Clostridium Difficile News and Research

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Clostridium difficile is a type of bacterium found in human and animal waste. Clostridium difficile is a common cause of diarrhea that occurs in hospitals. It can also cause diarrhea or other intestinal disorders in patients treated with antibiotics.

Effective antimicrobial products can reduce hospital-acquired infections

The Centers for Disease Control estimate that more than two million people in the United States are affected annually by hospital-acquired infections. Meanwhile, a report released in April by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality concluded that this problem, which is worsening, requires urgent attention.

14 Jun 2010

Cubist to oppose Teva’s attempt to add new defense in patent infringement litigation

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it will oppose a motion filed by the Teva defendants to amend their answer to add a new defense in the patent litigation between Cubist and Teva pending in the US District Court for the District of Delaware. A motion for leave to amend the answer is a request to be permitted to add a new allegation. The Teva defendants seek leave to amend their answer to allege that US Patent Nos. 6,468,967 and 6,852,689 are unenforceable due to inequitable conduct.

11 Jun 2010

Inquiry into the hospital acquired killer bug starts

A Second World War veteran John Boyle died of Clostridium difficile infection after being admitted to hospital for the first time at the age of 90. He was diagnosed with the infection on January 25 this year and succumbed to it two weeks later. He was one of 18 patients to die at a Scottish hospital when the outbreak of this hospital-acquired infection was reported.

8 Jun 2010

Xenex Healthcare Services announces commercial launch of pulsed xenon room disinfection system

Xenex Healthcare Services LLC, which specializes in developing disinfection technology for healthcare facilities, today announced the commercial launch of its pulsed xenon room disinfection system and the conclusion of the Xenex system's successful trial at a leading U.S. cancer center. The Xenex system, which is now available, is the fastest, safest, and most effective method for the advanced cleaning of hospital rooms in the world today, quickly destroying all major classes of microorganisms (including viruses, bacteria and bacterial spores) without contact or chemicals.

8 Jun 2010

U.S. Court issues claim construction order in patent infringement litigation between Cubist and Teva

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware issued a claim construction order in the litigation between Cubist and Teva.

8 Jun 2010

Salix submits efficacy supplement for XIFAXAN NDA for Non-C IBS and IBS-related bloating

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that the Company has submitted an efficacy supplement to NDA 21-361 for XIFAXAN® (rifaximin) 550 mg tablets for the proposed indication of treatment of non-constipation irritable bowel syndrome (Non-C IBS) and IBS-related bloating.

8 Jun 2010

Progenics presents preclinical data on novel monoclonal antibodies against toxins produced by C. difficile

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of preclinical data on novel monoclonal antibodies against toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). The monoclonal antibodies effectively neutralized the cell-killing activities of the toxins in vitro and significantly improved survival in a stringent animal model of C. difficile infection. C. difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in the United States and represents a growing global public health challenge.

28 May 2010

Researchers examine association between use of antibiotics and outcomes among patients with COPD

Among patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, those who received antibiotics in the first 2 hospital days had improved outcomes, such as a lower likelihood of mechanical ventilation and fewer readmissions, compared to patients who received antibiotics later or not at all, according to a study in the May 26 issue of JAMA.

26 May 2010

Dangerous bacterium appears in Australia for the first time

Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that has killed thousands abroad. Now is has been detected in three Australians for the first time. The bacterium was detected in three patients at Melbourne's Epworth Hospital.

25 May 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals announces availability of Xifaxan tablets for reducing risk of overt HE recurrence

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced the availability of Xifaxan (rifaximin) 550 mg tablets for the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence in patients 18 years of age or older. Those HE patients may now fill their Xifaxan 550 mg prescriptions in U.S. pharmacies and should speak with their doctors about this important treatment option.

24 May 2010

Drug trend for children increased 10.8% in 2009 across America

In growing numbers, children across America are adding a dose of medicine to their daily routine. In 2009, drug trend for children – a measure of prescription spending growth – increased 10.8 percent, driven by a 5 percent increase in drug utilization and higher medication costs, according to the Medco 2010 Drug Trend Report. The growth in prescription drug use among children was nearly four times higher than the rise seen in the overall population.

20 May 2010

Final data from Open-Label studies of Cinryze in patients with HAE now available

ViroPharma Incorporated today announced the availability of final data from Open-Label studies of Cinryze (C1 Esterase Inhibitor [Human]) in preventing and treating attacks of hereditary angioedema on the U.S. National Institutes of Health's online clinical trial registry, www.clinicaltrials.gov.

18 May 2010

Merck hosts R&D and Business Briefing

Merck & Co., Inc. today hosted its first R&D and Business Briefing since the completion of the Merck and Schering-Plough merger. The event included a comprehensive review of the company's late-stage pipeline, as well as the company's commercial strategy and progress made in the integration of Merck's worldwide operations.

12 May 2010

$Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women$

Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women

Proton pump inhibitors, medications that suppress acid in the stomach, appear to be associated with fractures in postmenopausal women and bacterial infections in many patients, and higher doses do not appear any more beneficial for treating bleeding ulcers, according to a series of reports in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 May 2010

MBPs offer no clinical benefit to patients undergoing PD: Research team

Mechanical bowel preparations are commonly administered preoperatively to patients who undergo a pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) to treat benign and malignant tumors of the pancreas, common bile duct or duodenum. MBPs are employed as a preventative measure in gastrointestinal surgery but their effectiveness in reducing perioperative infectious complications remains unclear.

7 May 2010

FDA's call for further review of pirfenidone disappointing for Pulmonary Fibrosis patients, says CPF

The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF), representing tens of thousands of patients, is responding to the news that the FDA chose to ask for further study of Pirfenidone, which will delay potential approval of the first drug in the treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF), a lethal lung disease that is irreversible, progressive and deadly in an average of three years. On March 9, 2010, an FDA Advisory Committee recommended approval of the drug by the FDA.

5 May 2010

Results from STEALTH C-3 clinical trial of nitazoxanide presented at DDW 2010

Romark Laboratories announced results from its STEALTH C-3 clinical trial, a phase 2 clinical study of nitazoxanide in treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C. Study results were presented this afternoon as an oral communication at a late breaking forum of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute during Digestive Disease Week 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

5 May 2010

New findings show seaweed extract inhibits H1N1 virus

In a breakthrough that offers new hope for the containment of influenza outbreaks, an Australian biotechnology company has isolated a natural extract from seaweed which has been shown to inhibit the H1N1 virus.

5 May 2010

Second fidaxomicin Phase 3 clinical study data in patients with CDI to be presented at DDW 2010

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the presentation of new data from its second fidaxomicin Phase 3 clinical study in patients with Clostridium difficile infection. The data, presented by Stuart Johnson, M.D. during an oral session at the annual meeting of Digestive Disease Week in New Orleans, indicated that treatment with fidaxomicin significantly improved the recurrence rate and global cure rate in CDI patients requiring concomitant antibiotics, compared to vancomycin.

5 May 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals announces novel patient and health care provider support program for HE

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced plans for the Hepatic Encephalopathy Living Program (H.E.L.P.). H.E.L.P. is a first-of-its-kind patient and health care provider support program for the management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and will launch on May 24, 2010. The program will provide patients with HE educational materials, co-pay assistance, treatment adherence support and a 24-hour toll-free hotline.

27 Apr 2010

Clostridium Difficile News and Research

Further Reading

Effective antimicrobial products can reduce hospital-acquired infections

Cubist to oppose Teva’s attempt to add new defense in patent infringement litigation

Inquiry into the hospital acquired killer bug starts

Xenex Healthcare Services announces commercial launch of pulsed xenon room disinfection system

U.S. Court issues claim construction order in patent infringement litigation between Cubist and Teva

Salix submits efficacy supplement for XIFAXAN NDA for Non-C IBS and IBS-related bloating

Progenics presents preclinical data on novel monoclonal antibodies against toxins produced by C. difficile

Researchers examine association between use of antibiotics and outcomes among patients with COPD

Dangerous bacterium appears in Australia for the first time

Salix Pharmaceuticals announces availability of Xifaxan tablets for reducing risk of overt HE recurrence

Drug trend for children increased 10.8% in 2009 across America

Final data from Open-Label studies of Cinryze in patients with HAE now available

Merck hosts R&D and Business Briefing

Proton pump inhibitor use associated with fracture risk in postmenopausal women

MBPs offer no clinical benefit to patients undergoing PD: Research team

FDA's call for further review of pirfenidone disappointing for Pulmonary Fibrosis patients, says CPF

Results from STEALTH C-3 clinical trial of nitazoxanide presented at DDW 2010

New findings show seaweed extract inhibits H1N1 virus

Second fidaxomicin Phase 3 clinical study data in patients with CDI to be presented at DDW 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals announces novel patient and health care provider support program for HE

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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