Eye News and Research

Latest Eye News and Research

Children with JIA face increase risk of developing cancer

Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis have a two to threefold increased risk of developing cancer compared to similarly-aged children without JIA, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta. The same study also reported no cases of cancer in children with JIA who were exposed to anti-TNF therapy.

9 Nov 2010

DHA protects brain tissue and promotes recovery in acute ischemic stroke

Research led by Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor, Villere Chair, and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center, has shown that Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a component of fish oil, is a powerful therapeutic agent that can protect brain tissue and promote recovery in an experimental model of acute ischemic stroke, even when treatment is delayed by up to five hours.

9 Nov 2010

Angioblast Systems receives $1.2 million in grants under QTDP program

Regenerative medicine company, Mesoblast Limited, today announced that its United States associate company, Angioblast Systems, has been awarded $1.2 million in grants under the United States Government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) program.

8 Nov 2010

Researchers identify gene linked to melanoma metastasis

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a gene linked to the spread of eye melanoma.

8 Nov 2010

'Phantom' images brain keeps for visual comparisons stored in brain's neural network

Brain research over the past 30 years has shown that if a part of the brain controlling movement or sensation or language is lost because of a stroke or injury, other parts of the brain can take over the lost function - often as well as the region that was lost.

4 Nov 2010

pSivida awarded $489,000 grant under IRS Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project

pSivida Corp., a leader in the development of sustained release drug delivery products for the treatment of back-of-the-eye disease including the product candidate Iluvien™ for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema, today announced that it has been awarded two grants totaling $489,000 under the IRS Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP). The grants were awarded to pSivida to help fund further research on new generations of the company's drug delivery technologies targeting ophthalmic diseases.

4 Nov 2010

Republicans look to use majority for health overhaul repeal, plan vote

Now in control of the House of Representatives, Republicans are planning to flex their muscles quickly to try to repeal the Democratic health law but even some GOP leaders acknowledge it is likely they can get rid of the law right away.

4 Nov 2010

Eye implant restores some vision in retinitis pigmentosa

According to a new scientific breakthrough, a device - a tiny, three-by-three millimetre microchip, has allowed patients with inherited blindness to detect objects with their eyes, unlike a rival approach that uses an external camera. The procedure details are outlined in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

3 Nov 2010

QLT third quarter sales decreases 12.9% to $20.5 million

QLT Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010. Unless specified otherwise, all amounts are in U.S. dollars and in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

3 Nov 2010

Northumbria University to host workshop on space exercise countermeasures and post mission rehabilitation

Space travel experts from around the world will gather at Northumbria University to discuss ways to tackle health issues faced by astronauts during lengthy extra terrestrial missions.

3 Nov 2010

Retina Implant's microchip restores useful vision in patients blind due to retinitis pigmentosa

Retina Implant AG, a leading developer of subretinal implants for the visually impaired, today announced the publication of a peer-reviewed study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B discussing the technical and clinical results obtained during their first human clinical trial.

3 Nov 2010

ISTA third quarter net revenue increases 31% to $42.0 million

ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2010. Third quarter 2010 net revenues were $42.0 million, an increase of 31% from the third quarter of 2009.

3 Nov 2010

PCIS releases ClaimsVISION SaaS delivered claims administration system

PCIS, a proven and trusted provider of policy administration and claims solutions, today announced the release and immediate availability of ClaimsVISION, a highly automated and user configurable, Software as a Service (SaaS) delivered claims administration system.

2 Nov 2010

RegeneRx announces positive results from RGN-259 non-clinical study for Dry Eye Syndrome

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the results of its first non-clinical dry eye study using RGN-259, RegeneRx's ophthalmic, preservative-free eye drop for the treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). In the study, animals were treated with RGN-259, a vehicle control and a positive control, doxycycline.

2 Nov 2010

Cascade enters non-binding letter of intent to acquire AcuNetx

Cascade Technologies Corp. announced today that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire all of the assets of AcuNetx, Inc., a Nevada corporation in exchange for common stock of Cascade.

2 Nov 2010

ArcticDx develops test to determine inherited risk for AMD

Established in 2007 and based in Toronto, ArcticDx has developed a test, Macula Risk-, the first of its kind and specifically designed to determine one's inherited risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common form of acquired blindness in the developed world, affecting over 10% of individuals. ArcticDx will use the PBDF investment to undertake studies in support of a planned filing for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Macula Risk.

2 Nov 2010

New wiring diagram shows how brain organizes information

University of Utah (U of U) medical researchers have uncovered a wiring diagram that shows how the brain pays attention to visual, cognitive, sensory, and motor cues. The research provides a critical foundation for the study of abnormalities in attention that can be seen in many brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit disorder.

2 Nov 2010

Eye transformer impacts JAK/STAT-signaling pathway response with microbial challenge

Scientists are keeping their eye on a new discovery published in the November 2011 print issue of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) that explains what causes some genes to go out of control. Scientists have identified a "cellular switch," called eye transformer, that controls the flow of information from chemical signals outside of the cell to genes in the cell nucleus.

2 Nov 2010

Vacuum cleaner with UV technology effective at reducing carpet's surface microbes

New research suggests that the addition of ultraviolet light to the brushing and suction of a vacuum cleaner can almost double the removal of potentially infectious microorganisms from a carpet's surface when compared to vacuuming alone.

2 Nov 2010

IRIN examines debate over malaria control versus eradication

After the recent publication of the Lancet series on malaria eradication, IRIN examines the debate over control versus eradication, stating the findings of some of the studies.

2 Nov 2010