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Quest Diagnostics announces final results of its cash tender offer

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, announced today the final results for its previously announced cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase any and all of its 5.125% Senior Notes due 2010 and any and all of its 7.50% Senior Notes due 2011 (collectively, the "Notes").

From Quest Diagnostics 20 Nov 2009

Antigenics to withdraw its MAA for Oncophage following CHMP’s negative opinion

Antigenics Inc. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), has formally adopted a negative opinion on the marketing authorization application (MAA) for Oncophage (vitespen) as a treatment in earlier-stage, localized renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

20 Nov 2009

FDA acknowledges Dendreon's amended BLA for PROVENGE as a complete response

Dendreon Corporation today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided written acknowledgement that the Company's amended Biologics License Application (BLA) for PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T) is a complete response. The FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of May 1, 2010, by which time it will respond to Dendreon's amended BLA. Dendreon is seeking licensure for PROVENGE for men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

20 Nov 2009

Pfizer’s Revatio Injection receives FDA approval

Pfizer announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Revatio® (sildenafil) Injection, an intravenous formulation of Revatio. Revatio is the only FDA-approved phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor available in both tablet and intravenous formulations.

20 Nov 2009

Boston Scientific's WallFlex Fully Covered Esophageal Stent receives FDA clearance and CE Mark approval

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CE Mark approval to market its WallFlex® Fully Covered Esophageal Stent for the treatment of malignant esophageal strictures (obstructions) caused by tumors in patients with resectable or non-resectable esophageal cancer.

20 Nov 2009

POZEN commences enrollment in PA32540 phase 3 study

POZEN Inc. announced today the start of enrollment for the phase 3 studies for PA32540. PA32540 is a fixed-dose combination of 325 mg of enteric coated aspirin and 40 mg of immediate release omeprazole, under investigation for use in the secondary prevention of heart attacks and strokes in patients at risk for associated gastric ulcers.

20 Nov 2009

Health policy research roundup

Urban Institute: Progress Enrolling Children in Medicaid/CHIP: Who Is Left And What Are The Prospects For Covering More Children? - This policy brief examines the characteristics of the estimated 5 million uninsured children who are eligible for CHIP/Medicaid in 2007 (64 percent of all uninsured children; 88 percent of all low-income uninsured children), but not enrolled.

20 Nov 2009

Genta announces preliminary results from study of Genasense Injection for advanced melanoma

Genta Incorporated announced preliminary results that show a high objective response rate in a pilot study of patients with advanced melanoma that incorporates the Company’s lead oncology product, Genasense® (oblimersen sodium) Injection, administered for the first time as a 1-hour high-dose intravenous (IV) infusion.

20 Nov 2009

EMEA's CHMP recommends approval of Merck's ELONVA

Merck & Co., Inc. today announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended approval of ELONVA® (corifollitropin alfa injection) as a treatment in controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in combination with a GnRH antagonist for the development of multiple follicles in women participating in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) program.

20 Nov 2009

Exclusive distribution agreement for the SurgiCount Safety-Sponge System signed

Cardinal Health and Patient Safety Technologies today announced that they have entered into a five-year exclusive distribution agreement to co-market the SurgiCount Safety-Sponge(TM) System, which helps prevent retention of sponges and towels unintentionally left in patients during surgical procedures.

20 Nov 2009

RBC Life Sciences reports net sales of $6.49M for third-quarter 2009

RBC Life Sciences, Inc., a provider of proprietary nutritional supplements, wound care and pain management products, reported today company-wide net sales of $6.49 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, compared to net sales of $9.93 million for the same quarter last year.

20 Nov 2009

Ligand Pharmaceuticals' SARM LGD-4033 study data presented at the Gerontology Society of America meeting

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that data from a preclinical study on its selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) LGD-4033 was featured in a poster presentation at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Gerontology Society of America in Atlanta. LGD-4033 exhibited desirable in vivo efficacy on skeletal muscle and bone measurements in animal models of male hypogonadism and postmenopausal osteoporosis.

20 Nov 2009

First USA IBRA Symposium and Workshop at Miami to be sponsored by Medartis

Medartis, Inc. will serve as the sole sponsor of the first USA International Bone Research Association (IBRA) Symposium and Workshop. The focus of the workshop and symposium is the upper extremity, trauma and reconstruction of the wrist and hand. The event will be held in Miami, Florida at the DaVinci Center and begins today, Friday, November 20 and will conclude on Saturday, November 21.

20 Nov 2009

Mede International Ltd., U.K renamed as MedeAnalytics International Ltd.

In a move to consolidate corporate brand identity, MedeAnalytics, a leading provider of healthcare performance management solutions, today announced that the name of its London-based U.K. subsidiary Mede International Ltd. has been changed to MedeAnalytics International Ltd., with MedeAnalytics to serve as its brand.

20 Nov 2009

FDA extends Exalgo NDA review by three months

CombinatoRx, Incorporated and Neuromed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Neuromed a letter extending its review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for the product candidate Exalgo™ (hydromorphone HCl) extended-release tablets by three months.

20 Nov 2009

SCF founder Sabrina Cohen recognized as a WebMD 2009 Health Hero

Sabrina Cohen, founder of The Sabrina Cohen Foundation for Stem Cell Research (SCF), was just recognized as a WebMD 2009 Health Hero. She will receive national media attention with a full-page article about her personal story of triumph and courage, and shares the spotlight with celebrity movie-star, Scarlett Johansson and other Health Heroes in the November/December issue.

20 Nov 2009

Quest Diagnostics reports sharp downward trends in cocaine and methamphetamine use

New data released today by Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the nation's leading provider of employment-related drug testing services, reveal that drug testing of hair specimens from employees and job applicants in the general U.S. workforce has tracked sharp downward trends in cocaine and methamphetamine use from 2005 to the first half of 2009 that mirror similar drops shown by urine testing.

From Quest Diagnostics 20 Nov 2009

Soligenix receives $9.4M NIAID grant to develop technology for advancing rapidly acting vaccines

Soligenix, Inc., formerly known as DOR BioPharma, Inc., a late-stage biotechnology company, announced today that it has formed a consortium to develop thermostable technology to advance RiVax(TM) and other rapidly acting vaccines. Soligenix received a $9.4 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to support this work.

20 Nov 2009

Smith & Nephew signs a technology development contract with the U.S. Department of Defense

Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics Division is pleased to announce the signing of a technology development contract with the United States Department of Defense that may lead to the creation of a fracture fixation system intended to revolutionize the treatment of the limbs of soldiers who sustain battlefield injuries.

20 Nov 2009

BD acquires HandyLab for $275 million

BD today announced the completion of its acquisition of HandyLab, Inc., an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company that develops and manufactures molecular diagnostic assays and automation platforms.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 20 Nov 2009