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Promising antibiotic alternative to fight bacteria that causes strep throat

Researchers have discovered a promising alternative to common antibiotics used to fight the bacteria that causes strep throat. In an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists discussed how their discovery could fight the infection with a reduced risk of antibiotic resistance.

22 Feb 2012

EMA grants positive scientific opinion for Pyramax to treat malaria

Pyramax-, a fixed-dose combination of pyronaridine and artesunate, becomes the first antimalarial to be granted a positive scientific opinion from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) under Article 58. This once daily, 3-day treatment is indicated for acute, uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum and blood-stage Plasmodium vivax malaria in adults and children over 20 kg.

22 Feb 2012

UMC Utrecht, DSM collaborate for Dyneema Purity fiber technology

DSM, a global leader in biomedical materials sciences, and University Medical Center Utrecht, a leading academic hospital with a renowned experimental facility unit for cardiothoracic interventions today announced that they have entered into a collaboration agreement.

22 Feb 2012

Telomeres - the indicators of aging - are highly susceptible to stress and depression

Stress has numerous detrimental effects on the human body. Many of these effects are acutely felt by the sufferer, but many more go 'unseen', one of which is shortening of telomere length.

22 Feb 2012

Weight gain or loss may also depend on medicines taken

Weight gain or loss may not always be caused by what you eat or how much you exercise. For some, it's the medicines you're taking.

22 Feb 2012

Sociologists develop a theory of moral self

Why do some people behave morally while others do not? Sociologists at the University of California, Riverside and California State University, Northridge have developed a theory of the moral self that may help explain the ethical lapses in the banking, investment, and mortgage-lending industries that nearly ruined the U.S. economy.

22 Feb 2012

PNAS selects six papers to receive 2011 Cozzarelli Prize

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Editorial Board has selected six papers published by PNAS in 2011 to receive the Cozzarelli Prize, an award that recognizes outstanding contributions to the scientific disciplines represented by the National Academy of Sciences.

22 Feb 2012

DRG cells may hold potential for nerve transplants

The carnage evident in disasters like car wrecks or wartime battles is oftentimes mirrored within the bodies of the people involved. A severe wound can leave blood vessels and nerves severed, bones broken, and cellular wreckage strewn throughout the body - a debris field within the body itself.

22 Feb 2012

Breastfeeding mother's consumption of caffeine may cause wakefulness and irritability in the baby

Babies are not able to metabolize or excrete caffeine very well, so a breastfeeding mother's consumption of caffeine may lead to caffeine accumulation and symptoms such as wakefulness and irritability, according to an interview with expert Ruth Lawrence, MD, published in Journal of Caffeine Research, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

22 Feb 2012

Combination of gemcitabine and MRK003 kills pancreatic cancer cells

Cancer Research UK scientists have revealed how a combination of two very different drugs - currently being tested in clinical trials - amplifies the destruction of pancreatic cancer cells, according to research published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, today.

22 Feb 2012

Immunization against flu during pregnancy can influence fetal growth

Vaccinating pregnant women against the influenza virus appears to have a significant positive effect on birth weight in babies, according to a study published in CMAJ.

22 Feb 2012

Cedars-Sinai scientist to study potential treatments for AD

A Cedars-Sinai research scientist has been awarded two national grants totaling more than $2.5 million, including a prestigious Research Project Grant from the National Institutes of Health to study potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease.

21 Feb 2012

Researchers discover new evidence on how cholesterol transfers from HDLs to LDLs

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have found new evidence to explain how cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mediates the transfer of cholesterol from "good" high density lipoproteins (HDLs) to "bad" low density lipoproteins.

21 Feb 2012

University of Pennsylvania, IMUC enter license agreement for dendritic-cell production method

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics today announced that it has entered into an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania under which University of Pennsylvania has granted the Company an exclusive, worldwide license for a patent pending technology for the production of high-activity dendritic cells.

21 Feb 2012

DPN similar in prediabetic patients and healthy people

In a reversal of two decades of medical reports, a Mayo Clinic study finds the frequency of nerve damage called diabetic polyneuropathy is similar in prediabetic patients and healthy people. Physicians should seek explanations other than prediabetes for patients who have painful small fiber polyneuropathy, the researchers say.

21 Feb 2012

Political cartoons: 'One Pill Makes You...' and 'True Confession?'

Kaiser Health News provides a double dose of health policy cartoons with "One Pill Makes You..." by John Cole and "True Confession?" by R.J. Matson.

21 Feb 2012

FDA grants orphan-drug designation to Arno's AR-42 for treatment of meningioma, schwannoma

Arno Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that its investigational compound, AR-42, has been granted orphan-drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of meningioma and schwannoma of the central nervous system.

21 Feb 2012

Mylan receives $300M committed financing

Mylan Inc. today announced that it has entered into a facility agreement with a syndicate of banks to securitize up to $300 million of U.S. accounts receivable. The facility is committed and has a maturity of three years. The interest rate on any outstanding borrowings will be more than 100 basis points lower than the rate on the company's secured credit facilities.

21 Feb 2012

Xencor, Boehringer Ingelheim partner to develop and supply biosuperior monoclonal antibodies

Xencor, Inc., a company using its proprietary Protein Design Automation (PDA) platform technology to engineer next-generation antibodies, and Boehringer Ingelheim announced today a collaboration agreement for certain Xencor biosuperior monoclonal antibodies.

21 Feb 2012

First Edition: February 21, 2012

Today's health policy headlines include reports about how the Supreme Court's consideration of the health law could prolong the fight over the sweeping measure.

21 Feb 2012