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Inefficient suppression of DUX4 gene causes facioscapulohumeral dystrophy: Study

An international team of researchers led by an investigator from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has made a second critical advance in determining the cause of a common form of muscular dystrophy known as facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, or FSHD.

29 Oct 2010

Countdown on as Republicans ready health repeal agenda, Democrats continue push

Kaiser Health News' Health on the Hill, examines advertisements about the new health law in a video conversation. Many Democrats, concerned that voters view the measure in a negative light, continue to not mention health reform.

29 Oct 2010

New noninvasive stool DNA test to predict colorectal cancer

An investigational DNA methylation test could alter the screening landscape for colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held here Oct. 27-30, 2010.

29 Oct 2010

Boston Scientific's Neurovascular business to be acquired by Stryker

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced the execution of a definitive agreement under which Stryker Corporation will acquire Boston Scientific's Neurovascular business. The purchase price is $1.5 billion, payable in cash, of which $1.4 billion is payable at closing and $100 million will be payable following the closing and upon the occurrence of the commercialization of the next-generation Target™ Detachable Coils and the transfer or separation of certain manufacturing facilities, which is anticipated to occur over a period of approximately 24 months.

From Stryker 29 Oct 2010

Talecris third quarter net revenue increases 2.8% to $407.0 million

Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings Corp. today announced its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010 and filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

29 Oct 2010

StemCells initiates HuCNS-SC second clinical trial for Batten disease in children

StemCells, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a second clinical trial of its HuCNS-SC product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL, also often referred to as Batten disease), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder in children.

29 Oct 2010

Return of the doc cuts threatens access, physician-group lobby says, again

Pending Medicare cuts could mean physician practices would back away from the program, according to a trade group representing these doctor groups, Medscape reports.

29 Oct 2010

Researchers depict new statistical algorithm to identify genetic variations for common diseases

A group of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute and the Scripps Translational Science Institute has published a paper that reviews new strategies for identifying collections of rare genetic variations that reveal whether people are predisposed to developing common conditions like diabetes and cancer.

29 Oct 2010

Sanofi-aventis to acquire BMP Sunstone

Sanofi-aventis and BMP Sunstone Corporation announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which sanofi-aventis is to acquire all outstanding shares of BMP Sunstone for cash consideration of USD 10 per share, or a total of approximately USD 520.6 million on a fully diluted basis.

29 Oct 2010

With incentives from insurers, pharmacies refocus from snacks to drugs

Drug stores are returning to their roots — drugs, the (Raleigh N.C.) News and Observer/Scripps News reports. "After years of adding everything from groceries to grills to their inventory, drugstore chains are once again emphasizing their pharmacies.

29 Oct 2010

Emergent BioSolutions completes Trubion acquisition

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., following a majority vote to approve the merger by Trubion stockholders at a special meeting conducted at Trubion's Seattle headquarters on October 28, 2010. The acquisition provides Emergent with multiple, advanced stage candidates in the key disease areas of oncology and autoimmunity as well as access to novel and versatile protein therapeutic platforms.

29 Oct 2010

Physician-owned hospitals racing to meet health law deadline

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver, working in collaboration with USA Today, reports: "At the Cypress Pointe Surgical Hospital here, construction workers scrambled on a recent day to turn a mud pit into a parking lot and put other finishing touches on the $35 million physician-owned facility" (Weaver, 10/28).

29 Oct 2010

Stryker enters agreement to acquire assets of Neurovascular division of Boston Scientific

Stryker Corporation announced today a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of the Neurovascular division of Boston Scientific in an all cash transaction for $1.5 billion, which includes $100 million of milestone payments.

From Stryker 29 Oct 2010

Low birth weight linked to poor growth in children with CKD

The lower the birth weight, the greater the chance of poor growth rate in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a new study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

29 Oct 2010

More details of the health law revealed as implementation unfolds

The law imposes stringent restrictions on physician-owned hospitals, which critics say cherry pick the lucrative specialty patients community hospitals depend on to stay afloat, Kaiser Health News/USA Today report.

29 Oct 2010

ResMed third quarter revenue increases 17% to $282.0 million

ResMed Inc. today announced record revenue and income for the quarter ended September 30, 2010. Revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2010 was $282.0 million, a 14% increase (a 17% increase on a constant currency basis) over the quarter ended September 30, 2009.

From ResMed Corp 29 Oct 2010

Pfizer announces approval of Lyrica capsules for peripheral neuropathic pain

Pfizer Inc announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved Lyrica (pregabalin) capsules for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain. This follows the recent approval in Japan of Lyrica for the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia on April 16, 2010. Lyrica is the first medication approved for peripheral neuropathic pain in Japan where it is co-promoted with Eisai Co., Ltd.

29 Oct 2010

IntriCon third quarter net sales increases 14% to $14.7 million

IntriCon Corporation a designer, developer, manufacturer and distributor of body-worn medical devices, today announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2010.

29 Oct 2010

Health law only small part of insurance rate increases

The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports on a 16.3 percent premium hike this year by Regence BlueShield, Washington state's largest health insurer, which was the "the forth year in a row of double-digit increases." After the increase, "company reserves grew and executive salaries mostly increased, a seattlepi.com review of state documents has found.

29 Oct 2010

Long hours and nights on call lead to surgeon distress

Just as with everyone else perhaps, the more hours surgeons work, and the more nights they spend on call each week, the more likely they are to face burn-out, depression, dissatisfaction with their careers and serious work-home conflicts, according to a major new study led by Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic researchers.

29 Oct 2010