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Botulism toxins could be re-engineered for treating RA, asthma, psoriasis

The most poisonous substance on Earth - already used medically in small doses to treat certain nerve disorders and facial wrinkles - could be re-engineered for an expanded role in helping millions of people with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis and other diseases, scientists are reporting. Their study appears in ACS' journal Biochemistry.

1 Dec 2011

Novel antibacterial protein could prevent or treat E. coli O157:H7-induced food-borne infections

A novel antibacterial protein targeted against E. coli O157:H7 may offer a way to prevent or treat serious food-borne bacterial infections, as demonstrated in a study published in the December issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

21 Nov 2011

Almac collaborates with Alexion for packaging and distribution of Soliris during German E. coli outbreak

Almac, a leading provider of contract services to the global pharmaceutical and biotech industries, responded earlier this year to an urgent request from their client partner, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a global biotechnology company, for packaging and distribution of Soliris (eculizumab) for patients with STEC-HUS during the E. coli outbreak in Germany earlier this year.

21 Nov 2011

Avidocin protein could prevent or treat E. coli O157:H7-induced diarrhea

21 Nov 2011

Tikcro reports net loss of $1.0 million for third quarter 2011

Tikcro Technologies Ltd. today reported results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

18 Nov 2011

Research shows how the bite of a small Texas snake causes extreme pain

Examining venom from a variety of poisonous snakes, a group of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has discovered why the bite of one small black, yellow and red serpent called the Texas coral snake can be so painful.

17 Nov 2011

Soligenix third quarter revenues increase to $5,796,000

Soligenix, Inc., a development stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today its financial results for the third quarter of 2011.

14 Nov 2011

Researchers identify how to design drugs to target specific brain areas

The future of drug design lies in developing therapies that can target specific cellular processes without causing adverse reactions in other areas of the nervous system. Scientists at the Universities of Bristol and Li-ge in Belgium have discovered how to design drugs to target specific areas of the brain.

11 Nov 2011

Faster, more sensitive test to detect ciguatera poisoning

Scientists are reporting development of a fast, reliable new test that could help people avoid a terrible type of food poisoning that comes from eating fish tainted with a difficult-to-detect toxin from marine algae growing in warm waters. The report appears in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry.

10 Nov 2011

Aristolochic acid leads to kidney failure, upper urinary tract cancer

Aristolochic acid, a component of a plant used in herbal remedies since ancient times and still used in certain herbal medicines worldwide, leads to kidney failure and upper urinary tract cancer in individuals exposed to the toxin.

10 Nov 2011

Obagi Medical Products third quarter net income increases to $4.4M

Obagi Medical Products, Inc., a leader in topical aesthetic and therapeutic skin health systems, today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

10 Nov 2011

Common gut pathogen increases activity of SMO gene and causes colon tumors

Working with lab cultures and mice, Johns Hopkins scientists have found that a strain of the common gut pathogen Bacteroides fragilis causes colon inflammation and increases activity of a gene called spermine oxidase (SMO) in the intestine.

5 Nov 2011

First study to show how H. pylori toxin can spur apoptosis

Researchers report they have figured out how the cancer-causing bacterium Helicobacter pylori attacks a cell's energy infrastructure, sparking a series of events in the cell that ultimately lead it to self-destruct.

2 Nov 2011

Colonoscopic FMT effective in treating IBD, C.difficile-associated diarrhea

Growing evidence for the effectiveness of fecal microbiota transplants as a treatment for patients with recurrent bouts of Clostridium difficile (C.difficile) associated diarrhea is presented in three studies -- including a long-term follow-up of colonoscopic fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) for recurrent C. difficile Infection that included 77 patients from five different states-- unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC.

1 Nov 2011

Panel backs anthrax vaccine testing on children

An important panel of government advisers Friday recommended that the government should sponsor a controversial study to test the anthrax vaccine in children to see whether the inoculation would protect young Americans against a bioterrorist's attack.

31 Oct 2011

Nursing home residence may allow for 'on-admission' prediction model of C. difficile infection severity

Antibiotics may not be the only risk factor associated with community-acquired Clostridium difficile infection, indicating that other undefined causes of the potentially life-threatening infection may exist and could also predict whether or not a patient will require hospitalization, according to the results of the study, "Predictors of Hospitalization in Community-Acquired Clostridium difficile Infection."

31 Oct 2011

Merz presents XEOMIN clinical data on dystonia at IDS 2011

New data presented at recent neurological congresses and summarized at the IDS indicate that patients treated with XEOMIN for cervical dystonia or blepharospasm (involuntary closing of the eyelids) experienced long-term sustained efficacy with a favorable safety profile in studies of up to 121 and 88 weeks duration, respectively.

22 Oct 2011

New metabolic pathway for controlling brain inflammation

A team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has identified a new metabolic pathway for controlling brain inflammation, suggesting strategies for treating it.

21 Oct 2011

Alexion third quarter total revenues increase to $204.0 million

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

20 Oct 2011

Ipsen, Syntaxin collaborate to develop new botulinum toxins

Ipsen and Syntaxin, a biotechnology company specialising in innovative biopharmaceutical therapies targeting cell secretion pathways, announced today a global strategic collaboration to explore the discovery and development of new compounds in the field of botulinum toxins.

20 Oct 2011