Apoptosis News and Research

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Apoptosis is programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

Researchers discover tumor suppressor lincRNAs

The recent discovery of more than a thousand genes known as large intergenic non-coding RNAs (or "lincRNAs") opened up a new approach to understanding the function and organization of the genome. That surprising breakthrough is now made even more compelling with the finding that dozens of these lincRNAs are induced by p53 (the most commonly mutated gene in cancer), suggesting that this class of genes plays a critical role in cell development and regulation. Furthermore, the researchers identify one lincRNA in particular (lincRNA-p21), and demonstrate its critical role in suppressing the reading of many genes across the genome following p53 activation.

30 Jul 2010

New paradigm in TB research may lead to improved vaccination, treatment

Often causing no symptoms in carriers of the disease, worldwide tuberculosis (TB) infects eight to ten million people every year, kills two million, and it is highly contagious as it is spread through coughing and sneezing. "It's a global health disaster waiting to happen, even here in Canada, but this new paradigm in TB research may offer an immediate opportunity to improve vaccination and treatment initiatives," explains Dr. Maziar Divangahi of McGill University and of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

30 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange reported today that a significant decrease in HCV viral load was detected in 3 patients with liver cancer who are treated daily orally with CF102. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). The results announced today relate to data which came out of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

26 Jul 2010

Gamma-tocotrienol suppresses colony formation of cancer stem cells: Research

Scientists from Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong have found that gamma-tocotrienol is potent in killing prostate cancer stem cells. This small group of cells is responsible for the initiation of prostate cancer and is resistant to conventional chemotherapy drugs. It causes relapses in the cancer by producing new chemo-resistant cancer cells. Gamma-tocotrienol is a member of the Vitamin E family and is derived naturally from palm oil.

26 Jul 2010

New biophotonic imaging method monitors transformations of cellular macromolecules during apoptosis in real-time

Apoptosis, programmed cell death, is essential to normal development, healthy immune system function, and cancer prevention. The process dramatically transforms cellular structures but the limitations of conventional microscopy methods have kept much about this structural reorganization a mystery.

23 Jul 2010

Aegera reports data from Phase 1 portion of combination AEG35156 Phase 1-2 study for primary liver cancer

Aegera Therapeutics Inc. released today encouraging survival data from the Phase 1 portion of its Phase 1-2 Study of the novel targeted therapeutic, AEG35156, given in combination with sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer).

20 Jul 2010

Rottapharm Madaus, Selvita sign drug discovery services contract

Rottapharm Madaus and Selvita announced today signature of a services contract for delivery of drug discovery services. The aim of this project is to deliver to Rottapharm Madaus a set of designed and synthesized compounds, including their optimized synthesis route, which will have a therapeutic potential in an indicated area.

20 Jul 2010

Arsenic nanoparticle to combat aggressive type of breast cancer prevalent in young women

You can teach an old drug new chemotherapy tricks. Northwestern University researchers took a drug therapy proven for blood cancers but ineffective against solid tumors, packaged it with nanotechnology and got it to combat an aggressive type of breast cancer prevalent in young women, particularly young African-American women.

16 Jul 2010

EpiCept increases exercise price of June 2010 Warrants to $1.64 per share

EpiCept Corporation has amended the exercise price of its Series A Warrants and Series B Warrants sold in June 2010 from $1.57 per share to $1.64 per share. The exercise price was amended by Amendment No.1 dated as of July 8, 2010, to the Securities Purchase Agreement between EpiCept and each of the purchasers signatory thereto, which amended the Securities Purchase Agreement dated June 25, 2010 between EpiCept and each of the purchasers signatory thereto.

15 Jul 2010

BioInvent reports net revenues of SEK 63.1M for January - June 2010 period

BioInvent reached an important milestone when the results of a phase II trial of TB-402 following orthopaedic surgery, were reported in May. The data showed that TB-402 is statistically better at preventing thrombosis than enoxaparin, the current standard treatment. Supported by these good results, BioInvent and the company's partner, ThromboGenics, will now prioritise securing a development partner for the programme to ensure that the necessary resources is in place to take the product candidate to the market.

14 Jul 2010

Life-or-death 'cell competition' process in mammalian tissue identified

A landmark study by Florida State University biologists, in collaboration with scientists in Britain, is the first to identify a life-or-death "cell competition" process in mammalian tissue that suppresses cancer by causing cancerous cells to kill themselves.

14 Jul 2010

Researchers investigate oral cancer, periodontal disease relationship

Today during the 88th General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research, in Barcelona, Spain, presenting author J. Meyle, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany, will present an abstract titled "P. gingivalis Infection and Immune Evasion of Oral Carcinomas."

14 Jul 2010

Role of enzyme GSTP1-1 in progression of cancer, other diseases associated with increased cell proliferation

Telik, Inc. today announced the publication of a review in the journal, Cell Death and Differentiation: Glutathione transferases as mediators of signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation and cell death; http://www.nature.com/cdd/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/cdd201080a.html. This review describes recent advances in the understanding of the important role that the enzyme GSTP1-1 plays in the progression of cancer and other diseases associated with increased cell proliferation.

13 Jul 2010

EntreMed announces publication of preclinical data for ENMD-2076

EntreMed, Inc., today announced the publication of preclinical data for its Phase 2 oncology drug candidate, ENMD-2076 an Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor, which demonstrated significant activity against multiple myeloma cell lines and in MM models in vivo. Results of the study, conducted by EntreMed's collaborator, Sherif Farag, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at the Indiana University School of Medicine, were published in the on-line version of the British Journal of Haematology on June 15, 2010 and are scheduled to be published in print in the August 1, 2010 issue.

13 Jul 2010

MiCK assay effective in predicting best chemotherapy response for Endometrial Cancer patients: Study

Oncologists working with DiaTech Oncology have published the results of a comprehensive study to determine the effectiveness of the Microculture Kinetic (MiCK) assay for apoptosis in predicting the best chemotherapy response for Endometrial Cancer patients. (Journal of Gynecologic Oncology March 2010 Mar)

12 Jul 2010

Calithera Biosciences completes Series A financing totaling $40M

Calithera Biosciences, a company developing novel oncology therapeutics, today announced the completion of a Series A financing totaling $40 million. Morgenthaler Ventures led the financing with U.S. Venture Partners, Advanced Technology Ventures, Delphi Ventures and Mission Bay Capital also participating in the round. The capital will be used to support the company's pioneering efforts to develop activators of caspases, the proteases that promote apoptotic cell death, for the treatment of cancer and other proliferative diseases.

8 Jul 2010

A20 protein plays protective role in diseases associated with chronic bowel inflammation: Scientists

Scientists associated with VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and Ghent University have discovered that A20 protein plays an important protective role in diseases associated with chronic bowel inflammation. This makes A20 into a promising therapeutic target for the development of new anti-inflammatory drugs.

5 Jul 2010

Modified Citrus Pectin holds promise against prostate cancer

Researchers at Columbia University recently analyzed the positive effects of Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) on human and mouse prostate cancer cell lines. The results, as reported by lead researcher Dr. Aaron Katz in the most recent publication of Integrative Cancer Therapies, show that MCP inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent cancer cells in a time and dose-dependent manner.

2 Jul 2010

Scientists explain mechanism behind acute myeloid leukemia

New research by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has illuminated in fine detail one of the genetic paths that leads to a particularly aggressive form of leukemia.

2 Jul 2010