Arthritis News and Research

Latest Arthritis News and Research

Anti-inflammatory coxib medications inhibit aspirin's protective qualities

A new study conducted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) reveals that Celebrex and other anti-inflammatory coxib medications may counter the positive effects of aspirin in preventing blood clots.

24 Dec 2009

Ligand Pharmaceuticals acquires Neurogen

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Neurogen Corporation, following approval of the transaction by Neurogen stockholders earlier today. As a result, Ligand gains a fully funded partnership with Merck & Co., additional pipeline assets, drug discovery resources and additional cash balances.

23 Dec 2009

Rigel Pharmaceuticals announces milestone payment from Daiichi Sankyo

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received a milestone payment from Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. as part of their collaboration to research and develop cancer treatments aimed at selectively inhibiting ligases, which are intrinsic to cancer cell growth and proliferation. The compound, as yet unnamed, targets cell division.

23 Dec 2009

Findings may lead to new methods for diagnosing osteoporosis

Using a technique that provides detailed images of nanoscale structures, researchers at the University of Michigan and Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital have discovered changes in the collagen component of bone that directly relate to bone health.

23 Dec 2009

Researchers mix active drug and placebo to maximize drug benefits for efficient treatment

Researchers used the placebo effect to successfully treat psoriasis patients with one quarter to one half of their usual dose of a widely used steroid medication, according to an early study published online today in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

23 Dec 2009

Amgen and Roche end EPO patent infringement dispute

Amgen announced today that the United States (U.S.) District Court in Boston has entered final judgment and a permanent injunction against Roche prohibiting Roche from infringing Amgen's patents on recombinant erythropoietin (EPO), thus bringing the five-year patent infringement dispute to an end.

23 Dec 2009

Viron Therapeutics' three drug candidates granted U.S. patents

Viron Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the development of virally-derived protein therapeutics, today announced that it has been granted U.S. patents related to three of its drug candidates, VT-111, VT-346 and VT-384.

23 Dec 2009

Back pain problems continue to rise in U.S.

The Bonati Spine Institute, the leader in minimally invasive laser spine surgery, reports the results of studies that Americans are increasingly reporting back pain and spending more on back pain, but cautions consumers to carefully research the experience and the surgical outcome results when choosing their spine team.

23 Dec 2009

Emisphere's oral salmon calcitonin product addresses persistent musculoskeletal pain

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. today announced a meta-analysis published in the December 2009 edition of Rheumatology Reports examining independent evidence of the analgesic action of the hormone calcitonin. This publication restates the potential of calcitonin in filling a significant unmet need for alternative treatments for persistent musculoskeletal pain.

22 Dec 2009

CD20 deficiency in humans results in impaired T cell-independent antibody responses

Antibodies directed against the protein CD20, which is expressed by immune cells known as B cells, are used to treat B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis.

22 Dec 2009

Eli Lilly, Incyte announce collaboration for development and commercialization of INCB28050 oral inhibitor

Eli Lilly and Company and Incyte Corporation announced today that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement for the development and commercialization of Incyte's oral JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor, INCB28050, and certain follow on compounds, for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The lead compound, INCB28050, is currently being studied in a six-month dose-ranging Phase II trial for rheumatoid arthritis.

21 Dec 2009

McNeil Consumer Healthcare announces recall of TYLENOL in bottles with red EZ-OPEN CAP

In consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., is expanding its voluntary recall to include all available product lots of TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles, with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN CAP (Full list of lot numbers provided below).

18 Dec 2009

GSK receives European CHMP positive opinion for Revolade

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that its partner GlaxoSmithKline has received a positive opinion for Revolade® (eltrombopag/Promacta®) from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for the oral treatment of thrombocytopenia (reduced platelet count) in adults with the blood disorder chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

18 Dec 2009

European CHMP announces positive opinion for Amgen's Prolia marketing authorization

Amgen Inc. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has announced a positive opinion for the marketing authorization of Prolia((TM)) (denosumab) for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at increased risk of fractures, and for the treatment of bone loss associated with hormone ablation in men with prostate cancer at increased risk of fractures.

18 Dec 2009

New Thermal-Aid products reduce pain and swelling in arthritis patients

Pacific Shore Holdings, Inc., manufacturers of Burner Balm and Energy-X lip balms, today announced the launch of their new Thermal-Aid product line. These 100% natural therapeutic heating/cooling treatment packs are specifically designed to reduce swelling and relieve pain and have been developed in a variety of applications

18 Dec 2009

UAB professors honored for scientific contributions and outstanding mentorship

Three University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) professors have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

18 Dec 2009

2010 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research open for nomination

The Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research has opened the 2010 call for nominations. The $100,000 Award recognizes individuals whose efforts have made significant transformational contributions towards the improvement of human health. Nomination forms are available at pauljanssenaward.com and will be accepted until February 15, 2010.

18 Dec 2009

Immuno Laboratories and TRPN sign agreement to reduce chronic illness

Immuno Laboratories, a leading provider of food and environmental allergy testing services, announced an agreement with Three Rivers Provider Network (TRPN), the largest and fastest growing proprietary Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) network in the United States.

18 Dec 2009

Umbilical cord stem cells may be useful in treating blood disorders

Stem cells that could one day provide therapeutic options for muscle and bone disorders can be easily harvested from the tissue of the umbilical cord, just as the blood that goes through it provides precursor cells to treat some blood disorders, said University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers in the online version of the Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology.

18 Dec 2009

Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Neurogen revise merger agreement

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated and Neurogen Corporation announced today they have amended their merger agreement to increase the merger consideration payable

18 Dec 2009