Medicine News and Research

RSS

Alkermes commences ALKS 9070 phase 3 clinical trial for schizophrenia

Alkermes plc today announced the initiation of a phase 3 clinical trial of ALKS 9070 for the treatment of schizophrenia. ALKS 9070, a proprietary Alkermes molecule, is designed to provide patients with once-monthly dosing of a medication that, once in the body, converts into aripiprazole, a molecule that is commercially available under the name ABILIFY for the treatment of a number of central nervous system disorders.

19 Dec 2011

GSK initiates rhACE2 phase IIa study for Acute Lung Injury

APEIRON Biologics AG announced today that GlaxoSmithKline, exclusive, worldwide licensee for Apeiron's new investigational recombinant human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (rhACE2, name: GSK2586881, formerly APN01), has initiated a phase IIa study in patients suffering from Acute Lung Injury.

19 Dec 2011

Soybean compounds can increase effectiveness of radiation treatment for lung cancer

A Wayne State University researcher has shown that compounds found in soybeans can make radiation treatment of lung cancer tumors more effective while helping to preserve normal tissue.

19 Dec 2011

UCL to establish new center for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

A new centre dedicated to the understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases will be established at UCL following the award of a £20million grant from the Wolfson Foundation, it was announced today.

19 Dec 2011

Arab Health conference to discuss link between vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis

Reports from the American University of Beirut Medical Centre have concluded that The Middle East and Africa region has the highest incidence of osteoporosis in the world, while UAE-based studies from the Emirates Osteoporosis Society (EOS) across Emiratis and expatriates show that one third of people in the UAE over the age of 50 suffer from osteoporosis. The society's findings also conclude that 78% of the UAE population, most notably Emirati women, suffer from Vitamin D deficiency, which is essential for good bone health, despite the abundance of sunshine.

19 Dec 2011

Scientists discover a way to keep normal and cancer cells alive in the lab

In a major step that could revolutionize biomedical research, scientists have discovered a way to keep normal cells as well as tumor cells taken from an individual cancer patient alive in the laboratory - which previously had not been possible. Normal cells usually die in the lab after dividing only a few times, and many common cancers will not grow, unaltered, outside of the body.

19 Dec 2011

ESC, SAGE to launch European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care

SAGE and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have announced the launch of the European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care.

19 Dec 2011

Increased Sirt1 expression protects against neurodegeneration in HD mouse model

Treatment that increases brain levels of an important regulatory enzyme may slow the loss of brain cells that characterizes Huntington's disease (HD) and other neurodegenerative disorders.

19 Dec 2011

Link between malaria and salmonella infections

The link between malaria and salmonella infections has been explained for the first time, opening the way to more effective treatments.

19 Dec 2011

SIRT1 gene appears to delay onset of HD in mouse model

Working with genetically engineered mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that a gene (SIRT1) linked to slowing the aging process in cells also appears to dramatically delay the onset of Huntington's disease (HD) and slow the progression of the relentless neurodegenerative disorder.

19 Dec 2011

President Obama honors mentoring program for minority girls in science and health

Teresa Woodruff, the Thomas J. Watkins Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, received the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring at the White House from President Barack Obama Monday, Dec. 12.

17 Dec 2011

Research roundup: Insurance coverage in the Great Recession; PCIP vs. CHIP

The researchers how physicians examined claims of lower back back pain and note that part of the "rising economic cost of this epidemic is the burgeoning use of indiscriminate imaging," specifically MRIs. Researchers divided patients into two groups and "the treating physician in group 1 patients was blinded to the MRI results, while the physician for group 2 patients decided on treatment after reviewing the MRI findings."

17 Dec 2011

NewYork-Presbyterian/Westchester named 'Planetree Designated Patient-Centered Hospital'

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's Westchester Division has been formally named by Planetree Inc. as a "Planetree Designated Patient-Centered Hospital" in recognition of the Hospital's achievement and innovation in the delivery of patient-centered care.

17 Dec 2011

NYC Council Member celebrates re-launch of Einstein's Gruss MRRC

At a morning ceremony today, New York City Council Member James Vacca, along with administrators and faculty members of Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, celebrated the re-launch of Einstein's Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center.

17 Dec 2011

Scientists devise a way to reduce side effects of lung cancer therapy

Scientists may have a way to double the efficacy and reduce the side effects of radiation therapy.

17 Dec 2011

Inexpensive weight management program could improve health and reduce medical costs

A weight management program for inactive and retired military members and their families could improve health and reduce medical costs, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of South Carolina, Cooper Institute, and TRICARE Management Activity.

17 Dec 2011

Research reveals role of government funding in pharmaceutical R&D

Research conducted by Columbia Business School Professor Frank Lichtenberg, Courtney C. Brown Professor of Business, Finance and Economics, Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Management Program, and Bhaven Sampat, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, identifies the respective contributions of direct and indirect government support in research and development of new pharmaceutical drugs.

16 Dec 2011

Behavioral interventions reduce STIs and improve condom use

Behavioral interventions aimed at reducing sexual risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex, are effective at both promoting condom use and reducing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) long after the initial intervention, according to a new report in the December 15 issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

16 Dec 2011

New MRI method can track progression of multiple sclerosis

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a new way to track the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in those living with the disease, by using a powerful, triple strength MRI to track increasing levels of iron found in brain tissue.

16 Dec 2011

Vaginal progesterone decreases odds of premature delivery in women

A new study co-authored by the University of Kentucky's Dr. John O'Brien found that applying vaginal progesterone to women who are at a high risk of preterm birth significantly decreased the odds of a premature delivery.

16 Dec 2011