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Genentech receives FDA approval for Actemra to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Actemra, given alone or in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children ages 2 years and older.

15 Apr 2011

EMA recommends lifting of suspension of marketing authorization for Octapharma's octagam

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended today to lift the EU-wide suspension of the marketing authorizations of both octagam® and octagam®10% which has been in place since September 2010, subject to certain conditions.

15 Apr 2011

New JAMA issue focuses on infectious diseases and immunology

Several media outlets report on findings published in this week's issue of JAMA, which focuses on infectious diseases and immunology.

15 Apr 2011

New mixed-carb plus protein formulation more effective for female athletes

A "low-carb, mixed-carb" sports drink with added protein leads to prolonged endurance performance in trained female athletes, according to a study in the April issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

15 Apr 2011

GSK announces safety profile of orlistat and alli

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is committed to ensuring that consumers and physicians understand the safety profile of orlistat and alli. alli is safe and effective when used as directed. Orlistat is minimally absorbed in the blood and works locally in the gastro-intestinal tract. GSK continues to proactively monitor for the safety of orlistat and share all relevant information with regulatory agencies.

15 Apr 2011

Serotonin can help promote human intimacy and romantic feelings

The judgments we make about the intimacy of other couples' relationships appear to be influenced by the brain chemical serotonin, reports a new study published in Biological Psychiatry.

15 Apr 2011

African genital herpes strains are more infectious than the U.S. virus

Strains of genital herpes in Africa are far more virulent than those in the United States, researchers at Harvard Medical School report, a striking insight into a common disease with important implications for preventing HIV transmission in a region staggered by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

15 Apr 2011

AHRQ finds 52% increase in medication side effects, injuries between 2004 and 2008

The number of people treated in U.S. hospitals for illnesses and injuries from taking medicines jumped 52 percent between 2004 and 2008 - from 1.2 million to 1.9 million - according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

15 Apr 2011

Pharmaceuticals stored on space flights may have shorter shelf-life

Some of the Pharmaceuticals intended for the treatment of minor illnesses of astronauts in space may require special packaging and reformulation to remain stable for long periods in the space environment. That's according to Dr. Putcha and her colleagues from NASA, Johnson Space Centre. Their findings, published online in The AAPS Journal suggest that some of the pharmaceuticals stored on space flights may have shorter shelf-life than they do on Earth.

15 Apr 2011

Takeda announces EDARBI availability in U.S. pharmacies for hypertension treatment

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., today announced that EDARBI, an angiotensin II receptor blocker approved for the treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure, is now available by prescription for adults in U.S. pharmacies.

15 Apr 2011

Women consume more non-prescribed drugs than men

Approximately 20% of Spaniards take non-prescribed medication and women are the group most inclined towards this practice. This is the conclusion of a research study carried out by experts from the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, which also links this habit to nationality, income level and alcohol and tobacco consumption amongst the population.

15 Apr 2011

Novartis, Duke sign deal to develop pandemic flu vaccine

The Duke Human Vaccine Institute today announced a collaboration and strategic agreement with Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics to enable the rapid development of a vaccine and accelerate preparedness in case of a pandemic virus threat such as pandemic influenza.

15 Apr 2011

NRC, NCKU partner to develop cancer diagnostic and treatment technologies

A Taiwanese research team led by Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh of Institute of Oral Medicine in Medical College at National Cheng Kung University has partnered with a research group led by Dr. Dennis Whitefield from National Research Council of Canada to develop innovative cancer diagnostic and treatment technologies.

15 Apr 2011

Consumer group calls for ban on weight loss drugs Alli and Xenical

According to the consumer watchdog Public Citizen, the weight loss drugs Alli and Xenical should be removed from the market because of the growing risk of side effects that include liver damage, pancreatitis and kidney stones.

15 Apr 2011

FDA accepts Teva's NDA filing of Bio-T-Gel for male hypogonadism

BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that a New Drug Application (NDA) has been accepted for filing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following submission in January 2011 by a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.. The FDA has assigned a PDUFA date of November 14, 2011. The PDUFA date is the target date for the FDA to complete its review of the NDA.

15 Apr 2011

Topamax recall by Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson this Thursday has announced a recall of 57,000 bottles of the prescription anti-seizure medication Topamax following consumer complaints of an “uncharacteristic odor.”

15 Apr 2011

Major pharmaceutical company, Access sign deal for RNAi therapeutics

ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., a biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary drug-delivery platforms to develop treatments in areas of oncology, cancer supportive care and diabetes, announced it has entered into an agreement with a major pharmaceutical company to exploit its CobaCyte and CobOral technology for the targeted delivery of RNAi therapeutics.

15 Apr 2011

Ortho-McNeil Neurologics announces voluntary recall of TOPAMAX 100mg Tablets

Ortho-McNeil Neurologics Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced it is voluntarily recalling two lots of TOPAMAX® (topiramate) 100mg Tablets. These two lots were shipped between 10/19/2010 and 12/28/2010 and distributed in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

15 Apr 2011

Scientists develop new test for premature babies

Scientists at Queen's University Belfast have pioneered a new needle-free test to take the sting out of medicine testing in premature babies. The research will not only lead to greater accuracy in prescribing, but will also significantly reduce the trauma of such tests for newborn infants and their families.

15 Apr 2011

Botox may offer new hope for patients with low cerebrospinal fluid headaches

A Mayo Clinic case study finds Botox may offer new hope to patients suffering disabling low cerebrospinal fluid headaches. The successful treatment also offers new insight into Botox and headache treatment generally.

15 Apr 2011