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LecTec settles patent litigation dispute with Endo Pharmaceuticals

LecTec Corporation (OTCBB: LECT) announced today that it has reached a settlement with Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. on outstanding patent litigation related to LecTec’s U.S. Patent Nos. 5,536,263 and 5,741,510. Endo Pharmaceuticals has agreed to make a one–time, $23 million payment for the exclusive license to these two patents for use in the field of prescription pain medicines and treatment.

12 Nov 2009

Researchers find link between telomeres and longevity

A team led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has found a clear link between living to 100 and inheriting a hyperactive version of an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres - the tip ends of chromosomes. The findings appear in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

12 Nov 2009

Obama nominates Senior USDA official to lead USAID

President Barack Obama Tuesday announced the nomination of Rajiv Shah - a medical doctor who is currently a senior official at the Department of Agriculture focusing on food security - to lead USAID, the Boston Globe reports (Smith, 11/11).

12 Nov 2009

Psychiatrist delivers high-risk meds, poor care in Chicago nursing homes

ProPublica/The Chicago Tribune examine the case of a controversial psychiatrist who delivered an anti-psychotic medication to thousands of Medicaid patients in Chicago's nursing homes. "Dr. Michael Reinstein is one of the most prolific providers of psychiatric care in Chicago-area nursing homes and mental health facilities. But he is trailed by lawsuits and complaints while getting government reimbursement for seeing a large number of patients."

12 Nov 2009

LCA launches webpage with information on lung cancer meant for veterans

Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) salutes all veterans today on Veterans Day and announces the launch of a new webpage with information specifically for veterans on lung cancer -- the leading cause of cancer death among veterans.

12 Nov 2009

Physicians and researchers to develop kidney replacement device for children

When children need kidney dialysis because of disease or congenital defects, doctors are forced to adapt adult-size dialysis equipment. No FDA-approved kidney replacement devices exist that are specifically designed for children.

12 Nov 2009

Industry leaders team up to launch a suite of service companies

Today, the people behind some of the direct response television industry's most successful campaigns, launch a suite of service companies for savvy makers and marketers of direct-to-consumer goods and services.

12 Nov 2009

Lawmakers call for emergency sick-leave requirement

Lawmakers are calling for new legislation that would require businesses to provide paid emergency sick-leave because of the swine flu pandemic.

12 Nov 2009

Health care legislation not fair to Hispanic small businesses and families

A number of Hispanic organizations have united to address major problems with the health care legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and urge the Senate to come up with a bipartisan solution for real healthcare reform. They are especially concerned the health care legislation will create a greater tax burden and unfair government mandates on Hispanic small businesses and families. During this critical health care debate, these organizations want their voices to be heard and believe that the current approach will lead to loss of jobs and reduced wages for Hispanic workers.

12 Nov 2009

Tentative agreement reached with Oklahoma lawmaker stalling veterans' health bill

Congressional Quarterly: "Senate Democratic leaders reached a tentative agreement with Tom Coburn, R-Okla., on Tuesday night that averted the necessity of filing cloture on a veterans' health care omnibus measure and could lead to passage of the bill early next week. ... On Monday, Coburn said he objected to the bill because its five-year, $3.7 billion cost was not offset" (Oliveri, 11/10).

12 Nov 2009

3-D software uses real patient data; offers virtual reality technology for doctors and students

James Oliver picked up an Xbox game controller, looked up to a video screen and used the device's buttons and joystick to fly through a patient's chest cavity for an up-close look at the bottom of the heart.

12 Nov 2009

Drug companies collaborate with nonprofit organizations to fight "neglected" diseases in the developing world

Drug companies and nonprofit organizations are joining forces to develop new drugs and vaccines to target so-called "neglected" diseases that claim millions of lives in the developing world each year. Those hard-to-treat diseases include malaria, tuberculosis, dengue fever, and other conditions. That's the topic of the cover story scheduled for the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine.

12 Nov 2009

Health reform has fiscal, political burdens for states

"Bills in both the Senate and the House of Representatives would make more people eligible for Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor that states administer with reimbursements from the federal government," Reuters reports.

12 Nov 2009

AARP urges U.S. Senate to pass H.R. 3962 and H.R. 3961

The U.S. House of Representatives' historic vote on health care reform was a decisive step to fix our broken health care system - but for millions of Americans struggling with soaring health care costs the Senate must take the next step, and pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (H.R. 3961). Over 3 million Illinoisans stand to particularly benefit from key provisions in the bill.

12 Nov 2009

Malfunctioning circadian clock genes may be associated with bipolar disorder in children

Malfunctioning circadian clock genes may be responsible for bipolar disorder in children. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry found four versions of the regulatory gene RORB that were associated with pediatric bipolar disorder.

11 Nov 2009

New, flexible scaffold for multi-level posterolateral fusion procedures

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the full U.S. market release of MASTERGRAFT® Strip – a new, highly flexible ceramic scaffold intended for use in combination with a patient’s own bone for fusing multiple levels of the posterolateral spine.

11 Nov 2009

New biopharmaceutical business intelligence tool from Deloitte Recap

Deloitte Recap LLC (Recap) has launched "Development Optimizer," the third product in the Recap IQ Series by Deloitte. The series of biopharmaceutical business intelligence tools are part of a new subscription service tailored toward business development, corporate strategy, financial, clinical development, legal, academic and R&D professionals.

11 Nov 2009

Hoyer: House could be in session until late December

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) today said "he is prepared to extend the House healthcare schedule into late December in order to pass healthcare reform," The Hill reports. "Two weeks ago, Hoyer said that the House could work as late as Nov. 24 in order to pass healthcare reform. Now he says that the House could be in session as late as Dec. 22 to vote on a final bill should it emerge from conference" (Fabian, 11/11)

11 Nov 2009

Endo Pharmaceuticals reaches patent litigation settlement with LecTec

Endo Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has reached a settlement with LecTec Corporation on outstanding patent litigation related to LecTec's U.S. Patent Nos. 5,536,263 and 5,741,510.

11 Nov 2009

Report predicts Africa's tobacco use will double within 12 years without intervention

"Africa faces a surge in cancer deaths unless action is taken in the next decade to stem rising smoking levels in a continent where anti-tobacco laws remain rare, U.S. scientists said Wednesday," Reuters reports (Kelland, 11/11).

11 Nov 2009