VEGF News and Research

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VEGF is a substance made by cells that stimulates new blood vessel formation. Also called vascular endothelial growth factor.

HUCB-derived purified and expanded CD133+ cells may show promise in cellular cardiomyoplasty

Researchers at the Pontif-cia Universidade Cat-lica do Paran- and Instituto Carlos Chagas have evaluated the therapeutic potential of purified and expanded CD133+ cells human umbilical cord blood (HUCB)-derived in treating myocardial infarction by intramyocardially injecting them into a rat model. Patients who have high cardiovascular risks have fewer endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and their EPCs exhibit greater in vitro senescence.

4 Feb 2010

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals reaches agreement with FDA on SPA for Phase 3 trial of KRX-0401

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) on the design of a Phase 3 trial for its PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, KRX-0401 (perifosine), in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer.

3 Feb 2010

Pfizer's new pipeline shows growth and diversity in research and development

Pfizer Inc. today provided an update to its pipeline for the first time since the close of the acquisition of Wyeth in October, 2009. The new development pipeline, composed of assets from both legacy companies, includes 133 programs from phase 1 through registration, and shows growth and increased diversity in each of the areas where the company invests in research and development.

28 Jan 2010

ALS TDI and Oxford BioMedica extend collaboration to develop gene therapies for Lou Gehrig's disease

The ALS Therapy Development Institute and Oxford BioMedica announced today the extension of their collaboration following successful completion of the first phase. The extended collaboration, which is funded by the Muscular Dystrophy Association, aims to advance the development of Oxford BioMedica's preclinical gene therapy candidate, MoNuDin®, and to evaluate other gene-based strategies for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease).

28 Jan 2010

ACS Chemical Biology report supports zebrafish for drug development

By combining the tools of medicinal chemistry and zebrafish biology, a team of Vanderbilt investigators has identified compounds that may offer therapeutic leads for bone-related diseases and cancer.

22 Jan 2010

FDA accepts ACT Biotech's ACTB1003 IND

ACT Biotech Inc., a privately held biotechnology company developing a portfolio of oral kinase inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs, today announced the acceptance of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ACTB1003 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company has now assembled a complete preclinical package, including manufacturing and toxicology studies, allowing ACTB1003 to enter a clinical trial.

22 Jan 2010

Dosing in First-in-Man Phase I study of 4SC AG's 4SC-203 commenced

4SC AG, a drug discovery and development company, today announced the start of dosing in a First-in-Man Phase I study in healthy volunteers evaluating 4SC-203, a novel multi-target kinase inhibitor, with particular specificity against selected kinases, including FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), FLT3 mutants and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGF-R).

21 Jan 2010

Research provides new insights on VEGF receptor function

Researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen, Switzerland, have determined the crystal structure of the ligand binding domain of a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor in complex with one of its ligands (VEGF-C).

21 Jan 2010

Health Canada approves Novartis' Afinitor to treat patients with mRCC

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. (Novartis) announced today that Afinitor(R) (everolimus), a once-daily oral cancer treatment, has been approved by Health Canada for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), also known as advanced kidney cancer, after failure of initial treatment with VEGF-receptor targeted therapies Sutent(R) (sunitinib) or Nexavar(R) (sorafenib).

20 Jan 2010

Fc engineering enhances antibody half-life

A Nature Biotechnology article published online January 17 reveals that Xencor Inc.’s proprietary Fc engineering extends the half-life of antibodies while maintaining their potency and extending duration of action. These results, published in an article entitled, “Enhanced antibody half-life improves in vivo activity” demonstrate the potential of Fc engineering to impact the flexibility of route, schedule and dose for nearly any antibody.

20 Jan 2010

Blocking release of VEGFs may inhibit tumor growth

19 Jan 2010

Sangamo BioSciences initiates two new clinical trials of ZFP Therapeutics

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced the initiation of two new clinical trials of ZFP Therapeutics, a Phase 2b study in diabetic neuropathy (DN) and a Phase 1 trial in glioblastoma, as well as the renewal of $3.0 million in funding for the Phase 2b trial by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF).

11 Jan 2010

Enrollment for sham-controlled study of radiation therapy for treatment of wet AMD announced

Oraya Therapeutics, Inc., announced today that enrollment is now underway for the first ever masked and sham-controlled study to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of radiation therapy for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

6 Jan 2010

Researchers use hydrogels to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue

Regenerative medicine therapies often require the growth of functional, stable blood vessels at the site of an injury. Using synthetic polymers called hydrogels, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have been able to induce significant vasculature growth in areas of damaged tissue.

22 Dec 2009

Reference platform for diabetic retinopathy and other vascular complications

The volume addresses a variety of current scientific discussions about mechanisms of damage such as growth factors and the VEGF/PEDF balance in the diabetic eye, the ocular renin-angiotensin system, and leukocyte interactions with the microvasculature among others.

22 Dec 2009

Cellular and subcellular effects of PACE technology presented

SANUWAVE Health, Inc., (www.sanuwave.com), an emerging medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of non-invasive, biological response activating devices in the regenerative medicine area, announced that the cellular and subcellular effects of PACE™ technology were described during a lecture presented this past weekend.

15 Dec 2009

Molecular Partners closes its CHF 46 million Series B equity investment round

Molecular Partners AG, a pioneer in the development of DARPins as next generation protein therapeutics, has announced the closing of its Series B equity investment round securing CHF 46 million (€ 30 million, $ 45 million).

15 Dec 2009

Genentech announces Phase III study of Avastin in women treated with chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer

Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, today announced results from a Phase III study (RIBBON 2) of Avastin® (bevacizumab) in women who had previously been treated with initial (first-line) chemotherapy for advanced HER2-negative breast cancer and needed additional (second-line) treatment.

14 Dec 2009

Preclinical graft study supports Cytori’s proposed mechanism of action

Cytori Therapeutics reported results from a preclinical cell-enriched fat grafting study supporting the safety and efficacy of Cytori’s method for enriching fat grafts with adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs).

14 Dec 2009

Preliminary data from Phase 2 clinical trial of ZFP Therapeutic program presented

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today the presentation of preliminary data from the Phase 2 clinical trial of its ZFP Therapeutic(TM) program to develop SB-509 as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at a Work in Progress session at the 20th International Symposium on ALS/MND held in Berlin, Germany.

9 Dec 2009