Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Combination of POZEN’s PA32540 and clopidogrel results in greater antiplatelet effects

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, announced the presentation of Phase 1 data, at the European Society of Cardiologists 2012 Congress, from a study of PA32540, a novel coordinated-delivery tablet of enteric-coated (EC) aspirin (325 mg) and immediate-release (IR) omeprazole (40 mg).

30 Aug 2012

Altheus Therapeutics initiates enrollment in Zoenasa Phase 2 study for ulcerative colitis

Altheus Therapeutics announced today it has randomized its first patient in a comparator-controlled Phase 2 efficacy study of Zoenasa, a novel combination therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC).

29 Aug 2012

Regulating microbes could help prevent diseases associated with obesity

Vaccines and antibiotics may someday join caloric restriction or bariatric surgery as a way to regulate weight gain, according to a new study focused on the interactions between diet, the bacteria that live in the bowel, and the immune system.

27 Aug 2012

Children with obesity face increased risk for gallstones

Children who are overweight or obese face an increased risk for gallstones, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition.

26 Aug 2012

Early exposure to antibiotics primes children for obesity later in life

Researchers at NYU School of Medicine have made a novel discovery that could have widespread clinical implications, potentially affecting everything from nutrient metabolism to obesity in children.

23 Aug 2012

Study analyzes association between antibiotic use and body mass starting in infancy

Treating very young infants with antibiotics may predispose them to being overweight in childhood, according to a study of more than 10,000 children by researchers at the NYU School of Medicine and the NYU Wagner School of Public Service and published in the online August 21, 2012, issue of the International Journal of Obesity.

22 Aug 2012

VolitionRX to initiate NuQ blood-based tests in colorectal cancer clinical trial

VolitionRX Limited, a life sciences company focused on developing blood-based diagnostic tests, announces that its subsidiary Belgian Volition has signed an agreement with the Biobank of CHU UCL Mont-Godinne, an academic hospital in Yvoir, Belgium.

22 Aug 2012

International guidelines improve outcomes after dental trauma

Adhering to the current International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines for emergency treatment and care of traumatized teeth results in significantly lower complication rates, report researchers in Clinical Oral Investigations.

21 Aug 2012

HRT linked to ulcerative colitis in postmenopausal women

Taking postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy increases the risk for ulcerative colitis, but not Crohn’s disease, a study shows.

17 Aug 2012

PKS-positive E. coli may encourage development of colon cancer

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have identified a type of E. coli bacteria that may encourage the development of colon cancer.

17 Aug 2012

Preliminary results from Lexicon’s Phase 1 studies of LX2931 and LX7101 for RA

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering breakthrough treatments for human disease, today reported preliminary results from Phase 1 studies of LX2931 and LX7101.

17 Aug 2012

Labial minor salivary flow could diagnose xerostomia

A reduction in labial minor salivary gland flow rate indicates the presence of xerostomia more accurately than changes in stimulated whole salivary flow rates, report Japanese researchers.

16 Aug 2012

Study tracks effects of heavy PAE on growth and body composition throughout childhood

Although studies of alcohol's effects on fetal growth have consistently demonstrated deficits that persist through infancy, the data on long-term postnatal growth from human studies have been inconsistent. A new study of the effects of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on growth and body composition throughout childhood has found growth restrictions that persist through to nine years of age, as well as a delay in weight gain during infancy, both of which were exacerbated by iron deficiency.

16 Aug 2012

Tofacitinib drug shows promise against moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis

An investigational drug currently under FDA review for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has now shown positive results in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis, according to researchers at the University of California San Diego, School of Medicine.

16 Aug 2012

Palliative care on Scottish surgical wards needs improving

More than half of individuals with terminal gastrointestinal cancer on general surgical wards in Scotland do not undergo operative intervention on their final admission, show study results published in The Surgeon.

15 Aug 2012

Study investigates ability of bifidobacteria to remove glycans from milk glycoproteins

A research team at the University of California, Davis, has found that important and resourceful bacteria in the baby microbiome can ferret out nourishment from a previously unknown source, possibly helping at-risk infants break down components of breast milk.

15 Aug 2012

Heartburn and cancer: an interview with Mindy Mintz Mordecai

What most of us think of as heartburn is a symptom of Reflux Disease or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). It’s that burning discomfort an individual experiences when stomach acids and other fluids come back up into their esophagus.

14 Aug 2012

AstraZeneca enters agreement with Pfizer for OTC NEXIUM

Pfizer Inc. today announced that it has entered into an agreement with AstraZeneca for the over-the-counter (OTC) rights for NEXIUM (esomeprazole magnesium), a leading prescription drug currently approved to treat the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

14 Aug 2012

Longer, conical miniscrews most successful for orthodontic anchorage

The length and shape of miniscrew implants used for orthodontic anchorage has an effect on their success, with longer, and conical rather than cylindrical screws significantly associated with success, report Italian researchers.

13 Aug 2012

Taro, Sun Pharma enter merger agreement

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that they have entered into a merger agreement together with certain affiliates of Sun Pharma.

13 Aug 2012