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Experimental vaccine shows promise in preventing cytomegalovirus infection

Each year, approximately 8,000 infants in the United States develop severe hearing, mental or movement impairments after becoming infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus passed onto them while still in the womb.

19 Mar 2009

Happy pills in America -- Our complex love affair with designer consciousness

The spectacular increase in the use of psychiatric drugs over the past 50 years involved what a University at Buffalo historian calls "a massive break with what we consider 'normal' mental health," one linked to myriad social and cultural changes in America.

19 Mar 2009

FDA accepts IND for Arno Therapeutics' Pan-DAC / Akt inhibitor, AR-42

Arno Therapeutics, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") accepted the Company's Investigational New Drug ("IND") application for the use of AR-42.

17 Mar 2009

Engineering flu vaccines

A new computerized method of testing could help world health officials better identify flu vaccines that are effective against multiple strains of the disease.

17 Mar 2009

Sirion Therapeutics sNDA for Durezol to treat uveitis accepted for FDA review

Sirion Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking market approval of Durezol(TM) (difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion) 0.05% to treat endogenous anterior uveitis has been accepted for review.

16 Mar 2009

Shire withdraws European application for Daytrana (Methylphenidate Transdermal System)

Shire plc has announced that it has decided to withdraw the European Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Daytrana (methylphenidate transdermal system) for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

16 Mar 2009

New botulinum toxin type A (Reloxin) appears to be well tolerated and may help reduce forehead wrinkles

Injections with a new type of botulinum toxin appears to be well tolerated and may help to improve the appearance of moderate to severe forehead lines with no evidence of diminishing treatment response over 13 months, according to a report in the March/April issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery.

16 Mar 2009

New aspirin recommendation can help prevent heart attacks and strokes among many adults

A new recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) underscores the value of regular aspirin use in preventing heart attacks and strokes among many adults, the head of Partnership for Prevention said today.

16 Mar 2009

MannKind Corporation submits NDA for Afresa for treatment of diabetes

MannKind Corporation has announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting approval of Afresa (insulin monomer human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder and the Afresa Inhaler for the treatment of adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus for the control of hyperglycemia.

16 Mar 2009

ATCC develops and isolates novel avian flu monoclonal antibodies

ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) researchers have developed a panel of novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against avian influenza viruses. These antibodies could lead to a rapid diagnostic test for the infection, ATCC announced today. The organization has filed a patent covering the development of these novel antibodies.

16 Mar 2009

ADMEcell enters into manufacturing and distribution agreement with Advancell

ADMEcell, announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Advancell, Barcelona, Spain, to manufacture and distribute the CacoReady System for the North American market.

15 Mar 2009

FDA approves first DNA test for two types of HPV

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first DNA test that identifies the two types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause the majority of cervical cancers among women in the United States.

15 Mar 2009

Vertex Pharmaceuticals completes acquisition of ViroChem Pharma

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX), completed its acquisition today of ViroChem Pharma Inc., a privately-held company with two investigational HCV polymerase inhibitors in clinical development.

12 Mar 2009

New drug derived from magnolia trees proves safe, tolerable in preventing blood clots

A new drug derived from magnolia trees appears to be able to uncouple two important functions of thrombin in blood clot formation and may offer a way to better control the potentially dangerous complications of bleeding and clot formation during procedures to open blocked coronary arteries, say researchers at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI).

12 Mar 2009

Discovery may lead to immunosuppressant drugs that have fewer adverse side effects

Immunosuppressive treatment is necessary to prevent rejection of an organ after transplant and has great potential for treating chronic inflammatory diseases.

12 Mar 2009

Oncolytics Biotech (TSX:ONC, NASDAQ:ONCY) starts U.S. enrolment in trial for non-small cell lung cancer patients

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. has announced that it has started patient enrolment in a Phase 2 clinical trial using intravenous administration of Reolysin in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with K-RAS or EGFR-activated tumours.

12 Mar 2009

DSM obtains exclusive world-wide license for innovative drug delivery technology

Royal DSM N.V. has announced that DSM Biomedical obtained an exclusive world-wide license for a unique drug & biologic delivery system developed by MediVas LLC, a San Diego based biomedical company.

12 Mar 2009

Roche (SWX: ROG.VX; RO.S) and Genentech (NYSE:DNA) agree to combine

Roche and Genentech announced today that they signed a merger agreement under which Roche will acquire the outstanding publicly held interest in Genentech for US$95.00 per share in cash, or a total payment of approximately US$46.8 billion to equity holders of Genentech other than Roche.

12 Mar 2009

Novel anti-inflammatory therapy protects lungs from runaway inflammation

A novel anti-inflammatory therapy designed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators prevents acute lung injury in mice exposed to an inflammation-causing toxin, the researchers report in the journal Molecular Therapy.

11 Mar 2009

Tissue-cultured smallpox vaccine shows promise

Administration of a tissue-cultured smallpox vaccine showed signs of an effective vaccine response with no serious adverse events, according to a study in the March 11 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

11 Mar 2009