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Myogen's Ambrisentan granted orphan drug designation by Europeans

Myogen today announced that the Commission of the European Communities, with a favorable opinion of the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), has granted orphan drug designation to ambrisentan for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

2 May 2005

Fusing physics with medicine to fight cancer

Everyone’s lives are touched by cancer - it is a disease that affects 1 in 3 of us throughout our lifetime. Future developments that lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective therapy lie in further successful collaboration between high energy physicists and the healthcare industry.

2 May 2005

Discovery could ease the pain of sensitive teeth

The problem currently affects around 15 per cent of the adult population and rising, as people retain their teeth for longer. The most common cause is receding gums, resulting from teeth grinding, abrasion or tooth decay, which exposes the dentine.

2 May 2005

Exercise training in ordinary people affects the activity of 500 genes

A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm shows that hundreds of genes in the thigh muscle are activated in regular cycle training. The study also reveals that great differences in training response may be due to the ability in some people to activate their genes much more forcefully. The study is published May 2 in FASEB Journal.

2 May 2005

Defects in gene called RyR2 cause malfunctions in the heart's electrical system

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified defects in a second gene called RyR2 that causes malfunctions in the heart's electrical system and contributes to what were previously unexplained drownings.

2 May 2005

Loneliness and social network appear to make independent contributions to immunity

A new study at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh confirms how college challenges both mind and body, by demonstrating that lonely first-year students mounted a weaker immune response to the flu shot than did other students. The study appears in the May issue of Health Psychology, which is published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

2 May 2005

Movie ratings fail to distinguish violent content

What do the family film "The Jungle Book" and the action thriller "True Lies" have in common? Both contain similar amounts of violence despite respective PG and R ratings.

2 May 2005

New findings from ongoing research on children in motor vehicle crashes

A new report, "Safe Seating Positions for Children", from researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in collaboration with State Farm Insurance Companies and the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of car seats and safety belts for kids.

2 May 2005

Blocking the COX-1 enzyme might be the answer in ovarian cancer treatment

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in a new report say that blocking the COX-1 enzyme - not COX-2 - might lead to a way to prevent and treat the most common and fatal form of ovarian cancer.

2 May 2005

Marburg virus - 275 confirmed cases

The World Health Organization (WHO) and health authorities in Angola have confirmed 275 cases including 255 deaths, in an outbreak of Marburg virus in north-western Angola since April 27 this year.

2 May 2005

Little known enzyme ACAT2 appears to be a factor in cardiovascular disease

New research suggests that a little-studied enzyme ACAT2, may play a major role in cardiovascular disease because it alters the molecular structure of cholesterol.

2 May 2005

Avian flu pandemic a very real threat

A new influenza pandemic is being seen by experts as the most significant global public health emergency caused by a naturally occurring pathogen.

2 May 2005

Vitamins E and C confirmed safe at high doses

Fourteen leading safety and antioxidant experts reviewed the available scientific literature on vitamins E and C and concluded vitamin E is safe for the general population at intakes up to 1600 IU daily and vitamin C is safe at up to 2000 mg daily, according to a new article published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN).

2 May 2005

African Americans disproportionately faced with stroke says the American Stroke Association

There are many faces of stroke. This year, 700,000 Americans of all ages, genders and ethnicities will have a new or recurrent stroke.

2 May 2005

FDA to change regulations regarding side-effect information in drug ads

The Food and Drug Administration is about to make it easier for you to understand both the benefits and risks of a prescription medication, it was revealed at the Second Annual Medical Liaison Seminar sponsored here by Scientific Advantage LLC.

2 May 2005

GlaxoSmithKline to acquire Corixa Corporation

GlaxoSmithKline has announced the execution of a definitive agreement pursuant to which GSK will acquire Corixa Corporation, a developer of innovative products that regulate immunity, based in Seattle, WA (USA).

2 May 2005

Being a party animal is good for you!

Scientists in the US say that being the life and soul of the party apart from being great fun could be good for the heart.

1 May 2005

Judge calls GlaxoSmithKline 'high-handed' over legal action from Biota

A Supreme Court judge in Melbourne, Australia has described as "high-handed" the delay by global pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in filing a defence against legal action from Biota Holdings last Friday.

1 May 2005

New treatment uses stem cells to restore eyesight

The Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, has been trialling the treatment and has already helped 40 people see again. The hospital has been developing the surgery over the past five years and uses stem cells taken from the patient or a donor to redevelop the cornea, the transparent film at the front of the eye which lets in light.

1 May 2005

9/11 rescue workers screening program to continue

A program to screen the health of rescue workers who were involved in the wreckage of the World Trade Center, will soon start accepting new patients again, in the hopes of reaching thousands of people who could not be accommodated previously.

1 May 2005