Anemia News and Research

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Anemia is a decrease in normal number of red blood cells (RBCs) or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin deficiency. The three main classes of anemia include excessive blood loss (acutely such as a hemorrhage or chronically through low-volume loss), excessive blood cell destruction (hemolysis) or deficient red blood cell production (ineffective hematopoiesis). Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood. There are several kinds of anemia, produced by a variety of underlying causes. Anemia can be classified in a variety of ways, based on the morphology of RBCs, underlying etiologic mechanisms, and discernible clinical spectra, to mention a few.

Celgene reports total revenue of $758M for fourth-quarter of 2009

Celgene Corporation announced non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) net income of $290.3 million, or non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.62 for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. Non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2008 was $200.9 million or non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.43. Based on U.S. GAAP, Celgene reported net income of $254.2 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.54 for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. GAAP net loss for the fourth quarter of 2008 was $149.3 million, or diluted loss per share of $0.33.

28 Jan 2010

NYU professor conducts genetic screening at academic campuses in Boston

Dr. Harry Ostrer, professor of pediatrics, pathology and medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center will be conducting genetic screening at four college campuses in Boston on February 1st and 2nd. Individuals interested in being screened should sign- up online at www.med.nyu.edu/genetics.

28 Jan 2010

Adipose tissue, a promising new source of HSPCs

Bone marrow is a leading source of adult stem cells, which are increasingly used for research and therapeutic interventions, but extracting the cells is an arduous and often painful process. Now, researchers have found evidence that fat tissue, known as adipose tissue, may be a promising new source of valuable and easy-to-obtain regenerative cells called hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), according to astudy prepublished online in Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.

28 Jan 2010

Health Canada approves first post-surgical treatment for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours

Patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) can now take action at an earlier stage of this rare form of cancer to reduce the risk of their disease returning following surgery. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada announced today that Gleevec* (imatinib mesylate) has received conditional approval by Health Canada for the adjuvant (post-surgical) treatment of adult patients who are at intermediate to high risk of disease recurrence following the surgical removal of GIST.

27 Jan 2010

UCSB research: Rapamycin drug, a potential treatment for ADPKD

Research performed at UC Santa Barbara points to the drug rapamycin as a potential treatment for kidney disease. The study builds on past research and shows that studies performed on mice are more likely to translate to humans than previously thought.

27 Jan 2010

Promising results in mice could prevent fatal iron buildup in humans

A new study shows that a protein found in blood alleviates anemia, a condition in which the body's tissues don't get enough oxygen from the blood. In this animal study, injections of the protein, known as transferrin, also protected against potentially fatal iron overload in mice with thalassemia, a type of inherited anemia that affects millions of people worldwide.

27 Jan 2010

ACS Chemical Biology report supports zebrafish for drug development

By combining the tools of medicinal chemistry and zebrafish biology, a team of Vanderbilt investigators has identified compounds that may offer therapeutic leads for bone-related diseases and cancer.

22 Jan 2010

BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals commences patient treatment in Tavocept Phase III trial

BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the treatment of the first patients in a global multi-center Phase III clinical trial of Tavocept (BNP7787) in patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the lung, the most common type of lung cancer. In previous studies, Tavocept demonstrated the potential to substantially increase overall and one year patient survival while concurrently preventing and reducing the incidence and severity of common chemotherapy side-effects as compared to other currently available treatments for advanced lung cancer.

21 Jan 2010

Men who buy fake internet drugs for ED problems face significant health risks

Men who buy fake internet drugs for erection problems can face significant risks from potentially hazardous contents and bypassing healthcare systems could leave associated problems like diabetes and high blood pressure undiagnosed.

21 Jan 2010

AMAG Pharmaceuticals prices public offering of common stock

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 3,600,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $48.25 per share.

21 Jan 2010

Health Canada approves Novartis' Afinitor to treat patients with mRCC

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. (Novartis) announced today that Afinitor(R) (everolimus), a once-daily oral cancer treatment, has been approved by Health Canada for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), also known as advanced kidney cancer, after failure of initial treatment with VEGF-receptor targeted therapies Sutent(R) (sunitinib) or Nexavar(R) (sorafenib).

20 Jan 2010

Over 44% of internet Viagra is counterfeit

Research by UK, Swedish and American researchers shows that taking internet drugs can kill and bypassing health systems can leave life-threatening problems undiagnosed. It's estimated that 90% of counterfeit drugs are sold on the internet, 44% of internet Viagra is fake, the global sale of counterfeit drugs will reach $75 billion this year and EU seizures have risen dramatically. Counterfeit drug deaths include men who took fake erectile dysfunction drugs, pregnant women injected with fake iron for anaemia and children who took paracetamol syrup contaminated with antifreeze.

20 Jan 2010

HTDS announces possible merger with EU-based, stem-cell research company

Hard to Treat Diseases (HTDS; http://www.htdsmedical.com/) and its operating subsidiary Slavica BioChem want to point the shareholders back to the press release from Oct 29, 2009, where the company announced news about a possible merger with a EU based, stem-cell research company.

20 Jan 2010

Environmental health groups call for ban on BPA from all food applications

Environmental health advocates responded to today's announcement that Food and Drug Administration concurs with the National Toxicology Program's assessment that bisphenol A is a chemical of concern. FDA posted tips for parents to minimize children's exposure, and announced further research. BPA is a synthetic sex hormone linked to cancer, behavioral changes, reproductive harm, heart problems and other illnesses.

18 Jan 2010

Role of H. pylori in autoimmune atrophic gastritis

Experimental animal studies have shown that H. pylori shares several antigenic regions in common with acid secreting cells in gastric mucosa. Antibodies triggered by H. pylori destroy acid secreting cells due to this antigenic mimicry.

17 Jan 2010

First sulfite-free rectal suspension for UC

sfRowasa™ (mesalamine) Rectal Suspension 4g/60mL –Sulfite-Free Formulation, is the first sulfite-free rectal suspension available for Ulcerative colitis (UC). According to a study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, products containing sulfites may exacerbate natural sulfide levels in the colon and may increase inflammation in UC patients. With its sulfite-free preparation, sfRowasa™ offers a new treatment option for the treatment of active, mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis, proctosigmoiditis or proctitis.

13 Jan 2010

Autologous stem cell transplantation may benefit breast cancer patients

Compared to conventional chemotherapy, autologous stem cell transplantation can extend "event-free survival" for breast cancer patients. Clinical trials provide proof of this for breast cancer with and without distant metastases. However, there are indications that this type of stem cell transplantation can more frequently give rise to severe complications affecting almost all organ systems. This is the conclusion of the final report of the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) published on 16 December 2009.

13 Jan 2010

Bevacizumab drug shows promise to slow tumor growth in lung cancer patients

Phase II study results of the agent ASA404 showed promise in patients with either squamous or non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

13 Jan 2010

Insecticide-treated net reduces malaria infection in pregnant women, but simple measures needed to increase effectiveness

A Tanzanian program to supply insecticide treated nets to prevent malaria in pregnant women successfully delivers the intervention to only 30% of women, but simple changes could increase effectiveness, according to an article http://www.cmaj.ca/embargo/cmaj090268.pdf in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) www.cmaj.ca.

12 Jan 2010

AmerisourceBergen announces new programs for long term care and retail pharmacies

AmerisourceBergen, under its’ PRxO® Generics Solution, today announced a new program for long term care pharmacies and an expanded program for retail pharmacies. The new solutions are tailored to better meet customer needs as generic prescription demands continue to increase.

12 Jan 2010