Liver News and Research

RSS

Researchers examine role of antioxidants play in blocking harmful effects of omega 6 fatty acid

Given omega 6 fatty acid's reputation for promoting cancer - at least in animal studies - researchers are examining the role that antioxidants play in blocking the harmful effects of this culprit, found in many cooking oils.

7 Apr 2014

Inhibiting cancer-promoting prolactin causes unconventional cell death in preclinical research

Under stress from chemotherapy or radiation, some cancer cells dodge death by consuming a bit of themselves, allowing them to essentially sleep through treatment and later awaken as tougher, resistant disease.

4 Apr 2014

Janssen begins Phase 3 OPTIMIST trials for treatment of chronic Genotype 1 HCV infection

Janssen R&D Ireland (Janssen) announced today that two Phase 3 trials are recruiting patients to examine the efficacy and safety of the NS3/4A protease inhibitor simeprevir in combination with the nucleotide inhibitor sofosbuvir for the treatment of chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients with and without cirrhosis.

3 Apr 2014

Gilead reports topline results from sofosbuvir Phase 3 trial in Japan for treatment of HCV infection

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced topline results from a Phase 3 clinical trial (Study GS-US-334-0118) in Japan evaluating the once-daily nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir in combination with ribavirin (RBV) for the treatment of genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

3 Apr 2014

Drinking two or more cups of coffee each day reduces risk of death from liver cirrhosis by 66%

New research reveals that consuming two or more cups of coffee each day reduces the risk of death from liver cirrhosis by 66%, specifically cirrhosis caused by non-viral hepatitis. Findings in Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that tea, fruit juice, and soft drink consumption are not linked to cirrhosis mortality risk. As with previous studies heavy alcohol use was found to increase risk of death from cirrhosis.

2 Apr 2014

AB Sciex launches immunosuppressants kit to improve health care

Every organ transplant patient in the world faces the potential danger of his/her body rejecting a new organ, such as a heart, kidney or liver. Immunosuppressant drugs are required to help prevent rejection.

2 Apr 2014

Expert in gene therapy joins The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Beverly L. Davidson, Ph.D., a nationally prominent expert in gene therapy, is joining The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) today.

2 Apr 2014

Low levels of sodium prior to liver transplantation do not increase risk of death, say researchers

Researchers report that low levels of sodium, known as hyponatremia, prior to transplantation does not increase the risk of death following liver transplant. Full findings are published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society.

2 Apr 2014

High levels of GDNF protein could help body resist weight gain despite high-fat diet

More than one-third of people in the US are obese. Obesity and its related health problems-including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, insulin resistance, and belly fat-affect so many, yet effective treatments are very few.

2 Apr 2014

Amgen reports positive findings from AMG 145 Phase 3 studies in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced new detailed data from three Phase 3 studies that showed treatment with its novel investigational cholesterol-lowering medication, evolocumab (AMG 145), resulted in a statistically significant reduction of 55-66 percent in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared to placebo in patients with high cholesterol.

31 Mar 2014

New gene-editing system holds potential for treating many genetic disorders

Using a new gene-editing system based on bacterial proteins, MIT researchers have cured mice of a rare liver disorder caused by a single genetic mutation.

31 Mar 2014

NeuroVive presents clinical data of NVP018 for treatment of chronic hepatitis B infections at EASL

NeuroVive's anti-viral preclinical program, with compound designated NVP018, has generated significant data indicating that NVP018 has the potential to become an effective alternative or addition to current drugs for treating chronic hepatitis B infections.

29 Mar 2014

Genetic variations influence risk for developing choline deficiency symptoms

What is now considered to be the "right" amount of the essential nutrient, choline, might actually be "wrong," depending on who you are. That's because scientists have found that the "right" amount of choline needed by an individual is influenced by a wide range of factors, including gender, life stage, race and ethnicity of the individual.

29 Mar 2014

ATHENA develops surrogate organ system for toxicity testing

Creating surrogate human organs, coupled with insights from highly sensitive mass spectrometry technologies, a new project is on the brink of revolutionizing the way we screen new drugs and toxic agents.

29 Mar 2014

Research roundup: Distance from a transplant center; Medicaid prenatal care; metastasis of email; profiting from Medicare Advantage

Centralization of specialized health care services such as organ transplantation and bariatric surgery is advocated to improve quality, increase efficiency, and reduce cost.

29 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Nothing 'magical' about 6 million enrollees; the high cost of hep C medicine

Big news this afternoon on the Affordable Care Act: The ACA exchange signups have reached the 6 million mark. With a few more days to go before the open sign-up period closes (well, sort of) it looks like the original 7 million estimate -- which the Congressional Budget Office had revised downward after the botched October roll-out of the federal exchange -- is going to be pretty close to the mark.

29 Mar 2014

Researchers find new drug target for mitochondrial dysfunction

Mitochondria, long known as "cellular power plants" for their generation of the key energy source adenosine triphosphate (ATP), are essential for proper cellular functions. Mitochondrial defects are often observed in a variety of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, and are the hallmarks of a number of genetic mitochondrial disorders whose manifestations range from muscle weakness to organ failure. Despite a fairly strong understanding of the pathology of such genetic mitochondrial disorders, efforts to treat them have been largely ineffective.

28 Mar 2014

IRB researchers identify dual role of p38 protein in colon cancer

A team headed by Angel R. Nebreda at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine identifies a dual role of the p38 protein in colon cancer. The study demonstrates that, on the one hand, p38 is important for the optimal maintenance of the epithelial barrier that protects the intestine against toxic agents, thus contributing to decreased tumour development.

28 Mar 2014

Researchers provide new clues for adult vertebrate tissue regeneration

The reason why some animals can regenerate tissues after severe organ loss or amputation while others, such as humans, cannot renew some structures has always intrigued scientists. In a study now published in PLOS ONE, a research group from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ci-ncia (IGC, Portugal) led by Joaqu-n Rodr-guez Le-n provided new clues to solve this central question by investigating regeneration in an adult vertebrate model: the zebrafish.

27 Mar 2014

Johns Hopkins researchers use 3-D MRI scans to accurately measure tumor viability and death

In a series of studies involving 140 American men and women with liver tumors, researchers at Johns Hopkins have used specialized 3-D MRI scans to precisely measure living and dying tumor tissue to quickly show whether highly toxic chemotherapy - delivered directly through a tumor's blood supply - is working.

27 Mar 2014

Liver News and Research

Researchers examine role of antioxidants play in blocking harmful effects of omega 6 fatty acid

Inhibiting cancer-promoting prolactin causes unconventional cell death in preclinical research

Janssen begins Phase 3 OPTIMIST trials for treatment of chronic Genotype 1 HCV infection

Gilead reports topline results from sofosbuvir Phase 3 trial in Japan for treatment of HCV infection

Drinking two or more cups of coffee each day reduces risk of death from liver cirrhosis by 66%

AB Sciex launches immunosuppressants kit to improve health care

Expert in gene therapy joins The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Low levels of sodium prior to liver transplantation do not increase risk of death, say researchers

High levels of GDNF protein could help body resist weight gain despite high-fat diet

Amgen reports positive findings from AMG 145 Phase 3 studies in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease

New gene-editing system holds potential for treating many genetic disorders

NeuroVive presents clinical data of NVP018 for treatment of chronic hepatitis B infections at EASL

Genetic variations influence risk for developing choline deficiency symptoms

ATHENA develops surrogate organ system for toxicity testing

Research roundup: Distance from a transplant center; Medicaid prenatal care; metastasis of email; profiting from Medicare Advantage

Viewpoints: Nothing 'magical' about 6 million enrollees; the high cost of hep C medicine

Researchers find new drug target for mitochondrial dysfunction

IRB researchers identify dual role of p38 protein in colon cancer

Researchers provide new clues for adult vertebrate tissue regeneration

Johns Hopkins researchers use 3-D MRI scans to accurately measure tumor viability and death

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd edition eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Latest News