Drug Week back issues from August 2003:
New possibilities.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Research published by the Institute of Physics reports on a new technique that could in future help scientists working in rational drug design (a way of tailoring a new drug to fit the structure of the protein it targets) to develop drugs more ...
AMD473 (ZD0473) exhibits marked in vitro anticancer activity in human tumors.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- AMD473 (ZD0473) exhibits marked in vitro anticancer activity in human tumors. According to a study from the United States, "AMD473 (ZD0473; cis-amminedichloro[2-methylpyridine]-platinum [II]) is a new generation anticancer agent that, in ...
Once-daily Adderall XR provides all-day symptom control for children.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) shows that children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experienced significant control of their ADHD symptoms when using once-daily ...
Colorado biopharmaceutical company announces cardiac application of HDAC.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Myogen, Inc., a Colorado-based biopharmaceutical company, along with researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, announced the first possible cardiac application of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. ...
Patent announced for DNA vaccines with Vaxfectin adjuvant.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vical, Inc., (VICL) announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,586,409, covering DNA vaccination with a novel adjuvant, Vaxfectin. Specific claims include compositions and methods for gene-based vaccination using immunogen-encoding ...
Azithromycin does not affect cyclosporine A pharmacokinetics after kidney transplantation.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Azithromycin does not affect the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine A in kidney transplant recipients. "Some macrolide antibiotics have been shown to produce significant drug-drug interactions through the inhibition of cytochrome P450 ...
Thalidomide has moderate activity against chronic but not acute GVHD.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - Thalidomide can be useful for the treatment of refractory chronic graft-versus-host reactions after stem cell transplantation, researchers in England say. The agent "was used to treat acute (n = ...
amfAR awards $1.5 million for basic research into HIV/AIDS.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) announced nearly $1.5 million in basic research grants and fellowships for scientists working to understand and eliminate HIV/AIDS. "amfAR is pleased to continue to support basic research ...
Medical Services begins to fill contracts for VScan HIV Test Kits.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Medical Services International, Inc., (MSITF) announced that during June 2003 it shipped 17,000 test kits at an average price of $3.37 per kit. Based on contracts and existing orders the company will ship 150,000 VScan Rapid test kits in ...
UC San Diego collaborates on stroke clinical trial.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Innercool therapies announced it is collaborating with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Stroke Center in a clinical trial to improve the treatment of acute ischemic stroke patients. The trial will be funded by a $5 million, ...
Infant meconium components may expose women who drink during pregnancy.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Infant meconium components may expose women who drink during pregnancy. According to recent research published in the journal Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, "the detection of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) in meconium may provide an ...
Sirolimus extends delayed graft function substantially after kidney transplant.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Although sirolimus is not nephrotoxic, it does extend delayed graft function significantly in kidney transplants. "Sirolimus, lacking known nephrotoxicity, appeared to be an ideal immunosuppressive agent in the setting of delayed graft ...
Oligohydrosis and fever reported in children treated with zonisamide.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cases of oligohydrosis and fever have been reported in U.S. children treated with zonisamide. "Zonisamide is an antiepileptic drug developed and first marketed in Japan in 1989. Cases of oligohydrosis, characterized by deficient ...
Hemolysin-positive, drug-resistant A. hydrophila is a health threat.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The incidence of Anisakis simplex in fish and shrimp, including hemolysin positive and antibacterial resistant strains, is high in coastal India and is a potential health threat. According to published research from India, "The incidence ...
Compounds reverse age-related learning deficits in mice.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Eukarion, Inc., announced the publication of preclinical data showing that its synthetic catalytic scavenger (SCS) compounds reverse age-related learning deficits in mice. The data were published in The Proceedings of the National ...
Promising findings reported from Alzhemed phase II study.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Neurochem, Inc., (NRM) announced a preliminary analysis of the data from its recently completed phase II clinical trial for the investigational drug candidate, Alzhemed, in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease (AD). The ...
Study: Aricept therapy associated with delayed nursing home placement.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Persistent treatment with Aricept may help Alzheimer patients and their families by delaying entry into a nursing home. A recent study showed that dementia-related nursing home placement was delayed for nearly 2 years (21 months) in ...
CytRx licenses RNAi technology.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- CytRx Corporation (CYTR) announced it has signed an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-bearing license agreement with the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) to use UMMS's RNAi gene silencing technology in the development of a treatment ...
Clots prompt warning over new stents.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Doctors got a stern warning to properly use a popular new drug-coated heart stent that has been linked to blood clots in almost 3 dozen people, including 5 who died. The Cypher stent is a tiny metal scaffold that props open a ...
Berlin biotech starts clinical trial of a MIDGE-based DNA vaccine.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Mologen, a Berlin-based biotech company, has initiated a clinical trial to test the efficacy of a DNA vaccine to protect dogs against leishmaniasis. The study will take 7 months and is being performed by Mologen's Spanish subsidiary ...
First biologic recommended by FDA panel for inflammatory disease.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Amgen (AMGN) and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (WYE), announced that Enbrel (etanercept) is the first biologic recommended for approval by the Arthritis Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the ...
Effective mucosal immunity to anthrax obtained.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Neutralizing antibodies and Th cell responses to anthrax occurred after nasal immunization with protective antigen. According to a study from the United States, "Mucosal, but not parenteral, immunization induces immune responses in both ...
Danaparoid is successful in case of heparin induced skin reaction in pregnancy.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Synthetic heparinoid, danaparoid, is successful in case of heparin therapy-induced skin reactions during pregnancy. "Allergic cutaneous reactions to heparin are a diagnostic, but mainly therapeutic challenge because an alternative ...
Hepatitis C virus nonstructural 5A protein attenuates interferon-linked signals.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hepatitis C virus nonstructural 5A protein attenuates interferon-linked signals. "Alpha/beta interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) induce potent antiviral and antiproliferative responses and are used to treat a wide range of human diseases, ...
FDA approves first humanized antibody that targets IgE.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genentech, Inc., (DNA), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, an affiliate of Novartis AG (NVS), and Tanox, Inc., (TNOX) announced that the novel IgE-blocker Xolair (omalizumab) for subcutaneous use has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug ...
Combination therapy is efficacious and does not increase airway inflammation.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Dual controller therapy for asthma is efficacious and does not increase airway inflammation. "Current guidelines for the treatment of moderate persistent asthma list the combination of long-acting beta-agonists and inhaled ...
Atherosclerosis found in normotensive obese women with low DHEA levels.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Early carotid atherosclerosis was found in normotensive severely obese premenopausal women with low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). According to recent research published in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, "The ...
Multiple-dose study of ETC-642 (RLT Peptide) begins.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., (ESPR), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing HDL-targeted therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, announced the initiation of a multiple-dose, multicenter clinical study of ...
Focalin LA pivotal clinical trial initiated in adults with ADD/ADHD.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Celgene Corp. (CELG) announced that a pivotal clinical trial of Focalin LA (dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules) in adults with attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) has been ...
Gene rearrangement could lead the way to a cure for systemic lupus.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gene rearrangement could lead the way to a cure for systemic lupus. "Activation of T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) leads to increased signaling responses, detected by increased calcium and protein tyrosine ...
T cell response to live bacillus Calmette-Guerin mediated by CD1 molecules.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The major CD8 T cell response to live bacillus Calmette-Guerin is mediated by CD1 molecules. "MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cells are a crucial component of the host defense against mycobacterial infection in mice, but it has often ...
Enterotoxigenic El Tor-like hemolysin produced by Vibrio fluvialis.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An enterotoxigenic El Tor-like hemolysin produced by Vibrio fluvialis has been purified and characterized. According to a study from the United States, "The halophilic bacterium Vibrio fluvialis is an enteric pathogen that produces an ...
Microspheres containing growth factor improve alginate scaffold vascularization.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Microspheres containing growth factor improve alginate scaffold vascularization. "Site-specific delivery of angiogenic growth factors from tissue-engineered devices should provide an efficient means of stimulating localized vessel ...
Surface groups dictate polyamidoamine dendrimer molecular interactions.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Surface groups dictate PAMAM dendrimer molecular interactions. "Dendrimers are a new class of polymeric materials. They are globular, highly branched, monodisperse macromolecules. Due to their structure, dendrimers promise to be new, ...
Cyclophosphamide is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cyclophosphamide is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer. According to a study from Canada, "Leiomyosarcoma of urinary bladder is rare, although it is the most common mesenchymal tumor in adults. "We report two ...
Cladribine and 2-chloro-adenosine induce apoptosis of human astrocytoma cells.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cladribine and 2-chloro-adenosine induce apoptosis of human astrocytoma cells. "Both the anticancer agent 2-chloro-2'- deoxy-adenosine (Cladribine) and its derivative 2-chloro-adenosine induce apoptosis of human astrocytoma cells (J ...
A fusion protein with prolactin and angiogenesis antagonists snuffs out cancer.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Medical investigators have developed a fusion protein containing a prolactin antagonist and endostatin. It inhibits the growth of certain breast cancers. According to researchers at Clemson ...
Foundation comments on studies of high-dose chemo with stem-cell rescue.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Data from two clinical trials published in the July 3, 2003, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine explore potential benefits of high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue in the treatment of high-risk breast cancer. Study ...
HRG/M sequences are sufficient to sensitize MCF-7 cells to doxorubicin.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HRG/M sequences are sufficient to sensitize MCF-7 cells to doxorubicin. According to a study from the United States, "Heregulin (HRG) is an activator of the erbB2-, erbB3- and erB4-(erbB-2/3/4) signaling pathway. ...
Increased dose intensity of chemotherapy did not increase efficacy.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Increased dose intensity of chemotherapy did not increase efficacy. "The purpose of this multicenter phase III trial was to assess the impact of a time-intensification of FEC (fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide) and MMM ...
Low-dose tamoxifen may be effective treatment, with fewer side effects.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Administering tamoxifen at lower doses than the current standard dose appears to effectively reduce breast cancer proliferation while causing fewer side effects, researchers reported at the 2003 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer ...
NSAIDs may block development of breast tumors.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Regular use of ibuprofen and aspirin inhibits the formation and growth of breast cancer, according to data from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study. The findings were published in the ...
Novel murine model enables bone marrow transplantation evaluation.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel murine model of breast cancer will aid the evaluation of bone marrow transplantation as therapy. Scientists in the United States developed a "breast cancer model in rats, in which myeloablative chemotherapy and syngeneic bone ...
Prolactin may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Prolactin may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of breast cancer. According to a study from the United States, "Prolactin (PRL) is an important hormone in mammary tumorigenesis in rodents but its involvement in human breast ...
Tamoxifen induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Tamoxifen induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells. According to recent research from South Korea, "Tamoxifen (TAM) is the endocrine therapeutic agent the most widely used in the treatment of breast cancer, and it operates primarily ...
VEGF falls short for predicting outcomes in certain metastatic breast cancers.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- VEGF falls short for predicting outcomes in certain metastatic breast cancers. "Prediction of survival for patients with metastatic breast cancer is often inaccurate and may be helped by new biological parameters. Tumor growth being ...
New generation of treatments shows promise for cancer patients.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Armed with information about the function and capabilities of currently approved cancer therapies, researchers are beginning to develop more potent and successful treatments, according to research presented at the 94th Annual Meeting of the ...
CXCR-4 clinical antibodies identified.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Northwest Biotherapeutics, Inc., (NWBT) announced the completion of its in-vitro preclinical assessment of a battery of proprietary monoclonal antibodies directed against the cancer associated target CXCR-4. Two of the studied antibodies ...
Novel compound inhibits paclitaxel- and docetaxel-resistant tumor cell lines.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel taxane inhibits the growth of paclitaxel- and docetaxel-resistant tumor cell lines, according to data presented at the 94th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) by scientists at Wyeth Research, Pearl River, ...
Phase I clinical trial of MLN944 launched.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (MLNM) and Xenova Group, plc, (XNVA) announced the initiation of a phase I clinical trial of MLN944 (also known as XR5944). MLN944 is a DNA targeting agent under investigation for the treatment of ...
Study of Dacogen (decitabine) in combination with carboplatin launched.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SuperGen, Inc., (SUPG) and Cancer Research UK announced the initiation of a phase I/II clinical study of Dacogen (decitabine), in combination with carboplatin, in cancer patients with advanced solid tumors. The study, with an anticipated ...
Hyperthermia improves immune response to human hepatocellular carcinoma.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hyperthermia improved the cellular immune response to human hepatocellular carcinoma subsequent to co-culture with tumor lysate pulsed dendritic cells. "Dendritic cells play a major role in cellular immunity. The crucial steps of antigen ...
LAG-3 enables DNA vaccination to prevent breast cancer in mice.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lymphocyte activation gene-3/CD223 (LAG-3) enabled DNA vaccination to persistently prevent mammary carcinogenesis in HER-2/neu transgenic BALB/c mice. According to a study from Italy, "Within 33 weeks of life, all 10 mammary glands of ...
Measles virus producing carcinoembryonic antigen fights glioblastoma.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A vaccine strain of measles virus genetically engineered to produce carcinoembryonic antigen has been used as a novel therapeutic agent against glioblastoma multiforme. According to published research from the United States, "Despite ...
Vaccine with fusion cells of dendritic and carcinoma cells halts tumor growth.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vaccination with fusion cells of rat dendritic and carcinoma cells prevented tumor growth in vivo. According to a study from Japan, "Several reports on immunotherapy using dendritic cells-based vaccine have been published. We ...
HIV inactivates the body's cellular smart bomb.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- HIV eludes one of the body's key smart bomb defenses against infection, and this finding may lay the groundwork for new drugs to treat AIDS, according to a new Salk Institute study. Nathaniel Landau, a Salk Institute associate professor, ...
Some cytokines inactivate VEGF signals by controlling its receptors.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Some cytokines inactivate VEGF signals by controlling its receptors. "Confluent endothelial cells respond poorly to the proliferative signals of VEGF. Comparing isogenic endothelial cells differing for vascular endothelial cadherin ...
Current botulinum toxin treatment appears to be nonimmunogenic.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A comparison of original and current botulinum toxin for treatment of cervical dystonia reveals there appears to be no more antibody reactivity risk. "The authors compared 130 patients treated for cervical dystonia with original ...
Institute for Oneworld Health licenses potent therapy.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Institute for OneWorld Health, the first nonprofit pharmaceutical company in the United States, has licensed a novel class of high-potency compounds from Yale University and the University of Washington that could result in medicines for the ...
Delayed nausea common for cancer patients.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Many more cancer patients who receive chemotherapy report a serious problem with nausea a day or two later than on the day of their treatment, according to a new study. The report showed that delayed nausea is a widespread problem for ...
Hepatitis C virus clears spontaneously upon immunosuppression discontinuation.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hepatitis C virus clears spontaneously upon immunosuppression discontinuation. "Approximately 85% of acute cases of hepatitis C infection result in chronic hepatitis. Spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus has been thought to occur ...
European committee grants positive opinion on survival claim for MabCampath.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Schering AG, Germany, (SHR; SCH) and ILEX Oncology, Inc., (ILXO) announced that the European Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP) has granted a positive opinion on the addition of survival data to the label for the drug MabCampath ...
FDA grants fast track designation for Genasense in CLL.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genta, Inc., (GNTA) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Genasense (oblimersen sodium) as a "fast track" product for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Genasense, the ...
Pivotal phase III study of Oxytrex launched.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pain Therapeutics, Inc., (PTIE) announced the initiation of a phase III clinical study with Oxytrex, the company's investigational new drug to treat chronic pain. This pivotal study will enroll up to 700 patients with chronic, severe ...
Alliance formed to promote cardiac safety services.
Aug 01, 2003 ... 2003 AUG 1 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- eResearchTechnology (eRT), Inc., (ERES), a provider of centralized electrocardiographic (ECG) collection and interpretation services, announced it has entered into an agreement with California Clinical Trials Medical Group, Inc., (CCT), a provider ...