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COTI's novel small molecule effective against pancreatic cancer in animal model

Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. announced more positive results today from animal experiments carried out at a prominent Canadian cancer research facility. This new series of experiments adds to the impressive data package for COTI-2, demonstrating efficacy both as a single agent and in combination with current first line therapies, as well as low toxicity in several different animal models of human cancers.

21 Jan 2010

ABC publishes Pycnogenol monograph

The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) has just published a monograph summarizing selected scientific and clinical studies of Pycnogenol®, a patented dietary ingredient from French maritime pine bark.

21 Jan 2010

FDA approves Thoratec's HeartMate II LVAS for DT

Thoratec Corporation, a world leader in device-based mechanical circulatory support therapies to save, support and restore failing hearts, said today that it has received FDA approval of its PMA (Pre-Market Approval) supplement, allowing the use of its HeartMate II LVAS (Left Ventricular Assist System) for Destination Therapy (DT).

21 Jan 2010

Acyclovir does not reduce risk of HIV transmission for people infected with both HIV and HSV-2

A five-year international multi-center clinical trial has found that acyclovir, a drug widely used as a safe and effective treatment taken twice daily to suppress herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), which is the most common cause of genital herpes, does not reduce the risk of HIV transmission when taken by people infected with both HIV and HSV-2.

21 Jan 2010

Australia issues patent covering Kane Biotech's DispersinB anti-biofilm technology

Kane Biotech Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the development of products that prevent and disperse microbial biofilms, is pleased to announce the issuance of Patent No. 2003284385 entitled "Compositions and methods for enzymatic detachment of bacterial and fungal biofilms" by IP Australia (Australian Patent and Trademark Office).

21 Jan 2010

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals reports positive results from its LX4211 Phase 2 trial in type 2 diabetic patients

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease, obtained positive results from a recently completed Phase 2 study of LX4211 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. LX4211 is a once-per-day, orally-delivered, small molecule drug candidate that inhibits the sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2), lowering the accumulation of glucose in the body and reducing caloric load.

20 Jan 2010

New LNP compositions that improve systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics discovered

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today announced the publication of new data in the journal Nature Biotechnology by Alnylam scientists and collaborators from Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation, AlCana Technologies, Inc., and The University of British Columbia (UBC). The new study employed a rational design approach for the discovery of novel lipids that can be incorporated into lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics.

20 Jan 2010

Arts-based program identifies safety needs of children from low-income communities

Identifying the public health and safety needs of children from low-income communities may be best accomplished through art, report University of Pittsburgh researchers in the current online issue of Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education and Action. In their paper, researchers describe the success of Visual Voices, an arts-based program that engages community members as partners in research.

20 Jan 2010

Weight Watchers International files complaint against Jenny Craig

Weight Watchers International, Inc., the global leader in weight-management services, today announced it has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for injunctive relief and damages against Jenny Craig, Inc. ("Jenny Craig").

20 Jan 2010

Telaprevir effective in HCV patients

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that data from recent clinical trials suggest that Vertex/Johnson & Johnson/Mitsubishi Tanabe's telaprevir is efficacious in hepatitis C virus patients who have not responded to previous treatment with peg-IFN/ribavirin. In contrast, the efficacy of Merck's (formerly Schering-Plough) boceprevir in treatment nonresponders has yet to be proven.

20 Jan 2010

New pre-clinical data on RXi Pharmaceuticals' proprietary rxRNA compounds presented

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company pursuing the development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi), today announced that new pre-clinical data using proprietary rxRNA™ compounds was presented at the Keystone Symposia’s RNA Silencing: Mechanism, Biology and Application held January 14-19 in Keystone, Colorado.

20 Jan 2010

Cardiac RSR test can quickly and accurately detect the presence of S-CAD

Testing a patient's cardiac respiratory stress response (RSR) can quickly and accurately detect the presence of significant coronary artery disease (S-CAD), according to new research published in the current issue of Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine.

20 Jan 2010

Fc engineering enhances antibody half-life

A Nature Biotechnology article published online January 17 reveals that Xencor Inc.’s proprietary Fc engineering extends the half-life of antibodies while maintaining their potency and extending duration of action. These results, published in an article entitled, “Enhanced antibody half-life improves in vivo activity” demonstrate the potential of Fc engineering to impact the flexibility of route, schedule and dose for nearly any antibody.

20 Jan 2010

Access Pharmaceuticals provides update on its Cobalamin insulin development program

ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. provided an update today on its Cobalamin™ oral drug delivery product development programs. The proprietary Cobalamin™ technology utilizes the body's natural vitamin B12 oral uptake mechanism to facilitate oral absorption of pharmaceuticals by a "Trojan horse" mechanism.

20 Jan 2010

U.S. gastroenterologists to treat hepatitis C patients with telaprevir

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that U.S. gastroenterologists will treat a larger proportion of treatment nonresponder hepatitis C patients with Vertex/Tibotec/Mitsubishi Tanabe's telaprevir than Merck's boceprevir.

20 Jan 2010

Depomed plans additional Serada Phase 3 trial for treatment of menopausal hot flashes

Depomed, Inc. announced today it has received guidance from the FDA in formal meeting minutes from a meeting held in December regarding SeradaTM, the company’s extended release gabapentin product candidate for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes. Based on guidance reflected in the meeting minutes, Depomed plans to conduct a single additional pivotal Phase 3 trial evaluating Serada for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes.

20 Jan 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents data on multiple therapeutic programs at RNAi Symposium

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today announced that it presented data from multiple pre-clinical and clinical programs at the “RNA Silencing: Mechanism, Biology, and Application” Keystone Symposium held January 14-19, 2010 in Keystone, Colorado. Alnylam and its collaborators presented data from Alnylam’s therapeutic programs including transthyretin (TTR)-mediated amyloidosis and Huntington’s disease, as well as new data on delivery approaches for the systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics.

20 Jan 2010

Patient enrollment for Phase 2B clinical study of Oramed Pharmaceuticals' ORMD-0801 completed

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today the completion of patient enrollment in the Phase 2B clinical study of its oral insulin capsule, ORMD-0801.

20 Jan 2010

Novartis obtains exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Chiasma's TPE technology

Chiasma, Inc., a privately held biopharma company, announced today that it has granted Novartis an option to obtain exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize the Company's Transient Permeability Enhancer (TPE) technology for use with certain related small molecule products either in development or currently marketed by Novartis.

19 Jan 2010

DURECT commences dosing in its POSIDUR Phase III clinical trial

DURECT Corporation announced today that it has begun dosing patients in its U.S. pivotal Phase III clinical trial to evaluate POSIDUR™ (SABER™-Bupivacaine), an investigational drug, for the treatment of post-surgical pain. The pivotal trial, referred to as BESST (Bupivacaine Effectiveness and Safety in SABER Trial), is an international, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial evaluating the safety, efficacy, effectiveness, and pharmacokinetics of POSIDUR in patients undergoing general surgical procedures.

19 Jan 2010

Efficacy News and Research

COTI's novel small molecule effective against pancreatic cancer in animal model

ABC publishes Pycnogenol monograph

FDA approves Thoratec's HeartMate II LVAS for DT

Acyclovir does not reduce risk of HIV transmission for people infected with both HIV and HSV-2

Australia issues patent covering Kane Biotech's DispersinB anti-biofilm technology

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals reports positive results from its LX4211 Phase 2 trial in type 2 diabetic patients

New LNP compositions that improve systemic delivery of RNAi therapeutics discovered

Arts-based program identifies safety needs of children from low-income communities

Weight Watchers International files complaint against Jenny Craig

Telaprevir effective in HCV patients

New pre-clinical data on RXi Pharmaceuticals' proprietary rxRNA compounds presented

Cardiac RSR test can quickly and accurately detect the presence of S-CAD

Fc engineering enhances antibody half-life

Access Pharmaceuticals provides update on its Cobalamin insulin development program

U.S. gastroenterologists to treat hepatitis C patients with telaprevir

Depomed plans additional Serada Phase 3 trial for treatment of menopausal hot flashes

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents data on multiple therapeutic programs at RNAi Symposium

Patient enrollment for Phase 2B clinical study of Oramed Pharmaceuticals' ORMD-0801 completed

Novartis obtains exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Chiasma's TPE technology

DURECT commences dosing in its POSIDUR Phase III clinical trial

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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