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CHANTIX/CHAMPIX raises hope for quitting smoking

New study results showed that 42.3 percent of smokers with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who took CHANTIX/CHAMPIX® (varenicline) were able to quit smoking and remain abstinent during the last four weeks of treatment (weeks 9-12) compared with 8.8 percent of those given placebo (p<0.0001). These findings were presented by investigators at CHEST 2009, the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).

5 Nov 2009

InterMune seeks FDA marketing approval for pirfenidone

InterMune, Inc. today announced that it has submitted an electronic New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market pirfenidone for the treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Pirfenidone has been granted Orphan Drug and Fast Track designation by the FDA, and also has been granted Orphan Drug status in Europe.

5 Nov 2009

NIAID funds CCHI and IMVC programs to help identify new vaccines for emerging infectious diseases

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded approximately $208 million to two programs that support research to better understand the human immune response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, including those that may be introduced into a community through acts of bioterrorism.

5 Nov 2009

USPTO awards Peregrine Pharmaceuticals patent for anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine targeting antibodies

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent Number 7,611,704, which includes broad claims covering anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibodies including Peregrine's lead clinical compound, bavituximab. PS is a unique marker exposed on the surface of virally infected cells that can be targeted to treat a broad spectrum of virus infections.

5 Nov 2009

Micro-injector may help rapid development of new generation of drugs

It's no bigger than a stamp packet but it has the potential to allow rapid development of a new generation of drugs and genetic engineering organisms, and to better control in-vitro fertilization.

5 Nov 2009

Pfizer and Flamel Technologies sign license agreement

Flamel Technologies today announced that Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) has exercised its option to license Flamel’s Medusa® technology for the development of a controlled release formulation of an already-marketed therapeutic protein.

5 Nov 2009

Nano-size capsule that boosts the body's uptake of curcumin being developed

Scientists are reporting development of a nano-size capsule that boosts the body's uptake of curcumin, an ingredient in yellow curry now being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment of several diseases. Their study is in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.

5 Nov 2009

Department of Health urges healthcare professionals to be vaccinated against H1N1 flu

Saying healthcare workers are "on the front lines" of battling the H1N1 flu pandemic, the Department of Health today urged healthcare professionals across Pennsylvania to be vaccinated against the H1N1 flu.

4 Nov 2009

Also in Global Health News: Childhood vaccines; USAID administrator; Pakistan polio fight; UNICEF fundraising; measles in India

As a follow-up to the release of the State of the World's Vaccines and Immunization by the WHO, UNICEF and World Bank last month, The International examines the findings that "despite child vaccinations hitting a record-high with about 106 million infants being immunised this year, life-saving vaccines fail to reach some 24 million children in 72 of the world's poorest countries," many of whom, "are estimated to be most at risk from vaccine-preventable diseases," the publication writes.

4 Nov 2009

News outlets examine international efforts to contain H1N1

A WHO official on Tuesday backed the Afghan government's decision to declare H1N1 (swine flu) a health emergency, forcing the closure of all schools in the country for three weeks in an effort to contain the virus, IRIN reports.

4 Nov 2009

Statins may have negative effects on some cardiac patients, says study

Although statins are widely used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular disorders, new research shows that the class of drugs may actually have negative effects on some cardiac patients. A new study presented at CHEST 2009, the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), found that statins have beneficial effects on patients with systolic heart failure (SHF), but those with diastolic heart failure (DHF) experienced the opposite effect, including increased dyspnea, fatigue, and decreased exercise tolerance.

4 Nov 2009

AMFm subsidized malaria drugs to be delivered soon

Subsidized artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) under the Affordable Medicines Facility - malaria (AMFm) program will be available in select countries "in two week's time," SABC News reports. The announcement came Monday at the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

4 Nov 2009

GenVec receives FDA orphan drug designation for TNFerade

GenVec, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to TNFerade(TM) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

4 Nov 2009

Gastric cancer drug market to double to nearly $1.5 billion in 2018

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the gastric cancer drug market -- driven by the launch of several targeted agents over the next few years -- will more than double from approximately $700 million in 2008 to nearly $1.5 billion in 2018 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan.

4 Nov 2009

PAH patients face life-threatening risks from medication errors

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients using infused drugs have suffered serious injury or in some cases died from medication errors in hospitals and other inpatient settings, according to a peer-reviewed study by Accredo Health Group and several university hospitals that surveyed doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

4 Nov 2009

GSK's malaria vaccine trial containing Antigenics’ Stimulon adjuvant enrolls more than 5,000 children

Antigenics, Inc. today indicated that GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) Phase III malaria vaccine clinical trial, containing Antigenics’ QS-21 Stimulon® adjuvant, has enrolled more than 5,000 children to date and is expected to involve up to 16,000 children. The pivotal efficacy study of RTS,S, the world’s most clinically advanced malaria vaccine, is ongoing in seven African countries.

4 Nov 2009

Shionogi files New Drug Application in Japan

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its partner, Shionogi & Co., Ltd. has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) in Japan to seek regulatory approval for intravenous (i.v.) peramivir to treat patients with influenza. As a consequence of this filing, BioCryst will receive a regulatory milestone payment of $7 million under its agreement with Shionogi.

4 Nov 2009

USPTO issues Notice of Allowance for Transcept Pharmaceuticals' Intermezzo

Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for claims under U.S. patent application no. 11/833,323, which covers the use of Intermezzo® (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablet), the lead Transcept product candidate. Once issued, this patent will expire in February 2025.

4 Nov 2009

ResearchPoint celebrates 10th anniversary

ResearchPoint is celebrating 10 years of industry-leading service to the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries.

4 Nov 2009

TNF-alpha inhibitors ranked top for reducing biologics spend

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, forecasts that biosimilars of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors stand to erode $9.6 billion in brand sales (Amgen's Enbrel, Abbott's Humira and Centocor Ortho Biotech/Schering-Plough's Remicade) in the U.S. and Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and U.K.) by 2018. This use of TNF-alpha biosimilars will save healthcare systems in the U.S. and Europe $4 billion.

4 Nov 2009