Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

First insight into links between microbes and developing infant

A new multi-university study reports that differences in bacterial colonization of the infant gut in formula-fed and breast-fed babies lead to changes in the expression of genes involved in the infant's immune system.

22 May 2012

Data from Janssen’s SIMPONI Phase 3 study on ulcerative colitis

New study findings presented today show that subcutaneous induction regimens of the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha therapy SIMPONI (golimumab) induced clinical response in a majority of patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) who had previously failed or were intolerant to conventional agents.

22 May 2012

$Children with pelvic and thigh fractures rarely develop dangerous blood clots$

Children with pelvic and thigh fractures rarely develop dangerous blood clots

Children with pelvic and thigh fractures develop dangerous blood clots so rarely that anti-clotting therapy should be given only to those with underlying conditions that increase clotting risk, according to a study from Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

21 May 2012

CSA Medical unveils new truFreeze Spray Cryotherapy System

CSA Medical, Inc. unveiled the new truFreeze Spray Cryotherapy System this week at the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2012 Annual Meeting in San Diego.

21 May 2012

AltheRx reports positive Phase II results of Solabegron for OAB

AltheRx Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held clinical development company, presented positive results from its Phase II study of Solabegron in overactive bladder (OAB) at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting (Abstract # 520).

21 May 2012

Pernix Therapeutics introduces Omeclamox-Pak® for the treatment of H. pylori infection and duodenal ulcer disease

Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE Amex: PTX), a specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the introduction of Omeclamox-Pak®, a ten-day therapy of omeprazole delayed-release capsules (20 mg), clarithromycin tablets (500 mg) and amoxicillin capsules (500 mg) for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and duodenal ulcer disease (active or one-year history) to eradicate H. pylori in adult patients.

21 May 2012

Online instructional video improves patient compliance with colonoscopy

Patients who watch an online instructional video are more likely to keep their appointments and arrive prepared for a scheduled colonoscopy than those who do not, according to a study by gastroenterologists at the University of Chicago Medicine.

21 May 2012

Santarus to present UCERIS Phase III trial data on ulcerative colitis at DDW meeting

Santarus, Inc. today announced that safety and efficacy data from a Phase III, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled 12 month extended use study with the investigational drug UCERIS (budesonide) 6 mg tablets will be featured in four poster presentations at the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) Meeting being held at the San Diego Convention Center on May 19 - 22, 2012.

19 May 2012

Ocera’s Zysa receives CE Mark to treat IBS-d

Ocera Therapeutics Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of proprietary agents to treat gastrointestinal and liver diseases, announced today that it has received a CE Mark for Zysa (spherical carbon adsorbent, formerly AST-120) for the treatment of diarrhea predominant IBS (IBS-d), a condition affecting 10-15% of the Western world.

19 May 2012

Sigmoid provides financial and product development update

Sigmoid Pharma Ltd., a privately-owned, specialty pharmaceutical and drug delivery company registered in Ireland, today provides an update on significant progress in 2011 and 2012.

19 May 2012

Pharmos completes levotofisopam phase 2a trial on hyperuricemia, gout

Pharmos Corporation announced that it has successfully completed a proof-of-concept clinical trial using its compound levotofisopam (S-tofisopam) to treat patients with hyperuricemia and gout.

18 May 2012

Covidien launches new HALO ablation catheter to treat Barrett's esophagus

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced the launch of the HALO90 ULTRA Ablation Catheter, the latest addition to the HALO family of catheters for the endoscopic treatment of Barrett's esophagus.

18 May 2012

Hitting the target: IntelliCap provides reliable and accurate regional drug delivery

Medimetrics, recently certified to ISO 13485, has successfully developed the IntelliCap system, specifically designed to target delivery of small molecule drugs and biologics to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The technology is capable of achieving controlled release of drugs to specific GI sites in a fast, cost-effective and convenient manner (Shimizu et al., 2008).

16 May 2012

New directions and challenges in viral hepatitis care and research

The editors of Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, are pleased to announce the publication of this year's highly anticipated special 13th issue. Published each May, the 13th issue is devoted to a particular gastroenterological topic of broad interest; this year's topic is viral hepatitis.

16 May 2012

Modest alcohol consumption linked with less evidence of steatohepatitis

NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) is the most common type of liver disease in the developed world, affecting up to one-third of the US population. NAFLD is often associated with obesity and other parameters of the so-called "metabolic syndrome," which is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease.

16 May 2012

HMO critically important in understanding how breastfeeding protects babies

A new University of Illinois study shows that human milk oligosaccharides, or HMO, produce short-chain fatty acids that feed a beneficial microbial population in the infant gut. Not only that, the bacterial composition adjusts as the baby grows older and its needs change.

15 May 2012

Microbiome of young men depends upon circumcision status, patterns of sexual activity

The first study using cultivation independent sequencing of the microorganisms in the adolescent male urinary tract has revealed that the composition of microbial communities colonizing the penis in young men depends upon their circumcision status and patterns of sexual activity.

15 May 2012

Women more likely to have different set of sports injuries than men

With the predominance of male athletes featured on television and covered in the media year-round, most Americans are familiar with some of the most common injuries sustained by men in various sports. As the 2012 Summer Games approaches, female athletes will have additional opportunities to be featured, but are their potential injury risks the same as their male counterparts?

15 May 2012

Menarini, Furiex enter license agreement to commercialize Priligy

Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Menarini Group today announced that they have entered into a license agreement by which Furiex will license to Menarini rights to commercialize Priligy in Europe, most of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

15 May 2012