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Genzyme announces Japanese approval of Synvisc viscosupplement for OA knee pain relief

Genzyme Corporation announced today that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has approved Synvisc® (hylan G-F 20; 3 x 2 mL), indicated for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. Reimbursement has been obtained and publicized by Japan's Central Social Insurance Medical Council.

20 Sep 2010

Harbor BioSciences granted US patent for Triolex metabolic disease and anti-inflammation drug candidate

Harbor BioSciences, Inc. today announced that the company has received patent No. 7,776,845 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office which covers its lead metabolic disease and anti-inflammation drug candidate Triolex (HE3286). The patent claims cover compounds including Triolex and formulations that contain the drug or the other claimed compounds.

20 Sep 2010

Lisofylline drug effective for Type 2 diabetes

Australian scientists, in association with US pharmaceutical company DiaKine Therapeutics, have shown that a drug candidate, Lisofylline, could be useful in treating Type 2 diabetes.

20 Sep 2010

Cellectis bioresearch, Helix Biocon collaborate to promote cGPS service in India

Cellectis bioresearch, the specialist in genome customization and subsidiary of Cellectis and Helix BioService & Consultants Pvt Ltd (Helix Biocon), today announced that they will join forces for the promotion of Cellectis bioresearch's meganuclease-based products and services in India.

20 Sep 2010

Oxygen Biotherapeutics announces CRADA Agreement amendment

Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. today announced it has amended an existing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC) to include preclinical trials using swine models to assess the safety and efficacy of Oxygen Biotherapeutics' proprietary Oxycyte perfluorocarbon emulsion (PFCE) for spinal cord injury (SCI) due to decompression sickness (DCS), and for hemorrhagic shock.

20 Sep 2010

URB937 drug boosts natural painkiller level: Study

A new study has shown how a novel compound boosts levels of a natural painkiller at the site of an injury. The ground-breaking study published today in Nature Neuroscience shows how the potential drug URB937 acts in peripheral tissue and may have the potential to relieve pain without the side effects associated with many current painkillers that act centrally on the nervous system.

20 Sep 2010

Researchers discover HIV-1 resists AZT drug

Rutgers researchers have discovered how HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, resists AZT, a drug widely used to treat AIDS. The scientists, who report their findings in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, believe their discovery helps researchers understand how important anti-AIDS treatments can fail and could help AIDS researchers develop more effective treatment for the disease.

20 Sep 2010

Tiotropium bromide shows potential as an alternative asthma treatment

A drug commonly used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) successfully treats adults whose asthma is not well-controlled on low doses of inhaled corticosteroids, reported researchers supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

20 Sep 2010

Immunotherapy accepted for coverage in MEDLINE®

Future Medicine Ltd announced today that its journal Immunotherapy (ISSN 1750-743X) has been selected for coverage in MEDLINE®. Maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE® (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) is a premier bibliographic database containing approximately 13 million references to journal articles in life sciences.

19 Sep 2010

Johnson & Johnson in talks to buy Crucell

Johnson & Johnson is in advanced negotiations to buy Dutch biotechnology company Crucell NV for €1.75 billion ($2.29 billion), the two companies said today. Giles Somers, senior healthcare analyst at Datamonitor comments:

19 Sep 2010

Study examines effects of AEDs on nicotine metabolite levels in smokers

UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School researchers have determined that carbamazepine and oxycarbamazepine, medications commonly used to treat neurologic and psychiatric conditions, increase nicotine metabolism in smokers. As nicotine metabolism increases, cravings for nicotine return more quickly which could lead to more frequent cigarette consumption among individuals who also take these medications.

18 Sep 2010

CytoGenix initiates novel liner DNA technology testing on ferrets for vaccine development

CytoGenix, Inc. today announced that it has initiated the process of testing CytoGenix's novel liner DNA technology on ferrets, with the expectations of a positive result, furthering the development of the vaccine candidate.

18 Sep 2010

Pazopanib drug reduces thyroid cancer progression: Study

The drug pazopanib may help revolutionize the care of patients with metastatic, rapidly progressive differentiated thyroid cancers, say researchers at Mayo Clinic who are publishing findings of a phase II clinical trial in The Lancet Oncology.

18 Sep 2010

Walgreens pharmacists in California offer immunizations that protect against pertussis

With the state of California on pace for the worst epidemic of pertussis, or whooping cough, in nearly five decades, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the California Department of Public Health continue to strongly encourage vaccination to help increase immunity and stop the spread of the disease for all Californians.

18 Sep 2010

HRA Pharma, Watson enter licensing agreement for ulipristal acetate emergency contraceptive commercialization

HRA Pharma, a privately-held, European pharmaceutical company that develops healthcare solutions in reproductive health and endocrinology and makes them available worldwide, and Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a licensing agreement for the commercialization of HRA Pharma's next generation emergency contraceptive ulipristal acetate in Canada.

18 Sep 2010

Researchers suggest potentially valuable role for minocycline plus N-acetylcysteine to treat TBI

Traumatic brain injury is a serious public health problem in the United States. Recent data show that approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually. While the majority of TBIs are concussions or other mild forms, traumatic brain injuries contribute to a substantial number of deaths and cases of permanent disability.

18 Sep 2010

CMB initiates first human trial for plant-produced H1N1 influenza vaccine

Fraunhofer USA Center for Molecular Biotechnology (CMB) announced today it has initiated the first human trial of plant-produced H1N1 influenza vaccine at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Clinical Trials Center (WRAIR-CTC).

18 Sep 2010

Ligand Pharmaceuticals transfers license rights to Proximagen for CXCR4 target

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that it has transferred exclusive license rights to Proximagen Limited for a series of compound hits related to the CXCR4 target with application for a number of indications including those related to the central nervous system. Ligand will receive an upfront payment and continue to be entitled to receive potential future milestone and royalty payments.

18 Sep 2010

Emergent BioSolutions signs contract with HHS to develop rPA anthrax vaccine

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced today that it has signed a contract, valued at up to $186.6 million, with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority of the Department of Health and Human Services, for the development of a recombinant protective antigen anthrax vaccine.

18 Sep 2010

Emisphere’s SNAC drug successful in reducing food intake; increasing satiety

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced that a clinical study found that the company's proprietary oral SNAC (Sodium N-[8-(2-hydroxybenzoyl) Amino] Caprylate ("SNAC") additive, in combination with two digestive hormones, was successful in reducing food intake and increasing satiety in healthy male subjects.

18 Sep 2010