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Strategies for AKI prevention are possible, study results suggest

Reduced kidney function and protein in the urine place a person at risk for kidney injury, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. The results suggest that improved recognition of these warning signs could help reduce preventable forms of acute kidney injury.

30 Jul 2010

Hospitals accomodate obese patients by purchasing new, larger equipment

Hospitals are accommodating the increasing number of obese patients by buying larger medical equipment, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

30 Jul 2010

Support for health law remains steady while opposition drops

"The percentage of people who view the new health bill unfavorably dropped 6 points to 35 percent in the past month, but that has not translated into a significant increase of supporters, according to the July tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Overall support remained stable since the June survey, with about half the public expressing a favorable view of the overhaul, the poll found" (Verdon, 7/29).

30 Jul 2010

Anthera initiates PEARL-SC Phase 2b study of A-623 for lupus

Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing drugs to treat serious diseases associated with inflammation, today announced it has initiated PEARL-SC, the Phase 2b study of A-623, a novel inhibitor of B-Cell Activating Factor, or BAFF, for the treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (lupus). Lupus patients suffer from a chronic autoimmune disease, which often leads to severe skin rash, fatigue, joint pain, major organ complications, and cardiovascular disease.

30 Jul 2010

IPC announces acquisition of Ann Arbor Inhospital Physicians

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has acquired Ann Arbor Inhospital Physicians, PLLC. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the acquisition represents an expansion in the Michigan market where IPC has an established presence. The practice has an annualized volume of approximately 11,000 patient encounters. The owner, Hamidullah Halimi, MD, will remain with the practice.

30 Jul 2010

Respiratory symptoms are accurate indicators of influenza infection

New research shows that individuals with mild H1N1 infection may go undetected using standard diagnostic criteria, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, (APIC). The study concludes that coughing or other respiratory symptoms are more accurate in determining influenza infection than presence of a fever.

30 Jul 2010

EHNAC honors HERAE with Crystal Recognition Award

HERAE, one of the nation's largest healthcare payment services providers, was honored with the Crystal Recognition Award from the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission. EHNAC's accreditation recognizes excellence in healthcare, and indicates compliance with industry-established standards and HIPAA regulations.

30 Jul 2010

Researchers develop new fluorescent biosensor for drug development

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new fluorescent biosensor that could aid in the development of an important class of drugs that target a crucial class of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).

30 Jul 2010

Amgen second-quarter total revenue increases 2% to $3,804 million

Amgen reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.38 for the second quarter of 2010, an increase of 7 percent compared to $1.29 for the second quarter of 2009. Adjusted net income increased 1 percent to $1,326 million for the second quarter of 2010 compared to $1,311 million for the second quarter of 2009.

30 Jul 2010

Insured Americans are using fewer medical services while employers consider wellness incentives

Insured Americans are using fewer medical services, raising questions about whether patients are consuming less health care as they pick up a greater share of the costs. The drop in usage is showing up as health-care companies report financial results. Insurers, lab-testing companies, hospitals and doctor-billing concerns say that patient visits, drug prescriptions and procedures were down in the second quarter from year-ago levels. Others say that consumers are beginning to forgo elective procedures like knee replacements.

30 Jul 2010

Republicans take on cost-cutting panel backed by budget chief Orszag

Several Senate Republican leaders are now pushing a new, partial health-overhaul repeal bill that targets a Medicare cost-cutting panel, The Hill reports. The panel, the Independent Payment Advisory Board, would make cost-cutting recommendations whenever spending exceeds set benchmarks. Congress would have to adopt them, or come up with its own plan.

30 Jul 2010

GSK exercises option to obtain exclusive licence to develop, commercialise GSK '052

Anacor Pharmaceuticals and GlaxoSmithKline PLC today announced that GSK has exercised its option to obtain an exclusive licence to develop and commercialise GSK2251052 (GSK '052), formerly known as AN3365. GSK '052 is a novel, systemic antibiotic derived from Anacor's boron chemistry platform.

30 Jul 2010

Fecal occult blood tests make cost effective alternatives in colorectal cancer screening

While colonoscopies are the most accurate method for the early detection of colorectal cancers, screening with fecal occult blood tests results in more efficient use of limited budgets, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International.

30 Jul 2010

Orexigen's Contrave COR-I trial results published online in journal Lancet

Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. announced that results from its COR-I trial of Contrave® were published online today in the journal Lancet. COR-I was the largest of the four, 56-week, Phase 3 trials supporting the New Drug Application for Contrave, currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Results show that patients taking Contrave were two to three times more likely to lose at least 5% or 10% of their body weight compared to those taking placebo, on both an intent-to-treat (ITT) and completers basis.

30 Jul 2010

APCapital second-quarter net income decreases to $9.4 million

American Physicians Capital, Inc. today announced net income of $9.4 million or $.98 per diluted common share for the second quarter of 2010. This compares to net income of $11.0 million, or $.97 per diluted common share for the second quarter of 2009. Year-to-date, the Company has generated net income of $18.4 million or $1.88 per diluted common share in 2010, compared to $21.1 million or $1.82 per diluted common share in the first six months of 2009.

30 Jul 2010

Charles River to terminate acquisition agreement with WuXi PharmaTech

Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., a leading global provider of research models and associated services and of preclinical drug development services, today announced that it has mutually agreed with WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. to terminate their previously announced acquisition agreement. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a new $500 million stock repurchase program.

30 Jul 2010

Phenolic compounds in peaches, plums kill breast cancer cells

A recent study performed at Texas A&M University revealed that peaches and plums may present an even sweeter, juicier treat in their ability to fight breast cancer. According to research scientists Dr. Luis Cisneros-Zevallos and Dr. David Byrne from AgriLife Research at Texas A&M, extracts found in commercial varieties of peaches and plums have been shown to kill breast cancer cells while not harming normal cells.

30 Jul 2010

Insurers Aetna, WellPoint look for their place in health reform; WellPoint profit up

Aetna President Mark Bertolini said Wednesday that his company has seen much slower sales of national insurance accounts where large employers pay Aetna to administer plans for employees, The Associated Press reports. Under the new health overhaul, Bertolini said he expected less movement in that market because of the uncertainty in the law.

30 Jul 2010

Business groups, GOP prepare anti-health law campaigns for midterm elections

Politico reports that business groups are preparing ads for the November elections and some are targeting health reform. "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has already vowed to invest $75 million in the mid-term elections. And health insurers are also planning to play big in November, although the specifics remain in flux. … Both America's Health Insurance Plans and its Coalition for Medicare Choices are expected to play a major role in the messaging, along with individual companies. But neither group, according to sources, plans to directly attack Democrats, which would risk infuriating the White House as it writes reform regulations as well as the Blue Dog Democrats who opposed the legislation."

30 Jul 2010

Acura Pharmaceuticals reports net loss of $3.2M for second-quarter 2010

Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported a second quarter 2010 net loss of $3.2 million or $0.07 per share compared to net loss of $6.5 million, or $0.14 per share for the second quarter of 2009. For the six months ended June 30, 2010, the Company reported a net loss of $7.2 million, or $0.15 per share compared to net loss of $7.8 million, or $0.17 per share for the same period in 2009. At July 29, 2010 we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $26.5 million with no term indebtedness.

30 Jul 2010