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Nanotechnology weapons for cancer

US Researchers have come up with new nanoparticle robots that are essentially a tiny army that can travel in the blood till they reach the cancers and then tweak some important cancer causing genes that can cure the cancer.

22 Mar 2010

JDRF to begin diabetes research collaboration on drugs for replicating insulin-producing cells

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a leader in setting the agenda for diabetes research worldwide, said today that it will begin a diabetes research collaboration with Pfizer, Hadassah Medical Organization, and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem on drugs to replicate and regenerate insulin-producing cells in people with type 1 diabetes.

22 Mar 2010

Prevent Blindness America, Real Kids Shades partner to promote children's eye protection

In an effort to educate parents about the need to protect children's eye health, Prevent Blindness America, the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, and Real Kids Shades a leading manufacturer of quality eyewear for infants and children, are teaming up to ensure that 5 million children have healthy eyes for healthy futures. The joint effort supports "Star Pupils," a national program of Prevent Blindness America designed to arm parents with the information they need to help their children achieve a lifetime of healthy vision.

19 Mar 2010

Manitoba government: AMD drug Lucentis will be funded through centralized vision program

Manitobans with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) received a dose of good news. The Manitoba government announced that Lucentis (ranibizumab injection) will soon be funded through a centralized vision program, effective June 1, 2010.

18 Mar 2010

Scientific revelations discovered during Retina Implant’s first human clinical trial

Retina Implant, AG, a leading developer of subretinal implants for the visually impaired, today announced scientific revelations discovered during the company’s first human clinical trial. The results achieved in the 11 patients that were involved in the trial exceeded the company’s expectations for their first trial.

18 Mar 2010

XOMA initiates Phase 2 clinical trial of XOMA 052 in Type 1 diabetes patients

XOMA Ltd., a leader in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies, announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of XOMA 052, its antibody to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), in Type 1 diabetes patients. Funding for the trial is being provided by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, the largest patient advocacy organization of Type 1 diabetes research worldwide.

12 Mar 2010

Age-related macular degeneration affects central vision in older Americans

Indianapolis resident Harry Traugott was an active retiree, participating in community events, driving and even teaching English as a second language at two community centers. He’d been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), but the disease had not caused significant vision loss. It wasn’t until he had trouble seeing while driving, watching television

11 Mar 2010

StemCells reports net loss of $5.23M for fourth-quarter fiscal 2009

StemCells, Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. The Company's results include the operations of Stem Cell Sciences Plc (SCS) since April 1, 2009.

11 Mar 2010

Early administration of metformin can prevent long-term complications of diabetes: Study

The sooner people with diabetes start taking metformin, the longer the drug remains effective, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the March issue of Diabetes Care, a journal of the American Diabetes Association.

10 Mar 2010

Sunridge International to present patented, 2-minute, non-invasive PNT treatment at SWIA Conference

Sunridge International, said it will be presenting details of its patented pneumatic trabeculoplasty treatment a non-invasive treatment at the upcoming Southwest Investment Association, Inc. Conference on March 13, 2010, at the Westin Stonebriar Hotel in Frisco, Texas.

9 Mar 2010

MS Awareness Week: Time for nation to go orange and move it to end MS

MS Awareness Week March 8-14 is the time for the nation to go orange and move it to end multiple sclerosis, a disease where someone is newly diagnosed every hour of every day. Supported by a Congressional resolution, this year MS Awareness Week and the state of MS research aptly coincide. Move it to create a world free of MS!

8 Mar 2010

World through the eyes of a person with eye disease

Lighthouse International, the non-profit leader in vision healthcare, research, education and advocacy, launches a new website that features the first customizable, low-vision simulator that shows how a person with an eye disease sees the world. Visitors can choose a video from YouTube and select a filter that simulates retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy.

6 Mar 2010

2010 Federal Budget lacks substantive funding in support of heart health initiatives: HSF concerned

The Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSF) is concerned with the lack of any substantive funding in support of heart health initiatives as outlined in today's 2010 Federal Budget.

5 Mar 2010

Also in Global Health News: U.S. Ambassador to U.N.; Male circumcision; River blindness in Ecuador; Nursing shortage in Caribbean; Maternal health in Bolivia; Drug-resistant TB in North Korea; Cholera vaccine

Betty King reported to her new position as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. "Washington's Geneva mission had been without an ambassador since Warren W. Tichenor left his post on Jan. 20, 2009 - when Barack Obama was sworn in as president," according to the news service (3/3).

4 Mar 2010

Gene therapy for LCA clears another hurdle: Study

Gene therapy for a severe inherited blindness, which produced dramatic improvements last year in 12 children and young adults who received the treatment in a clinical trial, has cleared another hurdle. The same research team that conducted the human trial now reports that a study in animals has shown that a second injection of genes into the opposite, previously untreated eye is safe and effective, with no signs of interference from unwanted immune reactions following the earlier injection.

4 Mar 2010

EMA accepts the filing of Lux Biosciences' MAA for Luveniq

Lux Biosciences, Inc. today announced that the European Medicines Agency has accepted the filing of the company’s Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for the company’s lead product, Luveniq™ (LX211; oral voclosporin) for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis involving the intermediate or posterior segments of the eye.

3 Mar 2010

Advanced Cell Technology’s MA09-hRPE cells for treatment of SMD: FDA grants orphan drug designation

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation for the company’s MA09-hRPE cells for use in the treatment of Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy (SMD). As a result, the company is eligible to receive a number of benefits, including tax credits, access to grant funding for clinical trials, accelerated FDA approval and allowance for marketing exclusivity after drug approval for a period of as long as seven years.

3 Mar 2010

EMA validates Lux Biosciences' voclosporin MAA

Isotechnika Pharma Inc. today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) filed by its partner, Lux Biosciences, Inc., for voclosporin. Following validation of the MAA, the dossier is distributed to members of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for formal review, which is expected to take one year.

2 Mar 2010

Visually impaired children benefit from earlier introduction to long cane

When "T" started kindergarten, she was an independent, confident child who was fully able to move about in her new environment—even though she was the only visually impaired child in her school and used a long cane. T was born in 2003 with Leber's congenital amaurosis, a rare inherited eye disease, and has no light perception. She was introduced to the long cane at the early age of 14 months to foster her independence of mobility and functioning.