Metabolism News and Research

Latest Metabolism News and Research

New clues into genomic complexity of Mimivirus

A study published online today in the journal Genome Research offers surprising new clues into the genomic complexity of the giant Mimivirus, the largest known virus in the world. Previous studies have shown that unlike most viruses, the Mimivirus has more genes than many bacteria and performs functions that normally occur only in cellular organisms.

2 Apr 2010

Ricerca Biosciences, Life Science Partner announce business development agreement

Ricerca Biosciences, a preclinical contract research drug development company, is pleased to announce a business development agreement with Life Science Partner (LSP) Co., Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan. Ricerca offers a unique spectrum of services for the areas of agrochemical registration, environmental analysis and pre-investigational new drug (IND) biopharmaceutical registration.

1 Apr 2010

Metabolon awarded U.S. patents for metabolomics methods

Metabolon, Inc., the leader in global metabolism through biomarker discovery and analysis, announced today the grant of US Patent 7,682,783 and US Patent 7,682,784 entitled "Methods for Drug Discovery, Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Using Metabolomics". The USPTO awarded the patents to Metabolon on March 23, 2010. The issued claims in the new patents are for uses of metabolomics to identify diagnostic biomarkers for depression and schizophrenia by profiling classes of metabolites in a sample.

1 Apr 2010

Role of membrane cholesterol in late keratinocyte differentiation analyzed

In a recent study initiated by Beiersdorf AG, Florian Spörl and colleagues evaluated the use of Roche Applied Science's xCELLigence System as a viable system to monitor not only cholesterol extraction and repletion but also cholesterol reorganization in human keratinocytes in real time. The xCELLigence System offers a novel approach to non-invasive long-term observation of membrane cholesterol dynamics in primary human keratinocytes.

1 Apr 2010

Repros Therapeutics announces response to FDA critique on proposed Phase II Androxal study

Repros Therapeutics Inc. today announced that the Company is sending a reply to the FDA's Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products following the Company's receipt of FDA's comments on the proposed Phase II study of Androxal® (enclomiphene) in the treatment of Type II diabetes under Repros' open IND. On February 2, 2010 the Company announced that Repros received confirmation from the Agency that the new IND is effective.

1 Apr 2010

Breastfeeding benefits expanded to cover mothers: Risk of diabetes reduced

Research has found a new benefit that mothers can obtain by breast feeding – decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Benefits of breastfeeding for the baby have been cited for a long time now. In spite of this knowledge according to The Australian Breastfeeding Association there is a definite gap in awareness regarding health benefits that this simple yet effective practice can offer.

1 Apr 2010

Orexigen Therapeutics announces submission of Contrave NDA for treatment of obesity

Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. announced that the Company has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Contrave® (naltrexone SR/bupropion SR), its investigational drug for the treatment of obesity. The NDA is based on a substantial body of evidence gathered through the Contrave Obesity Research (COR) clinical program, which included over 4,500 patients.

1 Apr 2010

High-fructose corn syrup makes rats fat: Princeton University study questioned

"HFCS makes rats fat? I can hardly believe that Princeton sent out a press release yesterday announcing the results of this rat study. The press release says: "Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same."

31 Mar 2010

Fat-rich breakfast may help prevent metabolic syndrome, says study

The age-old maxim "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper" may in fact be the best advice to follow to prevent metabolic syndrome, according to a new University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) study.

31 Mar 2010

Drinking orange juice with fast-food meal may help prevent vascular inflammation

Eating foods containing flavonoids -- orange juice, in this case -- along with a high-fat, high-carbohydrate fast-food meal neutralizes the oxidative and inflammatory stress generated by the unhealthy food and helps prevent blood vessel damage, a new study by University at Buffalo endocrinologists shows.

31 Mar 2010

Roche Diagnostics' CoaguChek XS Plus system granted CLIA-waived status

Roche Diagnostics announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted CLIA-waived status to the CoaguChek® XS Plus system, a point-of-care anticoagulation monitor that offers connectivity and data management tools to help healthcare professionals manage PT/INR (blood clotting time) testing.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 31 Mar 2010

Analysis indicates substantial underdiagnosis of obesity when BMI used compared to DEXA scan

A retrospective analysis of 1,234 Americans indicated a substantial underdiagnosis of obesity when Body Mass Index was used compared to the Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry scan. This analysis will be released on Friday, April 23, 2010 at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 19th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress in Boston.

30 Mar 2010

Systemic treatment of microRNA therapeutic targeting miR-10b inhibits breast cancer metastasis

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. today announced the publication of new results in the journal Nature Biotechnology by Regulus scientists and collaborators. The new study demonstrated that systemic treatment of a microRNA therapeutic targeting microRNA-10b in tumor-bearing mice inhibits breast cancer metastasis. Cancer-related metastasis is a major cause of mortality and current cancer treatments have limited utility suppressing the metastatic spread of cancer cells. microRNA therapeutics targeting miR-10b represent a promising approach for the discovery and development of a novel anti-metastatic agent.

30 Mar 2010

Study: Hormone replacement in joint fluid might be beneficial in treating osteoarthritis

German researchers determined that concentrations of the sex hormones, testosterone in men and estrogen in women, may have a positive effect on the regenerative potential of cartilage tissue. The study suggests hormone replacement in the joint fluid of men and women might be beneficial in treating late stages of human osteoarthritis by regenerating damaged tissue.

30 Mar 2010

Enrollment complete in Gemin X Pharmaceuticals' Phase 2 clinical trial of obatoclax for SCLC

Gemin X Pharmaceuticals, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel, targeted cancer therapeutics, today announced the completion of patient enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial of the Company's lead product candidate obatoclax (GX15-070) for the treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of obatoclax, a novel pan Bcl-2 inhibitor, in combination with standard chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with SCLC.

29 Mar 2010

Redpoint Bio announces revenue of $1.9M for full-year 2009

Redpoint Bio Corporation, a company focused on the development of healthier foods and beverages and new approaches to the treatment of diabetes and obesity, today announced financial and operational results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009.

29 Mar 2010

Surgery helps reduce weight from 118 kg to 62.8 kg

Weight control is one of the important topics for modern people. In addition to proper diet, regular exercise and appropriate use of medicine, obese suffers may consider weight loss surgeries for faster effects. The first successful case in NCKU Hospital reduced her weight from 118 kg to 62.8 kg one year after the surgery.

29 Mar 2010

High fructose corn syrup linked to skyrocketing rates of obesity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of obesity in the United States have skyrocketed since the introduction of high fructose corn syrup in 1970. In that time, obesity rates have gone from 15 percent of the U.S. population to roughly one-third.

29 Mar 2010

ER stress response is major driver of insulin resistance, say researchers

Biologists have long known that an enzyme called the PI 3-kinase is a crucial actor in the main molecular pathway for insulin signaling in cells. Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center now have uncovered startling evidence that one of the proteins in this enzyme also drives a pathway with an opposite result-triggering a stress response that leads to insulin resistance.

29 Mar 2010

TB-causing bacteria can hijack fat metabolism to drive progression of the disease

The factors instrumental in triggering latent tuberculosis infection to progress into active disease have long remained elusive to researchers. New insight into the mystery is provided by Professor David Russell, speaking at the Society for General Microbiology's spring meeting in Edinburgh today. His work could help develop innovative strategies for treating the disease.

29 Mar 2010

Metabolism News and Research

Latest Metabolism News and Research

New clues into genomic complexity of Mimivirus

Ricerca Biosciences, Life Science Partner announce business development agreement

Metabolon awarded U.S. patents for metabolomics methods

Role of membrane cholesterol in late keratinocyte differentiation analyzed

Repros Therapeutics announces response to FDA critique on proposed Phase II Androxal study

Breastfeeding benefits expanded to cover mothers: Risk of diabetes reduced

Orexigen Therapeutics announces submission of Contrave NDA for treatment of obesity

High-fructose corn syrup makes rats fat: Princeton University study questioned

Fat-rich breakfast may help prevent metabolic syndrome, says study

Drinking orange juice with fast-food meal may help prevent vascular inflammation

Roche Diagnostics' CoaguChek XS Plus system granted CLIA-waived status

Analysis indicates substantial underdiagnosis of obesity when BMI used compared to DEXA scan

Systemic treatment of microRNA therapeutic targeting miR-10b inhibits breast cancer metastasis

Study: Hormone replacement in joint fluid might be beneficial in treating osteoarthritis

Enrollment complete in Gemin X Pharmaceuticals' Phase 2 clinical trial of obatoclax for SCLC

Redpoint Bio announces revenue of $1.9M for full-year 2009

Surgery helps reduce weight from 118 kg to 62.8 kg

High fructose corn syrup linked to skyrocketing rates of obesity

ER stress response is major driver of insulin resistance, say researchers

TB-causing bacteria can hijack fat metabolism to drive progression of the disease

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut