Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Phase 2b clinical trial results of Dextofisopam to treat irritable bowel syndrome announced

Pharmos Corporation (Pink Sheets: PARS) announced today the results of its Phase 2b Dextofisopam clinical trial to evaluate safety and efficacy of the compound in irritable bowel syndrome.

14 Sep 2009

Phase 3 results of TARGET 1 and TARGET 2 clinical trials released

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced the successful outcome of two Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trials, TARGET 1 and TARGET 2, designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rifaximin 550 mg TID in the treatment of patients with non-constipation irritable bowel syndrome (non-C IBS).

14 Sep 2009

Natus Medical to purchase Alpine Biomed Holdings

Natus Medical Incorporated today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Alpine Biomed Holdings Corp in a transaction that is expected to close today.

14 Sep 2009

Oral NKTR-118 has low risk for mediating significant drug-drug interactions

Nektar Therapeutics presented clinical study data today demonstrating that the oral tablet formulation of NKTR-118 has favorable systemic bioavailability and a low risk for mediating significant drug-drug interactions.

14 Sep 2009

New data reveals the efficacy of Instanyl in management of breakthrough cancer pain

New data presented today further demonstrate the efficacy of Instanyl in management of breakthrough cancer pain. The data which were presented at the 6th congress of the European Federation of Chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain (EFIC) are from a multinational, crossover trial comparing Instanyl with oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate (OTFC) for the treatment of breakthrough pain in patients with cancer.

11 Sep 2009

Efficacy of Instanyl in management of breakthrough cancer pain demonstrated

11 Sep 2009

Gastroenterologists applaud President's call for screening tests coverage

Gastrointestinal specialists from the American College of Gastroenterology applaud President Obama's call to cover preventive screening tests, such as breast cancer exams and colonoscopy. In his health care speech to a joint session of Congress last night, the President argued that "there's no reason we shouldn't be catching diseases like breast cancer and colon cancer before they get worse. That makes sense."

11 Sep 2009

METOZOLV drug approved for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease

Wilmington Pharmaceuticals announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for METOZOLV ODT (metoclopramide HCl), an orally disintegrating formulation of metoclopramide for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and diabetic gastroparesis.

10 Sep 2009

Therapeutic principles of monoclonal antibodies

Professor Joachim R. Kalden, Member of the Department for Molecular Immunology, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Zentrum, University Medical School Erlangen-Nuremberg, presents therapeutic principles based on monoclonal antibodies.

10 Sep 2009

Clinical study investigates laboratory and clinical implications of proton pump inhibitor drugs

Fears about the cancer causing effects of the second most prescribed group of drugs in the Western world have been put to rest, following the largest ever study into their use.

10 Sep 2009

Merck's GARDASIL receives approval from FDA Advisory Committee

Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee agreed that efficacy, immunogenicity and safety data from clinical trials in males support the use of GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] in boys and men 9 through 26 years of age for the prevention of genital warts caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11.

10 Sep 2009

Caldolor launched ahead of schedule in U.S. by Cumberland Pharmaceuticals

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: CPIX) announced today that it has successfully implemented the U.S. launch of Caldolor((R)), an intravenous formulation of ibuprofen, designed primarily for use in the hospital setting.

9 Sep 2009

A voluntary recall program announced by CONMED Linvatec

CONMED Corporation's (NASDAQ: CNMD) CONMED Linvatec unit announced today a voluntary recall for certain model numbers of the PRO5 & PRO6 series battery handpieces manufactured prior to May 31, 2008, and certain lots of the MC5057 Universal Cable manufactured prior to December 1, 2006 used with certain of CONMED Linvatec's electric powered handpieces.

9 Sep 2009

FDA approves Salix' METOZOLV ODT for treating diabetic gastroparesis

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for METOZOLV™ ODT (metoclopramide HCl) 5mg and 10mg orally disintegrating tablets. METOZOLV ODT is indicated for the relief of symptoms in adults associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis and for the treatment of short-term therapy (4-12 weeks) for adults with symptomatic documented gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who fail to respond to conventional therapy1.

9 Sep 2009

First results of European survey of cancer patients' experience of breakthrough pain presented at EFIC

The first results of the first European survey of cancer patients' experience of breakthrough pain were presented today at the 6th congress of the European Federation of Chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain (EFIC).

9 Sep 2009

Study to test efficacy of lapatinib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Use of the molecularly targeted agent lapatinib to delay tumor growth and improve the survival of patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma, or liver cancer, only benefited certain subgroups of patients. While results of this study were largely negative, patients that exhibited toxicity from the drug in the form of a skin rash appeared to have a greater tumor response and longer survival.

9 Sep 2009

Third human clinical trial of LigoCyte's norovirus vaccine started

LigoCyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has initiated its third human clinical trial of its norovirus vaccine. The Phase I/II study will assess safety and immunogenicity associated with LigoCyte's investigational, nasally-delivered, dry powder vaccine in healthy adults. The study will also assess potential protection against clinical symptoms of norovirus infection by including a live virus challenge of subjects that have received either the vaccine or placebo.

8 Sep 2009

Rise in primary liver cancer cases attributed to increased alcohol consumption

Cases of primary liver cancer have tripled in the last 30 years according to statistics published today by Cancer Research UK.

7 Sep 2009

Regurin XL capsule for the treatment of OAB launched in UK

Regurin(R) XL (trospium chloride), a once-daily, prolonged-release capsule to treat patients with overactive bladder (OAB) has been launched in the UK. Regurin(R) XL provides rapid, significant and consistent improvements in the symptoms of OAB1 and has a reduced potential for central nervous system (CNS) side effects(2-7).

7 Sep 2009

European MAA for lubiprostone withdrawn by Sucampo Pharma Europe

Sucampo Pharma Europe, Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCMP), today announced the withdrawal of its European marketing authorization application (MAA) for lubiprostone, 24 mcg, for the indication of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC).

5 Sep 2009