Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Study on non-surgical approach for treatment of liver hydatidosis

Concerning treatment, until recently the only definitive treatment for hydatid disease had been surgery. Different surgical techniques and procedures have been carried out and even in some cases, a liver transplant has been required. Advances in drug therapy has been influenced by the introduction of albendazole and accelerated by addition of praziquantel, but this requires a long period of treatment i.e. up to a year or more, and is not effective for everyone.

8 Feb 2011

Progenics, Salix enter exclusive worldwide license agreement for RELISTOR

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide (except Japan) agreement by which Salix has licensed rights to RELISTOR® (methylnaltrexone bromide).

7 Feb 2011

AMRI fourth quarter total revenue increases 12% to $48.6 million

AMRI today reported financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2010.

7 Feb 2011

Merck announces publication of GARDASIL pivotal Phase III study data in NEJM

Merck announced today that data from the pivotal Phase III study with GARDASIL in males were published in the February 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

3 Feb 2011

FDA issues Complete Response Letter for approval of Eisai's rabeprazole sodium extended-release capsules

Eisai announced today that the company received a Complete Response Letter from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the New Drug Application (NDA) of rabeprazole sodium extended-release capsules, 50 mg, an investigational proton pump inhibitor (PPI) under review for the healing and long-term maintenance of healing and symptom resolution of erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and for the treatment of daytime and nighttime heartburn and other symptoms of non-erosive GERD.

2 Feb 2011

Orexigen, Takeda announce FDA's issue of complete response letter for Contrave NDA

Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter dated January 31, 2011 regarding the New Drug Application for Contrave® (naltrexone HCl/bupropion HCl) extended-release tablets for the treatment of obesity, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss.

1 Feb 2011

Scientists successfully crystallise key norovirus enzyme

With the number of norovirus infection cases rising across the country, scientists from the University of Southampton have successfully crystallised a key norovirus enzyme, which could help in the development of a norovirus treatment.

1 Feb 2011

Octreotide inhibits HepG2 proliferation, study confirms

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy in the world and is estimated to cause approximately half a million deaths annually. Undoubtedly, the best available treatment for all liver tumors is complete surgical resection. However, the synthetic somatostatin analogue octreotide has been found effective in inhibiting tumor growth in a variety of experimental models. It has been reported that octreotide inhibits the proliferation and induces apoptosis of different HCC cell lines in vitro.

1 Feb 2011

Study finds E2F5 transcription factor commonly overexpressed in primary human HCC

E2F5 is a member of the E2F transcription factor family, and plays a key role in cell growth and proliferation. Overexpression of E2F5 has been reported in various human cancers, but not in liver cancer, and its biological implication is largely unknown. It is not known whether E2F5 plays a tumor suppressor role or an oncogenic role.

1 Feb 2011

Researchers propose new classification system for SOD

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is a pathological syndrome that is usually classified into the biliary type or the pancreatic type according to the Milwaukee criteria.

1 Feb 2011

Research sheds new light on venous thromboembolism following liver resections

Patients undergoing liver surgery have long been considered to be at low risk of venous thromboembolism. However, pulmonary embolism has recently emerged as an increasingly frequent and potentially fatal complication following liver resections.

1 Feb 2011

New research finding shows strong relationship between gut bacteria and fatty liver

The more we learn about biology, the closer we get to being able to treat disease - and the more complicated our understanding of disease itself becomes. A new research finding showing a strong relationship between complex microbial ecologies in human intestines and the common but serious medical condition known as fatty liver illustrates this paradox.

1 Feb 2011

MRI T2 can determine iron overload in beta-thalassemic patients

Iron overload is a common and serious problem in thalassemic major patients. As iron accumulation is toxic in the body's tissues, accurate estimation of iron stores is of great importance in these patients to prevent iron overload by an appropriate iron chelating therapy.

1 Feb 2011

Researchers study peripheral blood Tregs as disease marker of gastric cancer

T-regulatory lymphocytes are a subset of T lymphocytes that are involved in the mechanism of immunotolerance to self- and allo-antigens. Activity of these cells is one of the mechanisms of immune evasion of tumors, which inhibits the antitumor activity of effector cells.

1 Feb 2011

FDA grants Mederi 510(k) clearance for new MDRF1 radiofrequency generator

Mederi Therapeutics Inc. announced today that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its new MDRF1 Generator.

1 Feb 2011

Baxter launches OLIMEL emulsion for parenteral nutrition

Baxter International today announced the launch of OLIMEL emulsion for infusion in Canada at the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition's Clinical Nutrition Week.

From Baxter International Inc. 31 Jan 2011

GATTEX Phase 3 pivotal study reaches primary efficacy endpoint of reducing PN in patients with SBS

NPS Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for rare gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders, today announced that its Phase 3 pivotal study of GATTEX met the primary efficacy endpoint of reducing parenteral nutrition dependence in patients with adult short bowel syndrome.

31 Jan 2011

McGill, GSK enter collaborative research agreement on cystic fibrosis

McGill University and GlaxoSmithKline plc have signed a collaboration agreement to develop a potential breakthrough approach to treat cystic fibrosis, a fatal genetic disease. The trans-Atlantic effort between researchers from McGill's Faculty of Medicine and their GSK collaborators in the UK, will focus on developing molecules that could treat the disease by correcting the dysfunction caused by the mutated gene.

28 Jan 2011

Flood-borne diseases make their appearance

In the wake of Queensland’s devastating floods there are warnings to residents, volunteers and others regarding protection against diseases. Australian Medical Association Queensland president-elect Dr Richard Kidd said he expected a number of diseases to appear as a result of people coming in contact with floodwaters and especially the mud left behind.

27 Jan 2011

AVRF and UPEI collaboration awarded Innovation PEI Pilot and Discovery Fund grant

Atlanta Vascular Research Foundation (AVRF), together with its collaborators at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), has been awarded an Innovation PEI Pilot and Discovery Fund grant by Innovation PEI. The grant is to continue research and development in combining nutraceuticals to magnify clinical benefits for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The funding from this grant is $25,000.

27 Jan 2011