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Researchers to study effect of reovirus on cancer cells

A common virus that can cause coughing and mild diarrhea appears to have a major redemptive quality: the ability to kill cancer. Harnessing that power, researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Georgetown University Medical Center, are conducting a clinical trial to see if the virus can target and kill certain tumor types.

21 Oct 2010

Aastrom submits SPA for Phase 3 clinical development program in critical limb ischemia to FDA

Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., a leading developer of expanded autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of severe cardiovascular diseases, today announced that it has submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a special protocol assessment (SPA) describing the company's proposed Phase 3 clinical development program in critical limb ischemia (CLI).

21 Oct 2010

Kinemed updates translational biomarkers strategy at 2010 Conference in Boston

Marc K. Hellerstein, M.D., Ph.D. Co-Founder and Chief of SAB, Kinemed, Inc. presented an "Updated Strategy for Using Disease Predictive Translational Biomarkers in the Rapidly Advancing Field of Causal Pathway Measurements" at the 2010 Personalized and Translational Medicine Conference. In Boston, on September 20-21, 2010.

21 Oct 2010

Unitedhealth says it will test lump sum payments for some cancer care, reports earnings

Health insurer UnitedHealth said Tuesday that it will test a new way payment method for cancer doctors. The program pays doctors a lump sum payment for providing care during an entire course of care for the disease instead of how it's done now with a fee for each service a doctor provides.

21 Oct 2010

Generex announces participation in Annual Canadian Diabetes Association Conference

Generex Biotechnology Corporation today announced that it will be attending the 13th Annual Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA)/ Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM)Professional Conference and Annual Meetings in Edmonton, Alberta. The gathering will run from October 20-23, 2010 at the Shaw Conference Centre.

21 Oct 2010

Study: p63 gene stifles spread of cancer

Long overshadowed by p53, its famous tumor-suppressing sibling, the p63 gene does the tougher, important job of stifling the spread of cancer to other organs, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the Oct. 21 issue of Nature.

21 Oct 2010

C PORT Solutions releases new mobile computing platform for healthcare facilities

With the launch of MEDI PORT, C PORT Solutions is the world's first company to converge all forms of communication and collaboration with patient data, medical applications, and existing healthcare technologies so all healthcare professionals can diagnose or treat a patient with the highest level of care regardless of the healthcare professional's location.

21 Oct 2010

WorldHeart announces completion of private placement

World Heart Corporation, a developer of mechanical circulatory systems, announced today that it has completed its previously announced private placement of common stock and warrants to purchase common stock. Gross proceeds from the offering were approximately $25.3 million. Proceeds from the private placement are expected to be used for general corporate and working capital purposes.

21 Oct 2010

CMS head Berwick praises new center for Medicare and Medicaid innovation

The planned Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has the potential to be the 'jewel in the crown' of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Donald M. Berwick, administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

21 Oct 2010

VA checklists save lives, study says

The Associated Press: Going through a "surgery checklist" to confirm the basic procedures of a planned operation can help save lives, according to a study of 74 Veterans Affairs hospitals. In the hospitals being studied, "Surgery team members all created checklists and discussed them in briefings before, during and after surgery," reviewing basic information such as the reason for the surgery and the identity of the patient.

21 Oct 2010

DMC concludes Protege Phase 3 clinical trial for type 1 diabetes lacks efficacy

MacroGenics, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company today announced that the Protege Data Monitoring Committee (DMC), composed of independent experts in the fields of diabetes and biostatistics, has completed a planned analysis of one-year safety and efficacy data of the Protege Phase 3 clinical trial of teplizumab, an investigational biologic under development for the treatment of individuals with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.

21 Oct 2010

Aqueous cream worsens eczema: Study

Researchers claim that a cream that is often used in a skin condition called eczema may actually make the condition worse. The research conducted at Bath University found that aqueous cream thinned the skin after a few weeks of use. They found that the cream contains a detergent rather than just moisturizers. The team also said that most GPs seemed unaware of official advice not to prescribe the cream as a moisturizer.

21 Oct 2010

NYU Langone Medical Center announces establishment of Smilow Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Center

NYU Langone Medical Center is pleased to announce that it has established The Smilow Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Center with a $5 million gift from Joel E. Smilow, a member of the Board of Trustees at NYU Langone Medical Center and New York University. The Smilow Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive, state-of-the-art personalized care for men with prostate cancer as well as educating men and their families about the disease and the wide range of treatment options available today.

21 Oct 2010

Link between low testosterone and heart disease deaths: Study

In a new study it was seen that men diagnosed with coronary heart disease with low testosterone were almost twice as likely to die over a seven year period. The team led by Prof Kevin Channer a cardiologist of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield looked at 930 men for the study. This study is in contrast to the popular belief that testosterone increases heart disease risk. The study was published in the journal Online First Heart.

21 Oct 2010

Vascular Solutions acquires EXPRO Elite and MICRO Elite snare products from Radius

Vascular Solutions, Inc. today announced that it has acquired the assets related to the EXPRO Elite™ and MICRO Elite™ snare products from Radius Medical Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiary, Radius Medical, LLC. Vascular Solutions has been selling the EXPRO Elite™ and MICRO Elite™ snares in the U.S. under a distribution relationship with Radius since 2008, while in international markets Radius has been selling the products through a network of independent distributors.

21 Oct 2010

Health reform law news: HHS awards $30 million in consumer assistance grants

The Department of Health and Human Services says it will award $30 million in consumer assistance grants to help states and territories either establish or strengthen programs that provide direct services to patients related to their health insurance, Modern Healthcare reports.

21 Oct 2010

Joint stem cell study to investigate multiple sclerosis

A $2.2 million project by Victorian and Californian researchers will assess whether stem cell therapies can be used to combat diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Type-1 diabetes, and help organ transplant recipients. Speaking at AusBiotech 2010 in Melbourne today, Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings said the Brumby Labor Government had contributed $575,505 to the project, the fifth to be funded through the $28 million Victoria–California Stem Cell Alliance which was established in 2008 under the Biotechnology Strategic Development Plan.

21 Oct 2010