Growth Factor News and Research

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Novel approach to bioengineer artificial skin for burn victims

Each year more than 45,000 Americans suffer burns serious enough to require a hospital stay, according to the American Burn Association. While the traditional therapy of using skin grafts to cover burn sites has improved, a number of problems including scarring, infection and poor adhesion remain.

4 Jan 2005

Pegaptanib (Macugen) is an effective treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Results from two concurrent, prospective, double-blind, multi-center clinical trials show that pegaptanib (Macugen), an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, is an effective treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a paper in the Dec. 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Macugen was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Dec. 17.

30 Dec 2004

Tercica files for patent infringement

Tercica announced today the filing of a suit for patent infringement in the High Court of Justice (Chancery Division Patents Court) in the United Kingdom against Insmed Incorporated of Glen Allen, Virginia and Avecia Limited of the United Kingdom.

20 Dec 2004

European market for bone morphogenic proteins in spine fusion

High growth is forecast for novel technologies used either as adjuncts or as alternatives to current surgical procedures for the fusion of spinal vertebrae. Bone morphogenic proteins (BMP) - a new and innovative class of natural growth factors - represent amongst the most exciting of these niches.

20 Dec 2004

Macugen approved for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Eyetech Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Macugen (pegaptanib sodium injection) for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease associated with aging that destroys central vision.

20 Dec 2004

Importance of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway to breast cancer development

Because up to 75 percent of breast cancer patients have an abnormality in a specific cell signaling pathway, drugs that target different molecules along that pathway may be especially effective for treating the disease, says a researcher from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

13 Dec 2004

Model may explain how alcohol stimulates tumor growth

The investigators found that compared to the saline control group, the embryos exposed to ethanol experienced increases in tumor size, tumor blood vessel density, cancer cell infiltration of blood vessels, and VEGF levels.

13 Dec 2004

Thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of anti-diabetic drugs may be a potential targeted therapy for myeloma patients

In laboratory tests on multiple myeloma cells, University of Rochester researchers found that this type of cancer expresses a protein that makes it an easy target for an existing class of diabetes drugs. After more investigation, they hope the discovery will lead to a new, targeted therapy for myeloma patients.

8 Dec 2004

Class of cells that arises in mammary glands during maternity has stem cell-like properties

These parity-induced mammary epithelial cells (PI-MEC) have the ability to self-renew over many generations and to differentiate into numerous cellular subtypes.

7 Dec 2004

Positive results from phase 2 trial of Telintra, drug candidate in myelodysplastic syndrome

Telik, Inc. reported positive interim data from a Phase 2 trial of its Telintra (TLK199) drug candidate in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The data were reported in two presentations at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in San Diego.

5 Dec 2004

Single dose phase I data on CG53135 for the prevention of oral mucositis

CuraGen Corporation has announced results presented from a Phase I clinical trial with CG53135 for the prevention of oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving high dose chemotherapy (HDCT) followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) at the ASH 46th Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

5 Dec 2004

New trial to test cancer smart drugs

Cancer Research UK has launched a major new clinical trial for the most common form of lung cancer, to test the effectiveness of one of the new generation of 'smart' cancer drugs as a first line treatment.

29 Nov 2004

Avastin plus Folfox4 chemotherapy significantly extends survival in second-line metastatic colorectal cancer

Genentech and Roche today announced that a randomized Phase III study of Avastin™ (bevacizumab) plus the FOLFOX4 chemotherapy regimen (oxaliplatin/5-FU/leucovorin), compared to FOLFOX4 alone, in second-line metastatic colorectal cancer patients achieved its primary endpoint of improving overall survival.

29 Nov 2004

New possibilities for the use of VEGF in the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

ALS is an incurable, paralyzing neurodegenerative disorder that strikes 5 persons in every 100,000. The disease commonly affects healthy people in the most active period of their lives − without warning or previous family history.

29 Nov 2004

FDA approves Tarceva (erlotinib)

OSI Pharmaceuticals and Genentech have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved, after priority review, Tarceva (erlotinib) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen.

20 Nov 2004

Overexpression of a protein called Down Syndrome Critical Region 1 (DSCR-1) reduces tumor growth

Scientists have found that overexpression of a protein called Down Syndrome Critical Region 1 (DSCR-1) blocks the formation of new blood vessels and thus reduces tumor growth. Therapeutics based on this finding may potentially lead to new cancer treatments.

19 Nov 2004

Shp2 protein plays a critical role in obesity

A team of researchers led by The Burnham Institute's Gen-Sheng Feng, Ph.D. has discovered that a protein called Shp2 plays a critical role in obesity.

11 Nov 2004

Possible treatment for the fatal lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

They found that the anti-cancer drug imatinib mesylate — commercially known as Gleevec and produced by Novartis Pharmaceuticals — can target a gene critical to controlling the disease process. Previously, there had been no treatment and patients usually did not survive beyond three years of diagnosis. Now the treatment is undergoing clinical trials at Mayo Clinic.

2 Nov 2004

Protein important to nerve development serves the dual purpose of stimulating the growth of blood vessels

The discovery opens the possibility that blood vessel growth (angiogenesis) one day may be induced, or stymied, for therapeutic use against heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses, according to Dean Y. Li, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of internal medicine in the U of U School of Medicine's Division of Cardiology.

1 Nov 2004

Scientists have found that a protein present in normal body tissues can prevent tumour growth

A team led by Dr Dave Bates, British Heart Foundation Lecturer, and Dr Steve Harper, Senior Research Fellow in the Microvascular Research Laboratories, in the Department of Physiology at Bristol University, have discovered that a type of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) found in normal tissue, including blood, can prevent cancers from growing.

1 Nov 2004

Growth Factor News and Research

Novel approach to bioengineer artificial skin for burn victims

Pegaptanib (Macugen) is an effective treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Tercica files for patent infringement

European market for bone morphogenic proteins in spine fusion

Macugen approved for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Importance of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) pathway to breast cancer development

Model may explain how alcohol stimulates tumor growth

Thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of anti-diabetic drugs may be a potential targeted therapy for myeloma patients

Class of cells that arises in mammary glands during maternity has stem cell-like properties

Positive results from phase 2 trial of Telintra, drug candidate in myelodysplastic syndrome

Single dose phase I data on CG53135 for the prevention of oral mucositis

New trial to test cancer smart drugs

Avastin plus Folfox4 chemotherapy significantly extends survival in second-line metastatic colorectal cancer

New possibilities for the use of VEGF in the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

FDA approves Tarceva (erlotinib)

Overexpression of a protein called Down Syndrome Critical Region 1 (DSCR-1) reduces tumor growth

Shp2 protein plays a critical role in obesity

Possible treatment for the fatal lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Protein important to nerve development serves the dual purpose of stimulating the growth of blood vessels

Scientists have found that a protein present in normal body tissues can prevent tumour growth

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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