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Brain function variations may increase person's risk of drug abuse

One can look at drug addiction as a moral issue, a social ill, or a criminal problem. But Lynn Oswald's experience studying the neuroscience of addiction tells her that it is something else entirely: a disease of the brain.

30 Apr 2011

ETP makes investment to support development of ICVrx's targeted epilepsy drug technology

Epilepsy Therapy Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to accelerate new therapies for people living with epilepsy and seizures, and ICVrx, LLC, a pharmacy product research and development company focused on novel therapies for central nervous system disorders, announced today that ETP has made an investment in ICVrx to support the development of ICVrx's targeted epilepsy drug technology for patients whose seizures are not controlled by current therapies.

30 Apr 2011

New study identifies less invasive therapy for ACE inhibitor side-effects

A new Henry Ford Hospital study takes a closer look at one of the lesser known, but potential most serious side-effects of ACE inhibitor use - facial, tongue and airway swelling - and identifies a successful and less invasive course of treatment.

29 Apr 2011

Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee recommends FDA to approve telaprevir for hepatitis C

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced that the Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously to recommend FDA approval of telaprevir for people with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

29 Apr 2011

Scientists develop novel genetic model of premature aging disorders

Working with a group of national and international researchers, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have developed a new genetic model of premature aging disorders that could shed light on these rare conditions in humans and provide a novel platform for large-scale screening of compounds to combat these and other age-related diseases.

29 Apr 2011

Avastin, Lucentis are equally effective for age-related macular degeneration treatment

Age-related macular degeneration, a disease that damages the retina and can destroy central vision, affects approximately 1.6 million Americans. For the past five years, there has been active debate over treatment options for AMD patients because ophthalmologists have not had accurate data regarding the true efficacy of the most commonly used medication.

29 Apr 2011

CTSN focuses on new prairie vole model for autism treatment

Researchers at the Center for Translational Social Neuroscience at Emory University are focusing on prairie voles as a new model to screen the effectiveness of drugs to treat autism.

29 Apr 2011

Researchers discover possible role of SCCA in breast cancer progression

In an analysis of more than 1,300 human breast tissue samples, a team of Stony Brook University School of Medicine researchers discovered a possible role of the squamous cell carcinoma antigen in the progression of breast cancer.

29 Apr 2011

Researchers report Avastin is effective as Lucentis for AMD treatment

Researchers are reporting results from the first year of a two-year clinical trial that Avastin, a drug approved to treat some cancers and that is commonly used off-label to treat age-related macular degeneration, is as effective as the Food and Drug Administration-approved drug Lucentis for the treatment of AMD.

29 Apr 2011

Longer looks: Autism researcher's legacy; methadone for prisoners

Andrew Wakefield has become one of the most reviled doctors of his generation, blamed directly and indirectly, depending on the accuser, for irresponsibly starting a panic with tragic repercussions: vaccination rates so low that childhood diseases once all but eradicated here —whooping cough and measles, among them — have re-emerged, endangering young lives. And yet here he was in Texas, post-career-apocalypse, calmly discussing his work, and a crowd of around 250 people showed up to listen.

29 Apr 2011

Lithium shows hope for Alzheimer’s disease

According to scientists Alzheimer’s disease, a progressively damaging motor neuron condition, could be treated by lithium, a naturally occurring element that is extremely inexpensive and already in use for other psychiatric disorders.

29 Apr 2011

Drug subsidy issues out of PBS’ hands - almost

According to Health Minister Nicola Roxon, expensive drugs have never been automatically listed for subsidy and they can't be now when the government controlling expenses. She added that federal Labor has to balance competing priorities in health and every other department.

29 Apr 2011

Celanese EVA Performance Polymers, PSI partner to develop drug-eluting devices

Particle Sciences Inc., a leading pharmaceutical CRO, and Celanese EVA Performance Polymers, a leading supplier of ethylene vinyl acetate into pharmaceutical applications, are working together to streamline the development of drug-eluting devices.

29 Apr 2011

Iroko Pharmaceuticals announces acquisition of iCeutica

Iroko Pharmaceuticals, LLC today announces that it has acquired iCeutica, Inc. to further strengthen Iroko's position as the leading developer of novel, low-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

29 Apr 2011

UIC receives federal contract to develop antibiotics against three bacterial infections

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology have been awarded a federal contract for up to $13.8 million to develop antibiotics to treat anthrax, tularemia and plague.

28 Apr 2011

Centocor Ortho Biotech receives FDA approval for Zytiga to treat prostate cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zytiga in combination with prednisone to treat patients with late-stage castration-resistant prostate cancer who have received prior docetaxel.

28 Apr 2011

FDA approves orphan drug designation for Cytrx’s INNO-206 to treat pancreatic cancer

CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, today announced that its tumor-targeting pro-drug candidate INNO-206 has been approved for orphan drug designation for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer by the Office of Orphan Products Development of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CytRx holds the exclusive worldwide development and commercialization rights to INNO-206.

28 Apr 2011

Hepatitis B virus rebound common in patients receiving nucleoside analogs for chronic hepatitis B

A rebound of the Hepatitis B virus is common in patients receiving nucleoside analogs for chronic hepatitis B, according to a study from U-M hepatologists. But nearly 40% of the rebounds or virological breakthroughs (VBTs) were not related to antiviral drug resistance.

28 Apr 2011

Justices question Vermont's effort to restrict drug data mining

During Tuesday's oral arguments, the justices suggested that the state law, which restricts pharmaceutical marketers' ability to obtain data on doctor prescribing habits, may violate free-speech rights.

28 Apr 2011

'Harm-minimization' approach can lead to high teen alcohol consumption

Allowing adolescents to drink alcohol under adult supervision does not appear to teach responsible drinking as teens get older. In fact, such a "harm-minimization" approach may actually lead to more drinking and alcohol-related consequences, according to a new study in the May 2011 issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

28 Apr 2011