Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

High doses of steroids fail to improve outcomes in pediatric liver disease

A multi-center study concludes that treating infants with high doses of steroids fails to improve medical outcomes in the end-stage pediatric liver disease biliary atresia and leads to earlier onset of serious adverse events.

5 May 2014

Study: New combination therapy to treat chronic hepatitis C

A new combination therapy allows chronic hepatitis C to be treated in a manner that is less aggressive yet equally efficient.

5 May 2014

Vibrating oral capsule for chronic constipation shows positive results

An oral capsule that vibrates as it moves through the digestive tract has shown notable promise as a non-pharmacological treatment for constipation, according to new research presented today at Digestive Disease Week- (DDW).

5 May 2014

Supermarket access key ingredient in obesity programs

Living close to a supermarket appears to be a key factor in the success of interventions to help obese children eat better and improve their weight, according to a study to be presented Saturday, May 3, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

5 May 2014

Study shows reversal of early-stage liver fibrosis after bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery, which is best known for its ability to help patients lose substantial weight, can also result in significant improvement in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to new research presented today at Digestive Disease Week- (DDW).

5 May 2014

ASGE to honor important contributions to field of endoscopy during tenth annual ASGE Crystal Awards

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) will honor important contributions to the field of endoscopy during the tenth annual ASGE Crystal Awards on Sunday, May 4, 2014.

5 May 2014

PENTAX Medical releases newest version of image management software for endoscopy units

PENTAX Medical Company, a healthcare industry leader in endoscopic imaging, announced the U.S. and Canada launch of the endoPRO iQ® 7.6, the company’s newest version of its information technology (IT) and image management software for endoscopy units.

From PENTAX Medical Company 2 May 2014

Second Genome, Pfizer partner to conduct microbiome research to gain new insights into obesity

Second Genome announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Pfizer Inc. to conduct extensive microbiome research in a large observational study aimed at gaining new insights into obesity and metabolic disease.

2 May 2014

Actavis’ net revenue increases 40% to $2.66B in Q1 2014

Actavis plc today reported net revenue increased 40 percent to $2.66 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014, compared to $1.90 billion in the first quarter 2013.

30 Apr 2014

Synergy reports positive top-line results from plecanatide phase 2b study in patients with IBS-C

Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced positive top-line results from a phase 2b dose-ranging study assessing plecanatide's safety and efficacy in 424 patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C).

30 Apr 2014

Researchers capture circulating pancreas cells in bloodstream during early stages of pancreatic cancer

Cancer cells are on the move in the bloodstream in the very early stage of pancreatic cancer, and can be detected before cancer is diagnosed, according to research by the University of Michigan Health System.

30 Apr 2014

Actavis' subsidiary files lawsuit against FDA over Celebrex decision

Actavis plc today announced that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., has filed suit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration challenging the Agency's decision regarding its entitlement to shared 180-day marketing exclusivity for its generic version of Celebrex (celecoxib) 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg capsules.

29 Apr 2014

Forest Laboratories enters into definitive agreement to acquire Furiex

Forest Laboratories, Inc. nd Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that Forest has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Furiex, a drug development collaboration company, for $95 per share, or approximately $1.1 billion in cash, and up to $30 per share (approximately $360 million in aggregate) in a Contingent Value Right (CVR) that may be payable based on the status of eluxadoline, Furiex's lead product, as a controlled drug following approval.

28 Apr 2014

Mauna Kea receives regulatory approval in Japan for Cellvizio flagship product

Mauna Kea Technologies, leader in the optical biopsy market, announced today it received regulatory approval in Japan for the company's Cellvizio flagship product.

28 Apr 2014

Oral health: The gateway to your overall health

If the eyes are the windows to your soul, then your mouth is the gateway to your overall health. Research has found a surprising number of links between the state of your oral health and your overall health.

25 Apr 2014

AGA Research Foundation announces 2014 AGA Research Scholars

The American Gastroenterological Association Research Foundation is pleased to announce the 2014 AGA Research Scholars. The AGA Research Scholar Awards program, launched in 1984, enables young investigators to develop independent and productive research careers in digestive diseases. This year, the AGA Research Scholar Awards fund an additional year allowing for three consecutive years of funding.

25 Apr 2014

Reduced exposure to microbes triggers chronic inflammation

The greater prevalence of asthma, allergies and other chronic inflammatory disorders among people of lower socioeconomic status might be due in part to their reduced exposure to the microbes that thrive in rural environments, according to a new scientific paper.

25 Apr 2014

Nearly 179 million cases of acute diarrhea occur each year in the U.S.

In the United States, approximately 179 million cases of acute diarrhea occur each year, and most of those cases are entirely preventable, a researcher from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston concluded in a New England Journal of Medicine review article.

23 Apr 2014

Researchers examine interaction between alcohol and tobacco in risk of ESCC

The rate of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) nearly doubles in those who both smoke and drink compared to those who only smoke or drink, according to new research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

23 Apr 2014

FDA approves Cyramza to treat patients with advanced stomach cancer

Based on results of a clinical trial led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a molecularly targeted drug as second-line treatment in advanced stomach cancer that has progressed after standard chemotherapy has failed.

22 Apr 2014