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Virginia Life Science Investments completes recapitalization and management restructuring of Cupron

Virginia Life Science Investments, LLC and other investors have completed a recapitalization and management restructuring of Cupron, Inc., a Delaware corporation established in 2001, with principal offices in Modi’in, Israel. The transaction provides significant new capital to support the continued growth and development of Cupron Inc.; as well as the formation and initial capitalization of an independent new entity, Cupron Medical Inc., a Delaware corporation with principal offices in Richmond, VA.

25 Feb 2010

FDA approves Pfizer's Prevnar 13 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for Prevnar 13™ (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]), the Company’s 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

25 Feb 2010

Welichem commences enrollment in WBI-1001 Phase IIa clinical trial for psoriasis

Welichem announced that the Company has begun to enroll patients in a Phase IIa clinical trial with its lead candidate, WBI-1001. The Phase IIa clinical trial is a 12-Week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. The objectives of the trial are to evaluate the efficacy of the WBI-1001 cream in comparison to the vehicle and also to evaluate the safety and tolerability of the cream in patients with psoriasis.

24 Feb 2010

Novelos Therapeutics' NOV-002 Phase 3 NSCLC trial fails to meet primary survival endpoint

Novelos Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutics to treat cancer and hepatitis, today announced that the primary endpoint of improvement in overall survival was not met in Novelos’ pivotal Phase 3 trial in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) studying its lead product, NOV-002, in combination with first-line chemotherapy. Detailed trial results are expected to be presented via appropriate scientific venue later this year.

24 Feb 2010

Nutrition 21: Health Canada approves chromium picolinate for sale as a natural health product

Nutrition 21, Inc., the developer and marketer of nutritional ingredients for the dietary supplement, functional food and beverage markets announced today that chromium picolinate has been officially approved for sale in Canada as a natural health product by Health Canada, the Canadian federal agency devoted to maintaining and improving the health of the nation's citizens. As a result of this approval, Nutrition 21 can now sell its Chromax® brand of chromium picolinate to Canadian manufacturers, marketers, and importers of natural health products.

24 Feb 2010

PharmAthene awarded total of $78.4M in additional funding to develop SparVax vaccine

PharmAthene, Inc. a biodefense company specializing in the development and commercialization of medical countermeasures against chemical and biological threats, announced today that the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority has modified its existing research and development contract with PharmAthene providing for up to a total of $78.4 million in additional funding, provided that certain milestones are achieved and that all contract options and extensions are exercised by the government, to support the continued advanced development of SparVax™, a second generation recombinant protective antigen (rPA) anthrax vaccine targeted for future procurement in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.

24 Feb 2010

Sentry BioPharma Services to warehouse and distribute influenza vaccines for CDC

Sentry BioPharma Services announced today that The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) selected Sentry to store and distribute influenza vaccine in support of its national strategic reserve. Sentry will warehouse and distribute vaccine from its cGMP, FDA-registered facility located in Indianapolis, Ind. Sentry's vast experience storing and transporting regulated, temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products will ensure product integrity, supply chain security and fast, efficient distribution of the disease-preventing vaccines.

24 Feb 2010

New treatments for heart disease

Two studies published in the latest issue of Cell Transplantation (18:12) may lead to new treatments for the treatment of heart diseases. The first study, carried out by a team of Brazilian researchers, found that cell transplantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) directly into the heart benefited patients suffering from refractory angina.

24 Feb 2010

BSD2000 deep hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy improves quality of life in NSCLC patients

BSD Medical Corporation today announced that a study titled “BSD2000 Deep Hyperthermia Combined with Chemotherapy of PT regimen in Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer” has been published in the current issue of The Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer (February 2010;13(2):132–135) by Yang, Zhao, and Wang.

24 Feb 2010

ViiV Healthcare highlights S/GSK1349572, SELZENTRY and EPZICOM for HIV/AIDS at 17th CROI

At the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), ViiV Healthcare presented new data across its broad range of investigational and current medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Highlighted data at the conference included an oral presentation on the investigational integrase inhibitor, S/GSK1349572, as well as data presentations on SELZENTRY® (maraviroc) and EPZICOM® (abacavir/lamivudine).

24 Feb 2010

Sopris and Tufts University to publish reading intervention program for students

Sopris, a business unit of Cambium Learning Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABCD), announced today that the company has signed an agreement with Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D. and Tufts University to publish RAVE-O (Reading through Automaticity, Vocabulary, Engagement, and Orthography), an innovative, intensive, multisensory, small group reading intervention for grades two through four.

24 Feb 2010

Prednisolone associated with recurrence of CAP after its withdrawal

Patients hospitalized with mild to moderate community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) should not be routinely prescribed prednisolone, a corticosteroid, as it is associated with a recurrence of symptoms after its withdrawal, according to the first randomized double-blind clinical trial to address the subject.

24 Feb 2010

Findings suggest bitter melon extract may help in preventing breast cancer

Bitter melon extract, a common dietary supplement, exerts a significant effect against breast cancer cell growth and may eventually become a chemopreventive agent against this form of cancer, according to results of a recent study.

23 Feb 2010

NASDAQ halts trading of Salix Pharmaceuticals stock, FDA Committee to discuss XIFAXAN NDA

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that NASDAQ has halted trading of the Company’s common stock this morning. The Gastrointestinal Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA is meeting today to discuss the efficacy and safety of the New Drug Application (NDA) for XIFAXAN® (rifaximin) Tablets, 550 mg for the maintenance of remission of hepatic encephalopathy.

23 Feb 2010

Aradigm initiates dosing in Phase 2b trial of inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin formulations in BE patients

Aradigm Corporation today announced that it dosed the first patient in the U.S. as part of its ORBIT-1 (Once-daily Respiratory Bronchiectasis Inhalation Treatment) trial, an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2b study designed to evaluate the Company's inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin (ARD-3100) in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (BE) under a U.S. IND. This orphan disease indication is a chronic, severe respiratory disease and there are currently no approved treatments for this disease in the U.S.

23 Feb 2010

FDA issues approval for Gileads's Cayston for respiratory symptoms in cystic fibrosis

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for Cayston® (aztreonam for inhalation solution) as a treatment to improve respiratory symptoms in cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cayston’s safety and efficacy have not been established in pediatric patients below the age of 7, patients with forced expiratory volume in one second of less than 25 percent or greater than 75 percent predicted, or patients colonized with Burkholderia cepacia.

23 Feb 2010

Obecure granted patent covering betahistine with olanzapine for mitigating antipsychotic drug associated weight gain

Obecure Ltd., a subsidiary of Bio-Light Israeli Life Science Investments Ltd., has received notice of allowance from the US Patent Office for its two key patent applications covering methods of use and compositions covering the use of betahistine with olanzapine for the mitigation of the serious weight gain associated as a side effect of the antipsychotic drug.

23 Feb 2010

Newborn Possibilities program for babies at-risk for neurological injury

For every 1,000 children born in the U.S. today, two to three are at risk for developing cerebral palsy because of injuries to the brain that may have occurred prior to or during birth. There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy, but Newborn Possibilities is a first-of-its-kind program recently launched in Tucson, which may offer new options for newborns at-risk for neurological injury.

23 Feb 2010

Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Option Fund partner to develop novel inhibitors against key metalloenzyme target

Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a licensing option agreement with the Novartis Option Fund. Under terms of the agreement, Viamet will utilize its proprietary Metallophile™ Technology to discover and develop novel metalloenzyme inhibitors against a specific metalloenzyme of high interest to Novartis. The agreement includes an upfront fee and potential milestones totaling over $200 million as well as product royalties.

23 Feb 2010

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals commences dosing in MM-121/Tarceva combination Phase 1/2 study for NSCLC

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the first patient has received an initial dose in a Phase 1/2 clinical study combining MM-121 with Tarceva® (erlotinib) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This is the first of multiple trials that Merrimack and sanofi-aventis expect to initiate in 2010 as part of a broad Phase 2 clinical development program for MM-121.

23 Feb 2010

Efficacy News and Research

Virginia Life Science Investments completes recapitalization and management restructuring of Cupron

FDA approves Pfizer's Prevnar 13 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Welichem commences enrollment in WBI-1001 Phase IIa clinical trial for psoriasis

Novelos Therapeutics' NOV-002 Phase 3 NSCLC trial fails to meet primary survival endpoint

Nutrition 21: Health Canada approves chromium picolinate for sale as a natural health product

PharmAthene awarded total of $78.4M in additional funding to develop SparVax vaccine

Sentry BioPharma Services to warehouse and distribute influenza vaccines for CDC

New treatments for heart disease

BSD2000 deep hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy improves quality of life in NSCLC patients

ViiV Healthcare highlights S/GSK1349572, SELZENTRY and EPZICOM for HIV/AIDS at 17th CROI

Sopris and Tufts University to publish reading intervention program for students

Prednisolone associated with recurrence of CAP after its withdrawal

Findings suggest bitter melon extract may help in preventing breast cancer

NASDAQ halts trading of Salix Pharmaceuticals stock, FDA Committee to discuss XIFAXAN NDA

Aradigm initiates dosing in Phase 2b trial of inhaled liposomal ciprofloxacin formulations in BE patients

FDA issues approval for Gileads's Cayston for respiratory symptoms in cystic fibrosis

Obecure granted patent covering betahistine with olanzapine for mitigating antipsychotic drug associated weight gain

Newborn Possibilities program for babies at-risk for neurological injury

Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Novartis Option Fund partner to develop novel inhibitors against key metalloenzyme target

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals commences dosing in MM-121/Tarceva combination Phase 1/2 study for NSCLC

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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