Chronic Pain News and Research

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Roche's P2X3 receptor program for chronic pain licensed to Afferent Pharmaceuticals

Roche announced today it has licensed its P2X3 receptor program aimed at developing first-in-class treatments for chronic pain to Afferent Pharmaceuticals. Afferent was co-founded by Anthony Ford, Ph.D., Pappas Ventures, and Third Rock Ventures, and is focused on developing compounds that treat chronic pain by targeting a novel biological pathway.

16 Dec 2009

Pharmacy directors willing to cover tanezumab at lower prices

HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary find that 70 percent of surveyed pharmacy directors expect to cover Pfizer's tanezumab if it is approved for the treatment of chronic pain. Tanezumab, which is expected to be the first biologic approved for chronic pain and is administered intravenously under medical supervision, will likely be covered as a medical benefit rather than a pharmacy benefit according to surveyed pharmacy directors.

16 Dec 2009

Pillo1 for chronic neck and back pain

At a time when Americans spend over $50 billion on ways to alleviate neck and back pain, Dr. Raymond Hall is theorizing a painful connection between conventional pillows and neck issues and created a revolutionary solution called Pillo1 (www.pillo1.com) to address the problem.

16 Dec 2009

Modified blood adult stem-cell transplant regimen reverses sickle cell disease

A modified blood adult stem-cell transplant regimen has effectively reversed sickle cell disease in 9 of 10 adults who had been severely affected by the disease, according to results of a National Institutes of Health study in the Dec. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

13 Dec 2009

University of Maryland School of Nursing to spearhead new Center for Pain Studies

The University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore is "uniquely poised" to spearhead a new collaborative Center for Pain Studies funded by a $2.4 million, five-year federal grant, said Susan Dorsey, PhD, RN, director of the center.

11 Dec 2009

HSA survey reveals drug cost inflation in workers’ compensation is up by 7.5%

Drug cost inflation in workers’ compensation is up 7.5 percent according to Health Strategy Associates’ (HSA) Sixth Annual Survey of Prescription Drug Management in Workers’ Compensation.

10 Dec 2009

Study: Besides nerves, skin has a unique sensory system

The human sensory experience is far more complex and nuanced than previously thought, according to a groundbreaking new study published in the December 15, 2009 issue of the journal Pain (http://www.painjournalonline.com/article/S0304-3959%2809%2900526-0/abstract).

8 Dec 2009

Deaths from opioid use in Ontario have doubled, according to new study

Deaths from opioid use in Ontario have doubled-from 13.7 deaths per million residents in 1991 to 27.2 deaths per million residents in 2004-according to a new study led by physicians at St. Michael's Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) in Toronto.

8 Dec 2009

Opioids can be a safe and effective treatment for pain, shows study

A study published in the current issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) by Dhalla et al. has reviewed opioid-related deaths in Ontario from 1991 to 2004. The Canadian Pain Society (CPS) is very concerned that a small percentage of the population is misusing opioid analgesics, also called narcotic pain killers, resulting in harm and even death.

8 Dec 2009

FDA approves St. Jude Medical's Penta surgical lead for neurostimulation therapy

St. Jude Medical, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and U.S. market introduction of its new Penta™ surgical lead for neurostimulation therapy. Unveiled at the annual North American Neuromodulation Society meeting, the Penta lead is the first of its kind, featuring the smallest electrodes in the market arranged in five columns.

4 Dec 2009

FDA approves St. Jude Medical's MultiSteering Technology software for optimizing neurostimulation therapy

St. Jude Medical, Inc. today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its next-generation MultiSteering Technology software for Rapid Programmer™, a programming platform used to optimize neurostimulation therapy for chronic pain patients.

4 Dec 2009

Phosphagenics commences Phase 1B clinical trial of its oxycodone/TPM transdermal patch systems

Phosphagenics Limited today announced the initiation of a Phase 1B clinical trial for its patented oxycodone/TPM (Targeted Penetration Matrix) transdermal patch systems.

2 Dec 2009

J&JPRD submits an NDA for tapentadol ER tablets

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. announced today that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for tapentadol extended release (ER) tablets, an investigational oral analgesic for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain in patients 18 years of age or older.

2 Dec 2009

Increasing patient responsibility in medical decisions may decrease their willingness to accept risky treatment options

A recent study suggests that increasing patient responsibility for making medical decisions may decrease their willingness to accept risky treatment options. Details of this proof-of-concept study appear in the December issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.

30 Nov 2009

XenaCare Holdings becomes national sponsor of Arthritis Foundation

XenaCare Holdings, Inc., a company specializing in the marketing and retail distribution of consumer healthcare products, has announced today that is has become a national sponsor of the Arthritis Foundation at the National Proud Sponsor level.

27 Nov 2009

Older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain face increase risk for falls

Older adults who reported chronic musculoskeletal pain in two or more locations, higher levels of severe pain, or pain that interfered with daily activities were more likely to experience a fall than adults who did not reports these types of pain, according to a study in the November 25 issue of JAMA.

25 Nov 2009

Canadians with chronic neck and back pain now have access to top spinal care

Canadians suffering from chronic and severe neck and back pain now have access to the top spinal care available. Spinal heath expert, Dr. Ron Nusbaum, has launched Back Clinics of Canada, a state-of-the-art facility that focuses on educating patients on the importance of spinal health and offering cutting-edge care that can bring an end to back pain.

25 Nov 2009

Seniors with chronic pain more at risk of falls

Chronic pain is experienced by as many as two out of three older adults. Now, a new study finds that pain may be more hazardous than previously thought, contributing to an increased risk of falls in adults over age 70. The findings appear in the November 25 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

24 Nov 2009

Breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy drug Taxol more likely to develop chronic neuropathic pain

Breast cancer patients treated with the chemotherapy drug Taxol (paclitaxel) are more likely to develop chronic neuropathic pain, according to research published in The Journal of Pain, the peer review publication of the American Pain Society.

24 Nov 2009

Raptor Pharmaceutical announces results of NGX426 clinical trial

Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. today announced the presentation of clinical trial data on NGX426, the Company's orally administered, non-opioid, AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist, at the 12th International Conference on the Mechanisms and Treatment of Neuropathic Pain, held on November 20-21 in San Francisco.

23 Nov 2009