Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Illumina launches Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kits

Illumina today introduced the Nextera XT DNA Sample Preparation Kit, the easiest way for researchers to prepare and sequence small genomes, PCR amplicons, and plasmids.

From Illumina, Inc. 1 Jun 2012

RXi’s RXI-109 IND receives FDA clearance to proceed into clinical trials

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation today announced that it has received clearance for its investigational new drug application (IND) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate clinical trials with RXI-109, a self-delivering RNAi compound that selectively targets Connective Tissue Growth Factor.

1 Jun 2012

Smoker's genetic makeup can help predict response to drug therapy

The same gene variations that make it difficult to stop smoking also increase the likelihood that heavy smokers will respond to nicotine-replacement therapy and drugs that thwart cravings, a new study shows.

31 May 2012

Too much salt and aldosterone leads to high blood pressure, tissue damage

Nearly 40 percent of the small adrenal tumors that cause big problems with high blood pressure share a genetic mutation that causes patients to retain too much sodium, researchers report.

31 May 2012

Taiho to initiate TAS-102 Phase III trial in colorectal cancer

Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced on May 31 that a global Phase III clinical trial (RECOURSE) for the novel combination antimetabolite TAS-102 will start in June this year.

31 May 2012

Simple blood test can detect genetic faults in patients with cancer

A simple and cost-effective blood test could be used to monitor how a patient is responding to treatment and detect genetic faults in their cancer as they happen, according to a Cancer Research UK study.

31 May 2012

Data from Response Genetics' tests against cancer to be presented at ASCO 2012

Response Genetics, Inc., a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic tests for cancer, announced today four presentations to be held during the 2012 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL from June 1 to June 5, 2012. Study results are based on the company's proprietary technology and approach.

31 May 2012

BHD launches Statin Induced Myopathy Genotype test

Boston Heart Diagnostics (BHD) announced today the commercial launch of the Statin Induced Myopathy (SLCO1B1) Genotype test licensed from the University of Oxford's technology commercialization company Isis Innovation.

31 May 2012

Genetics can predict success of smoking cessation and need for medications

Genetics can help determine whether a person is likely to quit smoking on his or her own or need medication to improve the chances of success, according to research published in today's American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers say the study moves health care providers a step closer to one day providing more individualized treatment plans to help patients quit smoking.

31 May 2012

AAPS honors Morphotek with 2012 Excellence in Ligand Binding Assays Award

Morphotek, Inc., a subsidiary of Eisai Inc., announced today that The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) has awarded its 2012 Excellence in Ligand Binding Assays Award to the Bioanalytical Development group from Morphotek for their abstract, "Development and Validation of a Pharmacokinetic Assay on the Gyrolab Platform for Use in Phase II/III Clinical Studies."

31 May 2012

Pfizer’s XALKORI now available in Canada

Pfizer Canada is pleased to announce that XALKORI (crizotinib) is now available in Canada. Recently approved with conditions by Health Canada, XALKORI is an oral monotherapy for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

31 May 2012

Top-line results from Alnylam’s ALN-RSV01 Phase IIb trial on RSV infection

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today top-line results from a Phase IIb trial with ALN-RSV01 for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in lung transplant patients.

31 May 2012

Study shows how tafamidis drug works against amyloid disease

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute and Pfizer Inc. have published a new study showing how a new drug called tafamidis (Vyndaqel) works.

31 May 2012

Gender link discovered for colorectal cancer

Researchers have identified three new colorectal cancer risk loci, including one on the X-chromosome, bringing the total number of independent loci associated with the disease to 20.

30 May 2012

Omixon Target, a next generation sequencing analysis software for targeted sequencing, released by Omixon

Today Omixon – a genomic software company - announced the commercial release of Omixon Target, a next generation sequencing analysis software for targeted sequencing. Omixon built its new software Target with the vision of helping diagnostic labs to adopt next generation sequencing to replace and complement traditional capillary Sanger sequencing.

30 May 2012

New technique promotes dramatic increase in cardiac function

LoneStar Heart Inc., today announced the advancement of a new therapeutic strategy aimed at genetic reprogramming of cardiac fibroblasts into functioning heart muscle cells to treat damage following a heart attack and other forms of heart disease.

30 May 2012

Corrected interim data from Vertex VX-809, KALYDECO combination Phase 2 study for CF

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today a correction to the previously reported responder analysis, as well as additional data from, the recent interim analysis of an ongoing Phase 2 study of VX-809 and KALYDECO that showed significant improvements in lung function among adults with cystic fibrosis who have two copies of the most common mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene, F508del.

30 May 2012

Researchers identify mechanism key in drug allergy

Adverse drug reactions are a major issue that cause harm, are costly and restrict treatment options for patients and the development of new drugs. A groundbreaking finding by researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology could lead to a new way to dramatically improve drug safety by identifying drugs at risk to cause potentially fatal genetic-linked hypersensitivity reactions before their use in man.

30 May 2012

GPUs simulate molecular processes during swine flu drug treatment

Professor Adrian Mulholland and Dr Christopher Woods from Bristol's School of Chemistry, together with colleagues in Thailand, used graphics processing units (GPUs) to simulate the molecular processes that take place when these drugs are used to treat the H1N1-2009 strain of influenza - commonly known as 'swine flu'.

30 May 2012

Sequenom MassARRAY System detects EML4/ALK fusion gene in NSCLC

Sequenom, Inc., a life sciences company providing innovative genetic analysis solutions, today reported on a recently released publication in which the Sequenom MassARRAY System (for research use only) was used in a groundbreaking independent study that detected the transforming fusion gene EML4/ALK in non-small cell lung cancer.

30 May 2012