Pharmacokinetics News and Research

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The term pharmacokinetics is derived from the ancient Greek words “pharmakon” and “kinetikos”, meaning “drug” and “putting in motion” respectively. It is one of the main branches of pharmacology, and refers to the way that the body reacts on and affects a pharmaceutical substance in the body.

In vivo tumor targeting and radionuclide imaging with self-assembled nanoparticles

In an attempt to determine what factors make one nanoparticle better than another at targeting tumors, a team of investigators in Korea have conducted a systematic tumor-targeting study of a variety of self-assembling nanoparticles.

18 Dec 2006

Mammalian pharmacokinetics of carbon nanotubes using intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence

In the first experiments of their kind, researchers have determined that carbon nanotubes injected directly into the bloodstream of research lab animals cause no immediate adverse health effects and circulate for more than one hour before they are removed by the liver.

18 Dec 2006

Polymer coating improves tumor-targeting nanoparticles

Adding a thin coating of the biocompatible polymer poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to the surface of sulfur-modified, or thiolated, nanoparticles designed to fall apart inside tumors, prolongs the time that the resulting nanoparticles remain in tumors.

13 Nov 2006

A single dose of doxorubicin-functionalized bow-tie dendrimer cures mice bearing C-26 colon carcinomas

In a dramatic demonstration of the power of nanotechnology, a team of investigators has designed a nanoscale, polymeric drug delivery vehicle that when loaded with a widely used anticancer agent cures colon cancer in mice with a single dose.

13 Nov 2006

Cancer Research Technology to present discovery updates at BioEurope 2006

Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the oncology-focused development and commercialisation company, today announce that Phil L'Huillier, the Director of Business Management, will present at the BioEurope 2006 Annual International Partnering Conference.

6 Nov 2006

Photochemistry creates drug-trapping nanoparticles

Many of the most potent anticancer agents are poorly soluble in water, presenting a challenge for medicinal chemists who must develop methods of delivering these drugs in the watery environment of the human body.

9 Oct 2006

Licensing arrangement reached for antiepileptic drug developed at Hebrew University

A worldwide licensing arrangement for development, production and marketing of an antiepileptic drug created at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been signed by Shire Pharmaceuticals with Yissum, the Hebrew University's technology transfer company.

5 Sep 2006

Emergent BioSolutions awarded $3.8 million to develop anthrax immune globulin therapeutic

Emergent BioSolutions has announced that it has been awarded two grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) totaling $3.8 million to support the development of the company's anthrax immune globulin (AIG) therapeutic product.

1 Sep 2006

Morphotek granted two European technology patents

Morphotek has announced that the European Patent Office has given a "Decision of Grant" regarding the Company's US Patent 6,921,666 entitled "Methods for Generating Hypermutable Yeast" and US Patent 6,737,268 entitled "A Method for Generating Genetically Altered Antigens."

30 Aug 2006

Cigarette smoking appears to promote the consumption of alcohol

Nicotine can reduce blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at dosage levels that could be achieved by human smokers.

25 Jul 2006

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks as potential multimodal contrast enhancing agents

By combining the properties of inorganic and organic molecules in one material, researchers at the Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence (CCNE) have developed a new class of nanomaterials that can be used to create multifunctional nanoparticles.

10 Jul 2006

Chlorhexidine decreases risk of acquiring hospital-related ventilator-associated pneumonia

Researchers found that administering the topical antiseptic chlorhexidine to critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation greatly decreased their daily risk of acquiring deadly hospital-related ventilator-associated pneumonia.

18 Jun 2006

The science of sex and gender in human health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH), in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Women's Health (OWH), have announces the launch of a new online course, "The Science of Sex and Gender in Human Health."

5 Jun 2006

New data show Enzastaurin's activity across multiple cancer cell lines

Eli Lilly and Company's enzastaurin, an investigational, multi-targeted therapy that is currently the focus of two global Phase III clinical trials, one for the treatment of glioblastoma and one in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

5 Jun 2006

Neuren granted US patent for NNZ-2566

Neuren Pharmaceuticals has announced that its patent application entitled "GPE Analogs and Peptidomimetics" (PCT/US02/16361) has been issued in the United States (US Patent No: 7,041,314) on 9 May 2006.

10 May 2006

Peptide for myocardial infarction proves to be safe

FIBREX Medical has successfully completed a first dose in man study with its lead product, the anti-inflammatory peptide FX06.

6 Apr 2006

Injection of EU funds for a microdose project

A new EU-funded project kicked off this month which aims to bridge the gap between the laboratory and the clinic. The EU Microdose AMS Partnership Programme (EUMAPP) aims to boost Europe’s expertise in micodosing and its application of AMS, or accelerator mass spectrometry, to developing new candidate drugs for treating diseases the world over.

23 Jan 2006

First clinical study of FX06 treatment against damage caused by heart attacks

Central to the study is FXO6, a peptide developed and patented by Austro-American company Fibrex Medical. Fibrex will now test the tolerability and pharmacokinetics of FX06 in humans. The peptide reduces inflammatory responses of the heart muscle that can arise after treatment for a myocardial infarction. Tests will begin immediately on the first - healthy - subjects at the Vienna General Hospital.

7 Nov 2005

New treatment for the pediatric eye cancer retinoblastoma

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have demonstrated in laboratory studies a new treatment for the pediatric eye cancer retinoblastoma that appears to be more effective than the current standard therapy, and more likely to prevent the recurrence of this cancer. A report on their work appears in the October 15 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.

17 Oct 2005

Myriad Genetics nears completion of antithrombin drug trial

Myriad Genetics announced today that it is rapidly nearing completion of the preclinical data package on MPC-0920, its antithrombin drug candidate, for submission to the FDA prior to beginning human clinical trials.

11 Oct 2005