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Scientists uncover a central process in memory encoding

Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have made a major discovery in how the brain encodes memories. The finding, published in the December 24 issue of the journal Neuron, could eventually lead to the development of new drugs to aid memory.

24 Dec 2009

New compound may halt drug-resistant lung cancer

The ability to make, test, and map the atomic structure of new anti-cancer agents has enabled a team of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists to discover a compound capable of halting a common type of drug-resistant lung cancer.

24 Dec 2009

Synta Pharmaceuticals initiates STA-9090 Phase 2 clinical trial for GIST

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that it is initiating a Phase 2 clinical study of STA-9090 in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). This is the sixth clinical study of STA-9090, a potent, synthetic, small molecule Hsp90 inhibitor with a novel chemical structure.

23 Dec 2009

Rigel Pharmaceuticals announces milestone payment from Daiichi Sankyo

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received a milestone payment from Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. as part of their collaboration to research and develop cancer treatments aimed at selectively inhibiting ligases, which are intrinsic to cancer cell growth and proliferation. The compound, as yet unnamed, targets cell division.

23 Dec 2009

Cordyceps mushroom extract for cancer treatment

A promising cancer drug, first discovered in a mushroom commonly used in Chinese medicine, could be made more effective thanks to researchers who have discovered how the drug works. The research is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and was carried out at The University of Nottingham.

23 Dec 2009

Study on cyanobacteria helps understand anesthetic actions

Experiments in one of the oldest forms of life on Earth are helping to answer basic questions about how general anesthesia works, according to a study in the January issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

23 Dec 2009

Enzyme dCK plays a profound role in normal lymphocyte development

Mice without the deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) enzyme have defects in their adaptive immune system, producing very low levels of both T and B lymphocytes, the major players involved in immune response, according to a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

23 Dec 2009

US Phase 2 clinical trial of RVX-208 commenced by Resverlogix

Resverlogix Corp. ("Resverlogix" or the "Company") announced today that it has begun dosing patients in its US Phase 2 clinical trial lead by Cleveland Clinic. This trial will examine RVX-208, Resverlogix's oral small molecule therapy for the treatment of atherosclerosis, in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

23 Dec 2009

Emisphere's oral salmon calcitonin product addresses persistent musculoskeletal pain

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced a meta-analysis published in the December 2009 edition of Rheumatology Reports examining independent evidence of the analgesic action of the hormone calcitonin. This publication restates the potential of calcitonin in filling a significant unmet need for alternative treatments for persistent musculoskeletal pain.

22 Dec 2009

New findings reveal POPG lipid can prevent RSV infection in lungs

Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered that a naturally occurring lipid in the lung can prevent RSV infection and inhibit spread of the virus after an infection is established. RSV is the major cause of hospitalization for children in the first two years of life, and is increasingly recognized as a dangerous pathogen in adults with chronic lung diseases, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective vaccine for the virus.

22 Dec 2009

Findings may help develop new antiviral drugs for influenza

Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham), Mount Sinai School of Medicine (Mount Sinai), the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (Salk) and the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) have identified 295 human cell factors that influenza A strains must harness to infect a cell, including the currently circulating swine-origin H1N1.

22 Dec 2009

Results from Phase I trial of Bryan Oncor's targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy reported

Bryan Oncor reports the results of a Phase I trial of its targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy using Re-88 P2045, a radiolabeled synthetic peptide, for the treatment of advanced lung cancer.

21 Dec 2009

KVCI completes acquisition of former AAIPharma bioanalytical division

Kansas Venture Capital, Inc. (KVCI) has acquired the former AAIPharma bioanalytical division from ZeeCRO Inc. With its 30-year track record of developing entrepreneurial companies, KVCI will grow the bioanalytical business through organic and acquisition strategies to provide best-in-class analytical services for both the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors.

18 Dec 2009

PolyMedix completes first two segments of its PMX-30063 antibiotic drug candidate Phase 1B study

PolyMedix, Inc., an emerging biotechnology company developing acute care products for infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, has successfully completed the first two segments of a Phase 1B clinical safety study with its novel antibiotic drug candidate PMX-30063.

18 Dec 2009

Flamel Technologies initiates IFN-alpha-2b XL Phase 2a clinical trial for HCV

Flamel Technologies today announced the initiation of a Phase 2a clinical trial of Flamel’s Interferon alpha-2b XL (IFN-alpha-2b XL), which is based on Flamel’s Medusa® platform for controlled release of biologics. IFN-alpha-2b XL is being developed as a controlled release of unmodified interferon alpha-2b for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV).

18 Dec 2009

Physicians favor agents that can reduce HbA1c levels by 2% in diabetes patients

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that over 70 percent of surveyed U.S. physicians indicate there is a high need for diabetes drugs with novel mechanisms of action versus 15 percent who say there is a high need for additional DPP-IV inhibitors.

18 Dec 2009

Ambit Biosciences and Astellas Pharma to jointly develop and commercialize FLT3 kinase inhibitors

Ambit Biosciences Corporation and Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced that they have entered into a worldwide agreement to jointly develop and commercialize FLT3 kinase inhibitors in oncology and non-oncology indications.

18 Dec 2009

Phase 2 clinical study of STA-9090 in NSCLC initiated

18 Dec 2009

Red wine may prevent holiday weight gain

Here's a New Year's resolution you can keep: drink more wine! It reinforces a healthier lifestyle and starting now, may prevent the holiday weight gain that is an American tradition.

18 Dec 2009

Promising breakthrough in adjuvant development may lead to cost-effective therapeutic vaccines

It should be possible to use therapeutic vaccines to create both cheap and effective drugs for diseases like cancer and allergies. One problem in developing such vaccines has previously been the lack of adjuvants, substances that make vaccines more effective. However, there has now been a major breakthrough in this area. The study, led by Swedish scientists at Uppsala University, is published in the December issue of the journal Vaccine.

17 Dec 2009