Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

New minimally-invasive surgical technique for esophageal high-grade dysplasia and Barrett's esophagus

Constantine Frantzides M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S., Director of the Chicago Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, staff surgeon and Director of the Laparoscopic Fellowship Program at Saint Francis Hospital, has pioneered a new minimally-invasive surgical technique for the treatment of Barrett's esophagus and high-grade dysplasia.

5 Oct 2010

Meda completes Alaven acquisition

Meda has completed the acquisition of Alaven and has taken over its operations. The acquisition will benefit Meda both short term and long term. The acquisition will add the therapeutic focus to include both gastroenterology and women's health; areas that Meda operates in outside of the US. In addition, Alaven has a strategic OTC platform that accounts for approximately 25% of sales. Alaven will further diversify Meda's revenue base in the US, as well as serve as a platform for commercializing strategic pipeline opportunities.

4 Oct 2010

Merck's boceprevir Phase III studies for HCV to be presented at 61st AASLD

Merck today announced that final results from two pivotal Phase III studies of boceprevir, its investigational oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor, will be presented in oral plenary sessions at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), which is taking place from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2 in Boston. Results for boceprevir in response-guided therapy strategies, which evaluated treatment durations shorter than current standard therapy, will be presented during the meeting.

4 Oct 2010

NIH announces T-R01 project award to examine human microbiome

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today that Martin J. Blaser, MD, the Frederick H. King Professor of Internal Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center has been awarded one of only twenty NIH Director's Transformative Research Projects (T-R01) award for research entitled "Disappearing Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Epidemic Obesity.

4 Oct 2010

NIH awards Scripps Research grants to study the mechanisms of protein complex

For Immediate Release -Scripps Research Institute scientists have been awarded approximately $65 million in four five-year grants as part of the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) latest round of structural biology funding. The projects will focus on determining the shapes and functions of proteins and protein complexes that are important in biology and medicine.

4 Oct 2010

BBPS tool can assess colon cleanliness during colonoscopy

Boston Medical Center (BMC) doctors have proven the reliability of the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), a tool that assesses the cleanliness of the colon during colonoscopies. This study, published in the October 2010 issue of the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, demonstrates the scale's accuracy and could become an international standardized tool to rate colon cleanliness during colonoscopy.

4 Oct 2010

Sulindac drug derivative effective in preventing colon cancer: Research

Researchers in the Division of Cancer Prevention, Department of Medicine, at Stony Brook University have discovered that a novel derivative of sulindac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) known to prevent colon cancer, is more effective and safer than sulindac in preventing colon cancer in animals. The study results are reported in the October issue of the journal Gastroenterology.

3 Oct 2010

Encorium announces extension of expiration date for pending rights offering

Encorium Group, Inc. , a full service multinational clinical research organization (CRO) conducting studies in over 30 countries for many of the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, today announced that it has extended the expiration date for its pending rights offering from September 30, 2010 to October 15, 2010. The subscription rights may now be exercised at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, October 15, 2010.

1 Oct 2010

USFDA grants Sun Pharma tentative approval for generic Stalevo ANDA

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that USFDA has granted its subsidiary a tentative approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Orion's Stalevo® tablets.

1 Oct 2010

Prix Galien USA committee honors life saving innovations

The Prix Galien USA committee honored innovations that are saving lives last night during the Prix Galien Awards Gala. The Pro Bono Humanum Award, the Prix Galien USA 2010 and the Prix Galien International were presented and related accomplishments celebrated.

30 Sep 2010

Repligen Corporation completes patient enrollment in RG2417 Phase 2b clinical trial

Repligen Corporation reported today that it has completed enrollment of patients in its Phase 2b clinical trial of RG2417, an oral formulation of uridine, in patients with bipolar depression.

30 Sep 2010

Merck's ROTATEQ vaccine receives Prix Galien USA 2010 Award for Best Biotechnology Product

ROTATEQ® (Rotavirus Vaccine, Live, Oral, Pentavalent), Merck's vaccine for rotavirus gastroenteritis in infants and children, received the Prix Galien USA 2010 Award for Best Biotechnology Product, Merck announced today.

30 Sep 2010

USFDA grants Sun Pharma subsidiary tentative approval for generic Crestor ANDA

30 Sep 2010

Scientists to identify microbial risk predictors for preterm birth

A team of scientists from Mayo Clinic, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the J. Craig Venter Institute are leveraging a long-standing research relationship to apply results from the Human Microbiome Project to help identify microbial risk predictors for preterm birth.

29 Sep 2010

USFDA approves Sun Pharmaceutical's ANDA to market Rilutek tablets

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that USFDA has granted a tentative approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market a generic version of Sanofi Aventis's Rilutek® tablets 50 mg.

29 Sep 2010

Study investigates link between cough and reflux events using sound recording device

Coughing episodes are closely related to gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in patients who experience chronic cough, irrespective of other diagnoses, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

28 Sep 2010

Global Health Partner acquires Stockholm Gastro Center

Global Health Partner (STO:GHP) has acquired Stockholm Gastro Center, a specialist clinic with operations within medical gastroenterology and endoscopy located at Sophiahemmet in Stockholm. "The acquisition of Stockholm Gastro Center is a good complement to the obesity surgery business that we run at Kirurgkliniken and Bariatric Center Stockholm in Sophiahemmet's facilities. This is a combination of businesses that we also have at our clinics in Lund and Prague and where we see good coordination and expansion opportunities," says Per Båtelson, Global Health Partner's CEO.

28 Sep 2010

Celiac disease on the rise in adults: Study

According to a new study published Monday in the Annals of Medicine, cases of intestinal disorder known as Celiac disease are on the rise with many adults developing the disease.

28 Sep 2010

Double-Balloon Enteroscopy shows potential benefits in children

The use of device assisted enteroscopy, a technique that allows complete examination of the small bowel, may be just as successful pediatrics as it has been in adult medicine, according to a study from Nationwide Children's Hospital.

27 Sep 2010

Warner Chilcott subsidiaries to issue $500 million of 7-3/4% senior notes in private placement

Warner Chilcott plc today announced that its subsidiaries, Warner Chilcott Company, LLC and Warner Chilcott Finance LLC (together, the "Issuers"), plan to issue an aggregate principal amount of $500 million of 7-3/4% senior notes due 2018 (the "Notes") in a private placement. The notes are additional notes constituting a part of the same series as the $750 million aggregate principal amount of 7-3/4% senior notes due 2018 issued on August 20, 2010.

24 Sep 2010