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Scientists detect several biomarkers to screen active drugs for Batten disease

Goethe University and Harvard Medical School start screening for active ingredients for the treatment of Batten disease

20 Apr 2011

Scientist discovers new molecular mechanism underlying asthma, COPD

Michael Croft, Ph.D., a researcher at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology, has discovered a molecule's previously unknown role as a major trigger for airway remodeling, which impairs lung function, making the molecule a promising therapeutic target for chronic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and several other lung conditions.

18 Apr 2011

Scientists identify novel mechanism to control cancer spread

Saint Louis University researchers have identified a novel mechanism to control the traffic of cells and fluid from tissues to lymphatic vessels. It may be possible to harness this mechanism to fight cancer spread from one organ to another organ and improve the effectiveness of vaccines.

11 Apr 2011

ChanTest to provide new system for LGIC and VGIC screening

Beginning next month, ChanTest Corporation will offer the highest throughput electrophysiology platform on the market validated for both voltage-gated and rapidly desensitizing ligand-gated ion channels.

7 Apr 2011

Keryx KRX-0401 data in colorectal cancer, multiple myeloma presented at AACR meeting

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that two posters on KRX-0401 were presented at the 102nd annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research currently ongoing at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Perifosine, the Company's novel, potentially first-in-class, oral anti-cancer agent that inhibits Akt activation in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway, is currently in Phase 3 clinical trials for refractory advanced colorectal cancer and multiple myeloma.

6 Apr 2011

OSU chemist developing solution to nerve agent exposure

Scientists are working to develop a new drug that will regenerate a critical enzyme in the human body that “ages” after a person is exposed to deadly chemical warfare agents.

5 Apr 2011

Aeterna Zentaris presents two posters on perifosine at AACR meeting

Aeterna Zentaris Inc. today announced that two posters on its lead anticancer agent, perifosine, were presented at the 102nd annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research currently held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.

5 Apr 2011

Synta presents ganetespib and elesclomol study data in cancer at AACR meeting

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. today presented five posters at the American Association for Cancer Research 102nd Annual Meeting. Three posters reported results from studies of ganetespib, and two posters reported results from studies of elesclomol, a small-molecule mitochondria metabolism inhibitor.

5 Apr 2011

Blocking TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand pathway partially reconstitutes HBV-specific T cells

A new study presented today at the International Liver Congress shows a novel pathway where activated natural killer (NK) cells expressing death ligands may excessively down-modulate the antiviral immune response in chronic HBV patients.

2 Apr 2011

Study shows immune therapy can prevent pregnancy in mammals including humans

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have shown that it is possible to immunize mammals to control fertility. They say their technique could possibly be used on other mammals -- including humans -- because fertility hormones and their receptors are species-non-specific and are similar in both females and males.

1 Apr 2011

Obeticholic Acid safe and effective against Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Results from an international study presented today at the International Liver Congress have shown Obeticholic Acid (OCA) is a safe and effective treatment in patients suffering from Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) as demonstrated by substantial decreases in the levels of alkaline phosphatase (AP) enzyme in the blood, a key marker for PBC.

1 Apr 2011

Immune therapy can control fertility in mammals

31 Mar 2011

Intercept initiates OCA FLINT trial in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has been informed by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health that patient enrollment has started in a new clinical trial in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which will evaluate Intercept's first-in-class farnesoid X receptor agonist obeticholic acid as a novel therapy for NASH.

30 Mar 2011

Prolia associated with greater adherence than alendronate in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Amgen today announced new data that showed postmenopausal women with osteoporosis had significantly greater adherence, compliance, and persistence during Prolia® (denosumab) treatment than during alendronate treatment, an oral bisphosphonate commonly used to treat osteoporosis.

24 Mar 2011

Vitamin A may play key role in sperm cell formation and development of central nervous system

In a recently-published study mapping the structure and function of the so-called "orphan" nuclear receptor TR4, Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) investigators suggest that Vitamin A may play a more direct role than was previously known in certain physiological functions including sperm cell formation and the development of the central nervous system.

18 Mar 2011

Plexxikon commences PLX3397 Phase 2 trial in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma

Plexxikon today announced that it has treated the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial in Hodgkin lymphoma with PLX3397. This novel agent is an oral, selective inhibitor that down-modulates two key cell types that are thought to mediate the progression of Hodgkin lymphoma tumors — macrophages and mast cells.

8 Mar 2011

USPTO grants patent to Symphogen's Sym004 to treat solid tumors

Symphogen, a private biopharmaceutical company developing superior antibody therapeutics, said the company had been granted a US patent for Sym004 as well as other antibody compositions containing at least two distinct anti-EGFR antibodies having certain binding characteristics.

7 Mar 2011

FADD protein discovery can lead to better cancer and autoimmune disease drugs

Reporting in Nature, scientists from Thomas Jefferson University have determined that a single protein called FADD controls multiple cell death pathways, a discovery that could lead to better, more targeted autoimmune disease and cancer drugs.

3 Mar 2011

The Lancet journal publishes XGEVA Phase 3 study results against prostate cancer, bone metastases

Amgen today announced the publication of results from a Phase 3 head-to-head trial that compared XGEVA to Zometa in preventing bone complications called skeletal-related events in 1,901 men with prostate cancer and bone metastases.

25 Feb 2011

Trevena commences TRV120027 Phase 2a trial in patients with acute heart failure

Trevena Inc., the leader in G-protein coupled receptor biased ligand drug discovery, today announced the initiation of a Phase 2a clinical trial with its lead program, TRV120027, a beta-arrestin biased angiotensin II type 1 receptor ligand, the first biased ligand designed to treat patients with acute heart failure.

23 Feb 2011