Obesity News and Research

Latest Obesity News and Research

Arena third quarter net loss increases to $36.3 million

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010. Arena also reported earlier today top-line results from its lorcaserin Phase 3 BLOOM-DM (Behavioral modification and Lorcaserin for Overweight and Obesity Management in Diabetes Mellitus) trial.

9 Nov 2010

Study explains link between morbid obesity and metabolic syndrome

Scientists have found that the fat cells and tissues of morbidly obese people and animals can reach a limit in their ability to store fat appropriately. Beyond this limit several biological processes conspire to prevent further expansion of fat tissue and in the process may trigger other health problems.

9 Nov 2010

European study indicates cardiovascular deaths can be avoided through better preventative care

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Europe, killing an estimated 4.3 million people each year. Results from a large pan-European study announced today indicate that many of these deaths could be avoided if at-risk patients received better preventative care.

9 Nov 2010

Colcrys safe for treating gout flares

Patients who experience gout flares can be treated safely with Colcrys (colchicine, USP), even in the presence of co-morbid conditions that often present physicians with treatment challenges, according to a new analysis presented here at the 74th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

9 Nov 2010

Interleukin Genetics receives two grants under QTDP program to advance obesity, osteoarthritis genetic research

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. today announced that on November 1, 2010 notification was received that it has been awarded two grants totaling $473,393 by the United States Government under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) Program to advance the Company's genetic research projects related to obesity and osteoarthritis.

9 Nov 2010

Cook Medical's controlled-release esophageal stent receives FDA clearance

Cook Medical's controlled-release esophageal stent fully covered in silicone has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making available yet another advanced solution from Cook Medical, the only full-line supplier of endoscopic devices.

9 Nov 2010

Obesity does not increase breast cancer risk in Mexican-American women: Research

Obesity was not associated with breast cancer risk in Mexican-American women, even when measured at numerous ages throughout a woman's lifetime, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010.

8 Nov 2010

$Beta blockers for high blood pressure also reduce fracture risk: Study$

Beta blockers for high blood pressure also reduce fracture risk: Study

Beta blockers, one of the most commonly used types of cardiovascular drugs, taken by about 20 per cent of the population, have been found to cut a person's incidence of bone fracture by half. This new and welcome side effect was reported by Professor Tuan Nguyen from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research and his Australian-based colleagues. “Indeed, we found that men and women who used beta-blockers had a 50 per cent lower risk of fracture than those not using beta blockers… We were very excited about the finding because, as you know, a lot of elderly people use beta blockers ... it’s a very significant public health issue,” he said.

8 Nov 2010

Apples lower risk for developing heart disease

Recent research out of the University of Michigan Health System – a premier academic medical center – has found that adding more apples and apple products to your diet may be an easy way to lower your risk for developing heart disease. More than one in three U.S. adults has one or more types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

8 Nov 2010

TransTech Pharma, High Point receive $1.96 million grants under QTDP program

TransTech Pharma, Inc. and High Point Pharmaceuticals, LLC. today announced that they have been awarded cash grants totaling $1.96 million under the U.S. Government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project program.

8 Nov 2010

VIVUS closes sale of MUSE business to Meda

VIVUS, Inc. today announced that it has closed the sale of its MUSE business to Meda. Under the purchase agreement, Meda acquired the MUSE assets including the United States and foreign MUSE patents, existing inventory and the manufacturing facility located in Lakewood, New Jersey.

8 Nov 2010

AAGL recommends vaginal or laparoscopic hysterectomies

Approximately 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the United States annually to treat benign disorders of the pelvis. More than two-thirds are performed through an abdominal incision. In an evidence-based position statement published online today in The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, the AAGL, a medical specialty society of over 5,000 gynecologic surgeons, advocates the practice of performing these procedures vaginally or laparoscopically in a minimally invasive manner, thus reducing morbidity and facilitating a faster recovery period.

8 Nov 2010

Gout and hyperuricemia continue to rise in the U.S.

Gout rates and related cases of hyperuricema have increased over the past two decades, according to research presented at the Nov 2010, American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

Fast food restaurants to display calorie counts

As Australia reels under the weight of obesity and related diseases one of the first steps towards prevention could be forcing fast food restaurants to display kilojoule counts on their menus said NSW Premier Kristina Keneally.

7 Nov 2010

Athersys secures three Therapeutic Discovery Project grants

Athersys, Inc. announced today that it has secured three Therapeutic Discovery Project grants as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. These grants were awarded related to Athersys' development of MultiStem® for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), also known as heart attack, and other forms of cardiovascular disease, as well as for the treatment of multiple diseases causing acute tissue damage and chronic inflammation.

4 Nov 2010

Endocrine Society unveils new guideline on endocrine and nutritional management of post-bariatric surgery patients

The Endocrine Society released a new clinical practice guideline for the nutritional and endocrine management of adults after bariatric surgery, including those with diabetes mellitus. The guideline features a series of evidence-based clinical recommendations developed by an expert task force. The guideline is published in the November 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), a publication of The Endocrine Society.

4 Nov 2010

Immune Network to complete patient enrollment in Phase 2b imm01 trial for tuberculosis

Immune Network Ltd. a company in the business of discovery and development of immune-based therapies, today announced that patient enrollment will be completed next week for the company's future partner Immunitor's Phase 2b imm01 trial of V5 immunotherapy in 120 patients with tuberculosis.

3 Nov 2010

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery effective for morbid obesity

Gastric bypass surgery decreases the preference for sweet-tasting substances in obese rats, a study finding that could help in developing safer treatments for the morbidly obese, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

3 Nov 2010

Researchers discover FoxO1 protein interacts with macrophages to promote inflammatory response

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a multi-tasking protein called FoxO1 has another important but previously unknown function: It directly interacts with macrophages, promoting an inflammatory response that can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. Contrarily, it also generates a negative feedback loop that can limit damage from excessive inflammation.

3 Nov 2010

Palatin receives $978,000 in grants under PPACA

Palatin Technologies, Inc., announced today that it has received $978,000 in grants under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), with $847,000 available immediately and $131,000 available no later than 30 days after Palatin's fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.

2 Nov 2010