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Researchers describe unexpected role of p75NTR in type 2 diabetes

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered a key protein that regulates insulin resistance-the diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin and which sets the stage for the development of the most common form of diabetes. This breakthrough points to a new way to potentially treat or forestall type 2 diabetes, a rapidly growing global health problem.

29 Mar 2012

EMA grants orphan designations to Ultragenyx UX001, UX003 for treatment of HIBM and MPS 7

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for rare and ultra-rare genetic disorders, today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted orphan drug designations for sialic acid for the treatment of hereditary inclusion body myopathy (HIBM) and recombinant human beta-glucuronidase for the treatment of mucopolysaccharidosis type 7.

29 Mar 2012

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Meso Scale Discovery collaborate to advance AD research

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Meso Scale Discovery today announced they have entered an agreement to develop diagnostic assays that will measure cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for use in Alzheimer's disease research.

29 Mar 2012

DSMB recommends Bionovo to continue Menerba Phase 3 trial for hot flashes

Bionovo, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of safe and effective treatments for women's health and cancer, announced today that the Company's independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended that the Phase 3 trial of Menerba (MF101) could continue as designed after an initial review of its clinical safety and tolerability data.

29 Mar 2012

State experiences with insurance mandates offer cautionary tales

In Massachusetts, reforms are proceeding with an individual mandate, while Washington state and New Jersey faced hardships when they overhauled their health insurance markets without one.

29 Mar 2012

Viewpoints: Why doctors find it hard to tell the truth; The fruits of biomedical research; Cheney's 'taxpayer-subsidized' benefits

Last month, an article in the journal Health Affairs made headlines in the news media - "Physicians Are Not Always Open or Honest with Patients." A vast majority of the nearly 2,000 doctors surveyed agreed that physicians should be fully open and honest in all their communications with patients. ... I suspect that the dishonesty that is being uncovered in a study such as this - and frankly, I was amazed that the number of less-than-truthful instances was so low - reveals more about the diagnosis of being human than anything else. ... I couldn't bring myself to tell this young mother that she was going to die."

29 Mar 2012

Gene therapy improves chylomicron metabolism in LPLD patients

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in the field of human gene therapy, announced today data demonstrating that one-time administration of the gene therapy Glybera (alipogene tiparvovec) is able to markedly improve chylomicron (fat particles in the blood) metabolism following consumption of a low fat meal.

29 Mar 2012

Tips to help ensure best plastic surgery results

Believe it or not, you play just as big a role in the overall success of your cosmetic surgery as your surgeon. Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory A. Buford recently published a comprehensive list of tips to help ensure the best results, no matter what procedure you're preparing for.

29 Mar 2012

Top-five pharma manufacturer implements ALSCG MemberMATCH GPO solution

Alliance Life Sciences Consulting Group, a leading management and technology consultancy, announces the implementation of MemberMATCH at a top-five pharmaceutical manufacturer.

29 Mar 2012

Sientra closes $65M Series C financing

Sientra, a privately-held medical device company focused on the aesthetic and plastic surgery markets, announced today that it closed on its $65 million Series C financing led by Abingworth and with participation by Clarus Ventures, OrbiMed Advisors and all other insiders.

29 Mar 2012

Perspectives on health law challenge: Does court recognize its own limits?; A dubious link to Civil Rights Act; The burden on young people

In ruling on the constitutionality of requiring most Americans to obtain health insurance, the Supreme Court faces a central test: whether it will recognize limits on its own authority to overturn well-founded acts of Congress.

29 Mar 2012

Affymetrix' GeneChip technology incorporated into Lineagen's FirstStepDx genetic evaluation service

Affymetrix, Inc. and Lineagen, Inc., an innovative molecular diagnostics company focused on complex, genetically linked disorders, today announced the companies have signed an agreement to incorporate Affymetrix' GeneChip technology into Lineagen's next-generation FirstStepDx, a genetic evaluation service for individuals with developmental delay (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

29 Mar 2012

P. falciparum colonizes America via two separate introduction routes: Study

The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, originates from Africa, and is found on every continent. Over 200 million people are infected every year from Africa to Asia, as well as in America and the Middle East. How did it spread to the entire planet? It is not entirely clear how it conquered the New World. Scientists from the UMR Migevec and their partners have recently shown in the journal PNAS that the pathogen was introduced by ship during the slave trade.

29 Mar 2012

FDA clears BD MAX assay for detecting GBS DNA in Lim Broth cultures

BD announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance of the BD MAX Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Assay and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) moderate complexity test categorization on the second-generation BD MAX System.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 29 Mar 2012

BCBSMF launches Connect for Health Challenge

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation today announced the launch of the Connect for Health Challenge, a new grantmaking initiative that will award up to $500,000 to eligible nonprofits, schools and local units of government to support efforts that strengthen social connections in low-income communities across Minnesota.

29 Mar 2012

Althea provides Allena exclusive worldwide rights to broad hyperoxaluria portfolio

Allena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Althea Technologies today announced a licensing agreement under which Allena has obtained the exclusive worldwide rights to Althea's broad hyperoxaluria portfolio including product patents, regulatory information and development data related to oxalate degrading enzymes.

29 Mar 2012

Amerigroup announces successful efforts at preventing premature births

Amerigroup Corporation announced its successful efforts at preventing premature births – as well its commitment to protecting access to affordable drug therapies for at-risk mothers – at the annual Norfolk/Virginia Beach March of Dimes kick-off breakfast for the March for Babies.

29 Mar 2012

Galectin closes underwritten public offering of 1,333,361 units

Galectin Therapeutics Inc. today announced it has closed its underwritten public offering of 1,333,361 units (including 173,916 units that were offered and sold by Galectin pursuant to the exercise in-full of the underwriter's over-allotment option) at a price to the public of $9.00 per unit, with each unit consisting of two common voting shares, par value $0.001 per share and one warrant to purchase one share of Common Stock.

29 Mar 2012

CDC Director provides update on AIDS epidemic in anticipation of AIDS 2012 conference

In anticipation of the AIDS 2012 conference, to be held in Washington, D.C., from July 22-27, CDC Director Thomas Frieden spoke at the Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies, where he provided an update on the epidemic in the U.S. and abroad, VOA News reports.

29 Mar 2012

AFB announces Access Award recipients for 2012

What do the leaders of "America's pastime," a free open-source screen-reading software company, an orientation and mobility (O&M) program, and the founder of Camp Abilities have in common? All have taken successful strides toward creating a better quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired, which is why they were named the recipients of the 2012 Access Awards, announced today by the American Foundation for the Blind.

29 Mar 2012