Arthritis News and Research

Latest Arthritis News and Research

Biogen Idec restates its plan to purchase all outstanding shares of Facet Biotech

Biogen Idec Inc. today reiterated its proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Facet Biotech Corporation for $14.50 per share in cash.

9 Sep 2009

PKCiota oncogene essential for lung cancer stem cell proliferation

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found that the lung cancer oncogene PKCiota is necessary for the proliferation of lung cancer stem cells. These stem cells are rare and powerful master cells that manufacture the other cells that make up lung tumors and are resistant to chemotherapy treatment.

9 Sep 2009

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to present MS treatment research data

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that new research data furthering the clinical understanding of its diverse multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment franchise will be presented at the 25th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Düsseldorf, Germany, September 9-12, 2009.

9 Sep 2009

Preliminary results of Phase III Gvhd trials announced by Osiris Therapeutics

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIR) today announced preliminary results for two phase III trials evaluating Prochymal for the treatment of acute graft versus host disease (GvHD). GvHD, the most common complication of bone marrow transplantation, is a life-threatening disease for which there is currently no approved treatment. Prochymal showed significant improvements in response rates in difficult-to-treat liver and gastrointestinal GvHD, however neither trial reached its primary endpoint.

8 Sep 2009

Small molecule blocks aberrant pathway associated with myotonic dystrophy

Researchers at the University of Illinois have designed a small molecule that blocks an aberrant pathway associated with myotonic dystrophy type 1, the most common form of muscular dystrophy.

8 Sep 2009

Biogen Idec offers to completely acquire Facet

Biogen Idec’s interest in acquiring Facet was first conveyed on August 17, 2009 by Mr. Mullen to Faheem Hasnain, President and Chief Executive Officer of Facet.

5 Sep 2009

Victim’s longevity with the deadly disease inspires thousands of dying patients

When Jerry Lewis takes the stage again on Labor Day 2009 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon, thousands of people who suffer from the same lung disease as he will be watching - and not just to hear the funny things he'll say. They'll be looking for inspiration from the funny man who suffers from a not-so-funny and little known fatal lung disease.

5 Sep 2009

American mayapple contains anticancer compounds: Study

A common weed called American mayapple may soon offer an alternative to an Asian cousin that's been harvested almost to extinction because of its anti-cancer properties.

5 Sep 2009

Novel SLE Responder Index as the primary endpoint in two Phase 3 clinical trials

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. today announced publication by the journal Arthritis Care & Research of an article describing the development and use of a novel evidence-based systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) Responder Index selected as the primary endpoint of two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials of BENLYSTA (belimumab) in serologically active patients with SLE.

4 Sep 2009

Phase III clinical trial results of XIAFLEX published in a journal

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase-based products today announced results of the pivotal CORD I Phase III clinical trial of XIAFLEX (collagenase clostridium histolyticum), a novel, first-in-class biologic for the nonsurgical treatment of Dupuytren's disease, was published in today's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

4 Sep 2009

Positive impact on medication adherence through Aetna's care management program

Aetna announced today results of an analysis from the first half of 2009, demonstrating an average medication adherence of over 95 percent for its members taking Specialty medications. Disease states evaluated in Aetna’s analysis include: multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, Crohn's disease, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), psoriasis, Hepatitis C and asthma.

4 Sep 2009

Pzifer to pay $2.3 billion in medicare/medicaid fraud settlement

The Obama administration announced a landmark $2.3 billion health care fraud settlement with Pfizer, Inc. Wednesday, which is expected to change drug companies' promotion of off-label use of medicines.

4 Sep 2009

IND for Cytopia's CYT387 clears the FDA review

Cytopia Limited's Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for CYT387 has passed US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review. CYT387 is a small-molecule oral JAK1/JAK2 kinase inhibitor designed to treat various haematological disorders.

4 Sep 2009

Results of Phase 2 rheumatoid arthritis clinical trial announced

Array BioPharma Inc. (Nasdaq: ARRY) announced its preliminary analysis of results from a study examining ARRY-162, a small molecule MEK inhibitor, in a 12-week Phase 2 clinical trial with 201 patients.

4 Sep 2009

Sheller, P.C helps to settle the largest whistleblower complaint

Pfizer Inc. ignored a 2005 FDA Warning Letter to stop promoting its antibiotic Zyvox(R) as clinically superior to the significantly less expensive, generic vancomycin when its own FDA-approved label indicated otherwise. The drug giant also defrauded federal and state taxpayers by marketing Zyvox off-label, according to a qui tam whistleblower complaint filed by Philadelphia law firm Sheller, P.C. and other documents unsealed with today's $2.3 billion Pfizer settlement.

3 Sep 2009

Fashion show to help raise public awareness of psoriasis

Today, Tim Gunn, television host and fashion consultant ("Project Runway," "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style") and chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne, Inc., is hosting the Addressing Psoriasis(TM) Fashion Show, sponsored by Amgen and Wyeth, in New York City.

3 Sep 2009

Biogen Idec's MS franchise to present at the 25th Congress of ECTRIMS

Biogen Idec today announced more than 70 platform and poster presentations from the company’s multiple sclerosis (MS) franchise being presented during the 25th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Düsseldorf, Germany.

3 Sep 2009

CORD I phase III clinical trial results of XIAFLEX published

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published in its September 3rd edition, the Company's pivotal CORD I Phase III clinical trial of XIAFLEX (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) a novel, first-in-class, biologic for the nonsurgical treatment of Dupuytren's contracture.

3 Sep 2009

New electronic medical device for treating leg pain

ReBuilder Medical Technologies, Inc. (Pink Sheets: RBRM) a provider of electronic treatments for the pain resulting from peripheral neuropathy and Peripheral Artery Disease today announced that it has released a new way to deliver the impulses of the ReBuilder for pain.

3 Sep 2009

Bextra qui tam lawsuit leads to Pfizer's whopping $2.3 billion settlement

The decision by a Pfizer sales representative in Florida to file a whistleblower ("qui tam") lawsuit in 2003 kicked off the federal and state investigations that led to Pfizer's record-breaking $2.3 billion settlement today.

3 Sep 2009