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2010 AAOS meeting highlights advancements in back and spine treatment options

Approximately 21 million visits were made to physicians' offices due to back problems in 2006. While countless adults experience back pain and stiffness, many suffer from serious spine and back conditions –including injury, herniated discs and the deterioration of the vertebrae.

11 Mar 2010

Eureka Genomics announces closing of $3.7M private financing round

Eureka Genomics today announced the closing of a $3.7 million private financing round whose participants included private individuals and undisclosed angel investors. The proceeds will further discovery research aimed at identifying novel microorganisms associated with specific cancers and other important diseases, as well as help grow Eureka Genomics’ high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics service business on a global basis.

11 Mar 2010

Heartbeat Digital's revenue for fiscal year 2009 increases by 25%

Heartbeat Digital, a New York-based interactive agency, reported 25% revenue growth in the 2009 fiscal year.

10 Mar 2010

Senate passes extension of COBRA and other unemployment benefits

The Hill: Six Senate Republicans joined most Democrats to approve a package of unemployment aid and tax provisions. The bill, which its backers say is "a necessary step during the economic recovery," passed on a 62-36 vote. "The bulk of the bill's cost -- about $80 billion -- goes toward prolonging increased levels of federal unemployment aid and COBRA healthcare benefits for the jobless through the end of December." The measure's remaining cost would extend "the current rate of Medicare payments to doctors, which is scheduled to see a 21 percent rate cut" as well as a number of tax breaks.

10 Mar 2010

Positive results from Limerick BioPharma's LIM-0705 Phase 1a trial

Limerick BioPharma, Inc., a developer of innovative therapies that help cells pump unwanted or toxic substances away from vulnerable tissues, has announced positive results of a Phase 1a trial for its lead compound, LIM-0705, which has completed its first in man study.

10 Mar 2010

Patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery increase their risk of developing kidney stones

Patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery experience changes in their urine composition that increase their risk of developing kidney stones, research from UT Southwestern Medical Center investigators suggests.

10 Mar 2010

CPRIT grants $6.8 million for cancer prevention programs

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas today awarded over $6.8 million to fund twelve new cancer prevention programs through local clinics, health districts, community-based organizations, and academic institutions across the state of Texas.

10 Mar 2010

Five facts about Obama's proposed changes to Medicare payroll tax

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver outlines some key issues, starting with: "Should affluent Americans have to pay Medicare payroll tax on their investment income?

10 Mar 2010

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