Red Blood Cells News and Research

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Discovery of cancer drugs to kill malaria parasite could open up new strategies for treatment

Ahead of World Malaria Day (25 April), EU-funded researchers have discovered that drugs originally designed to inhibit the growth of cancer cells can also kill the parasite that causes malaria. They believe this discovery could open up a new strategy for combating this deadly disease, which, according to World Health Organisation statistics, infected around 225 million and killed nearly 800 000 people worldwide in 2009.

21 Apr 2011

Blood journal to publish Soliris study results in Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria

The Canadian Association of PNH Patients welcomes the upcoming publication of a study that resoundingly proves the efficacy of Soliris, the first and only life-saving treatment for the ultra-rare blood disease known as Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria.

11 Apr 2011

Louisville Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine earns APS' Walter B. Cannon Award

Heart failure affects roughly six million Americans, yet treatment consists of either a heart transplant or the insertion of mechanical devices that assist the heart. This is unacceptable to Roberto Bolli, MD, Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky., which is why he is on a mission to make cardiac stem cell treatment an option for all who must cope with the limitations of a failing heart.

11 Apr 2011

New ‘nanotech’ weapon against drug-resistant superbugs

Scientists at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) and IBM Research – Almaden have developed the first biodegradable polymer nanoparticles to combat drug-resistant superbugs, such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These nanoparticles can selectively kill the bacteria without destroying healthy red blood cells, and being biodegradable, have great potential to treat infectious diseases in the body. This was reported today in the leading scientific journal, Nature Chemistry [(2011) DOI: 10.1038/nchem.1012].

3 Apr 2011

Lilly's Axiron testosterone replacement therapy now available in US pharmacies

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that Axiron® (testosterone) topical solution is available in pharmacies throughout the United States. Axiron is a prescription medicine used to treat adult males that have low or no testosterone. Safety and efficacy of Axiron in males younger than 18 years of age have not been established.

1 Apr 2011

Cellectis 2010 total operating revenues increase 55% to EUR 15.8M

Cellectis, the genome engineering specialist, has announced its consolidated financial results for the financial year ended December 31, 2010.

31 Mar 2011

Study: Y-90 radioembolization is a safe treatment for patients with liver cancer

Interventional radiologists have been the leaders in the use of intra-arterial yttrium-90 radioembolization, since its introduction in 2000, to treat liver cancer.

29 Mar 2011

Diabetic smokers beware - Nicotine raises blood sugar: Study

U.S. researchers have found that nicotine in cigarettes may be responsible for serious complications in smokers with diabetes. They have shown that nicotine is strongly linked to persistently raised blood sugar levels among diabetics and scientists say they should make every effort to quit. There may also be implications for diabetics attempting to give up the habit who use nicotine-replacement therapy for extended periods.

27 Mar 2011

China PharmaHub, University of California enter license agreement for stem cell universal donor blood product

China PharmaHub Corp., a biopharmaceutical acquisition and development company, today announced that it has signed a exclusive worldwide license agreement with the University of California, for worldwide rights to develop, commercialize and market a universal donor blood product derived from embryonic stem cells developed by UCSD Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics Dr. Ewa Carrier.

21 Mar 2011

Oxford Biomedica’s TroVax(R) TRIST Phase III study results to be published in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy

Oxford BioMedica plc, a leading gene therapy company, today announces that further analyses of the TroVax Renal Immunotherapy Survival Trial, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study, have been accepted for publication in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy, the official journal of the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy.

15 Mar 2011

Extra intake of iron may not benefit pregnant women, except when anemic

Although universal prenatal supplementation with iron is recommended, an extra intake of iron does not noticeably benefit pregnant women, except when they are anemic. This was observed by researchers of the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp and colleagues who followed more than a thousand pregnant women in Burkina Faso.

11 Mar 2011

Scientists mark important step toward universal RBCs production

Scientists are reporting an "important step" toward development of a universal blood product that would eliminate the need to "type" blood to match donor and recipient before transfusions.

10 Mar 2011

ERYtech Pharma completes patient enrollment in GRASPA Phase II trial against ALL

ERYtech Pharma announces the early completion of the enrollment and safety follow-up a Phase II clinical trial for GRASPA. This open-labeled trial introduced GRASPA in a first-line treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in patients older than 55 years.

9 Mar 2011

Chemotherapy drugs also kill malaria parasite

A group of researchers from EPFL's Global Health Institute (GHI) and Inserm (Institut National de la Sant- et de la Recherche M-dicale, the French government agency for biomedical research) has discovered that a class of chemotherapy drugs originally designed to inhibit key signaling pathways in cancer cells also kills the parasite that causes malaria. The discovery could quickly open up a whole new strategy for combating this deadly disease.

9 Mar 2011

New insight into malaria

A group of researchers from EPFL's Global Health Institute and Inserm has discovered that a class of chemotherapy drugs originally designed to inhibit key signaling pathways in cancer cells also kills the parasite that causes malaria.

8 Mar 2011

Eisai announces publication of Halaven Phase III study results against breast cancer in The Lancet journal

Eisai announced today that results from the global Phase III clinical study "EMBRACE" will be published online in The Lancet.

3 Mar 2011

Mathematical model predicts lifespan of stem cells

When patients receive a bone marrow transplant, they are getting a new population of hematopoietic stem cells. Fresh stem cells are needed when a patient is low on red blood cells, as in anemia, or white blood cells, which can be caused by cancer or even cancer treatments such as irradiation or chemotherapy. The problem is that a bone marrow transplant might not succeed because the transplanted stem cells don't live long enough or because they proliferate too well, leading to leukemia.

2 Mar 2011

PAH closely related to bone marrow abnormalities

Results from a study published in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology reveal a close relationship between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-exceedingly high blood pressure in the arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs-and abnormalities of the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow (known as myeloid abnormalities).

1 Mar 2011

Refrigerated whole blood may have shelf life beyond current standard of 24 to 48 hours

In a finding that may potentially improve survival from war injuries and disasters, laboratory researchers report that refrigerated whole blood may have a shelf life well beyond the current standard of 24 to 48 hours.

24 Feb 2011

First patient enrolled in TXA127 Phase 2 clinical study to stimulate engraftment following transplant

Tarix Pharmaceuticals today announced enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical study of TXA127, a pharmaceutical grade formulation of a naturally occurring peptide known to stimulate early hematopoietic precursor cells in the bone marrow.