Pharmaceutical News

RSS

Microencapsulated brain cancer drug may simplify treatment and provide tightly controlled therapy

Consistently uniform, easily manufactured microcapsules containing a brain cancer drug may simplify treatment and provide more tightly controlled therapy, according to Penn State researchers.

4 Sep 2013

Researchers identify mechanisms necessary to live without insulin

Several millions of people around the world suffer from insulin deficiencies. Insulin is a hormone, secreted by the beta cells in the pancreas, which plays a major role in the regulation of energy substrates such as glucose.

4 Sep 2013

Taiwan's HBV immunization program for newborns lowers chronic HBV carriers, incidence of HCC

"Hepatitis B virus infection causes infant fulminant hepatitis, and chronic HBV infection may progress to chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Taiwan launched a nationwide HBV immunization program for newborns in July 1984, which has successfully lowered the prevalence of chronic HBV carriers, incidence of HCC, and mortality of IFH in vaccinated birth cohorts. The mortality of CLD before and after HBV immunization has never been examined," write Chun-Ju Chiang, Ph.D., of National Taiwan University, Taipei, and colleagues.

4 Sep 2013

New vaccine to protect against four strains of flu virus

For the first time, there will be a vaccine which protects against four strains of the flu virus. Until now, flu vaccines have only protected against three forms of the virus.

4 Sep 2013

AQUARIUS trial data shows Aliskiren reduced incidents of death, stroke, heart attack

Patients with clogged and hardened arteries who already have their blood pressure under control may benefit from an additional blood pressure-lowering medication, according to research from the Cleveland Clinic Coordinating Center for Clinical Research (C5Research).

4 Sep 2013

Avanir Pharmaceuticals enters into patent settlement agreement with Actavis

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Actavis South Atlantic LLC and Actavis, Inc. (collectively, "Actavis") to resolve pending patent litigation in response to Actavis' abbreviated new drug application seeking approval to market generic versions of Avanir's NUEDEXTA (dextromethorphan hydrobromide/quinidine sulfate) capsules.

4 Sep 2013

Renin inhibitor aliskiren not effective in slowing progression of coronary atherosclerosis

Among patients with prehypertension and coronary artery disease, use of the renin (an enzyme secreted by the kidneys) inhibitor aliskiren, compared with placebo, did not result in improvement or slowing in the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, according to a study published by JAMA.

3 Sep 2013

NPS MedicineWise reiterates safety messages around newer oral anticoagulants

NPS MedicineWise is reiterating safety messages around the newer anticoagulants dabigatran (Pradaxa) and apixaban (Eliquis) following their PBS listing for preventing stroke on 1 September 2013 – and again for rivaxabaran (Xarelto) which was PBS listed in August for the same purpose.

2 Sep 2013

Roche's Herceptin formulation wins EU approval for treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that the European Commission has granted Roche European Union marketing authorization for the use of a time-saving subcutaneous formulation of Herceptin (trastuzumab) for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer.

2 Sep 2013

Common blood pressure drug reduces fatal cardiac problem in patients with Marfan syndrome

A common drug that is used to treat high blood pressure in the general population has been found to significantly reduce a dangerous and frequently fatal cardiac problem in patients with Marfan syndrome.

2 Sep 2013

Use of anticoagulant does not reduce ischemic events among patients undergoing PCI

Use of the novel anticoagulant otamixaban did not reduce ischemic events compared with unfractionated heparin plus eptifibatide but increased bleeding among patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes undergoing a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries), according to a study published by JAMA.

2 Sep 2013

Drug for children with sickle cell anemia reduces hospitalizations and treatment costs

A drug proven effective for treatment of adults and children with sickle cell anemia reduced hospitalizations and cut annual estimated medical costs by 21 percent for affected infants and toddlers, according to an analysis led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The report appears today in the advance online edition of the journal Pediatrics.

2 Sep 2013

Pre-treatment with prasugrel increases risk of bleeding without reducing risk of ischemic events

In patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE- ACS), pre-treatment with the P2Y12 antagonist prasugrel prior to catheterization, significantly increases the risk of life-threatening bleeding without reducing the risk of major ischemic events, according to the results of the ACCOAST (A Comparison of Prasugrel at PCI or Time of Diagnosis of Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) trial.

2 Sep 2013

Reimbursement systems appear to impact on achievement of cholesterol lowering targets

Dr Gitt said: "There are wide variations between European countries in the achievement of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) targets. However the effect of different reimbursement systems on meeting the targets was unknown."

2 Sep 2013

Study finds that high potency statins can beat dementia

Dr Lin said: "Statins are widely used in the older population to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But recent reports of statin-associated cognitive impairment have led the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to list statin-induced cognitive changes, especially for the older population, in its safety communications."

2 Sep 2013

Meta-analysis indicates protective effect of statins in preventing cataracts

Cataracts are the leading cause of visual impairment worldwide affecting more than 20 million people. Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications. In the USA they are prescribed to 1 in 3 people over 45 years of age at a cost of $35 billion annually.

2 Sep 2013

Nanostructures made of DNA strands can encapsulate, release small-molecule drugs

Nanoscale "cages" made from strands of DNA can encapsulate small-molecule drugs and release them in response to a specific stimulus, McGill University researchers report in a new study.

2 Sep 2013

Researchers identify potential drug target to recover from jet lag, disruptions in circadian system

University of Notre Dame researchers, as part of a collaborative effort, have identified a protein that potentially could be a target for drugs that would help people recover faster from jet lag and better adjust their circadian rhythms during rotational shift work.

31 Aug 2013

New delivery system for combination of 2 FDA approved drugs to fight HIV

A University of Minnesota research team featuring researchers from the Institute for Molecular Virology, School of Dentistry and Center for Drug Design has developed a new delivery system for a combination of two FDA approved drugs that may serve as an effective treatment for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

31 Aug 2013

Study describes lack of positive effects in drugs, long-term data and robust direct comparisons in RA

The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined 9 biotechnologically produced drugs for the treatment of adults with rheumatoid arthritis in whom prior pharmacological treatment had failed.

31 Aug 2013

Pharmaceutical News

Microencapsulated brain cancer drug may simplify treatment and provide tightly controlled therapy

Researchers identify mechanisms necessary to live without insulin

Taiwan's HBV immunization program for newborns lowers chronic HBV carriers, incidence of HCC

New vaccine to protect against four strains of flu virus

AQUARIUS trial data shows Aliskiren reduced incidents of death, stroke, heart attack

Avanir Pharmaceuticals enters into patent settlement agreement with Actavis

Renin inhibitor aliskiren not effective in slowing progression of coronary atherosclerosis

NPS MedicineWise reiterates safety messages around newer oral anticoagulants

Roche's Herceptin formulation wins EU approval for treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer

Common blood pressure drug reduces fatal cardiac problem in patients with Marfan syndrome

Use of anticoagulant does not reduce ischemic events among patients undergoing PCI

Drug for children with sickle cell anemia reduces hospitalizations and treatment costs

Pre-treatment with prasugrel increases risk of bleeding without reducing risk of ischemic events

Reimbursement systems appear to impact on achievement of cholesterol lowering targets

Study finds that high potency statins can beat dementia

Meta-analysis indicates protective effect of statins in preventing cataracts

Nanostructures made of DNA strands can encapsulate, release small-molecule drugs

Researchers identify potential drug target to recover from jet lag, disruptions in circadian system

New delivery system for combination of 2 FDA approved drugs to fight HIV

Study describes lack of positive effects in drugs, long-term data and robust direct comparisons in RA

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

Latest News