Medical News

RSS

Gadavist approved by FDA for use in central nervous system MRI scans

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Gadavist (gadobutrol), a gadolinium-based contrast agent, for use in patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the central nervous system.

16 Mar 2011

Unigene initiates oral PTH Phase 2 study in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Unigene Laboratories, Inc. a leader in the design, delivery, manufacture and development of peptide-based therapeutics announced today the dosing of the first subject in a Phase 2 study with an experimental oral parathyroid hormone analog for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

16 Mar 2011

Pentagon plans to target Tricare spending

As soaring medical costs have forced steep cuts to benefits offered by government and private plans, the program, known as Tricare, has grown more generous.

16 Mar 2011

Study underscores need for monitoring vitamin D levels in all cirrhosis patients

Vitamin D deficiency is a well reported complication in chronic cholestatic liver disease such as primary biliary cirrhosis. While the prevalence and treatment of this deficiency has been addressed in many articles over the last decades, little is known of the vitamin D status in alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

16 Mar 2011

NMS announces license agreement with Novartis

Nerviano Medical Sciences, the largest pharmaceutical R&D facility in Italy and one of the leading oncology-focused, integrated discovery and development companies in Europe, today announced a license agreement with Novartis.

16 Mar 2011

FDA clears Intralytix phage-based EcoShield food safety product

Intralytix, Inc. announced today that it has received regulatory clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for its phage-based EcoShield food safety product, effective against E. coli O157:H7.

16 Mar 2011

Enzo Life Sciences introduces ELISA system to detect SMN protein

Enzo Biochem, Inc. and the Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation today announced that Enzo's wholly owned subsidiary, Enzo Life Sciences Inc., has launched a unique immunoassay system which can be used for the identification and detection of Survival Motor Neuron protein.

16 Mar 2011

ALMA receives ExxonMobil $250,000 grant to combat malaria

The African Leaders Malaria Alliance, an alliance of 39 African leaders, announced today that it has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the ExxonMobil Foundation to help with its campaign to combat malaria.

16 Mar 2011

iTherX commences ITX-5061 Phase 1b study in patients with HCV

iTherX, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing a new class of therapies for hepatitis C, today announced that it has commenced patient recruitment in an open-label, proof-of-concept Phase 1b study of its lead compound ITX-5061 in liver transplant patients with hepatitis C virus infection.

16 Mar 2011

Human growth, height, size: Reasons to be small

Almost everybody these days thinks that it is best to be tall, meaning much taller than the average traditional height of Asian populations, and even taller than the current average height of populations in high-income countries. It is also often believed – though people might be shy to admit this – that tall people are intrinsically superior to short people. The expressions 'look up to' and 'look down on' are significant.

15 Mar 2011

15 million people caring for 5 million Alzheimer’s sufferers: U.S. report card

According to a report released on Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association, nearly 15 million Americans are now caring for a family member or friend with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. The Association warns that these figures may rise if new therapies for Alzheimer’s are not found.

15 Mar 2011

Heavy drinking related to pancreatic cancer: Study

According to the latest research, heavy drinkers have an increased risk of dying from pancreatic cancer. The study has shown that non-smokers who have three or more drinks of hard liquor a day face a 36 percent higher risk of dying from pancreatic cancer, compared with non-drinkers. Smoking is a definite risk for pancreatic cancer. The report is published in the March 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

15 Mar 2011

Heavy smoking dropped drastically over last four decades: Study

A new study has shown that the rate of “pack-a-day” or more smokers in the United States has fallen sharply since 1965, particularly in California. There is evidence from earlier literature that a smaller percentage of Americans smoke now than in previous decades. This new study was published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It shows that high-intensity smoking is also less common.

15 Mar 2011

Bits of plastic in Lean Cuisine meals bring recall

The recall notice was issued Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and affects about 10,260 pounds of frozen spaghetti and meatballs. Food maker Nestle, in its statement, says the affected packages were produced in October. The health risk associated with this recall is low, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service explained. If the product is consumed, there is only a remote probability of adverse health consequences.

15 Mar 2011

Apeiron in antitumor substances deal with Cleveland Clinic

APEIRON Biologics AG announced that it has entered into an exclusive option to license from the Cleveland Clinic a number of novel compounds. These compounds are currently in development at Cleveland Clinic as drug candidates for treatment of various cancers, designed to fight cancer based on stimulation of the immune system. In preclinical models, they have shown anti-cancer activity and a favourable toxicity profile as orally available agents.

15 Mar 2011

Anavex to commence phase I clinical trial in Alzheimer’s disease

Anavex Life Sciences Corp. (“Anavex”) (OTCBB: AVXL) has announced that its clinical trial application (CTA) for ANAVEX 2-73, the company’s lead compound for Alzheimer’s disease, has been approved by the German regulatory health authority, BfArM. The Phase I trial of ANAVEX 2-73, which includes testing in healthy human volunteers, will commence immediately. In this Phase I program Anavex will assess the safety, maximally tolerated dose, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ANAVEX 2-73.

15 Mar 2011

Emergency responders, insurers, communicators must factor overconfidence into disaster preparations

Past random good fortune can lull a person into a sense of security when it comes to buying flood insurance or deciding whether to evacuate from a hurricane, according to new research. Studies of both professional risk experts and the general public showed people who had experienced a “near-miss” event related to flooding or a potential hurricane, instead of taking extra precautions when faced with possible future disasters, actually behave less protectively.

15 Mar 2011

Discovery of molecular switch for the secretion of insulin

Johns Hopkins researchers believe they have uncovered the molecular switch for the secretion of insulin — the hormone that regulates blood sugar — providing for the first time an explanation of this process. In a report published online March 1 in Cell Metabolism, the researchers say the work solves a longtime mystery and may lead to better treatments for type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease.

15 Mar 2011

Researchers set to study impacts of space radiation on the atmosphere and aging issues worldwide

Researchers from the University of Alberta have won awards from an international research organization that will enable them to work with colleagues around the globe to address two issues with global ramifications.

15 Mar 2011

Depressed, older people who have a stroke are more likely to be dependent

People who have a stroke are more likely to be dependent if they are depressed, older or have other medical problems, according to a study published in the March 15, 2011, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

15 Mar 2011