Drug Week back issues from October 2003:
Drug developed for rare disease may help millions more as cancer treatment.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An antiangiogenesis drug developed at the University of Michigan (U-M) is showing promise in studies of three different disease families, including multiple forms of cancer. The drug, tetrathiomolybdate, or TM, essentially wages war ...
New therapies look promising for the treatment of hepatitis C virus patients.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New therapies look promising for the treatment of hepatitis C virus patients. "Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the cause of an emerging global pandemic of chronic liver disease. Current pegylated IFN-alpha/ribavirin ...
Clot-busters - do they work for all?
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Aspirin is given to patients at high risk of suffering an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but researchers in Denmark have shown that in one-third of patients actually suffering an AMI no platelet-inhibiting effect of aspirin can be demonstrated ....
Ultrastructural changes may be due to acquired cisplatin resistance.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ultrastructural changes in bladder cancer may be due to acquired cisplatin resistance. According to recent research published in the journal Oncology Reports, "Cis-diaminedichloroplatinum (cisplatin) has therapeutic efficacy against ...
Two common diabetes drugs may cause heart failure and fluid buildup.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two diabetes medications taken by more than 6 million Americans may lead to serious side effects, including the onset of congestive heart failure and pulmonary edema, according to researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at ...
CHARM Programme demonstrates benefits of Atacand.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Data presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) annual meeting demonstrated that Atacand (candesartan cilexetil) reduces both cardiovascular deaths as well as hospital admissions for heart failure across a broad spectrum of patients with ...
N-acetyl-L-cysteine does not affect busulfan pharmacokinetics.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- NAC treatment to prevent VOD in stem-cell graft recipients does not affect busulfan pharmacokinetics "Busulfan is currently used as a main component in the conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (SCT)," ...
Biopharma inks agreement with Guangdong Medicine Group Corp.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc., (HEB) announced that it has signed an agreement with Guangdong Medicine Group Corp. to organize clinical trials, marketing, sales, and distribution for both of its lead compounds, Alferon N and Ampligen, in the People's ...
DHHS panel recommends Kaletra as part of protease inhibitor-based regimen.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A panel convened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has recommended Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), in combination with zidovudine or stavudine plus lamivudine, as a preferred protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen for the ...
Different outcomes seen in patients from poor and rich countries.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Recent publications suggested different outcomes in patients admitted to hospitals with heart attacks between developed and developing countries. To clarify this point, ECLA (Estudios Clinicos Latinoamerica) in collaboration with Vigour ...
Salbutamol use may increase eosinophil CXCL8 production, asthmatic response.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Regular salbutamol use may make eosinophil response to allergen stronger, increase airway inflammation via CXCL8/IL-8 increases in asthmatics. "Regular salbutamol use can exacerbate allergen-induced airway eosinophilia in asthmatics, but ...
Restraint stress modulates regulation of inflammation and immunity.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Acute restraint stress in allergic contact dermatitis modulates regulation of sensitizer-induced inflammation and immunity. "Previously, we demonstrated that restraint stress applied before chemical sensitization modulates allergic ...
C766T polymorphism of LDL receptor protein gene linked to Alzheimer disease.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The C766T polymorphism of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein gene is associated with Alzheimer disease. According to recent research published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B - Neuropsychiatric ...
Cerebrovascular factors play role in early-stage Alzheimer's dementia.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cerebrovascular factors appear to play a role in early-stage Alzheimer's dementia. "The amyloid beta-peptide (A-beta) is involved in the mechanisms of Alzheimer dementia. This paper reviews experimental evidence indicating that A-beta ...
Differences in beta-amyloid deposition exist in two transgenic models.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Differences in beta-amyloid production and deposition in brain regions exist in two transgenic models. "Mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene are associated with altered production and deposition of amyloid beta (A-beta) ...
Galantamine study shows promising results for Alzheimer disease.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Treatment with Reminyl (galantamine) can reduce the cognitive deficits of Alzheimer's disease by more than 50% when used continuously for 4 years, according to research presented at the 7th Annual Congress of the EFNS (European Federation of ...
Methionine synthase polymorphism is a risk factor for Alzheimer disease.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The methionine synthase polymorphism is a risk factor for Alzheimer disease. "Alzheimer disease (AD) patients show increased plasma levels of homocysteine, whose conversion to methionine is catalyzed by methionine synthase (MS). Although ...
T-cell reactivity to amyloid beta increases with age.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- T-cell reactivity to amyloid beta increases with age in many people and may open avenues of therapeutic and preventive treatments for Alzheimer disease. According to published research from the United States, "Alzheimer disease (AD) is ...
Hepcidin is critical for iron transport, macrophage iron collection.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hepcidin is critical for iron transport, macrophage iron collection; lack of it can produce hemochromatosis. According to recent research published in the journal Blood, "Human hepcidin, a 25-amino acid (aa) peptide made by hepatocytes, ...
Trial findings mark "significant advance" in treatment.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Results from the INITIATIVE study, the largest phase III trial ever carried out for the treatment of stable angina, herald what has been described as a "significant advance" in the management of the condition, which afflicts 4% of adults in the ...
Polymer-coated stents offer a way to delivery gene therapy to immune cells.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Polymer-coated stents offer a way to delivery gene therapy to immune cells. According to a study from the United States, "metallic stents coated with a polyurethane emulsion containing plasmid DNA were implanted in rabbit iliac arteries ...
Genome of bacteriophage infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa reported.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers have reported the genome of bacteriophage phi KMV, a T7-like virus infecting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. According to published research from Belgium and Russia, "The complete DNA sequence of a new lytic T7-like bacteriophage ...
Ofloxacin receives FDA approval.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RPI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL), has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manufacture and market ofloxacin tablets 200 mg, 300 mg, and 400 ...
GABA(A) receptor blockade underlies cephalosporin-induced convulsions.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GABA(A) receptor blockade underlies cephalosporin-induced convulsions. "There is accumulating evidence that most beta-lactam antibiotics (i.e, cephalosporins and penicillins) have some degree of convulsive activity, both in laboratory ...
Generic pharmaceutical company licenses clarithromycin XL.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Par Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Pharmaceutical Resources, Inc. (PRX), has entered into a licensing agreement with Advancis Pharmaceutical Corp. for clarithromycin XL, which is being developed as a generic equivalent to Abbott's Biaxin XL and ...
Linezolid does not impair polymorphonuclear neutrophils activity.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Linezolid treatment does not impair the antimicrobial function of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In a recent study from Spain, "the effect of linezolid on the phagocytic and bactericidal functions of human polymorphonuclear ...
Milestone achieved in development of peptide deformylase inhibitors.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vicuron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (MICU) announced that the company has achieved the latest milestone in its ongoing research collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG, focused on the development of peptide deformylase inhibitor antibiotics. This ...
Patent issued for antitumor agents.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a patent to Advanced Life Sciences (ALS) for a class of indolocarbazole compounds with a lead molecule, ALS-423, that blocks topoisomerase I, a critical enzyme in cancer cells. ALS-423 ...
Researchers search for new microtubule-interacting drugs for cancer treatment.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers search for new microtubule-interacting drugs for cancer treatment. "Microtubule-interacting drugs are important agents in cancer chemotherapy. Some of these drugs alter microtubule dynamics and engage the cell cycle ...
Investigative cancer treatment undergoes two phase I trials.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pharmacyclics, Inc., (PCYC) has opened two new phase I trials of its investigative drug Xcytrin (motexafin gadolinium) Injection in combination with Taxotere (docetaxel) for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. These studies are based ...
Styryl-lactone goniothalamin induces leukemia cell caspase-dependent apoptosis.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The styryl-lactone plant derivative goniothalamin induces leukemia cell mitochondrial, caspase-dependent apoptosis. According to recent research published in the journal Toxicology In Vitro, "Styryl-lactones such as goniothalamin ...
Assay for itraconazole drug monitoring developed.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- An assay for determining itraconazole levels in treated patients has been developed. Published research from Germany described a "method for the simultaneous quantification of the antifungal drug itraconazole and its co-active metabolite ...
Human intestinal mucosa is rich in antibacterial, antifungal peptides.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The human colonic mucosa is rich in peptides that have antibacterial and antifungal properties. According to recent research published in the journal Peptides, "Antimicrobial peptides and proteins are effector molecules in the ...
Pyrimidinone antibiotics exhibit improved antibacterial spectrum.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pyrimidinone antibiotics exhibit an improved antibacterial spectrum. "We report the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new derivatives of the natural dipeptide antibiotic TAN 1057 A,B containing heterocycles either in the ...
Oral melatonin reduces proinflammatory response induced by amyloid-beta protein.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Oral antioxidants melatonin and vitamins C and E reduced nitrites, lipoperoxides; but melatonin also reduced the proinflammatory response in an amyloid beta inflammation model. "To determine the efficacy of antioxidants in reducing ...
Classical antisense PTOs used against key multimodal targets.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Antisense Pharma focuses on the drug development for cancer treatment by combining precise selection of key cancer target molecules and DNA based phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (PTO). Positive data from phase I/II high-grade glioma clinical ...
Process helps achieve largest antisense oligonucleotide synthesis scale per run.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The life sciences business of Amersham (AHM) announced that Isis Pharmaceuticals recently completed the world's largest antisense oligonucleotide synthesis scale per single run. Isis accomplished this pharmaceutical industry ...
Cryptosporidiosis can produce arthritis, resolved by pathogen clearance.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cryptosporidiosis can produce reactive arthritis; pathogen clearance resolves rheumatic disease. "In contrast to arthritic disease caused by different bacterial agents, reactive arthritis due to parasitic infection is rare," scientists ...
Asthma is exacerbated by eosinophilic pneumonia; corticosteroids may protect.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Asthmatics who get idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia have worsened asthma but fewer pneumonia recurrences later, perhaps because they are given more corticosteroids. "Since idiopathic chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (ICEP) and ...
Hepatic lipase expression in macrophages contributes to atherosclerosis.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hepatic lipase expression in macrophages contributes to atherosclerosis in apoE-deficient and LCAT-transgenic mice. "Hepatic lipase (HL) has a well-established role in lipoprotein metabolism. However, its role in atherosclerosis is ...
Minnesota company inks agreement with LightWave Ablation Systems.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MedicalCV, Inc., (MDCVU), a Minnesota-based cardiothoracic surgery device manufacturer, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire a technology platform for the treatment of atrial fibrillation from LightWave Ablation Systems, Inc., a ...
SPORTIF III study shows potential for Exanta (ximelagatran).
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Latest data from the full presentation of the SPORTIF III study shows a net clinical benefit for Exanta (ximelagatran), the first in a new class of oral direct thrombin inhibitors (oral DTIs), compared with the current standard treatment, ...
DAT1 allele associated with methylphenidate response in children with ADHD.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The 480 bp DAT1 allele was associated with methylphenidate response in a sample of Irish children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to recent research from Ireland, "Several studies have implicated the ...
BAFF regulates the number of B cells; high levels relate to autoimmune disease.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- BAFF is a member of TNF family that can alter the number of B cells; overexpression causes B-cell expansion and is related to autoimmune disease. According to recent research from Switzerland, "The TNF family member BAFF is a fundamental ...
Septicemia and bacterial DNA can cause autoantibodies and SLE-like symptoms.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Septicemia and bacterial DNA can cause autoantibodies and some systemic lupus erythematosus-like symptoms. According to recent research from Japan, "Recent evidence has revealed that bacterial DNA can promote several of the autoimmune ...
Transcription coactivator OCA-B gene may be involved in B-cell expansion.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The OCA-B gene is needed after B-cell receptor ligation and T helper costimulation, and appears to be involved in signaling B-cell expansion. "The tissue-specific transcriptional coactivator OCA-B is required for antigen-dependent B-cell ...
Mutant Bacillus subtilis glutamyltranspeptidase specializes in hydrolysis.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A mutant Bacillus subtilis gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase specializes in hydrolytic activity. "Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) catalyzes the hydrolysis of gamma-glutamyl compounds and the transfer of their gamma-glutamyl moieties to ...
Alpha-proteobacterium in an immunocompetent geriatric patient causes bacteremia.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bacteremia in an immunocompetent geriatric patient is caused by a new organism, an alpha-proteobacterium. According to recent research from North Ireland, "An 89-year-old male with pyrexia and suspected bacteremia was admitted to ...
Catecholamines enhance growth of E. coli but not some other bacteria.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Catecholamines increase growth of E. coli but not some other bacterial species, including oral anaerobes. "The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of catecholamines on in vitro growth of a range of bacterial species, ...
Shigella serotype conversion due to single amino acid substitution.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Conversion of Shigella flexneri serotype 2a to serotype Y in a shigellosis patient was due to a single amino acid substitution in the protein product of the bacterial glucosyltransferase gtrII gene. According to published research from ...
Cellular prion protein ablation impairs behavior as a function of age.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cellular prion protein ablation impairs behavior as a function of age. According to a study from Brazil, "Cellular prion protein (PrP[superscript]c) has been associated with some physiological functions in recent reports. Here we ...
Changes in chronic heating alter the dynamics of tissue perfusion.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Changes in chronic heating alter the dynamics of tissue perfusion. According to recent research published in the journal Annals of Biomedical Engineering, "thermal models are used to analyze responses of muscle and lung tissue to ...
Conformational analysis of trisaccharides conducted.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- NMR, molecular simulation, and hydrodynamics were applied to the conformational analysis of trisaccharides. "The preferred conformations and conformational flexibilities of the trisaccharides ...
Subgroup analysis can be planned for with a useful method in clinical trials.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- According to a study from the United States, "Subgroup analysis is a common secondary objective in clinical trials. In oncology, where the outcome is often binary (such as tumor response) or time-to-event (such as survival), subgroup analysis can ...
Biodefense proteomics collaboration receives NIAID funding.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., (CIPH) announced that the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston (UTMB) and Ciphergen have received funding from the National Institute of Health (NIAID) to develop new strategies for early diagnosis of viral ...
Lithium more effective than common medication for reducing risk of suicide.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients with bipolar disorder who take divalproex, the most commonly prescribed mood-stabilizing drug in the United States, have about a 2.5 times higher risk of suicide death, than if they take lithium. Bipolar disorder is a major ...
Oral efficacy study on a novel antidiabetic agent reported.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cengent Therapeutics, a structure-guided drug discovery company, announced the successful completion of an oral efficacy study on a novel small molecule inhibitor of PTP-1B. The inhibitor is one of several scaffolds in Cengent's drug ...
Novel LC-based assay detects Hemopure doping in athletes.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel liquid chromatography (LC)-based assay can be used to detect Hemopure doping by athletes. "Since January 2000, hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, such as Hemopure, belong to the list of prohibited substances of the International ...
Trials for investigational pathogen inactivation system halted.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cerus Corporation (CERS) and subsidiaries of Baxter International, Inc., (BAX) announced that they are voluntarily halting phase III trials for their pathogen-inactivated red blood cell program. The companies made this decision as a ...
BMI affects weight changes and mortality of patients on hemodialysis.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Initial body mass indexes have contrary effects on change in body weight and mortality of patients on maintenance hemodialysis treatment. According to a study from Austria, "Malnutrition is a relevant risk factor for mortality for ...
Joint venture wins $11M award to expedite production of botulinum vaccine.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) announced that DynPort Vaccine Company LLC (DVC), a joint venture between CSC and Porton International, Inc., has been awarded an $11 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ...
Data shows efficacy of using PI3k inhibitor in treating malignant gliomas.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- ComChem announced that Cancer Research published the results of preclinical research performed in the lab of Donald L. Durden, MD, PhD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). The article describes the scientific and ...
Data from Theratope vaccine trial to be presented at breast cancer symposium.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Biomira, Inc., (BIOM, BRA) announced that data from the final analysis of its Theratope vaccine phase III clinical trial in metastatic breast cancer will be presented at the 26th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) being held at the ...
Metastasis to the breast of other cancers are rare but should be recognized.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Metastasis of other tumors to the breast is rare, but cytologists should be aware of distinguishing features. According to a study from England, "The occurrence of metastatic tumors in the breast is uncommon and it is crucial for ...
The hepatocyte growth factor antagonist NK4 reduces breast malignancies.
Oct 03, 2003 ... 2003 OCT 3 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- "Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a cytokine primarily produced by stromal fibroblasts and is a known angiogenic and invasion-inducing factor. It is increased in patients with breast cancer. This study examined the effect of NK4, ...