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IRSF announces first 2010 ANGEL Grant for testing potential Rett Syndrome therapies

Today, the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) announced that it will commit $446,000 in 2010 to fund a large translational research program to test potential therapeutics for Rett Syndrome in mouse models of the disease. The funds will be awarded through the IRSF's new Advanced Neurotherapeutic Grant of Excellence (ANGEL) mechanism which seeks to provide funds for translational research. IRSF is the world's largest private source of Rett syndrome research funding, supporting nearly $21 million in research programs to date. This is the first ANGEL Grant supported by IRSF in 2010.

28 Jan 2010

PRA International enters into partnership agreement with Oncopartners and IBPC

PRA International, a leading Clinical Research Organization, announces it has entered into a partnership agreement with Oncopartners, a leading Latin American oncology development company, and its exclusive partner IBPC, a non-profit oncology research network comprised of Brazil's largest public oncology hospitals which collectively treat an estimated 140,000 new incidences of cancer annually.

28 Jan 2010

Antibiotic protects against noise-induced hearing loss in young mice

A type of antibiotic that can cause hearing loss in people has been found to paradoxically protect the ears when given in extended low doses in very young mice.

28 Jan 2010

Teens who drink under their parents' watch have an elevated risk of developing alcohol-related problems

Parents who try to teach responsible drinking by letting their teenagers have alcohol at home may be well intentioned, but they may also be wrong, according to a new study in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

28 Jan 2010

Large research gap exists in effectiveness, mechanism and safety of drugs in children

Only a few anti-spasticity medications used for children with cerebral palsy are backed by sufficient research to justify their use, according to a new review of scientific literature headed by a UT Southwestern Medical Center neurologist and conducted by a national panel of interdisciplinary experts nationwide.

27 Jan 2010

WHO addresses handling of H1N1 at Council of Europe meeting

During a Council of Europe meeting on Tuesday to address the WHO's handling of the H1N1 virus, the WHO said it had not "fallen under the sway of drugs firms and exaggerated the dangers of the H1N1 flu virus, but said it might have handled the crisis better," Reuters reports.

27 Jan 2010

EU Clinical Trials Directive: ECCO supports proposals by its member organisations

In response to a European Commission consultation on the EU Clinical Trials Directive, ECCO - the European CanCer Organisation - has supported proposals by its member organisations for adapting the Directive's requirements to reflect practical necessities in cancer research and treatment.

27 Jan 2010

AFib: NAVISTAR THERMOCOOL Catheter provides better outcomes compared to drug therapy

According to data appearing today in JAMA, patients with a common heart rhythm disorder, called Atrial Fibrillation, who were treated with catheter ablation using the NAVISTAR® THERMOCOOL® Catheter, demonstrated significantly better outcomes at one year compared to those receiving drug therapy. In addition, the patients treated with catheter ablation reported markedly fewer symptoms and substantially improved quality of life.

27 Jan 2010

New technology could aid in developing novel drugs and future gene therapies

Researchers in Manchester have successfully carried out the first rewire of genetic switches, creating what could be a vital tool for the development of new drugs and even future gene therapies.

From The University of Manchester 27 Jan 2010

WellPoint announces net income of $2.7 billion for fourth-quarter fiscal 2009

WellPoint, Inc. today announced that fourth quarter 2009 net income was $2.7 billion, or $5.95 per share. The results included net after-tax income of approximately $2.2 billion, or $4.79 per share, resulting from a gain on the sale of the NextRx pharmacy benefit management subsidiaries ("NextRx"), partially offset by costs for restructuring activities and intangible asset impairments.

27 Jan 2010

Proteomics study reveals protein suppression makes cancers more susceptible to chemotherapy

Taxanes, a group of cancer drugs that includes paclitaxel (Taxol-) and docetaxel (Taxotere-), have become front-line therapy for a variety of metastatic cancers. But as with many chemotherapy agents, resistance can develop, a frequent problem in breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers.

27 Jan 2010

MU researcher develops EFdA compound that is more potent than current HIV therapies

With the help of effective drug therapies, HIV patients are living longer, healthier lives. Now, researchers want to improve these drug therapies and develop alternative preventative strategies, such as vaginal gels and creams that contain the same or related compounds used in treatments for people infected with HIV.

27 Jan 2010

Researchers identify new drugs to protect brain cells from neurological disease

Researchers have identified a compound that mimics one of the brain's own growth factors and can protect brain cells against damage in several animal models of neurological disease.

27 Jan 2010

Findings provide new insight into factors causing neurodegenerative diseases

Scientists at the Babraham Institute have discovered a novel survival factor whose rapid transport along nerve cells is crucial for keeping them alive. The same factor seems likely to be needed to keep our nerves healthy as we age.

27 Jan 2010

Study sheds light on cellular communication systems involved in neurodegenerative, cancer and cardiovascular diseases

Cells rely on a range of signaling systems to communicate with each other and to control their own internal workings. Scientists from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Hamburg, Germany, have now found a way to hack into a vital communications system, raising the possibility of developing new drugs to tackle disorders like neurodegeneration, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

27 Jan 2010

MBL generates human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A type influenza virus

Medical & Biological Laboratories Co., Ltd. (MBL), with the collaboration of Osaka University, has successfully generated several fully human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A (H1N1 and H3N2) type influenza virus by utilizing blood samples from volunteers who were inoculated with influenza vaccine.

27 Jan 2010

Genome study could help prevent devastating epidemics in the future

A team of collaborating scientists at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, the Broad Institute in Boston, Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, and the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (OAHPP) have sequenced almost 100 full genomes from three successive epidemics of flesh-eating bacteria.

27 Jan 2010

Fibromyalgia drug to earn 38% patient share in the U.S. and 30% patient share in Europe

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that a fibromyalgia drug that improves sleep quality more than Pfizer's Lyrica would earn a 38 percent patient share in the U.S. and a 30 percent patient share in Europe due to its efficacy, safety and tolerability, and delivery.

27 Jan 2010

Gates annual letter addresses importance of innovation for global health, agriculture

In his second annual letter, Bill Gates reflects on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's work and the importance innovation will play in overcoming some of the world's greatest challenges, including in global health and agriculture, the Associated Press reports. "Gates says the foundation currently is backing 30 areas of innovation including online learning, teacher improvement, malaria vaccine development, HIV prevention, and genetically modified seeds," according to the news service (Gordon Blankinship, 1/25).

27 Jan 2010

Ablation therapy better than drug therapy for heart rhythm disorder

Treating a common heart rhythm disorder by burning heart tissue with a catheter works dramatically better than drug treatments, according to a landmark study published in the Jan. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

27 Jan 2010

Drugs News and Research

IRSF announces first 2010 ANGEL Grant for testing potential Rett Syndrome therapies

PRA International enters into partnership agreement with Oncopartners and IBPC

Antibiotic protects against noise-induced hearing loss in young mice

Teens who drink under their parents' watch have an elevated risk of developing alcohol-related problems

Large research gap exists in effectiveness, mechanism and safety of drugs in children

WHO addresses handling of H1N1 at Council of Europe meeting

EU Clinical Trials Directive: ECCO supports proposals by its member organisations

AFib: NAVISTAR THERMOCOOL Catheter provides better outcomes compared to drug therapy

New technology could aid in developing novel drugs and future gene therapies

WellPoint announces net income of $2.7 billion for fourth-quarter fiscal 2009

Proteomics study reveals protein suppression makes cancers more susceptible to chemotherapy

MU researcher develops EFdA compound that is more potent than current HIV therapies

Researchers identify new drugs to protect brain cells from neurological disease

Findings provide new insight into factors causing neurodegenerative diseases

Study sheds light on cellular communication systems involved in neurodegenerative, cancer and cardiovascular diseases

MBL generates human monoclonal antibodies against pandemic A type influenza virus

Genome study could help prevent devastating epidemics in the future

Fibromyalgia drug to earn 38% patient share in the U.S. and 30% patient share in Europe

Gates annual letter addresses importance of innovation for global health, agriculture

Ablation therapy better than drug therapy for heart rhythm disorder

Drug Discovery - Second Edition eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

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