Chitosan News and Research

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Chitosan is a naturally occuring polymer isolated from crab and shrimp shells. Chitosan has shown promise as a carrier of anticancer drugs, antitumor genes, and other novel therapeutics.

Olympus adds dissolvable sinus spacing and hemostat products to ENT portfolio

Olympus, a precision technology leader in designing and delivering innovative solutions in Medical and Surgical Products, among other core businesses, today announced the addition of a broad line of advanced, dissolvable sinus spacing and hemostat products to its already extensive ENT product portfolio. These products include spacers, foams and powders available in either plant-based or chitosan polysaccharide polymers.

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 6 Jan 2012

Glycol chitosan-coated MRI agent safer, more effective in detecting breast cancer

Many imaging technologies and their contrast agents - chemicals used during scans to help detect tumors and other problems - involve exposure to radiation or heavy metals, which present potential health risks to patients and limit the ways they can be applied.

26 Dec 2011

Gene therapy may promote growth of hair cells in inner ear

Normal hearing depends on the presence of healthy hair cells in the inner ear. Gene therapy has the potential to slow the loss of hair cells and promote the growth of hair cells that have already been damaged.

20 Dec 2011

New version of chitosan effective in capturing flu virus

With flu season just around the corner, scientists are reporting development of a new material for the fiber in face masks, air conditioning filters and air cleaning filters that captures influenza viruses before they can get into people's eyes, noses and mouths and cause infection. The report on the fiber appears in ACS' journal Biomacromolecules.

3 Nov 2011

Chemical composition of chitosan influences antibacterial activity

The polysaccharide (sugar substance) chitosan has a documented antibacterial effect. Hilde Mellegård's doctoral research shows that this antibacterial activity varies according to the chemical composition of the chitosan.

16 Sep 2011

Two papers highlight therapeutic potential of human Sertoli cells

Two papers published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation, now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct/, highlight the therapeutic potential of human Sertoli cells that are present in the testes and are also called "nurse" or "mother" cells because they nurture the developing sperm cells.

12 Jul 2011

Medtronic acquires chitosan-dextran gel technology for use in functional endoscopic sinus surgery

Medtronic, Inc. today announced that it has completed the purchase of rights to a chitosan-dextran gel technology from Adelaide Research & Innovation Pty Ltd. in Australia, Robinson Squidgel Ltd., and Otago Innovation Ltd. in New Zealand. Medtronic is acquiring this technology for potential use in developing future products for functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).

25 Feb 2011

New approach points towards effective stem cell therapies for spinal cord injury

Initial experiments suggest a possible new approach to stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries—using biocompatible "channels" made of chitosan to guide regeneration of new spinal cord tissue, reports the December issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

8 Dec 2010

Appeals Court stays judgment in Marine Polymer's patent infringement case against HemCon

HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted HemCon's motion to stay the injunction and final judgment (including the damages award) obtained against it in a patent infringement case brought by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc.

20 Nov 2010

LigoCyte presents Phase I/II study results of NoV vaccine for gastroenteritis at IDSA Meeting

LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private, clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals company developing innovative vaccine products, today announced positive results from a Phase I/II challenge study of its norovirus virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate.

26 Oct 2010

Study demonstrates chitosan/IL-12 is an effective anti-tumor immunotherapy

A new study by a University of Arkansas biomedical engineer and his colleagues at the National Cancer Institute demonstrates further promise for chitosan/interleukin-12 as an effective anti-tumor immunotherapy.

13 Oct 2010

HemCon to appeal permanent injunction on Marine Polymer patent

HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc., announced today that it will appeal a permanent injunction entered by a US District Court in New Hampshire based on a patent held by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc.

18 Sep 2010

Nanoparticle-based gene silencing system inhibits angiogenesis process in tumor growth

A protein associated with cancer progression when abundant inside of tumors also unexpectedly regulates the creation of new blood vessels that feed the tumor outside, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in the August edition of Cancer Cell.

17 Aug 2010

Cardiva Medical, Advanced Vascular Dynamics sign agreement to distribute hemostasis products

Cardiva Medical, Inc. announced today that it has signed an agreement with Advanced Vascular Dynamics to distribute several products used for postcatheterization femoral and radial artery hemostasis in the U.S.

27 Jul 2010

Rapid weight loss the best: Study

Researchers have now shown that the best way to lose weight is to lose a lot of it at once contrary to popular belief even among doctors that weight should be lost slowly.

15 Jul 2010

New research evaluates effectiveness of popular slimming supplements

New research evaluating the effectiveness of a broad selection of popular slimming supplements sold in pharmacies and health food shops has found no evidence that any of them facilitate weight loss beyond the placebo effect.

12 Jul 2010

Biomedical engineering professor receives Transition Career Development Award

Biomedical engineering professor David Zaharoff has been awarded a Transition Career Development Award by the National Cancer Institute to further his research on Interleukin-12, a powerful cytokine that shows great promise for therapeutic treatment of numerous types of cancer.

28 May 2010

HemCon Medical Technologies to ask for reversal of jury verdict in chitosan patent case

HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc., announced today that it will ask a US District Court in New Hampshire to review and reverse a jury verdict based on a patent held by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc. The jury awarded damages of $29.4 million against HemCon in the patent case. HemCon will ask the Court to review the validity of the patent and reverse the damage award.

30 Apr 2010

University of Granada scientists create artificial human skin with dermis made of fibrin-agarose biomaterial

23 Apr 2010

Artificial human skin with dermis made from fibrin-agarose biomaterial

Scientists from the University of Granada, Spain, have generated artificial human skin by tissular engineering basing on agarose-fibrin biomaterial. The artificial skin was grafted onto mice, and optimal development, maturation and functionality results were obtained. This pioneering finding will allow the clinical use of human skin and its use in many laboratory tests on biological tissues -which, additionally, would avoid the use of laboratory animals.

20 Apr 2010