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Tregs to set the pace of recovery after serious lung injury

After more than 50 experiments in mice, medical scientists at Johns Hopkins have mapped out the basic steps taken by a particular set of white blood cells in setting the pace of recovery after serious lung injury.

22 Sep 2009

Children’s Health Network acquired by MEDNAX

MEDNAX, Inc. (NYSE: MD) has completed the acquisition of Children’s Health Network (CHN), a physician group practice that provides a variety of inpatient pediatric physician services at 11 hospitals in four states.

21 Sep 2009

APP Pharmaceuticals announces FDA marketing approval of Deferoxamine Mesylate

APP Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceuticals Holding, Inc., (NASDAQ:APCVZ) announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Deferoxamine Mesylate for Injection, USP, in two dosage strengths. Deferoxamine Mesylate is therapeutically equivalent to the reference-listed drug Desferal®, which is marketed by the innovator Novartis.

17 Sep 2009

Genetically removing the osteopontin protein prevents lung diseases

In a development that could lead to a novel approach to the treatment of a devastating lung disease, biochemists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston report they are the first to link the osteopontin (OPN) protein to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

16 Sep 2009

Talecris launches initial public offering of shares

Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings Corp. (“Talecris”) today announced the launch of its initial public offering of 44,736,842 shares of its common stock, par value $0.01 per share.

15 Sep 2009

Risk for patients contracting pneumonia increases threefold when treated with pantoprazole: Study

A popular stomach-acid reducer used to prevent stress ulcers in critically ill patients needing breathing machine support increases the risk of those patients contracting pneumonia threefold, according to researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

15 Sep 2009

Nebulized interferon-gamma helps minimize transmissibility of TB

A new study published in the September 15, 2009, issue of PLoS ONE found that patients with cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis receiving anti-TB medications supplemented with nebulized interferon-gamma have fewer bacilli in the lungs and less inflammation, thereby reducing the transmissibility of tuberculosis in the early phase of treatment.

15 Sep 2009

Positive results from Transave's Phase II clinical trial of ARIKACE in non-CF bronchiectasis patients

Transave, Inc., today reported positive results from a Phase II clinical trial in non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis patients for its lead investigational drug, ARIKACE(TM) (liposomal amikacin for inhalation). The Phase II data indicated that ARIKACE, delivered once daily for 28 consecutive days, demonstrated superior clinical benefit compared to placebo as measured by patient and physician reported outcomes and reduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa density.

14 Sep 2009

Capsule launches new Enterprise Medical Device Connectivity Solution

Capsule (www.capsuletech.com), the leading provider of medical device connectivity, today announces the release of their new Enterprise Medical Device Connectivity Solution enabled by the Capsule Neuron™.

10 Sep 2009

Top 10 U.S.hospitals prefer Arctic Sun temperature management system

The number of Arctic Sun(R) users among hospitals ranked top 20 jumped to 90 percent this year from 72 percent last year, Medivance announced today. All top 10 "best hospitals" prefer the ease and safety of its advanced non-invasive method for rapid, controlled temperature reduction followed by slow rewarming.

9 Sep 2009

Genetic risk factor involved in cystic fibrosis discovered

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered a genetic risk factor for severe liver disease in people with cystic fibrosis. Those who carry a particular variant of the SERPINA1 gene (also known as alpha-1-antitrypsin or alpha-1-antiprotease) are five times more likely to develop cirrhosis and other liver complications than patients who carry the normal version of the gene.

9 Sep 2009

Benefits of early exposure to daycare not sustainable

New research hints that the common belief that kids who go to daycare have lower rates of asthma and allergy later in life might be nothing more than wishful thinking. While young children in daycare definitely do get more illnesses and experience more respiratory symptoms as a result, any perceived protection these exposures afford against asthma and allergy seem to disappear by the time the child hits the age of eight.

8 Sep 2009

COPD patients to have better protection against pneumonia with new vaccine

A new vaccine against pneumonia may offer better protection from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients than the currently accepted vaccine, according to recent research that will be published in the September 15 issue of the American Journal of the Respiratory and Critical Care Journal, a publication of the American Thoracic Society.

8 Sep 2009

Bloodstream infections can be avoided with a daily scrub solution bath

Giving critically ill hospital patients a daily bath with a mild, soapy solution of the same antibacterial agent used by surgeons to "scrub in" before an operation can dramatically cut down, by as much as 73 percent, the number of patients who develop potentially deadly bloodstream infections, according to a new study by patient safety experts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and five other institutions.

5 Sep 2009

Alternative device for increased specificity of bronchoscopic lung cancer detection

Research published in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology has found that narrow-band imaging bronchoscopy increases the specificity of bronchoscopic early lung cancer detection and can serve as an alternative detection device.

3 Sep 2009

Peplin announces merger agreement with LEO Pharma

Peplin, Inc. (ASX:PLI) today announced a definitive merger agreement whereby LEO Pharma A/S (LEO), a privately-held, leading global pharmaceutical company within Dermatology and Critical Care, will acquire all outstanding securities of Peplin for approximately US$287.5 million (currently A$348.4 million) in cash. This represents a purchase price of US$16.99 per common share of Peplin stock or A$1.03 per Peplin CHESS Depositary Interest (CDI).

3 Sep 2009

Actelion launches new 20 mcg/mL Ventavis formulation

Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., today announced the first commercial sales of a new 20 microgram per milliliter (mcg/mL) formulation of Ventavis(R), for the treatment of New York Heart Association Class III and IV pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This increased strength formulation delivers the same dose of Ventavis in half the volume, which is expected to reduce inhalation time and further support patient compliance.

2 Sep 2009

GE Healthcare to develop wireless medical monitoring systems for patient care

In what would represent an important step forward in revolutionizing the way patients are monitored in the future, GE announced an initiative aimed to develop wireless medical monitoring systems, or body sensor networks (BSN), which would replace the traditional tangle of bedside cables used to capture a patient’s vital signs. GE’s vision for the systems would enable wireless monitoring from anywhere in the hospital—or even remotely from home.

2 Sep 2009

Edwards Lifesciences divests hemofiltration product business to Baxter International

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring, announced today that it has completed the sale of certain assets related to its hemofiltration product line to Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), consistent with the previously announced terms of the agreement.

From Baxter International Inc. 2 Sep 2009

Involving nursing staffs in the assessment and application of healthcare technologies helps VCU Medical Center to improve workflow efficiency

InnerWireless®, Inc., the premier provider of end-to-end in-building converged wireless solutions, today reported that Spyglass Consulting Group’s independent study of the new Critical Care Hospital at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (VCU Medical Center) reveals the benefits of involving nursing staffs in the assessment and application of healthcare technologies such as InnerWireless’ Horizon™ Converged Wireless solution.

28 Aug 2009