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GSK, Epizyme and Constellation to develop next generation of epigenetic drugs for cancer

Scientific insights that expand on the teachings of Mendel, Watson and Crick, and underpinnings of the Human Genome Project are moving drug companies along the path to development of new medicines based on deeper insights into how factors other than the genetic code influence health and disease. That's the topic of the cover story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.

19 Apr 2012

Ecstasy and speed-using grade ten students more likely to develop depression

A five year study conducted with thousands of local teenagers by University of Montreal researchers reveals that those who used speed (meth/ampthetamine) or ecstasy (MDMA) at fifteen or sixteen years of age were significantly more likely to suffer elevated depressive symptoms the following year. "Our findings are consistent with other human and animal studies that suggest long-term negative influences of synthetic drug use," said co-author Fr-d-ric N. Bri-re of the School Environment Research Group at the University of Montreal.

19 Apr 2012

Merck wins New Jersey FOSAMAX litigation

Merck, known outside the United States and Canada as MSD, today said a state court jury in New Jersey found in its favor in the Sessner v. Merck case, rejecting the claims of a woman who blamed her jaw-related problems on her FOSAMAX use.

19 Apr 2012

Link between hypertension drug adherence and total costs of care

Although adherence to hypertension medications was significantly associated with lower hospitalization rates, the total costs of care are higher for adherent patients than for patients who were deemed "non-adherent," according to a new study from pharmacy benefit manager Prime Therapeutics that will be presented this week at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP)'s 24th Annual Meeting & Expo in San Francisco.

19 Apr 2012

Cruciferous vegetables protect and improve breast cellular health

Broccoli, cabbage, leafy greens, cauliflower-your mother insisted they were good for you while you defiantly pushed them around your plate. Perhaps you didn't believe they were all that good for you. If they're so great, why don't they taste better? Turns out your mother was right. These cruciferous vegetables have a profound influence on the health of your body's cells. In fact, a recent study by Vanderbilt University's Ingram Center showed that a diet full of cruciferous vegetables protects and improves breast cellular health.

19 Apr 2012

1 in 5 Australians expect antibiotics for coughs and colds: New NPS campaign

The survey also revealed a plethora of misconceptions when it comes to antibiotics with only half of respondents knowing that bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Only 40% knew antibiotics should not be taken for viruses and many (40%) did not know that taking antibiotics when they’re not needed contributes to antibiotic resistance. More than half did not know resistance increases when you don’t complete the course as directed and in general, the youth audience had less knowledge.

18 Apr 2012

USP convenes pharmaceutical supply chain integrity workshop

The increasing globalization of the drug supply presents a host of public health challenges: theft and diversion of medicines, growth of illegal Internet pharmacies and insertion of adulterated medicines or ingredients into the supply chain.

18 Apr 2012

Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel better than standard oral form to treat advanced Parkinson's disease

A levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) works better than standard oral levodopa-carbidopa in reducing "off" time in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.

18 Apr 2012

Early intervention of biologic therapies improves outcome for Crohn's disease

A large-scale study of medical claims data shows that introducing sophisticated biologic therapies early in the course of treatment for Crohn's disease improves response to medication and reduces the need for surgery.

18 Apr 2012

NSCLC drug regimen approved in 2006 does not improve survival for older patients

Analysis of a drug regimen approved by the F.D.A. in 2006 for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (bevacizumab added to the standard chemotherapy regimen carboplatin and paclitaxel) finds Medicare insured patients age 65 years and older who received this regimen did not have improved survival compared to patients who received the standard treatment of carboplatin and paclitaxel alone, according to a study in the April 18 issue of JAMA.

18 Apr 2012

Bevacizumab added to chemotherapy for NSCLC does not improve survival in elderly patients

Adding the drug bevacizumab (Avastin) to the standard chemotherapy regimen for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) - an approach approved by the FDA in 2006 - did not lead to significantly increase survival rates for patients over the age of 65 enrolled in Medicare, a new study by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers has found.

18 Apr 2012

Study supports tolerability of low-dose aripiprazole as an antidepressant therapy-augmenting agent

In the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics there is a negative study on the use of aripiprazole in depression.

18 Apr 2012

Fibrates to treat high cholesterol may affect kidney health

Older patients taking a common cholesterol medication should be cautious of the impact on their kidney health. In a new study by Dr. Amit Garg, Scientist at the Lawson Health Research Institute and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), and colleagues, one in 10 new older fibrate users experienced a 50 per cent increase in their serum creatinine.

18 Apr 2012

Allied Healthcare announces Coridon license to vector technology

Allied Healthcare Group (ASX: AHZ) has announced an update on the progress of Coridon, its investment company founded by Professor Ian Frazer and working on developing the next generation of vaccines. Included in these activities, Cordon has entered into a license agreement with Nature Technology Corporation (NTC) and has contracted VGXI Inc. in the US for production of clinical material for the Phase I study scheduled to begin later this year.

17 Apr 2012

Imaxio closes EUR 2.9 million funding round

Imaxio, a biopharmaceutical company specialized in the areas of vaccines and genomics, announces today that it has finalized a funding round in which it raised EUR 2.9 million from its principal shareholder, Pradeyrol Developpement.

17 Apr 2012

Genetically modified mosquitoes offer hope of malaria eradication amid growing drug resistance

"In recent weeks, the emergence on the Thai-Myanmar border of malaria strains resistant to artemisinin, a plant-derived drug, have led to pessimistic headlines and reminders of the setback caused by resistance to the drug chloroquine, which began in the 1950s," columnist and author Matt Ridley writes in the Wall Street Journal's "Mind & Matter," noting, "April 25 is World Malaria Day, designed to draw attention to the planet's biggest infectious killer."

17 Apr 2012

Two-thirds of adults support single-dose packaging to avoid accidental poisoning

Unintentional poisonings from medicines cause more emergency room visits for young children each year than do car accidents.

17 Apr 2012

Feds ask court to 'force' J&J executive to testify in lawsuit alleging kickbacks and Medicaid fraud

The federal government has asked a court to force Johnson & Johnson executive Alex Gorsky to testify in a lawsuit involving allegations of kickbacks and Medicaid fraud.

17 Apr 2012

Hydrophilic carbon cluster HADES can selectively kill brain cancer cells

Nanomedicine researchers at the Methodist Neurological Institute and Rice University have developed a way to selectively kill brain cancer cells by using a tiny syringe to deliver a combination of chemotherapy drugs directly into the cells. These findings will be published in the April 24 issue of the American Chemical Society journal ACS Nano.

17 Apr 2012

ThromboGenics resubmits ocriplasmin BLA with FDA to treat symptomatic VMA

ThromboGenics NV, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative ophthalmic medicines, today announced that it has resubmitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ocriplasmin intravitreal injection, 2.5 mg/mL, for the treatment of symptomatic Vitreomacular Adhesion (VMA) including macular hole.

17 Apr 2012

Pharmaceutical News

GSK, Epizyme and Constellation to develop next generation of epigenetic drugs for cancer

Ecstasy and speed-using grade ten students more likely to develop depression

Merck wins New Jersey FOSAMAX litigation

Link between hypertension drug adherence and total costs of care

Cruciferous vegetables protect and improve breast cellular health

1 in 5 Australians expect antibiotics for coughs and colds: New NPS campaign

USP convenes pharmaceutical supply chain integrity workshop

Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel better than standard oral form to treat advanced Parkinson's disease

Early intervention of biologic therapies improves outcome for Crohn's disease

NSCLC drug regimen approved in 2006 does not improve survival for older patients

Bevacizumab added to chemotherapy for NSCLC does not improve survival in elderly patients

Study supports tolerability of low-dose aripiprazole as an antidepressant therapy-augmenting agent

Fibrates to treat high cholesterol may affect kidney health

Allied Healthcare announces Coridon license to vector technology

Imaxio closes EUR 2.9 million funding round

Genetically modified mosquitoes offer hope of malaria eradication amid growing drug resistance

Two-thirds of adults support single-dose packaging to avoid accidental poisoning

Feds ask court to 'force' J&J executive to testify in lawsuit alleging kickbacks and Medicaid fraud

Hydrophilic carbon cluster HADES can selectively kill brain cancer cells

ThromboGenics resubmits ocriplasmin BLA with FDA to treat symptomatic VMA

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

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