Rhabdomyolysis News and Research

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Rhabdomyolysis (often shortened to simply "rhabdo") is the rapid breakdown (''lysis'') of skeletal muscle (''rhabdomyo'') due to injury to muscle tissue.

Merck announces changes to high-dose simvastatin prescribing information in the U.S.

Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced changes to the prescribing information in the United States for the highest dose of simvastatin, 80 mg, and the use of simvastatin with certain other medicines.

9 Jun 2011

Kava tea may cause kidney failure and muscle breakdown

When a 34-year-old bicyclist was found collapsed on a roadside and rushed to the University of Rochester Medical Center emergency room on the verge of kidney failure and muscle breakdown, doctors were surprised to discover that a trendy tea derived from the kava plant was the cause of his ills.

28 Apr 2011

Sickle cell trait can cause sudden death in young African-American athletes

The sickle cell trait could be a cause-albeit rare-of sudden death in young African-American competitive athletes, most commonly during football training, according to a scientific poster that will be presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions, April 1-3, in New Orleans.

4 Apr 2011

Merck's VICTRELIS phase III study results against HCV presented at EASL annual meeting

Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced results from several new data analyses from the pivotal Phase III studies evaluating the addition of its investigational oral protease inhibitor VICTRELIS to peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection.

1 Apr 2011

Merck to present VICTRELIS phase III study data against HCV at EASL annual meeting

Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced that several new data analyses from Phase III studies of VICTRELIS, its investigational oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor, will be presented at The International Liver CongressTM / 46th European Association for the Study of the Liver annual meeting.

9 Mar 2011

Rhabdomyolysis episode at University of Iowa signals a public health crisis

On January 26, 2011, it was reported that 13 University of Iowa football players were affected so severely by rhabdomyolysis that they were hospitalized. Occurrences of rhabdomyolysis—muscle breakdown—are so rare that it suggests an additional causal factor, such as a drug.

10 Feb 2011

Sunovion reports results of Latuda third phase 3 worldwide clinical trial for schizophrenia

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced the results of the PEARL 3 study, the third phase 3 worldwide clinical trial of Latuda® (lurasidone HCl) tablets, a once-daily atypical antipsychotic agent recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. In this six-week, placebo-controlled trial, both fixed doses of LATUDA 80 and 160 mg once-daily, demonstrated statistically significant improvement in symptoms of schizophrenia versus placebo across both primary and secondary efficacy measures.

9 Dec 2010

Merck announces initial results from ISENTRESS Phase III study in HIV-1

Merck today reported initial results from the Phase III study investigating the efficacy and safety of a treatment regimen including ISENTRESS® (raltegravir) Tablets once daily in treatment-naïve adult patients infected with HIV-1. ISENTRESS is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced adults.

29 Nov 2010

VYTORIN reduces major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease

In a new investigational study of VYTORIN, the cholesterol-lowering medicine from Merck, VYTORIN 10/20 mg reduced the incidence of first major vascular events defined as non-fatal heart attacks or cardiac death, stroke or any revascularization procedure by a highly statistically significant 16.1 percent compared to placebo, Study of Heart and Renal Protection study involved more than 9,000 patients who, on average, had advanced or end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD)

22 Nov 2010

Colcrys safe for treating gout flares

Patients who experience gout flares can be treated safely with Colcrys (colchicine, USP), even in the presence of co-morbid conditions that often present physicians with treatment challenges, according to a new analysis presented here at the 74th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

9 Nov 2010

Positive results from Ardea's RDEA594 combination study with febuxostat or allopurinol for gout

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. announced positive results from two clinical studies of RDEA594 in combination with currently marketed drugs for the treatment of gout patients, febuxostat (Uloric®) and allopurinol.

8 Nov 2010

Lundbeck, Merck announce commercialization agreement for SYCREST sublingual tablets

H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) and Merck, known outside the United States and Canada as MSD, today announced a commercialization agreement for SYCREST (asenapine) sublingual tablets (5 mg, 10 mg). Under the terms of the agreement, Lundbeck will pay an undisclosed fee as well as product supply payments in exchange for exclusive commercial rights to SYCREST in all markets outside the United States, China and Japan. Lundbeck expects to launch SYCREST in the European Union (EU), where it is already approved, at the beginning of 2011.

12 Oct 2010

IDMC recommends early termination of Phase 3 intramuscular depot aripiprazole trial

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (OPC) and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) announced today that an independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) has recommended the early termination of its Phase 3, 52-week, placebo-controlled, intramuscular depot aripiprazole trial.

6 Oct 2010

Johns Hopkins Children's Center urges new screening program to improve sickle cell trait

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center top pediatrician is urging a "rethink" of a new sickle cell screening program, calling it an enlightened but somewhat rushed step toward improving the health of young people who carry the sickle cell mutation.

9 Sep 2010

European Commission approves MSD's MAA for SYCREST in manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder

MSD announced today that the European Commission has approved the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for SYCREST® (asenapine) sublingual tablets for the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. Today's decision was based on recommendations from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). The Commission Decision applies to all 27 European Member States.

3 Sep 2010

Lots of water breaks prevent dehydration in kids

Scorching heat has taken its toll across the country this summer with record temperatures and heat indexes reaching well above 100 degrees. Add kids playing outside and outdoor summer activities in full swing to the dangerous heat you've got a hazardous combination.

20 Jul 2010

BBD reports analyze effectiveness and safety of statin use

A series of new reports from Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs (BBD) caution that the benefits of statin use by children and some women may not outweigh the risks. Drugs to lower cholesterol - including statins - are the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S. and garnered more than $14 billion in sales last year.

29 Jun 2010

CHMP adopts positive opinion on pending MAA for SYCREST sublingual tablets

Merck announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use adopted a positive opinion on the pending Marketing Authorization Application for SYCREST (asenapine) sublingual tablets. The CHMP has recommended that the European Commission grant a marketing authorization for SYCREST for the treatment of moderate to severe manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adults. The CHMP did not support an indication for the treatment of schizophrenia.

25 Jun 2010

Experts address fundamental questions related to renal failure in ICU

Despite the fact that recent medical advances have allowed healthcare professionals to stabilize patients who would have otherwise died, many stabilized patients later develop organ system failure. In fact, acute renal failure is one of the biggest threats to critically ill patients: forty percent of patients with this condition die.

14 May 2010

Optivia Biotechnology launches OptiDDI Suite for assessing transporter-related DDIs

Optivia Biotechnology Inc., a leading provider of in vitro transporter assay services, today announced the launch of the OptiDDITM Suite, a novel assay panel that assesses the most clinically significant transporter-related drug-drug interactions (DDIs), as identified by the International Transporter Consortium (ITC) in its report "Membrane Transporters in Drug Development" (Nature Reviews-Drug Discovery, March 2010).

12 May 2010