Spleen News and Research

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Hereditary ovarian cancer patients may develop secondary tumours in liver and spleen

Scientists have taken a major step forward in the understanding of ovarian cancer, which could improve treatment for patients with the condition.

22 Apr 2010

Pivotal preclinical data of YM BioSciences' CYT387 JAK1/2 inhibitor pre-published in Blood

YM BioSciences Inc., announced the pre-publication of pivotal preclinical data for CYT387, the company's highly selective and potent JAK1/2 inhibitor, currently in a Phase I/II trial for myelofibrosis.

19 Apr 2010

New medical imaging technique using pulsed laser and nanocages

New research findings suggest that an experimental ultrasensitive medical imaging technique that uses a pulsed laser and tiny metallic "nanocages" might enable both the early detection and treatment of disease.

13 Apr 2010

Indispensable role of Mindin in innate and adaptive immunity

Mindin has an indispensable role in both innate and adaptive immunity. A research group in China investigated regulation of mindin expression and the signaling pathway involved. mRNA expression of mindin was upregulated during dextran sulfate sodium induced mouse intestinal inflammation. Stimulation with CpG-ODN (a known TLR-9 ligand) induced upregulation of mindin expression in RAW 264.7 cells and significantly increased the NF-κB-luciferase activity in vitro.

31 Mar 2010

YM BioSciences receives approval to expand enrolment in Phase I/II clinical trial of CYT387

YM BioSciences Inc., announced that it has received ethics board approval to expand enrolment in its Phase I/II clinical trial of CYT387 at Mayo Clinic in patients with myelofibrosis, a chronic debilitating condition, where patient's bone marrow is replaced by scar tissue.

31 Mar 2010

Fundamental step in immune system development discovered

Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered a fundamental step in the development of the immune system, one that allows B cells to mature and fight disease by producing effective antibodies. Immunologist Roberta Pelanda, PhD, and her colleagues have demonstrated that immature B cells in the bone marrow must receive a positive signal before they can migrate to the spleen where they mature and are activated. In the March 15, 2010 issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine, the researchers also reported that a protein known as Erk helps deliver that positive signal.

26 Mar 2010

Positive data from Shire's Phase III trial of TKT-034 in Type 1 Gaucher disease patients who switched to VPRIV

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today presented positive data from a Phase III clinical trial (TKT-034) designed to evaluate the safety of switching to VPRIV (velaglucerase alfa for injection), from imiglucerase, as well as an interim analysis of safety data from an ongoing multicenter open-label treatment protocol (HGT-GCB-058) implemented to provide VPRIV to patients affected by the continuing shortage of imiglucerase.

26 Mar 2010

Portola Pharmaceuticals commences Phase 1 trial of PRT062607 for chronic inflammatory diseases

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has initiated its first in human Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers of PRT062607, a novel, oral Syk-specific kinase inhibitor in development to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and certain cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In preclinical in vivo models of RA, PRT062607 was shown to reduce inflammation in a dose-dependent manner.

23 Mar 2010

Injured nerves may cause severe pain in patients with sickle cell disease

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered the pain caused by sickle cell disease may not occur solely from damaged tissues, but also from injured nerves.

11 Mar 2010

ITCH gene causes multisystem autoimmune disorder

The gene for a newly recognized disease has been identified thanks to the determination of an Amish father and the clinical skills and persistence of Indiana University and Riley Hospital for Children physicians in collaboration with physicians and researchers at the Clinic for Special Children in Lancaster County, Penn., which specializes in disorders of the Amish.

9 Mar 2010

Short-term dose of losartan-M6PHSA reduces liver inflammation and fibrosis: Study

A recent study found that rats with advanced fibrosis that were administered a short-term dose of losartan-M6PHSA had reduced liver inflammation and fibrosis. Those animals treated with oral losartan alone did not experience a similar reduction in disease activity. Results of this study appear in the March issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

1 Mar 2010

Gaucher disease: FDA approves VPRIV

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved velaglucerase alfa for injection (VPRIV) to treat children and adults with a form of the rare genetic disorder Gaucher disease.

26 Feb 2010

Brain and tissue sample repository to help advance understanding and treatment of psychiatric diseases

Johns Hopkins Children's Center neurovirologist Robert Yolken, M.D., and collaborators from the Stanley Medical Research Institute have developed a large repository of brain and tissue samples to advance the understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.

20 Feb 2010

Six states to study sickle cell disease and thalassemias in national pilot project

Medical researchers are developing a new surveillance system to determine the number of patients diagnosed with a family of inherited blood disorders known as hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease, thalassemias, and hemoglobin E disease.

19 Feb 2010

AstraZeneca, Rigel Pharmaceuticals announce exclusive worldwide license agreement for R788

AstraZeneca and Rigel Pharmaceuticals today announced an exclusive worldwide license agreement for the global development and commercialization of fostamatinib disodium (R788), Rigel's late-stage investigational product for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and additional indications.

16 Feb 2010

Genzyme announces 2-year data from eliglustat tartrate Phase 2 trial for Gaucher disease

Genzyme Corporation announced today two-year follow-up data from patients enrolled in the phase 2 clinical trial for its investigational oral therapy for Gaucher disease type 1 known as eliglustat tartrate (formerly Genz-112638). Continued improvements were observed across all endpoints, including bone disease, at the two-year timepoint, compared with baseline. The two-year results were presented for the first time today at the Lysosomal Disease Network WORLD Symposium in Miami, Fla.

12 Feb 2010

Additional data from Phase III clinical trial of taliglucerase alfa in patients with Gaucher disease presented

Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc., announced today that additional data from the Company's pivotal Phase III clinical trial of taliglucerase alfa in patients with Gaucher disease was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Lysosomal Disease Network: WORLD Symposium 2010 in Miami, Florida, during an oral session titled, "Novel Enzyme Replacement Therapy for Gaucher Disease: Phase III Pivotal Clinical Trial with Plant Cell Expressed Recombinant Glucocerebrosidase (prGCD) - taliglucerase alfa."

12 Feb 2010

Researchers discover new target for drugs to prevent common iron deficiency

The discovery of a major player in the body's regulation of iron levels should provide a new target for drugs that prevent common iron deficiency as well as rare, potentially deadly iron overload, researchers said.

29 Jan 2010

GEH to create a supply of molybdenum-99 for use in nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures

GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) announced today it has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to help develop a U.S. supply of a radioisotope used in more than 20 million diagnostic medical procedures in the United States each year.

27 Jan 2010

GSK receives European CHMP positive opinion for Revolade

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that its partner GlaxoSmithKline has received a positive opinion for Revolade® (eltrombopag/Promacta®) from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for the oral treatment of thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) in adults with the blood disorder chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

18 Dec 2009