Erythropoietin News and Research

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Erythropoietin, or its alternative erythropoetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production. It is a cytokine for erythrocyte (red blood cell) precursors in the bone marrow.

Novel sortase-based techniques allow modification of a large variety of different proteins

Whitehead Institute scientists have created a method that site-specifically modifies proteins to exert control over their properties when administered therapeutically. The technique should be useful to increase potency, slow metabolism, and improve thermal stability of therapeutically useful proteins, such as interferon alpha 2 (IFN-alpha 2), which is used to treat variety of diseases, including leukemia, melanoma, and chronic hepatitis C.

10 Mar 2011

PAH closely related to bone marrow abnormalities

Results from a study published in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology reveal a close relationship between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-exceedingly high blood pressure in the arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs-and abnormalities of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow (known as myeloid abnormalities).

1 Mar 2011

First patient enrolled in TXA127 Phase 2 clinical study to stimulate engraftment following transplant

Tarix Pharmaceuticals today announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical study of TXA127, a pharmaceutical grade formulation of a naturally occurring peptide known to stimulate early hematopoietic precursor cells in the bone marrow.

24 Feb 2011

PROLOR reports positive DSMB review of long-acting human growth hormone clinical trial

PROLOR Biotech, Inc., a company developing next generation biobetter therapeutic proteins, today reported that patient enrollment and dosing in the Phase II trial of its long-acting version of human growth hormone (hGH-CTP) are proceeding according to plan, with study completion targeted for mid-year 2011.

14 Feb 2011

Positive results from Factor IX-CTP comparative study in hemophilic mice

PROLOR Biotech, today reported positive results from a comparative study of its biobetter longer-acting version of the hemophilia drug Factor IX in Factor IX-depleted hemophilic mice.

3 Feb 2011

Evaluating patients for genetic variations impacts adherence to antiviral therapy

In two recent studies, researchers have identified two functional variants in the inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) gene that protect patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) against anemia brought on by antiviral treatment. The ability to identify those patients protected against treatment-induced anemia will ensure completion of antiviral therapy and successful elimination of the virus.

25 Jan 2011

New research says EPO hormone can modulate immune response

New research reveals that a hormone best known for stimulating the production of red blood cells can modulate the immune response. The study, published by Cell Press in the January 27th issue of the journal Immunity, finds that erythropoietin has contrasting influences on infectious and inflammatory diseases and may be useful in the design of new therapeutic strategies.

21 Jan 2011

PROLOR and Yeda enter definitive license agreement for Reversible PEGylation technology

PROLOR Biotech, Inc., today announced that it has entered into a definitive license agreement with Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd. for novel technology utilized in the development of long-acting therapeutic peptides and small molecules, termed Reversible PEGylation.

18 Jan 2011

Patients unresponsive to anti-anemia drug have higher risk of cardiovascular disease, death

Patients with diabetes, kidney disease and anemia who don't respond to treatment with an anti-anemia drug have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease or death, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.

28 Dec 2010

Researchers identify class of drugs that can promote RBC formation in anemic patients

By determining how corticosteroids act to promote red blood cell progenitor formation, Whitehead Institute researchers have identified a class of drugs that may be beneficial in anemias, including those resulting from trauma, sepsis, malaria, kidney dialysis, and chemotherapy.

22 Dec 2010

EMA grants SME designation to PROLOR Biotech

PROLOR Biotech, Inc.,, a clinical stage company developing next generation biobetter therapeutic proteins, today announced that the European Commission and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted PROLOR the designation of "Small and Medium Sized Enterprise" (SME).

20 Dec 2010

Telik announces positive results from Phase 2 trial of ezatiostat in patients with MDS

Telik, Inc. today announced positive results from a Phase 2 multicenter trial of oral ezatiostat hydrochloride (TELINTRA, TLK199) in patients with an International Prognostic System Score of low to intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndrome.

6 Dec 2010

Ligand Pharmaceuticals reports preclinical study data on erythropoietin receptor agonists

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: LGND) announced data from a preclinical study on the erythropoietin (EPO) receptor agonist LG5640 at the upcoming 52nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting being held in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center, December 4 - 7, 2010.

6 Dec 2010

FG-2216 drug offers new treatment option for kidney disease-related anemia

A new drug called FG-2216 can stimulate production of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) in dialysis patients—possibly offering a new approach to treatment of kidney disease-related anemia, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

30 Nov 2010

Affymax, Takeda to regulate peginesatide drug for treating anemia in CRF patients

Affymax, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited , today announced that following pre-New Drug Application (NDA) discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the companies will move forward with their regulatory strategy for the investigational drug, peginesatide, for the treatment of anemia in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients on dialysis in the United States.

29 Nov 2010

FibroGen to present FG-4592 phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia

FibroGen, Inc., today announced that new data from a phase 2a study of patients with stage 3-4 Chronic Kidney Disease and anemia will be presented demonstrating that its first-in-class, investigational oral anemia therapy FG-4592 works differently than erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) to increase hemoglobin.

19 Nov 2010

Isis, Xenon enter collaboration to discover and develop antisense drugs for AI

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today a new collaboration to discover and develop antisense drugs as novel treatments for the common disease anemia of inflammation (AI).

16 Nov 2010

RBC boosting drugs may undermine breast cancer treatment with Herceptin

Red-blood-cell-boosting drugs used to treat anemia may undermine breast cancer treatment with Herceptin, a targeted therapy that blocks the cancer-promoting HER2 protein, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the Nov. 16 edition of Cancer Cell.

16 Nov 2010

New approach to sneak nerve-protective drug erythropoietin into blood-brain barrier

Scientists are reporting development of a long-sought method with the potential for getting medication through a biological barrier that surrounds the brain, where it may limit the brain damage caused by stroke. Their approach for sneaking the nerve-protective drug erythropoietin into the brain is medicine's version of the Trojan Horse ploy straight out of ancient Greek legend.

11 Nov 2010

Merck's boceprevir improves SVR rate in adults with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection

Merck reported today that final results from two pivotal Phase III studies of boceprevir, its investigational oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor, demonstrated significantly higher sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in adult patients who previously failed treatment (treatment-failure; HCV RESPOND-2) and in adult patients who were new to treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 compared to control, the primary objective of the studies.

1 Nov 2010