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Alpha-2 agonists decrease postoperative consumption of opioid drugs

A study from researchers at Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland, provides evidence that use of alpha-2 agonists alongside opioids in surgical patients decreased opioid use by 25-30 percent. Even though opioid use was less, these patients reported slightly less pain after surgery.

25 May 2012

Auxilium, FCB I file suit against Watson over generic Testim

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market Testosterone Gel, 1%. Watson's 1% testosterone gel product is a generic version of Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Testim 1%.

25 May 2012

IUDs and implants effectively reduce risk of unintended pregnancy

A study to evaluate birth control methods has found dramatic differences in their effectiveness. Women who used birth control pills, the patch or vaginal ring were 20 times more likely to have an unintended pregnancy than those who used longer-acting forms such as an intrauterine device (IUD) or implant.

24 May 2012

USP announces two new standards related to elemental impurities

As part of its ongoing efforts to help ensure the quality of medicines, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has announced two new standards related to elemental impurities: General Chapters <232> Elemental Impurities-Limits and <233> Elemental Impurities-Procedures. The new standards provide procedures for the detection of selected impurities in drug products based on modern analytical methods, as well as acceptable limits for their presence based on toxicity data and exposure levels.

24 May 2012

Experts, advocates urge continued funding for research into HIV, TB vaccines

"[P]articipants at a symposium held last week by the U.K. Consortium on AIDS and International Development warned that progress on HIV and tuberculosis (TB) vaccines could be jeopardized by the recent downturn in global health funding," BMJ reports.

24 May 2012

Omega-3 fatty acids may provide more benefits for elderly people with Alzheimer's

According to a recent study published online in Neurology, Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in Omega XL fish oil extract containing DHA and EPA from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, may provide more benefits for elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's.

24 May 2012

Is access problem preventing generic drug makers' progress?

Some drugmakers assert they are unable to create cheaper generic versions of drugs because their rivals are exploiting a legal loophole. It all comes down to process: To get a generic drug approved for sale, a company has to test a sample of the brand-name version and show regulators that the generic version is essentially identical and as effective.

24 May 2012

APP expands portfolio of injectable critical care products

APP Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a Fresenius Kabi Company, today announced it has acquired three products from Nexus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

24 May 2012

Chronic diseases, bloodstream infections on the rise among HIV+ ICU patients

The expanded use of antiretrovirals, potent drugs used to treat retroviral infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has been linked to significant decreases in hospital mortality rates among severely ill HIV-positive (HIV+) patients nationwide, primarily due to a decrease in opportunistic infections, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University.

24 May 2012

New DHA and ARA source suitable for supplementation of infant formulas

Scientists are reporting development of a healthy "designer fat" that, when added to infant formula, provides a key nutrient that premature babies need in high quantities, but isn't available in large enough amounts in their mothers' milk.

24 May 2012

Study shows prevalence of drug-resistant HIV strains in Uganda rising, among highest in sub-Saharan Africa

"The prevalence of drug-resistant HIV strains in Uganda has risen from 8.6 percent to 12 percent in the last five years, one of the highest rates in sub-Saharan Africa, according to a recent study," PlusNews reports.

24 May 2012

Health Canada accepts Seattle Genetics’ ADCETRIS NDS for review

Seattle Genetics, Inc. announced today that the validation period is complete and Health Canada has accepted for review its New Drug Submission (NDS) for the use of ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) in relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

24 May 2012

Acne pills can cause eye infections

Millions of teenagers suffer from acne, and they deal with the embarrassing skin blemishes by taking popular prescription medications such as Accutane or Roaccutane. Now, however, research from Tel Aviv University shows that these pills can also cause eye infections such as conjunctivitis (pink eye) or sties.

24 May 2012

U.N. SG Ban praises commission on life-saving commodities, says more effort needed to improve maternal, child mortality rates

At the opening of the U.N. Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children on Tuesday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the commission but "said that much remains to be done to save the lives of the 800 women and more than 20,000 children who die every day from preventable causes," the U.N. News Centre reports.

24 May 2012

Bayer submits regorafenib NDA with FDA for treatment of mCRC

Bayer HealthCare announced today that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval for the oral multi-kinase inhibitor regorafenib for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

24 May 2012

USPTO issues patent to QRxPharma’s MoxDuo for treatment of acute and chronic pain

QRxPharma Limited announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued the Company U.S. Patent No. 8,182,837, which does not expire until 2023.

24 May 2012

EMA accepts MAA filing of Takeda’s alogliptin for type 2 diabetes

Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that Takeda Global Research & Development Centre (Europe) Ltd. received confirmation on the acceptance of the submission of a Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, from the European Medicines Agency for alogliptin, a selective dipeptidyl peptidase IV, or DPP-4, inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

24 May 2012

Phase I/II clinical trial of novel dialysate completed by Zytoprotec

Zytoprotec, a company developing drugs based on active cytoprotection, today announced the completion of a Phase I/II clinical trial with its lead product, PD-protec™. The product is developed to improve the treatment of patients with kidney failure.

23 May 2012

USPTO issues patent to MicuRx’s MRX-I antibacterial agent

MicuRx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation antibiotics, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a composition of matter patent covering its clinical candidate, MRX-I. MRX-I is a novel antibacterial oxazolidinone that targets infections due to multi-drug resistant Gram-positive pathogens.

23 May 2012

Scientists may be step closer to developing new therapy for AML

Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center may be one step closer to developing a new therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after discovering that the targeted agents obatoclax and sorafenib kill leukemia cells much more effectively when combined than when the drugs are administered individually.

23 May 2012