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Alzheimer's disease: Gene expression level influences promotion of disorder or protection against development

Using sophisticated techniques that scan the genomes of patients, researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found that a gene appears to either help protect against development of Alzheimer's disease, or promote the disorder depending on the level of gene in the brain.

18 Mar 2010

Genzyme, Isis Pharmaceuticals: Phase 3 study of mipomersen in hoFH patients meets primary endpoint

Genzyme Corp. and Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that data from a phase 3 study of mipomersen in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (hoFH) were published in The Lancet. This study met its primary endpoint, resulting in an average LDL-C reduction of greater than 100 mg/dL in this very high-risk patient population.

16 Mar 2010

Small study shows eprotirome decreases LDL cholesterol

People whose "bad" cholesterol and risk of future heart disease stay too high despite cholesterol-lowering statin therapy can safely lower it by adding a drug that mimics the action of thyroid hormone. In a report published in the Mar. 11, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins and Swedish researchers say an experimental drug called eprotirome lowered cholesterol up to 32 percent in those already on statins, an effect equal to that expected from doubling the statin drug doses, without harmful side effects.

10 Mar 2010

Atherotech to exhibit VAP Cholesterol Test at ACC 2010

Atherotech Inc. today announced it will be presenting research in two poster sessions and exhibiting its VAP® Cholesterol Test in booth #1311 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 59th Annual Scientific Session Exposition. The annual meeting takes place March 14-16, 2010, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

9 Mar 2010

BGU study: Healthy, long-term weight loss diets can significantly reverse carotid atherosclerosis

A two-year study led by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) found that healthy, long-term weight loss diets can significantly reverse carotid (main brain artery) atherosclerosis, a direct risk factor for strokes and heart attacks. The study is one of the first to prove the potential of moderate weight loss as a strategy to reverse atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) in overweight and mildly obese people.

3 Mar 2010

Prevention of heart attacks: Resveratrol appears to exhibit broader action than aspirin

With the realization that half of the people experiencing a sudden mortal heart attack were taking aspirin on the day of their demise, and the fact that higher-than-recommended doses of aspirin are needed to prevent blood clot formation in coronary arteries, coupled with an announcement that the red wine molecule resveratrol (rez-vair-ah-trawl) may protect from sudden mortal heart attack in a superior fashion to aspirin, suggests re-evaluation of cardiology's current instruction regarding prevention of heart attacks, says Nate Lebowitz MD, cardiologist with the Advanced Cardiology Institute in Ft. Lee, New Jersey.

26 Feb 2010

Increase in anti-Apo A-I, anti-HDL and anti-CRP may lead to atherosclerosis in SLE patients

A study by researchers in Australia and the United Kingdom suggests that autoantibodies to fat binding proteins significantly increase in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with active disease. This increase in anti-apolipoprotein (anti-Apo A-I), anti-high-density lipoprotein (anti-HDL), and anti-C-reactive protein (anti-CRP) may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis in SLE patients, placing them at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

25 Feb 2010

Research opens up new exploration possibilities for Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at Universitat Aut-noma de Barcelona (UAB) and University of Stockholm have created a computer modelling of the structural malfunctioning of the ApoE4 protein when it enters into contact with the Amyloid beta molecule, the main cause of Alzheimer's disease.

18 Feb 2010

Idera Pharmaceuticals presents TLR antagonist preclinical hyperlipidemia data at Keystone Symposia conference

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. presented data on the evaluation of a Toll-like receptor (TLR) antagonist in a preclinical hyperlipidemia model today at the Keystone Symposia conference “Advances in Molecular Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis” being held in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Idera’s proprietary TLR antagonists have dual activity for both TLR7 and TLR9, and present a potentially innovative approach for the treatment of certain autoimmune diseases.

15 Feb 2010

Resverlogix completes Phase 2 ASSERT trial enrollment 5 months ahead of schedule

Resverlogix Corp. announced today the completion of patient enrollment in the Phase 2 clinical study of its lead drug RVX-208. "The completion of enrollment for our Phase 2 ASSERT trial, a full 5 months ahead of our original schedule, is a very exciting achievement for our staff and our collaborators at the Cleveland Clinic.

9 Feb 2010

Humans' evolutionary advantage also makes them susceptible to cancer, dementia and heart disease

The same evolutionary genetic advantages that have helped increase human lifespans also make us uniquely susceptible to diseases of aging such as cancer, heart disease and dementia, reveals a study to be published in a special PNAS collection on "Evolution in Health and Medicine" on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

28 Jan 2010

Study shows cooling technique in heart operations does not impair neurological outcomes in children

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defects in humans, affecting 8 per 1000 live births with one third of affected children requiring intervention in early infancy.

28 Jan 2010

Selective use of DHCA during surgery for CHD in infancy does not impair neurological outcomes

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defects in humans, affecting 8 per 1000 live births with one third of affected children requiring intervention in early infancy. Increasing numbers of survivors combined with developmental expectations for independence, behavioral self-regulation and academic achievement have led to a growing identification of neurobehavioral symptoms in some survivors. A study now suggests that a cooling technique often used in heart operations does not impair neurological outcomes.

27 Jan 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents data on multiple therapeutic programs at RNAi Symposium

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today announced that it presented data from multiple pre-clinical and clinical programs at the “RNA Silencing: Mechanism, Biology, and Application” Keystone Symposium held January 14-19, 2010 in Keystone, Colorado. Alnylam and its collaborators presented data from Alnylam’s therapeutic programs including transthyretin (TTR)-mediated amyloidosis and Huntington’s disease, as well as new data on delivery approaches for the systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics.

20 Jan 2010

Isis Pharmaceuticals adds ISIS-APOCIIIRx to its development pipeline to treat TG

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has added a new drug, ISIS-APOCIIIRx, to its development pipeline. ISIS-APOCIIIRx provides a novel approach to treat hypertriglyceridemia, or high levels of triglycerides (TG).

12 Jan 2010

Key mechanism for systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics using LNPs discovered

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it has discovered a key mechanism related to the systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The new pre-clinical research was presented at the “Advances in Biopharmaceuticals” Keystone Symposium held January 8-13, 2010 in Midway, Utah, and was performed in collaboration with scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics.

9 Jan 2010

GIND scientists identify drug treatments that can normalize neuron development in AD

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) have discovered that two main causes of AD amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptides and apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) impair the growth of new neurons born in adult brains. What is more, they have identified drug treatments that can normalize the development of these cells even in the presence of Aβ or apoE4. The findings are described in two separate papers published in the current issue of Cell Stem Cell.

4 Dec 2009

Research study compares genetic make-up of humans and primates

In spite of their genetic similarity to humans, chimpanzees and great apes have maximum lifespans that rarely exceed 50 years. The difference, explains USC Davis School of Gerontology Professor Caleb Finch, is that as humans evolved genes that enabled them to better adjust to levels of infection and inflammation and to the high cholesterol levels of their meat rich diets.

3 Dec 2009

Chronic hepatitis B seems to progress faster in men, report scientists

Scientists in China are reporting discovery of unusual liver proteins, found only in males, that may help explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus (HBV) sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women. Their study has been published online in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication.

19 Nov 2009

Gene-diet interaction influencing BMI and obesity replicated in three independent studies

Tufts University researchers have identified a gene-diet interaction that appears to influence body weight and have replicated their findings in three independent studies. Men and women carrying the CC genotype demonstrated higher body mass index (BMI) scores and a higher incidence of obesity, but only if they consumed a diet high in saturated fat. These associations were seen in the apolipoprotein A-II gene (APOA2) promoter.

18 Nov 2009