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Pregnancy and pre-pregnancy genetic tests approved for all

According to a government’s advisory body on genetics, genetic tests for conditions that can be passed on to future generations should be more widely available before pregnancy. There are “no specific social, ethical or legal principles” against preconception screening, a Human Genetics Commission report has ruled. It said testing should be available to any couples who may benefit from it. The UK National Screening Committee will now consider the findings.

7 Apr 2011

Cancer screening updates

Everyone in England aged 55 to 59 will be invited for a new test which could dramatically cut their chances of developing bowel cancer. This new test could save an extra 3,000 lives every year after the UK National Screening Committee gave the nod for it to be added to the NHS programme. The test known as Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) differs to the current faecal occult blood (FOB) test, which relies on people sending off stool samples.

7 Apr 2011

Zacharon, Pfizer enter research collaboration to develop drugs for orphan diseases

Zacharon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the company has entered into a strategic research collaboration with Pfizer Inc. to develop drugs for orphan diseases, including lysosomal storage disorders. The potential value of the collaboration to Zacharon is approximately USD $210 million. The collaboration includes the potential development of compounds that may be discovered using Zacharon's innovative platform for developing small molecule drugs targeting specific carbohydrate polymers or glycans.

7 Apr 2011

Alnylam to extend RNAi therapeutics research collaboration with AlCana and UBC

AlCana Technologies, Inc., The University of British Columbia, and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that Alnylam has elected to extend the companies' RNAi therapeutics research collaboration for a third year.

7 Apr 2011

Scarab Genomics, CellMed enter agreement for Clean Genome E. coli Technology

Scarab Genomics announced a strategic agreement today with CellMed AG, a BTG International group company, in which CellMed AG will use Scarab Genomics' Clean Genome E. coli Technology in a new product development in the life science field.

7 Apr 2011

Positive top-line results from Roche's T-DM1 Phase II trial in HER2-positive MBC

ImmunoGen, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops targeted antibody-based anticancer products, today announced that Roche has disclosed positive top-line results from the first randomized trial assessing trastuzumab emtansine in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

7 Apr 2011

Trimble releases new Android apps for athletes

Trimble released new versions of AllSport GPS, its popular fitness apps for smartphones running Google Android. The new Android apps—AllSport GPS Free and AllSport GPS Pro—feature an exciting new design to track workouts, collect more than 20 fitness stats and calculate calories burned to help people reach their fitness goals.

7 Apr 2011

Alexion submits Soliris marketing applications to FDA, EMA for aHUS treatment

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the company has submitted marketing applications to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for Soliris as a treatment for patients with atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome.

7 Apr 2011

Vismodegib is an effective treatment for patients with basal cell carcinomas

A new drug is effective in preventing new basal cell carcinomas in patients with an inherited predisposition to the disease.

7 Apr 2011

Elsevier launches $35,000 international developer competition for best applications for science

Elsevier, a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced the launch of the "Apps for Science" challenge, an international competition challenging software developers to create customized applications that enhance information search and discovery for researchers.

7 Apr 2011

Powerful natural formula is an effective treatment for men with prostate cancer

Researchers at Indiana University and Methodist Research Institute publish the dramatic effects of a natural formula against prostate cancer. This is the second in-depth study supporting the effectiveness of this formula against the disease.

7 Apr 2011

Physician's documentation confirms successful treatment of basal cell carcinoma with topical cannabis extract

Cannabis Science, Inc., US biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis products. On March 9, 2011 Cannabis Science announced that we would follow up our press release with medical documentation regarding the effectiveness of our cannabis extracts for treating skin cancer as was documented photographically in our earlier press release of February 22, 2011.

7 Apr 2011

DSP, BBI sign license agreement for BBI608

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. and Boston Biomedical, Inc., today announced that they have signed a Product Option License Agreement for BBI608 for all oncology indications in Japan and exclusive right of negotiation for BBI608 for the United States and Canada.

7 Apr 2011

Exercising during pregnancy improves child's heart health after birth

Moms-to-be long have been told by their doctors and baby-related books and websites that staying fit during pregnancy is good for both mother and child. When it was reported a couple of years back that exercising strengthens a fetus' heart control, many pregnant women took heed and hit the ground running, literally. Some signed up for prenatal yoga classes; others found new ways to incorporate low-impact aerobic activities into their daily lives.

7 Apr 2011

Pitt, UPCI researchers' cancer studies presented at AACR meeting

How do certain multiple myeloma treatment drugs cause complications? How does the immune system become dysfunctional due to cancer? How safe is a vaccine that could prevent development of precancerous colon polyps? Those are among the many questions that will be answered by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine during the American Association for Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting 2011, April 2 to 6, in Orlando, Fla.

7 Apr 2011

CFN scientists develop 2-component polymer scaffolds for controlled 3-D cell culture

At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), researchers of the DFG Center for Functional Nanostructures (CFN) succeeded in specifically cultivating cells on three-dimensional structures. The fascinating thing is that the cells are offered small "holds" in the micrometer range on the scaffold, to which they can adhere. Adhesion is possible to these holds only, not to the remaining structure.

7 Apr 2011

Neuralstem to present HSSC Phase I trial data in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at AAN meeting

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that the Phase I safety trial of its human spinal cord stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is the subject of three presentations at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, April 9-16th, in Honolulu, HI.

7 Apr 2011

TBL1 levels may help identify obese persons at risk of developing fatty liver

Excess fat around the hips and belly may not really be compatible with current beauty ideals, but, to a certain degree, it is a normal, even vital energy store of our body. However, it is a different matter if the organism stores fat in organs such as the liver, pancreas or muscles. This is a clear sign of a metabolic disorder.

7 Apr 2011

CEM to reconvene its popular 'Methods in Bioengineering' conference on July 14-15

The Center for Engineering in Medicine -- a bioengineering research institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital, a Harvard Teaching Hospital -- has announced it will reconvene its popular "Methods in Bioengineering" conference in conjunction with event organizer Horizon House Ltd.

7 Apr 2011

Alnylam defends against Tekmira complaint, files answer and counterclaim

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, has filed an answer and counterclaim to a complaint filed by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation in the Business Litigation Session (BLS) of the Massachusetts Superior Court.

7 Apr 2011