Biomarker News and Research

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A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. A biomarker may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment for a disease or condition. Also called molecular marker and signature molecule.

Interleukin Genetics reports positive results from clinical study on weight management

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (NYSE Amex: ILI) announced today top-line positive results from a retrospective clinical study on weight management using patients who participated in a diet study previously reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

23 Sep 2009

Amgen announces Phase 3 results evaluating Vectibix in combination with FOLFIRI chemotherapy

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) today announced detailed results from the Phase 3 '181' trial evaluating Vectibix((R)) (panitumumab) in combination with FOLFIRI (an irinotecan based chemotherapy), as a second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In this trial, Vectibix significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with KRAS wild-type mCRC.

22 Sep 2009

Bayer's regorafenib showed 50% stabilization rate in RCC patients

Bayer today announced results from a Phase II trial of regorafenib (BAY 73-4506), a potent oral multi-kinase inhibitor, which demonstrated that treatment with regorafenib resulted in a 31 percent partial response rate and 50 percent stabilization rate in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

22 Sep 2009

Vitae Pharmaceuticals initiates Phase 1 clinical trial of its novel cardiovascular agent

Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an integrated discovery and development company, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial of its novel cardiovascular agent, VTP-27999.

21 Sep 2009

NIAID awards Antigen Discovery a Phase II STTR grant for Chlamydia vaccine development

Antigen Discovery, Inc. ("ADi", formerly ImmPORT Therapeutics, Inc.), a leading biotech company in high throughput antigen and biomarker discovery, announced today that the Company was awarded a Phase II STTR from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

21 Sep 2009

Researchers receive grants to study Alzheimer's disease

Five early-career scientists were awarded The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation/AFAR New Investigator Awards in Alzheimer's Disease. The $75,000 awards provide a broad array of funding in the biological, genetic, and environmental causes of AD.

21 Sep 2009

Health Discovery Corporation appoints new COO

Health Discovery Corporation, a personalized medicine company specializing in molecular diagnostics including gene-based testing, as well as computer assisted diagnostics in digital pathology and radiology, announced that former Deputy FDA Commissioner John A. Norris has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Company.

19 Sep 2009

Research program to study personalized medicine

A new collaborative research program that will use the power of metabolomic profiling to help advance the concept of personalized medicine was announced September 17, 2009 by the Burnham Institute for Medical Research and the Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center at Duke University Medical Center.

18 Sep 2009

Mechanism of action of the anti-cancer drug GMX1778 identified

Metabolon, Inc., the leader in metabolomics-driven biomarker discovery and analysis, today announced a new study has been published identifying the mechanism of action of the anti-cancer drug GMX1778. Co-authored by scientists at Gemin X Pharmaceuticals and Metabolon, the paper “The Small Molecule GMX1778 is a Potent Inhibitor of NAD+ Biosynthesis: Strategy for Enhanced Therapy in NAPRT1-Deficient Tumors” appears online ahead of print in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

17 Sep 2009

ColoMarker assay achieves 100 percent detection rate for colon cancers

Marking a major milestone in the early detection and management of colon cancer, EDP Biotech Corporation (EDP), a developer of immunodiagnostic tests for humans and animals, announced today that its ColoMarker assay achieved 100 percent detection rate for colon cancers presented at stages I through III in pre-clinical trials.

17 Sep 2009

Six research project grants aimed at improving human health awarded

Six research project grant awards totaling $5.1 million will be made to Washington life sciences organizations and their partners, the state’s Life Sciences Discovery Fund announced today.

16 Sep 2009

Study reveals ineffectiveness of insulin and metformin against inflammatory biomarkers

In patients with recent onset type-2 diabetes, treatment with insulin or the diabetes drug metformin did not reduce inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, although the treatment did improve glucose control, according to a study in the September 16 issue of JAMA.

16 Sep 2009

GENova Biotherapeutics and Prime BioResearch sign collaboration agreement

GENova Biotherapeutics Inc. ("GENova") today announced that it has signed a collaboration agreement with Prime BioResearch, Ltd. ("Prime BioResearch") the agreement is focused on how personalized medicine can be applied to cure cancer.

16 Sep 2009

Targeted Molecular Diagnostics to offer digital pathology services in Beijing

Targeted Molecular Diagnostics (TMD), a Quintiles Central Laboratory, announced today the availability of digital pathology services in Beijing, China. The services add to Quintiles offerings used in the development of therapies to treat the world’s most pressing health issues, including cancer.

15 Sep 2009

New protein substance could be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease

Gothenburg researchers have discovered a previously unknown substance in spinal fluid that can be used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. The findings, described in a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, will also be useful in research on new medications.

15 Sep 2009

Altair announces positive Phase I results for AIR645 in treating asthma

Altair Therapeutics, Inc., a privately-held, biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for respiratory diseases, today announced positive results from a phase I multiple dose safety and pharmacokinetic study of its lead product, once-weekly inhaled AIR645 in healthy adults and mild asthmatics.

14 Sep 2009

GENova to file for Prostaganin patents in the US and in Europe

GENova Biotherapeutics Inc. ("GENova") today announced that it is preparing for patent application filings in both the US (at the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov) for a 510(k) submission) and in Europe through EMEA (European Medicines Agency) subsequent to expected efficacious and non-toxic pre-clinical results for Prostaganin.

14 Sep 2009

Quest Diagnostics' OVA1 ovarian cancer test cleared by the FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today cleared the OVA1(TM) Test, the first blood test that, prior to surgery, can help physicians determine if a woman is at risk for a malignant pelvic mass. OVA1 is the first FDA-cleared laboratory test that can indicate the likelihood of ovarian cancer with high sensitivity prior to biopsy or exploratory surgery, even if radiological test results fail to indicate malignancy.

From Quest Diagnostics 14 Sep 2009

Abell Foundation plays major role in BioMarker's $1.7M private placement funding

BioMarker Strategies announced today that it has raised $1.7 million in a private placement funding round that occurred in conjunction with the Maryland Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit Program. BioMarker Strategies is developing the patent-pending, SnapPath™ testing system to enable oncologists to determine the most effective drug treatment for their cancer patients.

11 Sep 2009

Results from the BRITE-MD trials published in Psychiatry Research: Aspect Medical Systems

Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASPM) today announced that two companion articles highlighting results from the BRITE-MD (Biomarkers for Rapid Identification of Treatment Effectiveness trial in Major Depression) were published in the September issue of the journal Psychiatry Research.

11 Sep 2009