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Michael J. Fox Foundation announces more than $2.8M in awards to discover biomarkers of PD

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research today announced more than $2.8 million in awards for 13 new projects to speed the discovery of biomarkers of PD.

4 Feb 2010

ASTRO and ACR release practice guidelines for new radiation treatments

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) have released practice guidelines for image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in the February issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of ASTRO.

4 Feb 2010

House to move forward to end antitrust exemption for health insurers

"House Democratic leaders are moving forward with Plan B for passing health care reform by introducing a stand-alone measure to strip the antitrust exemption for health insurance companies — a popular piece of their stalled health care reform package," Roll Call reports. "Freshmen Reps. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) and Betsy Markey (D-Colo.) will file legislation on Friday aimed at barring the insurance industry from fixing prices and setting their own markets without being investigated.

4 Feb 2010

Lux Biosciences files NDA with FDA and MAA with EMA for approval of voclosporin

Isotechnika Pharma Inc. today announced that its partner, Lux Biosciences, Inc., has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and a Market Authorization Application (MAA) with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for voclosporin, under the proposed brand name, LUVENIQ(TM).

4 Feb 2010

Global cancer rates could be reduced by 40% with prevention strategies, report says

"Forty percent of the 12 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year could avert the killer disease by protecting themselves against infections and changing their lifestyles, experts said on Tuesday," Reuters reports.

4 Feb 2010

FDA approves first laser treatment for stretch marks

Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. is pleased to announce that the Lux1540™ Fractional non-ablative laser handpiece has received the first clearance by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of striae (stretch marks) using a fractional laser. This new clearance will allow aesthetic practitioners to treat the millions of women worldwide who have unwanted stretch marks.

4 Feb 2010

Allergan acquires Serica Technologies

Morningside Technology Ventures, Prism VentureWorks, and Ivy Capital Partners are pleased to announce the acquisition of their portfolio company, Serica Technologies, Inc. by Allergan, Inc. Serica is a growth-stage medical device company focused on the development of biodegradable silk-based scaffolds for use in tissue regeneration in numerous therapeutic areas. Following the acquisition, Serica became a wholly owned subsidiary of Allergan.

4 Feb 2010

Health spending consumes more of U.S. economy, will tip toward government

A new report by federal actuaries shows government programs will pay for more than half of all U.S. health care spending by 2012, and that total spending on health grew as a share of the economy by 1.1 percent last year to 17.3 percent, the largest leap ever, the Los Angeles Times reports.

4 Feb 2010

Obama tries to bridge Democratic divide on health reform

Speaking with Senate Democrats Wednesday, President Obama "suggested that Republicans could be enlisted to play at least some role in negotiating a final bill, The Washington Post reports.

4 Feb 2010

Arizona Oncology physicians provide advanced cancer care for MHC patients

Cancer patients in Marana now have more options for cancer care. Arizona Oncology physicians will now treat patients at Marana Healthcare Clinic (MHC). Drs. Laurie Chen and Y. Haroon Ahmad, medical oncologists, are now actively caring for patients at MHC.

4 Feb 2010

IMRIS to acquire NASL

IMRIS Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NeuroArm Surgical Limited ("NASL"), a privately held company based in Calgary, Alberta, and its magnetic resonance-compatible neurosurgical robot. The companies expect to close the transaction no later than February 8, 2010, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. IMRIS has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates Limited ("MDA") to create the next generation of the technology.

4 Feb 2010

Data analysis of Delcath Systems' Phase III trial of melphalan to be commenced

Delcath Systems, Inc., a medical technology company testing its proprietary treatment system for metastatic cancers to the liver, announced today that sufficient events have been reached to allow data analysis to begin on its Phase III trial. The trial uses the drug melphalan to treat patients with metastatic melanoma in the liver.

4 Feb 2010

COBRA extension likely part of Senate Democratic jobs plan

The Wall Street Journal: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today said he plans to move the " first part of a job-creation package next week." In discussing the measure during a Capitol Hill press conference, Democratic leaders were short of specifics "but pledged to make the issue of job creation their top priority in 2010."

4 Feb 2010

VA hospitals urged to accomodate growing number of female veterans

NPR: "The traditionally male-dominated environment often doesn't recognize that women veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have experienced the same psychological, physical and emotional trauma as male veterans." Jill Feldman, manager of the Women Veterans Health Care Program at the Milwaukee VA, says the hospital is working to change a culture that has traditionally been more masculine.

4 Feb 2010