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Asian poison ivy like plant may stop prostate cancer

The croton plant, long known to oriental herbalists and homeopaths as a purgative, has an oil in its seeds that shows promise for the treatment of prostate cancer – the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. The active ingredient in the oil is 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, a compound generally known as TPA.

22 Mar 2004

Atrix Signs Feasibility Agreement for Development of Two New Compounds

Atrix Laboratories, Inc. has announced today that the company has signed a limited feasibility agreement with Aventis SA (NYSE: AVE) to begin preliminary research on two proprietary Aventis compounds formulated in Atrix's delivery technology, Atrigel®. The current agreement is specific for these compounds in an undisclosed therapeutic area.

22 Mar 2004

Pharmexa vaccine is designed to induce antibody responses against the HER-2 protein

Pharmexa presents data from the HER-2 Protein AutoVac™ breast cancer trial at a Conference in Hamburg Summary: Pharmexa is presenting data from the first clinical trial in USA with the HER-2 Protein AutoVac™ vaccine at the 4th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC) in Hamburg, Germany.

22 Mar 2004

MorphoSys Obtains Patents on Antibody Technologies

MorphoSys Obtains Additional U.S. Patents on Antibody Technologies MorphoSys AG (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MOR; Prime Standard Segment) announced today that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has granted two new patents, which further strengthen the Company’s IP portfolio.

22 Mar 2004

AMT Obtains Orphan Drug Designation for Its LPL Gene Therapy Product

AMT today announced that its adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) expressing lipoprotein lipase (LPL) product has been designated as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of LPL deficiency by the European Commission. This decision follows a positive recommendation by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products.

22 Mar 2004

Supercomputer to help the diagnosis of epilepsy, stroke, depression and other brain conditions

The University of Oregon, Electrical Geodesics, Inc. (EGI), and IBM have announced a new project that uses grid computing, Linux and IBM supercomputer technology to speed and improve the diagnosis of Epilepsy, stroke, depression and other brain conditions.

22 Mar 2004

Radiation therapy for recurring prostate cancer

Men who have their prostates removed may benefit from radiation therapy if their cancer returns, according to a new study. Experts say about 30,000 men in the United States who undergo surgery to have their prostates removed will have their cancer return.

22 Mar 2004

Research suggest tea total only way to go when pregnant

The cardinal rule of a safe pregnancy is to avoid heavy drinking. However, new research indicates that even light to moderate drinking should be avoided as it may interfere with learning and memory in children as late as adolescence.

22 Mar 2004

Study of three treatments of type 2 diabetes in children and teens has begun in US

A clinical study comparing three treatments of type 2 diabetes in children and teens has begun in 12 medical centers and their affiliated sites around the country, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced today.

22 Mar 2004

Patch for post-surgical pain

A patch that delivers pain medication through the skin is just as effective and more convenient than medication delivered by an intravenous pump for post-surgical pain, according to a new study.

22 Mar 2004

Emergency caesarean sections should be completed within 75 minutes

Emergency caesarean sections should be completed within 75 minutes to reduce the risk of poor outcomes for mother and baby, according to a UK survey.

22 Mar 2004

Japanese study raises concerns for childhood health issues

The number of children suffering from mental disorders and health problems such as allergies and asthma has risen sharply over the past decade in this country. The United States and European countries are also facing the increasingly serious problems of premature births and childhood obesity, in addition to allergic reactions. Many experts say the rise in health problems involving children is related to the use of chemicals in our daily lives and the impact of medical treatment provided to the children's mothers.

22 Mar 2004

Mouse antibodies neutralise SARS virus

The mouse immune system develops antibodies capable of single-handedly neutralizing the SARS virus, researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) report in the April 1 issue of the Journal of Virology, now available online. NIAID is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

22 Mar 2004

Fruits and vegetables promote stronger bones in girls

Although calcium usually gets top billing when it comes to bone health, fruits and vegetables may also promote stronger bones in girls, new study findings suggest.

22 Mar 2004

Research suggests the orlistat drug could be used to fight cancer and obesity

The Burnham Institute’s Jeffrey Smith, Ph.D., has discovered that orlistat, commonly prescribed as an anti-obesity drug, has a positive side-effect: it inhibits cancer growth. Dr. Smith made this discovery using an activity-based proteomics screening technique developed in his laboratory that makes it possible to identify active targets and simultaneously screen for their inhibitors.

22 Mar 2004

Breast-feeding may lower children's blood pressure later in life

The researchers found that for every 3 months of breast-feeding, the children had a 0.2-mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure.

22 Mar 2004

Side Effects of Diabetes Drugs Involve Unsuspected Brain Region

A brain region involved in emotional and intellectual processes appears to also play an unsuspected role in the body’s visceral response to dangerously low blood sugar levels, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. Low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, is a common and dangerous side effect of drugs that control insulin levels in people with diabetes.

22 Mar 2004

Lupus Discovery May Lead To Improved Drugs

In an important development in the treatment of lupus as well as certain cancers, scientists at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University have discovered how autoimmune lupus T cells stave off programmed cell death and drive production of autoantibodies directed against the body’s own DNA.

22 Mar 2004

Improvements needed in breast cancer treatment

Treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a group of abnormal cells confined to the breast ducts, varies widely in the United States. Treatment ranges from potential over-treatment with aggressive surgical therapy to possible under-treatment by not providing radiation.

22 Mar 2004

New microchip manipulates DNA and protein molecules

A Johns Hopkins undergraduate has constructed a new type of microchip that can move and isolate DNA and protein molecules. He believes that by linking the chip with analysis equipment, a user could identify medical ailments, monitor a patient's health or detect viruses and other biohazards before they spread.

22 Mar 2004