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Biopharmaceutical infrastructure key to lower drug development costs

Improvements to the technology infrastructure for researching and developing new biopharmaceuticals would be expected to save the industry hundreds of millions of dollars annually, according to a new economic study sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

12 Oct 2007

New genetic understanding of multiple sclerosis patients response to Copaxone

A group of Israeli scientists from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries have recently identified genes responsible for the positive response of many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to the drug Copaxone.

11 Oct 2007

Trial of repeated antibiotic therapy for Lyme diseases

Findings from the first placebo-controlled study of chronic cognitive impairment after treated Lyme disease (also known as chronic Lyme encephalopathy) demonstrate that patients report moderate cognitive impairment, physical dysfunction comparable to patients with congestive heart failure, and fatigue comparable to patients with multiple sclerosis.

10 Oct 2007

Trial results of lovaxin C in advanced cervical cancer patients

A first-in-man trial of a live Listeria vaccine was reported by Advaxis Inc. The Phase I/II trial was testing Lovaxin C in advanced cervical cancer patients.

10 Oct 2007

Programs show short-term benefits in helping children maintain weight loss

Children who lost weight were able to keep it off more effectively by participating in maintenance treatment programs that emphasized behavioral skills or social facilitation, although the effectiveness lessened over time, according to a study in the October 10 issue of JAMA.

10 Oct 2007

Paving the way for future pan-European clinical trials

Pan-European collaboration is important for many clinical trials and essential for trials that are investigating treatments for rare diseases.

10 Oct 2007

Completion of first clinical trial of Apatone for cancer treatment

In a significant advancement in the ongoing battle against cancer, a group of researchers from Summa Health System, IC-MedTech and other institutions have completed the first ever FDA-approved human clinical trial of Apatone®.

8 Oct 2007

Combination vaccine OK for toddlers

A University of Rochester study brings relief to new parents who, while navigating a jam-packed childhood vaccine schedule, can expect to soothe their newborn through as many as 15 "pokes" by his or her six-month checkup.

8 Oct 2007

Donepezil no better than placebo to treat behavioural symptoms of Alzheimer's

New research has found that donepezil (known commercially as Aricept©) is no more effective than a placebo at tackling the agitation which often accompanies Alzheimer's disease.

4 Oct 2007

Promising trial results show biologic therapy ustekinumab significantly improved psoriasis

The first reported findings from an international, Phase 3 study showed that more than two-thirds of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis receiving two doses of ustekinumab (CNTO 1275) achieved at least a 75 percent reduction in psoriasis at week 12, the primary endpoint of the study, as measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75).

4 Oct 2007

Vaccine combo okay for infants

4 Oct 2007

Indian bug is the ancestor of Crohn's disease pathogen

An Indian team of researchers led by Seyed E. Hasnain of the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), University of Hyderabad, India has found that a seemingly unknown mycobacterial organism Mycobacterium indicus pranii (MIP) could be the earliest ancestor of the 'generalist' branch of mycobacterial pathogens.

3 Oct 2007

New strategies with greater antitumorous efficacy

One of the biggest problems in the current treatment of cancer is that the agents that are efficacious in the destruction of tumorous cells are, at the same time, extremely toxic for the rest of the healthy cells and tissues of the patient.

3 Oct 2007

Cancer drug Taxotere given the green light to treat head and neck cancer

Following promising results in a phase III trial, the drug Taxotere has been given the green light for use in people with head and neck cancer.

2 Oct 2007

FDA warns against cold and cough remedies made for children

Safety experts in the United States are warning parents about buying over-the-counter cold and cough remedies, specifically marketed for children.

2 Oct 2007

Weight-based dosing of ribavirin improves outcomes for patients with hepatitis C

Patients with hepatitis C treated with combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin had better outcomes when taking a weight-based dosage of ribavirin compared to a flat dosage.

2 Oct 2007

Taxotere (docetaxel) granted FDA approval to treat locally advanced head and neck cancer prior to chemo and surgery

Sanofi-aventis announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for induction therapy of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) before patients undergo chemoradiotherapy and surgery.

2 Oct 2007

Bug busting approach to head lice

Working with parents and schools to provide a bug busting approach to head lice is helping to reduce infestation levels, tackle health inequalities and reduce healthcare costs, according to a review in the October issue of Journal of Clinical Nursing.

2 Oct 2007

FDA tackles illegal hydrocodone products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced its intention to take enforcement action against companies marketing unapproved prescription drug products containing hydrocodone, a narcotic widely used to treat pain and suppress coughs.

29 Sep 2007

Vanda Pharmaceuticals submits iloperidone NDA

Vanda Pharmaceuticals has announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for iloperidone, an investigational atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia.

27 Sep 2007