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Research reveals demand for over-the-counter oral contraceptives in the US

American women who live along the U.S.-Mexico border frequently buy over-the-counter oral contraceptives from Mexican pharmacies because they don't need a prescription and can send a friend to pick up the pills, according to a study by researchers from two University of Texas campuses and Ibis Reproductive Health.

15 Apr 2010

New data from Pfizer Oncology's pipeline to be presented at AACR 2010

Pfizer Oncology announced today that it will present new data from the company's pipeline, including two novel, dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitors (PF-04691502 and PKI-587, also known as PF-05212384); crizotinib (PF-02341066), an ALK inhibitor that also inhibits c-MET; and PF-04605412, an anti-α5β1 inhibitor.

15 Apr 2010

GBS cases reduce following 2009 H1N1 vaccination: Research study

A new study finds that reports of a neurologic disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome have been low after 2009 H1N1 vaccination, according to a research study that will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 - 17, 2010.

15 Apr 2010

Potential new drug for treatment of MS to be presented at AAN Annual Meeting

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine will present several studies at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, including a potential new drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and surprising trends showing a reduction in the disease's severity. The meeting will take place April 10-17 in Toronto.

15 Apr 2010

John Muir Physician Network to participate in Generex Oral-lyn FDA Expanded Access Treatment IND program

Generex Biotechnology Corporation, the leader in drug delivery for metabolic diseases through the inner lining of the mouth, today announced that John Muir Physician Network Clinical Research Center has agreed to participate in the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Expanded Access Treatment Investigational New Drug (IND) Program for the Company's flagship product, Generex Oral-lyn™, a proprietary buccal insulin spray product.

15 Apr 2010

Infliximab-azathioprine combination helps more Crohn's disease patients achieve remission

A study led by Mayo Clinic suggests remission from Crohn's disease may be more likely if patients get biologic therapy combined with immune-suppressing drugs first instead of immune-suppressing drugs alone. The study, published in the April 15, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, found treatment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease with infliximab plus azathioprine allows more patients to achieve remission and mucosal healing than therapy with azathioprine alone.

15 Apr 2010

FDA: Seven MDIs for treating asthma and COPD to be phased out

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced, in accordance with longstanding U.S. obligations under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, seven metered-dose inhalers (MDI) used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will be gradually removed from the U.S. marketplace. These inhalers contain ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are propellants that move medication out of the inhaler and into the lungs of patients.

15 Apr 2010

Combivent Inhalation Aerosol's "essential use" status effective through 2013

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BIPI) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that the "essential use" status of Combivent® (ipratropium bromide and albuterol sulfate) Inhalation Aerosol will be effective through December 31, 2013. With this ruling, COMBIVENT will remain on the market and available to the more than two million chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who rely on it as a bronchodilator.

15 Apr 2010

ICGC: New era of personalised medicine for cancer patients

Published online today in Nature, a paper authored by over 200 members of the International Cancer Genome Consortium describes the beginnings of a Brave New World, a new era of personalised medicine for cancer patients.

15 Apr 2010

POZEN enters Settlement Agreement with Teva over generic Treximet ANDA patent infringement litigation

POZEN Inc., today announced that it has entered into a Settlement Agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. (Teva) to resolve a U.S. patent infringement suit related to Teva's filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market a generic version of Treximet® (sumatriptan/naproxen sodium) marketed by POZEN's exclusive U.S. licensee, GlaxoSmithKline.

15 Apr 2010

FDA approves Sagent Pharmaceuticals' two ANDAs to market granisetron

Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Company's two abbreviated New Drug Applications to market granisetron hydrochloride injection, USP (granisetron), an antiemetic used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.

15 Apr 2010

Epilepsy patients who take Ginkgo products face increased risk of seizures: Report

Restrictions should be placed on the use of Ginkgo biloba - a top-selling herbal remedy - because of growing scientific evidence that Ginkgo may increase the risk of seizures in people with epilepsy and could reduce the effectiveness of anti-seizure drugs, a new report concludes. The article appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Natural Products.

15 Apr 2010

FDA approves J&JPRD's PANCREAZE NDA

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development (J&JPRD) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug application (NDA) for PANCREAZE™ (pancrelipase) delayed-release capsules for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is the inability to properly digest and absorb food due to a lack of enzymes made by the pancreas that are important in the digestion of fats, proteins, and sugars.

15 Apr 2010

Aspirin can reduce acute migraine attacks

A single dose of 900-1000 mg aspirin can substantially reduce migraine headache pain within two hours, for more than half of people who take it. It also reduces any associated nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound (photophobia or phonophobia).

15 Apr 2010

Drug company payments to doctors: Continuing controversy

The New York Times has two stories on pharmaceutical industry payments to physicians and experts.

15 Apr 2010

Risks and benefits of anti-aging hormones

In an editorial appearing in the Future Medicine journal Aging Health, Dr. Perls applauds the courage and example displayed by the AMA in its recently published assessment of the risks and benefits of growth hormone, testosterone, estrogen and DHEA for anti-aging.

15 Apr 2010

Alkermes submits VIVITROL sNDA for opioid dependence

Alkermes, Inc. today announced that it has submitted a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for VIVITROL® (naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval as a treatment for opioid dependence. The company requested a priority review for its sNDA and if granted by the FDA, it would mean a six month review timeline.

13 Apr 2010

Provista, ARMSRx form partnership to provide pharmacy benefit services

Provista, LLC announced today that it has partnered with Administered Risk Management Services Rx, LLC (ARMSRx), a pharmacy benefit consulting firm that specializes in delivering superior results and ongoing support to the administration and management of prescription drug benefit programs and afford Provista members with the highest-quality pharmaceutical care at the lowest possible cost.

13 Apr 2010

Mersana Therapeutics, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries sign research and license agreement

Mersana Therapeutics, a platform-based cancer therapeutics company, today announced that it has entered into a research and exclusive license agreement with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. to develop and commercialize XMT-1107, a novel fumagillin analog, for the treatment of all indications, including cancer.

13 Apr 2010

Researchers discover two synthetic small molecule drugs to prevent death of human stem cell

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have solved the decade-old mystery of why human embryonic stem cells are so difficult to culture in the laboratory, providing scientists with useful new techniques and moving the field closer to the day when stem cells can be used for therapeutic purposes.

13 Apr 2010