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MassBiologics gets FDA orphan drug designation for MBL-HCV1 antibody

MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School has received an orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for MBL-HCV1, a monoclonal antibody developed to prevent hepatitis C virus recurrence in patients receiving a liver transplant.

5 Dec 2013

Study focuses on effects of nanoparticles on eosinophils linked to inflammation

In a growing number of industries, workers are often unknowingly exposed to nanoparticles (NPs). Do they enter the body? Could they have an impact on health? Professor Denis Girard from the INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier Research Centre has had the foresight to study the potential toxicity of a wide variety of NPs with a view to setting the record straight before problems occur.

4 Dec 2013

1950s H2N2 avian influenza A virus still pose threat to human health

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have evidence that descendants of the H2N2 avian influenza A virus that killed millions worldwide in the 1950s still pose a threat to human health, particularly to those under 50. The research has been published in an advance online edition of the Journal of Virology.

4 Dec 2013

Takeda and Teva announce agreement related to commercialization of glatiramer acetate in Japan

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) today announced the signing earlier this year of an agreement in which Teva licensed to Takeda the right to commercialize Teva's innovative glatiramer acetate ( active ingredient) formulation for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, in Japan.

4 Dec 2013

Novartis to present updates on broad cancer portfolio at ASH and SABCS symposiums

Novartis will present updates on its broad cancer portfolio with more than 240 abstracts at the upcoming American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting and CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS).

4 Dec 2013

Researchers predict seasonal influenza outbreaks in 108 cities across the U.S.

Scientists were able to reliably predict the timing of the 2012-2013 influenza season up to nine weeks in advance of its peak. The first large-scale demonstration of the flu forecasting system by scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health was carried out in 108 cities across the United States.

4 Dec 2013

Obese patients receive needless respiratory treatment

Research from the USA shows that a substantial proportion of obese patients are prescribed bronchodilators, even after spirometry indicates a lack of lung obstruction.

3 Dec 2013

New report on global prevalence of anemia

Despite increasing efforts to diagnose and treat anemia worldwide, there remains a surprisingly large global burden of the disease, particularly among young children and women, according to a new report on trends in anemia between 1990 and 2010.

3 Dec 2013

Evidence reveals bronchial thermoplasty has long-term benefit for asthma patients

The beneficial effects of bronchial thermoplasty, a non-pharmacologic treatment for asthma, last at least five years, according to researchers at National Jewish Health and other institutions.

3 Dec 2013

Forest Laboratories to acquire exclusive rights in the U.S. for Saphris sublingual tablets

Forest Laboratories Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest Laboratories, Inc. today announced that the company is acquiring exclusive rights in the United States for Saphris (asenapine) sublingual tablets, a treatment for adult patients with schizophrenia or acute bipolar mania, from Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

3 Dec 2013

WHO releases new report on spinal cord injury

As many as 500 000 people suffer a spinal cord injury each year. People with spinal cord injuries are 2 to 5 times more likely to die prematurely, with worse survival rates in low- and middle-income countries. The new WHO report, "International perspectives on spinal cord injuries", summarizes the best available evidence on the causes, prevention, care and lived experience of people with spinal cord injury.

2 Dec 2013

ResMed completes acquisition of Prague-based Unimedis

Prague-based Unimedis, a distributor of equipment for the treatment of sleep disordered-breathing in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, has been acquired by ResMed, a pioneer and global leader in sleep and respiratory medicine.

From ResMed Corp 2 Dec 2013

Longer looks: Providing dental care in rural Alaska; the after-effects of the ICU; cure for allergies

Aniak, Alaska, is a Yu'pik village of 500 people on the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta, about 400 miles northwest of Anchorage. It is in this special and isolated community where I practice as a dental therapist, trained and certified to deliver some, but not all, types of dental care. Dental therapists have been practicing in Alaska for nine years and now provide routine dental care to 40,000 Native Alaskans. In the United States about forty-seven million people live in areas where there is a shortage of dentists, and millions more can't afford to see them. For so many Americans, even the most basic dental care is out of reach. Yet right here in Alaska, I think we've found part of the solution (Conan Murat, November, 2013).

28 Nov 2013

H1N1 virus killed more people globally than originally believed, confirms study

A research team consisting of more than 60 collaborators in 26 countries has estimated the global death toll from the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus to be 10 times higher than the World Health Organization's count, which was based on laboratory-confirmed cases of this flu. The study, which appears online in PLOS Medicine, suggests that the pandemic virus caused up to 203,000 respiratory deaths around the world.

27 Nov 2013

Customized palliative care can reduce health care costs, improve care for high-risk geriatric patients

For high-risk geriatric patients, improved palliative care that is matched to their changing needs at home can reduce emergency room visits, reduce health care costs, and improve overall care. Current gaps in policy and practice that block implementation of these beneficial customized care models are presented in the article "Research Priorities in Geriatric Palliative Care: Policy Initiatives," published in Journal of Palliative Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

27 Nov 2013

Asthma patients ‘too accepting of symptoms’

Researchers from the UK report that patients with asthma continue to overestimate their asthma control, and many accept symptoms as the norm.

26 Nov 2013

QRxPharma refiles MOXDUO New Drug Application with US FDA

QRxPharma Limited announced today that the Company resubmitted its MOXDUO New Drug Application. At a meeting in early October, the United States Food and Drug Administration provided QRxPharma with guidance on its requirements for the NDA refiling as well as data validation documentation.

26 Nov 2013

Purlife inks deal with Canada-based auto warranty company

Neutra Corp. (OTCBB: NTRR), a growing provider of all-natural wellness solutions, is proud to announce that its partner, Purlife, has signed a deal with one of Canada's largest automotive warranty companies to make its revolutionary Drivepur Protection System available to a network of 1,200 car dealerships.

26 Nov 2013

Lockheed Martin donates funds to new telehealth suite dedicated for wounded warriors

Thanks to a $4 million gift from Lockheed Martin, UCLA Health System's Operation Mend now has a state-of-the-art telehealth suite, which will enable improved communication between the program's personnel, patients and partners, and a renovated recovery area for the wounded warriors who undergo surgery at the Westwood facility.

26 Nov 2013

Novel urinary antigen test boosts S. pneumoniae CAP detection

Research published in the European Respiratory Journal shows that addition of a serotype-specific urinary antigen detection test to existing diagnostic methods can increase the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae community-acquired pneumonia by over a third.

25 Nov 2013