Neuropathy News and Research

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Chronic pain treatments more effective when taken together

People suffering from chronic, debilitating pain caused by nerve damage or disease report better pain relief at lower doses of a combined drug treatment than from either drug administered individually, a new Queen’s study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) shows.

3 Apr 2005

Sixteen per cent of people who use cannabis for medical reasons say that their doctor suggested it

"The results of our UK survey, including the extent of use and reported effects, lend support to the further development of safe and effective medicines based on cannabis" says lead author Dr Mark Ware principal investigator and pain physician at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Pain Centre.

21 Mar 2005

Thalidomide - new treatment for cancer

Thalidomide, famous in the 60's because of limb deformities in babies born to women who had taken it for morning sickness, was withdrawn in 1961. Now doctors say it could be used as a treatment for cancer.

8 Mar 2005

Neuren and Metabolic collaborate to develop range of nerve repair compounds

Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Neuren) and Metabolic Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Metabolic) have announced that the two companies have agreed to collaborate to co-develop Neuren's class of Neuro-regenerative Peptides (NRPs) for the treatment of degenerative conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, motor neuron disease and repairing the brain or nerves after injuries such as spinal cord injury.

7 Mar 2005

Velcade (bortezomib) phase III clinical trial initiated in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Millennium Pharmaceuticals today announced, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, LLC, the initiation of VISTA (Velcadeas Initial Standard Therapy in multiple myeloma: Assessment with melphalan and prednisone), a multicenter, international phase III clinical trial of Velcadein combination with melphalan and prednisone versus melphalan and prednisone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) who are not transplant candidates.

10 Jan 2005

Peripheral neuropathy in a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis is reversible

Organ damage that goes beyond the liver due to alcoholism is often seen as a barrier to liver transplantation, despite a lack of data on how a transplant affects these complications.

1 Dec 2004

Low testosterone production appears to be a common complication of type 2 diabetes in men

Moreover, results of the investigation show that this condition, known clinically as hypogonadism, is caused not by a defect in the testes, where testosterone is produced, but by improper functioning of the pituitary gland, which controls production of testosterone, or of the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that controls the pituitary.

29 Nov 2004

Avastin plus Folfox4 chemotherapy significantly extends survival in second-line metastatic colorectal cancer

Genentech and Roche today announced that a randomized Phase III study of Avastin™ (bevacizumab) plus the FOLFOX4 chemotherapy regimen (oxaliplatin/5-FU/leucovorin), compared to FOLFOX4 alone, in second-line metastatic colorectal cancer patients achieved its primary endpoint of improving overall survival.

29 Nov 2004

Amputations due to diabetes can be prevented

Taking a minute or two every day to inspect your feet and observing a few simple rules can make the difference in sparing diabetes patients from a preventable outcome of the disease a foot amputation.

4 Nov 2004

Test used to diagnose B12 deficiency may be inadequate

A test that generally is used to measure the amount of vitamin B12 in the body is not sensitive enough to detect a deficiency of the vitamin, which has been linked to several neurological conditions, according to Saint Louis University research.

28 Oct 2004

Cymbalta significantly reduced pain in more than half of women treated for fibromyalgia, with and without major depression

The antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl), a dual-reuptake inhibitor of serotonin and norepinephrine, 60 mg once or twice daily, significantly reduced pain in more than half of women treated for fibromyalgia, with and without major depression, according to 12-week data presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.

18 Oct 2004

Some patients who undergo treatment considered to be the last resort for severe obesity can develop peripheral neuropathy

Researchers from Mayo Clinic have found some patients who undergo a treatment considered to be the last resort for those who suffer from severe obesity - stomach stapling or gastric bypass surgery, can develop peripheral neuropathy, damage to the peripheral nerves, the vast communications network that transmits information from the brain and spinal cord to every other part of the body.

16 Oct 2004

One group of drugs that is effective in fighting HIV may also be promoting the death of sensory nerves in the skin

One group of drugs that is effective in fighting HIV may, paradoxically, also be promoting the death of sensory nerves in the skin, according to a study presented October 5, 2004, at the 129th annual meeting of the American Neurological Association in Toronto.

5 Oct 2004

Neurologists have discovered a drug application smart enough to alleviate orthostatic hypotension

Mayo Clinic neurologists have discovered a drug application smart enough to alleviate orthostatic hypotension -- problems with sinking blood pressure when standing up from a sitting position -- without the unwanted effect of also causing patients' blood pressure to soar when lying down.

5 Oct 2004

Findings about diabetic eye disease may lead to improved screenings and treatment for people with diabetes

Eli Lilly and Company have announced key findings from analyses of prior study data that enhances understanding of vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy, a diabetic microvascular complication that affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

10 Sep 2004

Cymbalta approved for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Eli Lilly's Cymbalta, a balanced and potent serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Cymbalta is the first and only FDA-approved treatment for pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

8 Sep 2004

Exubera shows sustained blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes

New data showed that Exubera (inhaled insulin) was effective and well tolerated in controlling blood glucose levels over a two-year period in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

8 Sep 2004

New biotech alliance to focus on diseases of nerve injury and pain

NeuroTargets Ltd, a discovery-led biotechnology company ‘spun-out’ from the University of Bristol, has formed an exciting new alliance with BioFocus plc, a world leader in collaborative drug discovery, to focus on diseases of nerve injury and pain.

11 Aug 2004

Comparison of antiretroviral therapies shows that tenofovir DF and stavudine are equally effective

Results from a three year double-blinded trial which compared antiretroviral therapies show that the combination regimens of tenofovir DF and stavudine, are equally effective, though tenofovir DF has more favorable outcomes with respect to cholesterol levels and the nervous system.

11 Jul 2004

Exercise helps overweight men with erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction is known to decrease the quality of life in men, and may affect as many as 30 million men in the United States alone, according to the new study. In a previous study, moderate-to-severe erectile dysfunction was reported by 12 percent of men below the age of 59; 22 percent of men aged 60 to 69 years; and 30 percent of 69 years and older.

22 Jun 2004