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Innovative partnership targets cancer-causing 'chaperones'

Cancer Research Technology (CRT) and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) today announced a major research collaboration with AstraZeneca. The three partners will combine their expertise to discover and develop potential new anti-cancer drugs to target molecular "chaperones" which support the growth of cancer cells.

10 Jun 2009

Medical industry showers Department of Defense with free travel

The health care industry funded "8,700 trips by Department of Defense personnel" from 1998 to 2007, at a cost of more than $10 million, the Center for Public Integrity reports.

10 Jun 2009

GlaxoSmithKline opens pneumonia vaccine plant In Singapore

Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Tuesday opened a $600 million plant in Singapore that is slated to begin producing vaccines to fight pneumonia-causing bacteria in 2011, Reuters reports.

10 Jun 2009

Sinovac begins production of H1N1 vaccine

Sinovac Biotech Ltd. announced today that it begins the production of a vaccine against influenza A (H1N1) virus. The virus seed was received from U.S. CDC and was delivered to the company on June 8, 2009.

9 Jun 2009

New antibiotics could come from a DNA binding compound that kills bacteria in 2 minutes

A synthetic DNA binding compound has proved surprisingly effective at binding to the DNA of bacteria and killing all the bacteria it touched within two minutes.

8 Jun 2009

Abbott and AstraZeneca to co-promote Trilipix (fenofibric acid)

Abbot and AstraZeneca have announced that they have entered into an agreement for AstraZeneca to co-promote Abbott's Trilipix (fenofibric acid), a medication for use alone or in combination with a statin to treat certain lipid disorders. Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will obtain the non-exclusive right to co-promote Trilipix alongside Abbott in the United States, excluding Puerto Rico. Specific financial terms were not disclosed.

5 Jun 2009

Economic downturn pushes cost of medicines up, pharmacists lobby for reform role

"Even with the Medicare drug benefit, even with the prevalence of low-cost generics, even with loss-leader discounting by big chains, many Americans still find themselves unable to afford the prescription medications that manage their life-threatening conditions," The New York Times reports.

4 Jun 2009

Promising antimicrobial agent kills viruses, stimulates immune system

A promising antimicrobial agent already known to kill bacteria can also kill viruses and stimulate the innate immune system, according to researchers at National Jewish Health.

4 Jun 2009

FDA moves towards greater openness

The Associated Press reports that FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg "announced Tuesday she has created a task force to make recommendations on how the agency can release more information in such areas as drug evaluation and enforcement matters. She wants a report in six months."

3 Jun 2009

Lilly resubmits Cymbalta supplemental NDA for chronic pain to FDA

Eli Lilly and Company has resubmitted its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) for the management of chronic pain to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

3 Jun 2009

Schering-Plough announces European filing of Sycrest (asenapine) for schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder

Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has validated (accepted for review) the company's Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Sycrest (asenapine) sublingual tablets for the treatment of schizophrenia and manic episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. The application will follow the Centralized Procedure.

2 Jun 2009

Impact of Medicare Part D on access to and cost sharing for specialty biologic medications for beneficiaries with rheumatoid arthritis

Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab are effective at reducing symptoms and slowing progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These drugs act more quickly, require less laboratory monitoring, and are better tolerated than nonbiologic DMARDs, but they are also up to 100 times more expensive.

1 Jun 2009

FDA approves Reclast (zoledronic acid) for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

Reclast (zoledronic acid) Injection has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first and only therapy to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis for two years with a single dose. Reclast is already approved as a once-yearly infusion for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

1 Jun 2009

States consider scaling back funding for Medicare drug benefit amid economic crisis

At least six states have considered eliminating or reducing financial assistance for those enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug benefit program who are affected by the "doughnut hole," or gap in coverage, the AP/Boston Herald reports.

28 May 2009

FDA approves Besivance as a treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6 percent) for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis (non-viral), a contagious condition marked by irritation of the eyes and a discharge from the mucous membranes.

28 May 2009

Sanofi Pasteur receives seed virus to produce new H1N1 vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur announced today it has received the new influenza A(H1N1) seed virus, enabling the world's leading manufacturer of influenza vaccines to begin the production process for an A(H1N1) vaccine.

27 May 2009

Dementia drugs Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl may put some patients at risk

Side effects associated with several commonly-prescribed dementia drugs may be putting elderly Canadians at risk, says Queen's University Geriatrics professor Sudeep Gill.

27 May 2009

FDA grants full approval for Sprycel (dasatinib) for chronic myeloid leukemia

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted full approval for Sprycel (dasatinib) for the treatment of adults in all phases of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) (chronic, accelerated, or myeloid or lymphoid blast phase) with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy including Gleevec (imatinib mesylate).

27 May 2009

ImmunoVaccine Technologies partners with FIT Biotech to advance therapeutic HIV vaccine

ImmunoVaccine Technologies Inc. (IVT), a Canadian vaccine development company, announced a research partnership with FIT Biotech, a Finland-based , clinical stage company that develops DNA vaccines. This research will formulate FIT Biotech's GTU MultiHIV DNA plasmid with IVT's DepoVax vaccine delivery system to advance a therapeutic HIV vaccine.

26 May 2009

Development of innovative nanotechnology drug delivery system for the treatment of pain

Z-Cube Srl, the corporate venture arm of Zambon Company SpA, and Yissum Research Development Company Ltd., the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, announced today that they have entered into a license agreement for Z-Cube to develop and commercialize an innovative nanotechnology drug delivery system for the treatment of pain.

25 May 2009