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Long-term exposure to valproate leads to bone loss: Study

Scientists are reporting a possible explanation for the bone loss that may occur following long-term use of a medicine widely used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and other conditions. The drug, valproate, appears to reduce the formation of two key proteins important for bone strength, they said. Their study, which offers a solution to a long-standing mystery, appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research.

5 Aug 2010

EEG patterns can predict schizophrenia patients' response to clozapine therapy

A commonplace electroencephalography (EEG) test may hold the key to predicting whether a person will respond to certain prescribed drugs, particularly those related to psychiatric conditions.In a study to be published by Clinical Neurophysiology, and now posted online, engineering and health sciences researchers at McMaster University applied machine learning to EEG patterns and successfully predicted how patients with schizophrenia would respond to clozapine therapy.

5 Aug 2010

Scientist invents new approach to boost body's response to vaccinations

As the medical community searches for better vaccines and ways to deliver them, a University of Rochester scientist believes he has discovered a new approach to boosting the body's response to vaccinations.Richard P. Phipps, Ph.D., found that the same molecules used in drugs that treat diabetes also stimulate B cells in the immune system, pushing them to make antibodies for protection against invading microorganisms.

5 Aug 2010

FDA designates XOMA 052 orphan drug for Behcet's disease

XOMA Ltd., a leader in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated XOMA 052, an antibody to interleukin-1 beta, an orphan drug for the treatment of Behcet's disease. As previously announced, the Committee for Orphan Medical Products of the European Medicines Agency has recommended the granting of orphan medicinal product designation for XOMA 052 for the same indication in the European Union.

5 Aug 2010

Discovery Laboratories reports net loss of $6.3 million for second-quarter 2010

Discovery Laboratories, Inc., a biotechnology company developing its novel, synthetic, peptide-containing surfactant and related aerosolization technologies as first in class therapies for severe respiratory diseases, today provides an update on key pipeline and business initiatives and reports financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

4 Aug 2010

Par Pharmaceutical second-quarter total net revenues decrease 37% to $255.5 million

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

4 Aug 2010

USN-DAAT to collect unused, expired prescription and OTC drugs from public

Following the overwhelming success of Southern Nevada's first Operation Medicine Cabinet event in February, University of Southern Nevada's Drug Abuse Awareness team and a coalition of local organizations have come together for a second event to collect unused and expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs from the public.

4 Aug 2010

Pew Prescription Project announces support for new safety legislation

The Pew Prescription Project, joined by major consumer, physician and chemical manufacturer groups, today announced support for a new bill that would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration much-needed authorities to better protect pharmaceutical supply chains. The organizations made the announcement in a joint letter to Congress and during an audio news conference with Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), who will introduce this drug safety legislation.

4 Aug 2010

Patients taking memantine show improvement in cognitive function, Merz analyses shows

In September 2009, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care concluded that no benefit has been proven for memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. An assessment now presented of 2 previously unpublished studies and new analyses by the manufacturer Merz do not change this conclusion. However, IQWiG describes the deficits of the newly provided analyses and specifically illustrates how the analyses would have to be presented in order to be considered in a benefit assessment.

4 Aug 2010

IPS looks at anticipated impact of free-trade talks on India's generic drug industry

With reports that ongoing negotiations between India and the European Union are expected to end in a free-trade agreement "by the end of August," Inter Press Service examines the concerns among drug manufacturers and exporters over how the agreement might reduce growth in India's generic medicines industry.

4 Aug 2010

PCV-7 vaccine introduction leads to changing patterns of hemolytic uremic syndrome

Introduction of the PCV-7 vaccine to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) has led to a shift in the types of bacteria causing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—an important cause of acute kidney failure in children, reports a study in the August issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

4 Aug 2010

Carfilzomib could become new option for patients with relapsed myeloma, IMF says

The International Myeloma Foundation, the oldest and largest foundation dedicated to improving the life and care of myeloma patients, today said promising data suggest a new drug called carfilzomib could become an important new option for patients whose myeloma stops responding to other therapies.

4 Aug 2010

Victory Pharma acquires assets of MiddleBrook Pharmaceuticals

Victory Pharma, Inc. today announced that it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of MiddleBrook Pharmaceuticals, Inc..

4 Aug 2010

BARDA awards contract to develop Pfenex Expression Technology

Pfenex Inc. today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) has awarded Pfenex a contract providing for up to a total of $18.8 million in funding, provided that certain milestones are achieved and that all contract options and extensions are exercised by the government. The contract will support the development of a robust Pfenex Expression Technology based production strain and process for the production of bulk recombinant protective antigen (rPA) from anthrax.

4 Aug 2010

DTB launches Don't Drop Mixtard 30 campaign to change Novo Nordisk's drug removal decision

Drug company Novo Nordisk's decision to pull its Mixtard 30 insulin drug from the UK could add 9 million to the NHS drugs bill in England alone, says an editorial in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB). The decision could also leave thousands of patients dependent on others to help them take their insulin, says DTB, which today launches its "Don't Drop Mixtard 30" campaign to convince the company to change its mind.

4 Aug 2010

ZymoGenetics second-quarter net loss declines to $3.8 million

ZymoGenetics, Inc. today reported substantially improved financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. For the second quarter of 2010, the company's net loss declined to $3.8 million, or $0.04 per share, a $23.2 million improvement from the $27.0 million loss, or $0.39 per share, reported for the second quarter of 2009. The improvement resulted from higher revenues as well as reduced operating expenses.

4 Aug 2010

Dendreon second-quarter revenue increases to $2.8 million

Dendreon Corporation today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. Revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 was $2.8 million compared to $25,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2009. Revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2010 was $2.8 million compared to $55,000 for the six months ended June 30, 2009.

4 Aug 2010

Arena reports lower net loss of $28.80M for second-quarter 2010

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010, and recent developments, including the successful Pre-Approval Inspection, or PAI, of the company's Swiss drug product manufacturing facility by the US Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.

4 Aug 2010

Warnings on stop smoking drug Champix

The smoking cessation drug Champix (sold in the US as Chantix) has allegedly made fifteen people commit suicide since January 2008 in Australia. Another 191 patients have reported suicidal thoughts and related effects. The latest available figures from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) suggest a doubling in the numbers of suicides linked to Champix (Varenicline) since July last year with six people committing suicide.

3 Aug 2010

POZEN reports $16.2M net income for second-quarter 2010

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, today announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

3 Aug 2010