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Presence of protein PARP in tumours may help predict response to chemotherapy

The presence of the protein poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in tumours can help predict their response to chemotherapy, a German scientist will tell the seventh European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC7) in Barcelona tomorrow (Saturday 27 March). Professor Gunter von Minckwitz, from the German Breast Group Forschungs GmBH, Neu-Isenburg, says that, contrary to current belief that PARP is associated with a limited number of tumours, he and his team found for the first time that PARP expression exists across all breast cancer subtypes, and that such tumours were highly sensitive to chemotherapy.

26 Mar 2010

Medtronic announces enrollment of first European patients in randomized controlled trial of ITB Therapy

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the enrollment of the first European patients in the largest randomized controlled trial to date to investigate the benefits of ITB Therapy(R) (Intrathecal Baclofen) in post-stroke patients affected by spasticity. The announcement comes as the World Congress for Neurorehabilitation is taking place in Vienna, Austria.

26 Mar 2010

U.S. DEA rules prevent nursing home patients in severe pain from receiving needed medication

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's rules and procedures are seriously delaying and in some cases preventing nursing home patients from getting the pain medication they need.

26 Mar 2010

Avid, Cardinal Health partner to detect Alzheimer's disease in living patients

Currently, Alzheimer's disease cannot be definitively diagnosed until after death, when a brain autopsy is performed on a patient and evidence of beta-amyloid plaque deposits in the brain – which are a characteristic pathology of the disease – can be found. Accurate diagnosis during life can be challenging, particularly in the early stages of Alzheimer's, when symptoms are mild and non-definitive. However, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. and Cardinal Health are working together to change that.

26 Mar 2010

FDA Advisory Committee to review VIVUS' NDA for Qnexa

VIVUS, Inc. today announced that the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is tentatively scheduled to review the Company's New Drug Application for Qnexa® for the treatment of obesity on July 15, 2010.

26 Mar 2010

BLS acquires AMPAKINE compounds from Cortex Pharmaceuticals

Biovail Corporation today announced that its subsidiary, Biovail Laboratories International SRL, has acquired certain AMPAKINE® compounds, including associated intellectual property, from Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for use in the field of respiratory depression, a brain-mediated breathing disorder.

26 Mar 2010

Pravastatin benefits elderly carriers of KIF6 gene variant with prior vascular disease

Celera Corporation today announced the publication of data reporting that elderly (over age 70) carriers of the KIF6 gene variant with prior vascular disease received significant benefit from pravastatin (Pravachol®) therapy. Previous research has shown that a variant of the KIF6 gene, a member of the molecular motor protein kinesin family, is associated with up to a 55% increased risk of primary and recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD) events in the placebo arms of the clinical trials, and that this increased risk is virtually eliminated with statin therapy.

26 Mar 2010

Genentech, Biogen Idec file declaratory relief complaint against GSK regarding Arzerra

Genmab A/S announced today that on March 23, 2010 Genentech, Inc. and Biogen Idec, Inc. filed a declaratory relief complaint at the US District Court, Southern District of California against Genmab's collaboration partner GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for patent infringement under US patent No 7,682,612 based on GSK's manufacture, marketing and sale of Arzerra™ in the United States for the treatment of fludarabine and alemtuzumab refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

26 Mar 2010

Roche NimbleGen' s microarray technologies help identify genes responsible for CRC

In a recently published study in the journal Genome Research, a team of scientists led by Dr. Shaying Zhao at the University of Georgia have developed a novel cross-species comparative genomics and oncology strategy for cancer driver gene discovery, using microarray technologies from Roche NimbleGen, that differs fundamentally from current approaches which focus on human cancers only.

26 Mar 2010

Bevacizumab/paclitaxel/carboplatin regimen attains gold-standard status for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the bevacizumab (Genentech/Roche/Chugai's Avastin)/paclitaxel (Bristol-Myers Squibb's Taxol, generics)/carboplatin (Bristol-Myers Squibb's Paraplatin, generics) regimen will remain Decision Resources' proprietary clinical gold standard for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer through 2018.

26 Mar 2010

Educating African Americans on colorectal cancer screening can reduce death rates

Physician experts from the American College of Gastroenterology raised concern that the majority of African Americans are not aware of the recommendation that they should undergo colorectal cancer screening beginning at age 45—five years before current guidelines generally recommend.

26 Mar 2010

Tumors mimic lymphoid tissue and alter host's immune response

A new mechanism explaining how tumors escape the body's natural immune surveillance has recently been discovered at EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) in Switzerland. The study shows how tumors can create a tolerant microenviroment and avoid attack by the immune system by mimicking key features of lymph nodes.

26 Mar 2010

MGH to create registry of patients who had OCT of coronary arteries

Massachusetts General Hospital, together with a coalition of 20 international sites in five countries, will create the world's largest registry of patients who have had optical coherence tomography of the coronary arteries.

26 Mar 2010

Working of master regulator protein phosphatase 1

Protein phosphorylation is a process by which proteins are flipped from one activation state to another. It is a crucial function for most living beings, since phosphorylation controls nearly every cellular process, including metabolism, gene transcription, cell-cycle progression, cytoskeletal rearrangement and cell movement.

26 Mar 2010

Sirolimus-based immunosuppression improves survivals after transplantation for HCC

A recent study found that sirolimus-based immunosuppression following liver transplantation in patients with non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) significantly increases survival rates for this patient population.

26 Mar 2010

Muscular dystrophy: $1M grant for study of erectile dysfunction drugs in improving muscle blood flow

A Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute cardiologist has been awarded a three-year, nearly $1 million grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) to study whether drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction could also be used to improve muscle blood flow and reduce fatigue in muscular dystrophy patients.

26 Mar 2010

Skin cancer prevention measure increases hat use among fourth-graders

A sun protection intervention program that encouraged fourth-graders to wear hats outdoors as a skin cancer prevention measure significantly increased hat use at school, a study by researchers at the University of South Florida College of Medicine found. The program, however, had no effect on self-reported hat use at home or on measures of skin pigmentation.

26 Mar 2010

USPTO allows Pisgah Labs' patent application regarding imipramine pamoate

Pisgah Labs, a drug product development company and an active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer (API) located in western North Carolina, has received a patent allowance in a series of patent applications. The US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has notified Pisgah Labs, Inc. that a patent application related to a therapeutically significant family of pharmaceutical polymorphic compositions of imipramine pamoate has been allowed. The patent application also includes methods of manufacturing, purifying and use in pharmaceutical preparations.

26 Mar 2010

New diagnostic test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease

A new test developed by Japanese scientists may revolutionize how and when physicians diagnose Alzheimer's disease.

26 Mar 2010

Medical conditions put seniors at high risk of unsubsidized medical prescription expenses

If you're older, a woman, and suffering from either dementia or diabetes, you are the most likely to be exposed to unsubsidized medication costs in the US. This is known as the coverage gap for enrollees of Medicare Part D - the US federal program which subsidizes the cost of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.

26 Mar 2010

Medical Condition News

Presence of protein PARP in tumours may help predict response to chemotherapy

Medtronic announces enrollment of first European patients in randomized controlled trial of ITB Therapy

U.S. DEA rules prevent nursing home patients in severe pain from receiving needed medication

Avid, Cardinal Health partner to detect Alzheimer's disease in living patients

FDA Advisory Committee to review VIVUS' NDA for Qnexa

BLS acquires AMPAKINE compounds from Cortex Pharmaceuticals

Pravastatin benefits elderly carriers of KIF6 gene variant with prior vascular disease

Genentech, Biogen Idec file declaratory relief complaint against GSK regarding Arzerra

Roche NimbleGen' s microarray technologies help identify genes responsible for CRC

Bevacizumab/paclitaxel/carboplatin regimen attains gold-standard status for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer

Educating African Americans on colorectal cancer screening can reduce death rates

Tumors mimic lymphoid tissue and alter host's immune response

MGH to create registry of patients who had OCT of coronary arteries

Working of master regulator protein phosphatase 1

Sirolimus-based immunosuppression improves survivals after transplantation for HCC

Muscular dystrophy: $1M grant for study of erectile dysfunction drugs in improving muscle blood flow

Skin cancer prevention measure increases hat use among fourth-graders

USPTO allows Pisgah Labs' patent application regarding imipramine pamoate

New diagnostic test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Medical conditions put seniors at high risk of unsubsidized medical prescription expenses

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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