LLC, the commercial drug development arm of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leader in research leading to a cure for type 1 diabetes in the world today announced a collaborative partnership with Axxam SpA -- a leading company in conducting early-stage discovery research programs for the life science industry -- to develop new treatments for two autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D).

20 Jan 2010

Scientists identify gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle

Scientists have identified a gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle. The finding, they say, illustrates how investigations of rare genetic diseases can drive insights into more common ones.

8 Jan 2010

New tools show potential for treating brain disorders

Neuroscientists at MIT have developed a powerful new class of tools to reversibly shut down brain activity using different colors of light.

7 Jan 2010

ATP-sensitive potassium channel can contribute to fat deposition and obesity, new study says

A new study involving the University of Iowa, Mayo Clinic and two other institutions provides insight on weight control, suggesting that a ATP-sensitive potassium channel critical to survival and stress adaptation can contribute to fat deposition and obesity.

6 Jan 2010

Tarantula venom protein promising for MD

University at Buffalo biophysicists have found a protein in tarantula venom that shows promise as a potential therapy for muscular dystrophy (MD). They have formed a start-up biotech company in Buffalo -- Rose Pharmaceuticals -- to advance the drug to clinical trials.

30 Dec 2009

Research suggests common mechanism is associated with different human diseases

Inherited mutations in voltage-gated sodium channels (Navs) are associated with many different human diseases, including genetic forms of epilepsy and chronic pain. Theodore Cummins and colleagues, at Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, have now determined the functional consequence of three such mutations.

29 Dec 2009

Researchers discover how protein can be controlled and under what circumstances it can go awry

A team of researchers studying the protein that, when defective or absent, causes cystic fibrosis (CF) has made an important discovery about how that protein is normally controlled and under what circumstances it might go awry.

18 Dec 2009

Scientists use optical technique to trace out neurons interaction

Scientists at Harvard University have used light and genetic trickery to trace out neurons' ability to excite or inhibit one another, literally shedding new light on the question of how neurons interact with one another in live animals.

18 Dec 2009

Winner of the 2010 Avanti Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research

Sarah L. Keller, a professor of chemistry and adjunct professor of physics at the University of Washington, has been named the winner of the 2010 Avanti Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research for her innovative and cutting-edge studies on membrane lipids.

11 Dec 2009

Tranzyme Pharma and Bristol-Myers Squibb sign collaboration agreement

Tranzyme Pharma today announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to discover, develop and commercialize novel macrocyclic compounds directed against targets of interest to Bristol-Myers Squibb.

8 Dec 2009

Fluxion Biosciences signs distribution agreement with DI Biotech and Novel Science

Fluxion Biosciences announced today that it has expanded its sales and service network into Asia. The company signed a distribution agreement for its BioFlux™ line with Korea-based DI Biotech. A second agreement with Novel Science covers sales of both the BioFlux and IonFlux™ platforms in Japan. Fluxion has also sold its first BioFlux 1000 system into China.

From Fluxion Biosciences 4 Dec 2009

Inhaled carbon dioxide increases brain acidity and evokes fear behavior: Study

Breathing carbon dioxide can trigger panic attacks, but the biological reason for this effect has not been understood. A new study by University of Iowa researchers shows that carbon dioxide increases brain acidity, which in turn activates a brain protein that plays an important role in fear and anxiety behavior.

26 Nov 2009

Antioxidant found in vegetables can protect cells from damage caused by infection and injury

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that a dietary antioxidant found in such vegetables as broccoli and cauliflower protects cells from damage caused by chemicals generated during the body's inflammatory response to infection and injury. The finding has implications for such inflammation-based disorders as cystic fibrosis (CF), diabetes, heart disease, and neurodegeneration.

17 Nov 2009

Abbott signs agreement to acquire global rights to PanGenetics BV's PG110

Abbott announced today a definitive agreement to acquire the global rights to PanGenetics BV's PG110 fully humanized antibody to Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), expanding the company's pain care portfolio and leveraging its expertise in biologics. PG110 is a novel biologic in Phase I clinical trial development that targets NGF for the treatment of chronic pain.

13 Nov 2009