Insulin News and Research

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Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert glucose, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for fuel and is secreted by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated by increased blood glucose, vagal nerve stimulation, and other factors. Insulin is obtained from various animals and available in a variety of preparations. Commercial insulin preparations differ in a number of ways, including differences in the animal species from which they are obtained; their purity, concentration, and solubility; and the time of onset and duration of their biologic action. An oral hypoglycemic agent is not a form of insulin therapy.

Semafore Pharmaceuticals to present SF1126 Phase I data at the 51st ASH meeting

Researchers are scheduled to present Phase I data relating to Semafore Pharmaceuticals’ lead product candidate, SF1126, as a treatment for patients with relapsed and refractory myeloma during the 51st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, December 5 - 8, 2009, at the Ernst N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.

16 Nov 2009

Personal CGM improves glucose control for diabetes patients

In acknowledgement of this year’s World Diabetes Day, which calls on all those responsible for diabetes care to understand diabetes and take control, Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) highlights the growing body of clinical evidence for Personal Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) in improving glucose control for diabetes patients.

16 Nov 2009

Columbia University Medical Center presents the 2009 Naomi Berrie Awards

Columbia University Medical Center will present the 2009 Naomi Berrie Awards to a nationally recognized diabetes researcher, and a promising young investigator, for their outstanding achievements in diabetes research.

16 Nov 2009

Decreased heart functions associated with fat collection in different body locations: Study

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that fat collection in different body locations, such as around the heart and the aorta and within the liver, are associated with certain decreased heart functions. The study, which appears on-line in Obesity, also found that measuring a person's body mass index (BMI) does not reliably predict the amount of undesired fat in and around these vital organs.

13 Nov 2009

Canadians to celebrate World Diabetes Day in recognition of people who live with diabetes

In recognition of the ongoing commitment by millions of Canadians who build awareness of, and live with diabetes, World Diabetes Day will be celebrated on November 14. An official United Nation's World Health Day, World Diabetes Day marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who, along with Dr. Charles Best, co-discovered insulin in 1921.

13 Nov 2009

Axelar AB to present data from ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial of AXL1717

Axelar AB today announced that promising data from the ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial concerning their lead anticancer product AXL1717, an insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor inhibitor, will be presented next week at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

13 Nov 2009

New knowledge of basic science may be applied in future medical treatments

How does the developing pancreas in an embryo 'know' which cells are to produce insulin and which cells are to have other assignments? Researchers need to understand this if they want to be able to treat type-1 diabetes with stem cells developed into insulin-producing beta cells. At Lund University scientists have uncovered pioneering new knowledge, and are publishing it in the journal Cell.

13 Nov 2009

Health Canada approves ONGLYZA for type 2 diabetes treatment

Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada and AstraZeneca Canada today announced that Health Canada has approved ONGLYZA(TM) (saxagliptin) which improves all three key measures of glycemic control - hemoglobin A1c (A1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and post-prandial glucose (PPG) - when taken in combination with other commonly used oral anti-diabetic agents (metformin or a sulfonylurea).

13 Nov 2009

Gene within the pancreas affecting insulin secretion discovered

How a specific gene within the pancreas affects secretion of insulin has been discovered by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with Japanese and American universities. Their work opens the way for a new understanding of possible paths to battle diabetes and diabetes-related health problems, which are on the rise all over the world.

12 Nov 2009

Gene variants which influence insulin metabolism can also affect birth weight

Low birth weight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Until recently scientists had attributed this to maternal malnutrition during pregnancy. However, now it seems that genetic background may also play a major role. A research team of Technische Universität München and Helmholtz Zentrum München has now demonstrated, that gene variants which influence insulin metabolism can also affect birth weight.

12 Nov 2009

Impact of health insurance reform on Americans with diabetes: HHS report

As the nation marks American Diabetes Month, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new report today, Preventing and Treating Diabetes: Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes in America. The report comes one day after Sebelius toured the East Manatee Family Healthcare Center in Bradenton, Fla. At the center, Sebelius met with patients and Floridians who care for people with diabetes.

12 Nov 2009

Duke University, Jubilant Organosys sign letter of intent for drug development partnership

Duke University and Jubilant Organosys Limited, the largest integrated Custom Research and Manufacturing Services (CRAMS) and leading Drug Discovery and Development Services (DDDS) company in India, through its subsidiary, Jubilant Biosys Limited, today signed a Letter of Intent to develop a multi-faceted partnership that will expedite translation of discoveries by Duke scientists into clinical therapies.

11 Nov 2009

Lesser rates of kidney/pancreas transplants for African Americans: Is physician bias the reason?

Physician bias might be the reason why African Americans are not receiving kidney/pancreas transplants at the same rate as similar patients in other racial groups. Dr. Keith Melancon, director of kidney and pancreas transplantation at Georgetown University Hospital and associate professor of surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center, and colleagues explore this phenomenon in the November issue of the American Journal of Transplantation.

10 Nov 2009

Environmental factors, obesity and diabetes: Long-term study launched

Three Singapore biomedical institutions have launched a major, long-term study of pregnant mothers and their fetuses as well as infant children to determine just how profoundly environmental factors early in life influence the onset of diseases such as obesity and diabetes in later years.

10 Nov 2009

Beta-Pro helps meet growing demand for human pancreatic islets

Beta-Pro LLC, a biotechnology firm that provides diabetes researchers with custom cellular and consulting services, has entered a new phase of growth as it bridges the widening gap between an inconsistent, low quality supply of human pancreatic islets and skyrocketing demand.

10 Nov 2009

Emisphere Technologies' key product developments and financial results for the third quarter of 2009

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced financial and operational results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

9 Nov 2009

Compugen discovers new biomarker for predisposition to type 2 diabetes using its GeneVa platform

Compugen Ltd. announced today the discovery and experimental confirmation of a genetic biomarker, CGEN-40001 for predisposition to type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.

9 Nov 2009

Halozyme Therapeutics announces results of its insulin variability study

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. today announced insulin variability study results that demonstrated reduced intrasubject absorption variability for the combination of lispro, a meal time analog insulin, plus PH20 (hyaluronidase) compared to subcutaneous injection of lispro alone.

7 Nov 2009

NIH grants $1 million to study whether Transcendental Meditation can prevent future heart attacks in CHD patients

The National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute will fund a $1 million collaborative study by the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management Research Institute and Columbia University Medical Center to determine whether the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique can help patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) prevent future heart attacks, strokes and death.

7 Nov 2009

Third-quarter 2009 financial results announced by Halozyme Therapeutics

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products targeting the extracellular matrix for the endocrinology, oncology, dermatology and drug delivery markets, today reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

6 Nov 2009