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Ritalin drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of Parkinson's drug levodopa

A well-known drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of another drug that reduces Parkinson's disease symptoms, an Oregon Health & Science University study has found.

6 May 2004

World's first gene therapy trial aimed at preventing cancer

The concept seems straightforward. If, at its heart, cancer is a disease of genes, then giving patients new genes should disarm cancer. Such treatment would replace missing or faulty genes that keep cell growth in check, or would flush the body with "super genes" that could attack and destroy cancer.

5 May 2004

Immtech signs agreement with CombinatoRx to test Immtech compounds as potential cancer treatment

Immtech International, Inc. announced today that it signed an agreement with CombinatoRx of Boston, Massachusetts to screen its lead aromatic cationic compounds, DB289 and DB75, for activity against various cancers.

5 May 2004

Agreement expands Quintiles capabilities to support drug approvals in Japan

Quintiles Transnational Corp. today announced an agreement to conduct clinical trials in Peru involving ethnic Japanese, further expanding the company's ability to support new drug applications in Japan.

5 May 2004

IT has the power to transform the pharmaceutical industry

Information technology has the power to transform the pharmaceutical industry, if businesses apply it correctly. That’s the conclusion of Pharma 2010: Silicon Reality, a report from IBM Business Consulting Services (BCS).

5 May 2004

Mylan announces FDA approval of Parkinson’s disease drug

The FDA approval clears the way for Bertek to market APOKYN and provides a new therapy for “off” episodes, one of the most debilitating aspects suffered by patients with Parkinson’s disease.

5 May 2004

$FDA approves INFUSE® bone graft which improves fracture healing$

FDA approves INFUSE® bone graft which improves fracture healing

Medtronic, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of INFUSE® Bone Graft in the treatment of acute, open fractures of the tibial shaft, a long bone in the lower leg. The approval broadens the indications for INFUSE Bone Graft, a product that has been used since 2002 in spinal surgery with metallic cages to treat tens of thousands of patients.

4 May 2004

New hope for advances in treatment methods for AIDS, Alzheimer's and age-related blindness

Pharmaceutical science leaders from the FDA, research institutions and top pharmaceutical companies will gather at the 2004 AAPS National Biotechnology Conference, AAPS' spring annual meeting.

4 May 2004

Pfizer targets five internet sites for selling an unapproved copy of Pfizer's top selling cholesterol medicine, Lipitor

Pfizer has filed lawsuits against the operators of five internet sites for selling an unapproved copy of Pfizer's top selling cholesterol medicine, Lipitor, the company said today.

4 May 2004

FDA to create database to help identify counterfeit pharmaceutical brands

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to create a database of the major pharmaceutical brands on the US market, to make it easier to establish the authenticity of suspect products and identify counterfeit versions that enter the supply chain.

3 May 2004

Schering-Plough Corporation settles with $27 million to the State of Texas

Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that it has reached an agreement with the Attorney General's Office of the State of Texas to settle issues related to reimbursement by Texas' Medicaid program of albuterol sulfate solution and inhaler products.

3 May 2004

Minimal information available on the likelihood of side effects from prostate cancer treatment

When a man is diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer, he must decide among four different treatment methods, each of which carries its own set of benefits and risks.

3 May 2004

Wyeth gets FDA approval for a novel protein device that enhances bone healing

Wyeth have announced that the FDA has approved rhBMP-2/ACS (recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2/Absorbable Collagen Sponge), a novel protein device that enhances bone healing, for use in the treatment of acute, open tibia shaft fractures in adults.

3 May 2004

Conference to discuss the ethical, social and legal aspects of human genetic testing

On 6 and 7 May 2004, the European Commission is inviting all interested parties to attend a European citizens’ and stakeholders’ conference to discuss the ethical, social and legal aspects of human genetic testing in research and healthcare applications.

3 May 2004

Bush on healthcare

The way I like to kind of try to describe health care is, on the research side, we're the best. We're coming up with more innovative ways to save lives and to treat patients.

1 May 2004

FDA approves new drug Enbrel for psoriasis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the biologic drug etanercept (brand name Enbrel) to treat chronic, moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults.

1 May 2004

Developing smart drugs

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Researchers, sensing an opening in the cancer battle, are mounting a quick thrust to flush out suspected molecular cancer triggers in tumor cells.

30 Apr 2004

FDA updates Zelnorm labeling a treatment of women with irritable bowel syndrome

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the addition of new risk information to the health professional labeling for Zelnorm (tegaserod maleate). Zelnorm is a prescription medication for the short-term treatment of women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) whose primary bowel symptom is constipation.

30 Apr 2004

Addition of insulin sensitizer provides lipid benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes

Results of three studies show the oral anti-diabetic agent ACTOS (R) (pioglitazone HCl), in combination with a sulfonylurea, metformin or insulin, resulted in triglyceride decreases and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increases that demonstrated statistically significant improvements from baseline.

30 Apr 2004

New robot tackles aseptic process environments

ATS Automation Tooling Systems has announced it is showcasing a prototype of its new, ultra-clean, aseptic robot at INTERPHEX, the pharmaceutical industry's premier annual equipment exposition opening tomorrow in New York City.

30 Apr 2004