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Polio immunization campaign begins across West and Central Africa

More than 85 million children under five years old will be immunized against polio in 19 countries across West and Central Africa in a massive example of cross-border cooperation aimed at stopping a year-long polio epidemic.

10 Mar 2010

Small study shows eprotirome decreases LDL cholesterol

People whose "bad" cholesterol and risk of future heart disease stay too high despite cholesterol-lowering statin therapy can safely lower it by adding a drug that mimics the action of thyroid hormone. In a report published in the Mar. 11, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Johns Hopkins and Swedish researchers say an experimental drug called eprotirome lowered cholesterol up to 32 percent in those already on statins, an effect equal to that expected from doubling the statin drug doses, without harmful side effects.

10 Mar 2010

NASDAQ to delist Anesiva common stock

The NASDAQ Stock Market announced today that it will delist the common stock of Anesiva, Inc. Anesiva, Inc.'s stock was suspended on January 06, 2010 and has not traded on NASDAQ since that time. NASDAQ will file a Form 25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to complete the delisting.

10 Mar 2010

DSPA's lurasidone NDA accepted for FDA review

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently accepted for review the lurasidone New Drug Application (NDA) for the treatment of patients with acute schizophrenia. The NDA was submitted to FDA on December 30, 2009 and will receive a standard review.

10 Mar 2010

Medical school costs, loan rates rise sharply

NPR reports on the high cost of medical school, focusing on one student, Sarah Rosen. The interest rate on her school loans "shot up to eight and a half percent, almost twice the rate [her parents] are paying after refinancing their mortgage."

10 Mar 2010

LHC Group to acquire Oregon-based Salem Hospital Home Care

LHC Group, Inc., one of the largest providers of home health services in the United States, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the assets of Salem Hospital Home Care located in Salem, Oregon.

10 Mar 2010

Aastrom Biosciences treats final patient in IMPACT-DCM Phase 2 surgical clinical trial

Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., a leading developer of autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of severe cardiovascular diseases, today reported the final patient treatment in the company's ongoing U.S. Phase 2 surgical clinical trial designated IMPACT-DCM.

10 Mar 2010

California rescission settlement benefits few consumers

The Associated Press reports on a new California state assembly report that found fewer than 200 people out of the more than 6,000 affected have taken advantage of benefits won by a settlement between state regulators and health insurers that dropped sick policyholders.

10 Mar 2010

Student-run venture fund joins Quaker BioVentures in Series A round

BR Ventures, an MBA student-run venture fund of the Johnson School at Cornell University, today announced that it has invested in Semprae Laboratories, joining Quaker Biosciences, which led the Series A round.

10 Mar 2010

Biomoda, Obio collaborate to expand Biomoda’s lung cancer screening program for veterans into Ohio

Cancer diagnostics company Biomoda, Inc. (www.biomoda.com) and Obio, Inc., a corporation formed to pursue public and private funding for cancer research in Ohio, are working together to expand Biomoda’s lung cancer screening program for veterans into Ohio.

10 Mar 2010

Pro- and anti-health reform groups wage last minute attacks

Stephan Payne protested abuses by health insurance companies and pushed for health care reform during a rally Tuesday. The rally was organized by Health Care for America Now and coincided with an annual conference for health insurance executives in D.C. (Jessica Marcy/KHN)

10 Mar 2010

Discovery Laboratories reports net loss of $6.1M for fourth-quarter 2009

Discovery Laboratories, Inc. today announces financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2009 and provides a business update.

10 Mar 2010

Bavarian Nordic' Annual Report 2009

Today Bavarian Nordic published the company's Annual Report 2009. The report is available on the company's website: www.bavarian-nordic.com

10 Mar 2010

Abortion holding up Democrats endgame on health overhaul

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer "said Tuesday that the abortion fight 'has to be resolved.' The majority leader expressed confidence that the issue would be wrapped up, but he also cautioned reporters that he had not had any formal negotiations with Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who authored the House abortion restrictions.

10 Mar 2010

States' legislative health initiatives stall

The Boston Globe: "A group of Massachusetts mayors, fed up with what they say is legislative inaction on skyrocketing municipal health care costs, has launched a ballot initiative for 2012 aimed at giving cities and towns more flexibility in reducing expensive benefits for employees, retirees, and elected officials" (Murphy, 3/10).

10 Mar 2010

Argon Medical Devices, Rex Medical announce licensing agreement for Cleaner Rotational Thrombectomy System

Argon Medical Devices, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive licensing agreement with privately held Rex Medical, LP for exclusive rights to market and distribute the Cleaner™ Rotational Thrombectomy System in the United States, European Union and Canada. Cleaner is a medical device designed for the mechanical declotting of occluded native vessel dialysis fistulae and synthetic dialysis access grafts.

10 Mar 2010

Today's OpEds: Congressional dealmaking, cutting 'honchos pay,' controlling costs

Legislators need pork to make things happen, especially in an age when chronic obstruction has so weakened the legislative process that policy breakthroughs are almost impossible. This does not excuse all kinds of deal making, nor should we ignore that deals sometimes go too far (Julian E. Zelizer, 3/10).

10 Mar 2010

Integra LifeSciences releases FDA cleared Total Wrist Fusion System

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation announced today the release of the Integra™ Total Wrist Fusion System, a solution for wrist arthrodesis that is designed to provide fixation of the wrist while decreasing soft tissue irritation. The system provides an optimal balance of compression and stability by combining the Surfix® locking technology and dynamic compression.

10 Mar 2010

Eprotirome lowers bad cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(A) without statin side effects

A new drug, eprotirome, has been shown to significantly lower bad cholesterol, triglycerides and Lp(A), without the side effects that statins cause in many people. Results of a study were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

10 Mar 2010

FDA clears Oculus Innovative Sciences' Microcyn Skin and Wound HydroGel

Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc., a commercial medical technology company that develops, manufactures and markets a family of products based upon the Microcyn® Technology platform, today announced that it has received new 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for new dermatology indications for Microcyn® Skin and Wound HydroGel.

10 Mar 2010