Inflammatory Disease News and Research

RSS

Nitration and allergy

Food proteins are nitrated through various processes. Just how these processes affect food allergies, however, is only now coming to light. The latest findings of a research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF are being presented today at an international symposium in Italy. The findings show that in the case of a particular food protein the nitrated form can trigger a stronger allergic reaction than the non-nitrated form. At the same time, however, this nitrated form of the protein is better digested and therefore rendered "harmless".

27 Apr 2010

Amira Pharmaceuticals granted UK patent covering novel small molecule inhibitors of DP2 receptor

Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.K. Intellectual Property Office has granted it patent number GB2460597 titled "N,N-Disubstituted aminoalkylBiPhenyl Antagonists OF Prostaglandin d2 RECEPTORS."

23 Apr 2010

Dimerix Bioscience announces research agreement with Takeda Cambridge

Dimerix Bioscience Pty Ltd, a pre-clinical stage product company developing a pipeline of 'best in class' lead products with highly specific activity and with reduced risk of off-target effects, today announced that it has entered into a research agreement with Takeda Cambridge Limited, a UK based subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Japan's largest pharmaceutical company.

20 Apr 2010

Results of study comparing REMICADE to azathioprine for Crohn's disease published

Findings published today in The New England Journal of Medicine from a first-of-its-kind comparator trial evaluating the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha biologic treatment REMICADE (infliximab) in the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in patients who were naive to immunomodulator and biologic therapy, showed that a significantly greater proportion of patients receiving REMICADE achieved steroid-free remission and mucosal healing compared with patients receiving azathioprine.

16 Apr 2010

Cequent Pharmaceuticals commences toxicology study of CEQ508 tkRNAi-based therapeutic candidate

Cequent Pharmaceuticals, a pioneer in the development of novel products to deliver RNAi-based treatments to prevent and treat human disease, has initiated a long-term (26-week) toxicology study of CEQ508 – the company's lead drug candidate based on its proprietary tkRNAi technology. This study is designed to enable a Phase II clinical trial slated for 2011. CEQ508 targets beta-catenin, a key oncogene implicated in the formation of colonic polyps and in the progression of polyps to colorectal cancer.

16 Apr 2010

ChemoCentryx identifies novel drug candidate targeting ChemR23 chemoattractant receptor

ChemoCentryx, Inc., today announced that it has identified a novel drug candidate targeting the chemoattractant receptor known as ChemR23. This investigational new drug, designated CCX832, is an orally-administered small molecule antagonist of ChemR23, an important player in inflammatory disease.

9 Apr 2010

Women living in northeastern U.S. more likely to develop RA: Study

Women living in the northeastern United States are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting a link between the autoimmune disease and vitamin D deficiency, says a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher.

8 Apr 2010

Passengers on Brisbane train may have been exposed to measles

A NSW man who was diagnosed with measles travelled in a train from the Brisbane International Airport to South Brisbane about 8am on Saturday.

2 Apr 2010

Gout incidence lower in women than men: Study

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine found that women with serum uric acid levels over 5 mg/dl had a significantly lower risk of developing gout than men. This study, the first to examine the relationship between uric acid levels and gout risk in women, also evaluated purported risk factors for gout and found that increasing age, obesity, hypertension, alcohol use, and diuretic use to be among leading contributors for women.

30 Mar 2010

Study: Hormone replacement in joint fluid might be beneficial in treating osteoarthritis

German researchers determined that concentrations of the sex hormones, testosterone in men and estrogen in women, may have a positive effect on the regenerative potential of cartilage tissue. The study suggests hormone replacement in the joint fluid of men and women might be beneficial in treating late stages of human osteoarthritis by regenerating damaged tissue.

30 Mar 2010

High fructose corn syrup linked to skyrocketing rates of obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of obesity in the United States have skyrocketed since the introduction of high fructose corn syrup in 1970. In that time, obesity rates have gone from 15 percent of the U.S. population to roughly one-third.

29 Mar 2010

EMA accepts MAA filing of ViroPharma's Cinryze for HAE

ViroPharma Incorporated today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted the filing of its Marketing Authorization Application for Cinryze for acute treatment and prophylaxis against hereditary angioedema, which was submitted through the centralized procedure in March 2010. ViroPharma is seeking European approval for both prevention and treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema.

25 Mar 2010

Portola Pharmaceuticals commences Phase 1 trial of PRT062607 for chronic inflammatory diseases

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has initiated its first in human Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers of PRT062607, a novel, oral Syk-specific kinase inhibitor in development to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and certain cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In preclinical in vivo models of RA, PRT062607 was shown to reduce inflammation in a dose-dependent manner.

23 Mar 2010

Can-Fite BioPharma files patent application for treatment of Uveitis with A3 adenosine receptor ligands

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company, traded on the TASE and developing anti- inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs, announced today the filing of a patent application, in conjunction with the United Stated National Institutes of Health (NIH), for the treatment of Uveitis with its A3 adenosine receptor ligands.

23 Mar 2010

Genes role in protecting intestinal tract from colitis may lead to potential targets for treatment

Scientists report a protein made by a gene already associated with a handful of human inflammatory immune diseases plays a pivotal role in protecting the intestinal tract from colitis.

19 Mar 2010

USPTO allows Regulus Therapeutics' claims covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a for regulating immune response

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed claims in U.S. Application Serial No. 11/977,506 covering methods of antagonizing miR-181a to regulate immune response. This patent is owned by Stanford University and licensed exclusively to Regulus. miR-181a has been shown to regulate the response of immune cells, such as T lymphocytes, to specific stimuli and modulation of miR-181a could lead to a novel treatment of inflammatory disease.

18 Mar 2010

CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves cognitive function of MS patients

CogniFit™, Inc., a leading maker of Brain Fitness Software (www.cognifit.com), announced a new, independent study that shows CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves the cognitive function and skills of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.

16 Mar 2010

Cellzome, GSK form second major alliance to develop new anti-inflammatory drugs

Cellzome today announced that it has formed a second strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). This new collaboration gives GSK exclusive access to Cellzome's proprietary Episphere(TM) technology in the emerging field of epigenetics as applied to immunoinflammatory disease. Epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in controlling immune cell differentiation and inflammatory gene expression during an excessive inflammatory response.

10 Mar 2010

Abbott announces definitive agreement to acquire Facet Biotech

Abbott and Facet Biotech Corporation announced today a definitive agreement for Abbott to acquire Facet, enhancing Abbott's early- and mid-stage pharmaceutical pipeline.

9 Mar 2010

Harvard University, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute complete major licensing agreement with Acetylon

Harvard University and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced today that they have concluded a major licensing agreement with Acetylon under which Harvard and Dana-Farber granted an exclusive therapeutic license to a robust platform technology and chemical methodology that enables high-throughput screening and lead optimization for HDAC inhibitor compounds.