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Gene mutation linked to age-related hearing loss

Patients who exhibited a certain genetic mutation of anti-oxidant enzymes are three times more likely to develop age-related hearing loss (ARHL), according to new research presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, in San Diego, CA.

7 Oct 2009

Hepatitis B Foundation calls for consistent monitoring and referral of HBV infected children

An expert panel of nationally recognized pediatric liver specialists convened by the Hepatitis B Foundation is calling for more consistent monitoring and referral of children chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The panel's recommendations for pediatricians and other primary care practitioners stress the need for routine monitoring of children with chronic HBV infections, and timely consultation with a pediatric liver specialist.

6 Oct 2009

UCSF's Elizabeth Blackburn receives Nobel Prize in Medicine, lauded by Speaker Nancy Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement congratulating molecular biologist Elizabeth H. Blackburn of the University of California, San Francisco, who today was named to receive the 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine. Dr. Blackburn shares the award with Carol W. Greider of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Jack W. Szostak of Harvard Medical School for their discovery of an enzyme that plays a key role in normal cell function, as well as in cell aging and most cancers.

6 Oct 2009

Verenium declares public offering of common stock

Verenium Corporation, a pioneer in the development of next-generation cellulosic ethanol and high-performance specialty enzymes, today announced that it intends to offer, subject to market, regulatory and other conditions, shares of its common stock, and potentially warrants, in an underwritten public offering.

6 Oct 2009

Absence of certain proteins for proper cell duplication can lead to cancer

A Purdue University researcher has discovered that the absence of certain proteins needed for proper cell duplication can lead to cancer.

6 Oct 2009

Molecular biologist receives 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Molecular biologist Elizabeth H. Blackburn, PhD, 60, of the University of California, San Francisco, today was named to receive the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

6 Oct 2009

Alnara to announce Phase 3 study results of liprotamase for treating cystic fibrosis at the 23rd NACFC

Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company developing novel, non-systemic orally-delivered protein therapeutics for the treatment of metabolic diseases, announced today that results from a landmark, international Phase 3 study of the long-term safety and nutritional benefits of liprotamase for the treatment of pancreatic insufficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) will be presented at the 23rd Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC) being held October 15-17, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

5 Oct 2009

Baxter launches HYLENEX recombinant for pediatric rehydration at the 2009 ACEP

Baxter International Inc. today announced the commercial launch of HYLENEX recombinant (hyaluronidase human injection) for use in pediatric rehydration at the 2009 American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) scientific assembly (Boston). HYLENEX, an enzyme, allows fluids to be administered under the skin (subcutaneously) rather than through a vein.

From Baxter International Inc. 5 Oct 2009

Preclinical study results of AVL-181 protease inhibitor presented

Avila Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel covalent drugs that treat diseases through protein silencing, presented results of preclinical studies on its highly selective, pan-genotype, small molecule Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) protease inhibitor, AVL-181.

5 Oct 2009

Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak receive 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine

The 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine has been awarded to Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.

5 Oct 2009

Global retail market for probiotic foods and beverages shows 13 percent increase over 2007

Once relegated primarily to the domain of yogurt and high-fiber fare, the market for food and beverage products fortified with probiotics and prebiotics has taken off as digestive health emerged as one of the hottest topics in the food and beverage arena.

5 Oct 2009

Nature's best mercury fighters: Bacteria

Mercury pollution is a persistent problem in the environment. Human activity has lead to increasingly large accumulations of the toxic chemical, especially in waterways, where fish and shellfish tend to act as sponges for the heavy metal.

5 Oct 2009

New study sheds light on memory formation

A new study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) of McGill University reveals that different patterns of training and learning lead to different types of memory formation.

5 Oct 2009

GeneMedRx software warns patients and physicians if tamoxifen benefit is at risk

One hundred eighty thousand women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Eighty thousand will start taking the drug tamoxifen to prevent the recurrence of their ER (estrogen receptor) positive breast cancers. The treatment is successful in two-thirds of the women who take it. Genelex Corporation (Seattle) is now offering Tamoxitest(TM) that could improve this success rate to greater than 90% by addressing both of the common causes of tamoxifen treatment failure.

3 Oct 2009

Critical biochemical pathways linked to the aging of human muscle identified

A study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has identified critical biochemical pathways linked to the aging of human muscle. By manipulating these pathways, the researchers were able to turn back the clock on old human muscle, restoring its ability to repair and rebuild itself.

3 Oct 2009

ALL initiative three-year clinical observational study results published

A program that bundled two generic, low-cost drugs - a cholesterol-lowering statin and a blood pressure-lowering drug - and gave daily doses to 68,560 people with diabetes or heart disease for two years is estimated to have prevented 1,271 heart attacks and strokes in the first year following the study period, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the American Journal of Managed Care.

3 Oct 2009

$7.2 million grant awarded to develop microbicide-releasing vaginal ring

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University a four-year, $7.2 million grant to develop a microbicide-releasing vaginal ring to prevent HIV transmission.

3 Oct 2009

Enzyme that helps make tuberculosis resistant to a human's natural defense system identified

Researchers at Iowa State University have identified an enzyme that helps make tuberculosis resistant to a human's natural defense system. Researchers have also found a method to possibly neutralize that enzyme, which may someday lead to a cure for tuberculosis.

3 Oct 2009

Arginetix raises funds for development programs

Arginetix, Inc. today announced it has closed a $10.75 million Series A financing. The company is developing small molecule inhibitors of the enzyme arginase for the treatment of endothelial dysfunction, including pulmonary arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis and asthma.

2 Oct 2009

Preliminary Phase 2 study results of Plicera drug released

Amicus Therapeutics today announced preliminary results from its Phase 2 randomized, open-label study to assess the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of its investigational drug, Plicera(TM) (afegostat tartrate), in treatment-naive adult patients with type 1 Gaucher disease.

2 Oct 2009