Drug Week back issues from January 2004:
Higher dose of Gleevec leads to increased remission in CML patients.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Twice the standard daily dose of Gleevec results in a significantly higher response rate in treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), according to researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The study, ...
New drug may help cancer patients in need of stem cell transplants.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A new drug may help patients restore their blood-forming system after high-dose chemotherapy, according to results from a clinical trial at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. In the phase II ...
Docetaxel-based regimen improves survival and disease-free survival, data show.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A docetaxel (Taxotere)-based regimen reduced the relative risk of death in women with early stage breast cancer by 30% and lowered the relative risk of the cancer returning by 28% when compared to a standard adjuvant (post-surgery) regimen after ...
Safe and effective seizure treatment for elderly patients described.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- University of Miami researchers have found that the anti-epileptic drug (AED) Keppra (levetiracetam) controlled seizures and was well-tolerated by more than 70% of elderly patients with epilepsy evaluated in a new study. More than a third of the ...
Combination, order of anti-HIV drugs make a difference in first-time recipients.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- How anti-HIV drugs are combined and the order in which they are given are important factors to consider when designing treatment strategies for patients new to antiretroviral therapy, says a new study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and ...
New drugs would help graft recipients with recurrent hepatitis C infection.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New drugs would help liver graft recipients with recurrent hepatitis C infection. "Treatment responses are lower in immune compromised patients such as those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease following liver transplantation than in ...
MALDI-MS allows direct analysis of drug candidates in tissue.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Custom software was developed to facilitate the imaging of small molecules in tissue using the MALDI-QqTOF mass spectrometer, researchers report. According to recent research published in the Journal of Mass Spectrometry, ...
Bill Gates foundation to give $25 million to southern Indian state.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will give $25 million to a southern Indian state for AIDS prevention programs, state officials announced. The money will come from a $200 million grant pledged by the Seattle-based foundation to help ...
Companies announce plans to fund HIV prevention and treatment programs in Africa.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nine major international companies have initiated an effort to expand treatment and prevention programs for Africans with HIV, starting in some cases with their own employees. The companies will run the programs with their own money and ...
Pharmaceutical company and IBM collaborate to find cure for AIDS.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Locus Pharmaceuticals, a computational-based small molecule drug design and development company, announced a strategic collaboration with IBM's Deep Computing Capacity on Demand center to deploy supercomputing power for research and drug design. ...
Company launches primate studies in validation of viral immunotherapy platform.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Lipid Sciences, Inc., (LIPD) announced that with the recent completion of successful studies in a mouse animal model, it has achieved an important development milestone. Therefore, the company has now initiated a series of nonhuman ...
Arbitrator: City council can't exclude voluntary procedure from health benefits.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cincinnati, Ohio, must restore voluntary abortion coverage to city employee health benefits and reimburse any employee who has had an abortion since city council banned the coverage, an arbitrator ruled. The union, which represents about ...
Madison Keats to assist in identifying a licensing partner for PCL-016.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Novactyl, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing antiviral and antibacterial medicines, announced that it has engaged the investment banking firm of Madison Keats to assist in evaluating potential partnering strategies for the company. ...
Gleevec shows promise in treating another form of leukemia.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gleevec, which has produced striking results in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), is now demonstrating encouraging benefits in treating a different blood cancer, a type of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Researchers at the ...
TRAF6 has many essential functions spanning immune, bone, and nerve functions.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- TRAF6 has many essential functions spanning immune, bone, endocrine, and nerve functions. "Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is a crucial signaling molecule regulating a diverse array of physiological ...
One in four companies less likely to hire a recovering addict.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nearly one in four human resources (HR) professionals surveyed reveal that their companies are less likely to hire a job candidate if the person is in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction - even though 89% believe treatment is effective in ...
Low-calorie sweetener shipped commercially.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Spherix Incorporated (SPEX) has received its first commercial shipment of Naturlose, the firm's brand name for non-food uses of tagatose, its patented low-calorie sweetener. The initial order of one ton was promptly delivered by ...
Antiemetic improves control of chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A post-hoc analysis of two Phase III trials for Emend (aprepitant) showed that treatment with Emend in combination with a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and a corticosteroid ("regimen with Emend ") significantly improved emetic control in both women and ...
Study probes drinking, brain tissue loss.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Low-to-moderate drinking may cause a loss of brain tissue in middle-aged people, a study found. The researchers also found that such alcohol consumption does not lower the risk of a stroke - contradicting findings from previous studies ....
Scientists identify molecular step that causes intoxication.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center have identified a single brain protein that can account for most of the intoxicating effects of alcohol. The finding pinpoints perhaps the best ...
Company discontinues development of Soltara brand allergic rhinitis treatment.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sepracor Inc. (SEPR) has discontinued clinical development of Soltara brand tecastemizole for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a "not approvable" letter in March 2002 for Sepracor's ...
Polistes gallicus allergens have limited cross-reactivity with Vespids.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The Polistes family of European and American wasp venoms have limited crossreactivity with Vespa wasp antigens; the finding may help improve diagnosis and therapy of patients sensitized by certain wasp venoms. According to published ...
Airborne substance makes asthmatics more sensitive to house dust mites.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Exposure to endotoxin, a bacterial substance found commonly in outdoor and indoor air, makes mite-allergic asthmatics more sensitive to house dust and may place them at increased risk of asthma attack. The new research findings from the ...
Asthma, atopic dermatitis are strongly associated with an IL-13 polymorphism.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis are strongly associated with Interleukin (IL)-13 promoter polymorphism designated IL-13-1024TT. According to recent research published in the European Journal of Immunogenetics, "several studies ...
Atopic asthma in Italian families is not related to any IL4RA polymorphism.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Atopic asthma in Italian families is unrelated to any polymorphisms in the interleukin-4 receptor alpha gene. "The literature contains conflicting reports on the association of common variants of the IL-4 receptor alpha (IL4RA) gene ...
Chronic sinusitis is better understood, but therapeutic improvements are needed.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Chronic sinusitis is better understood, but therapeutic improvements are still needed. According to published research from Canada, "the development of chronic sinusitis is a complex multifactorial process characterized by inflammation ...
Skin testing strengths and weaknesses should be known before allergy diagnosis.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Doctors should know the range of available diagnostic skin tests for allergies, as well as strengths, weaknesses. "Practitioners who treat allergic patients must be familiar with the tests that are available to assist them in ...
Wasp venom immunotherapy may work by increasing allergic patient CD86, IL-10.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Wasp venom immunotherapy may work by increasing CD86 and IL-10 in allergic patients. According to published research from Japan, "several studies have provided evidence that activation of antigen-specific T cells requires interactions ...
"Metal-chelation" therapy may be helpful in Alzheimer patients.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A preliminary study suggests that a novel therapy may help improve cognitive functioning in patients with Alzheimer disease by lowering levels of a protein that is involved in the development of the disease. Alzheimer disease (AD) is ...
Alzheimer brain histology shows increased base excision repair enzyme Ref-1.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- In postmortem Alzheimer brains, Ku DNA binding to protein kinase is the same as controls, but base excision repair enzyme Ref-1 is upregulated. According to a study from the United States, "mammalian cells utilize multiple mechanisms to ...
Alzheimer patients have some decreased cytokine responses as disease progresses.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Alzheimer patients' PBMCs release lower amounts of some cytokines in response to LPS as AD severity progresses. "Various studies suggested that inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD)," investigators in ...
Canada approves start of human safety testing for GT 1061.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Anthony Giovinazzo, president and CEO of GB Therapeutics, Ltd., (GBt), announced that the Canadian Therapeutics Products Directorate has given approval for GBt to proceed with GT 1061 in a phase Ia study in healthy aged volunteers. The ...
Company presents animal data for antibodies to treat AD.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- MorphoSys, AG, (MOR) presented successful in vivo results of their collaboration with Roche regarding Alzheimer disease at the 33rd annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans, Louisiana. Within the scope of its ...
LSU Health Sciences Center initiates clinical trial of COGNIShunt System.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Eunoe, Inc., announced the initiation of a clinical trial at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, to investigate the use of its COGNIShunt System in Alzheimer disease patients. The investigational ...
NSAIDS, PPAR-gamma agonists lower beta-secretase, amyloid precursor deposition.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), PPAR-gamma agonists lower beta-secretase, amyloid precursor protein (APP) deposition; thus slow Alzheimer disease (AD). According to published research from Germany, "longterm treatment ...
Proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1B polymorphisms affects age of onset of AD.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1B polymorphisms affects age of onset of Alzheimer disease (AD) also, similar to IL-1alpha genes. "Interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) and IL-beta are 2 proinflammatory cytokines involved in the ...
Researchers identify key enzyme involved in cell death.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Targacept, Inc., announced research results that identify a key enzyme implicated in cell death and are expected to have therapeutic application in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. The ...
Small company grows on success of transmitters for AD.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The two old barns that house manufacturer Wildlife Materials, Inc., in a patch of woods near Carbondale, Illinois, are nothing much to look at. The sign out front looks homemade and the only guards posted are a row of rusty mailboxes standing ...
Twin study finds genes are less significant than previously thought.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genetic factors contribute to Alzheimer disease that appears after age 80, but half or more of the susceptibility can be attributed to factors other than genes, according to a new study y. The report comes from a Swedish twin study, the ...
Stroke may increase risk of AD.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- People who have had a stroke are at an increased risk for developing Alzheimer disease (AD), especially if they also have cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. Alzheimer disease and stroke are common in the elderly ...
FGF-2 levels are higher in serum and present in CSF of ALS patients.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) levels are higher in serum and present in CSF of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients; levels do not correspond with a specific disease state. "Lack of growth factors and hypoxia are 2 recent ...
Standardized testing of muscle strength in ALS may help improve treatment.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A recent study establishes an easy-to-use and uniform testing method for amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to Dr. Eric J. Sorenson, assistant professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Medical Center, in ...
Testosterone therapy gaining advocates despite risks.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Still a young man in his mid-40s, Tom got up every day, went to work and came home exhausted, where he spent most nights in front of the TV. But what really bothered him was that he'd lost interest in sex. And when he had the interest, ...
Late-life anemia identifies people at risk for mortality and hospitalization.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Anemia is common in old age and has been shown to affect the physical function of elderly adults. Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, conducted a study to more fully identify the ...
Anaphylaxis is a dangerous risk in surgical patients undergoing anesthesia.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Anaphylaxis is one of the most dangerous risks in surgical patients undergoing anesthesia; muscle relaxants or latex are the most common triggers. "Anesthesiologists use a myriad of drugs during the provision of an anesthetic. Many of ...
Skin anesthesia achieved in 5 minutes with help of skin permeation device.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sontra Medical Corporation (SONT) announced the completion of a phase III clinical study demonstrating that skin anesthesia from topical 4% lidocaine was achieved in 5 minutes following treatment with the company's SonoPrep skin permeation device. ...
Data support durability endoluminal stent graft.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Endologix, Inc., (ELGX) announced that follow-up findings from a phase II study of the company's PowerLink endoluminal stent graft (ELG) for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) lends evidence of the durability of the device's clinical ...
Bone marrow endothelial cells produce some SDF-1 in culture, also CXCR4 in vivo.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bone marrow endothelial cells (BMECs) produce some stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in culture and will also produce CXCR4 in vivo. According to a study from South Korea, "this study investigates the production of ... SDF-1 and the ...
Hypoxic myocytes produce growth factor that stimulates COX-2 production.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Hypoxic myocytes produce growth factor that stimulates COX-2 production. According to published research from the United States, "there is increasing evidence that cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 possess both angiogenic and cardioprotective ...
JAML protein expressed in leukemia, leukocytes enhances adhesion to endothelials.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Junctional adhesion molecule-like (JAML) protein expressed in leukemia and leukocytes is at plasma membrane cell contacts and enhances adhesion to endothelials; it may be involved in transmigration. According to published research from ...
Knowledge of how hypoxia controls tumor angiogenesis should fuel new therapy.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Knowledge of how hypoxia controls tumor angiogenesis should fuel new therapy. According to recent research published in the journal Cell and Tissue Research, "the mechanisms by which tumors recruit their vasculature has been subject to ...
Antibodies may provide option to vaccines, antibiotics.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals (AVN) presented positive new data on its panel of human antibodies against the key toxin of the Class A biowarfare agent anthrax at the IBC Antibody Engineering Meeting held in San Diego, California. Two of ...
New weapon developed to combat resistant bacteria.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The problem of hospital infection, a severe disease caused by antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus bacteria, entails major costs and great suffering. Group A Streptococcus bacteria, also called meat-eating killer bacteria, are another growing ...
Triclosan: The next new drug?
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The antibacterial compound triclosan, used in dermatological and oral hygiene products as well as antibacterial soaps and cleaner, shows promise as a drug for treating systemic bacterial infections, say S. Sharma et al., from the molecular ...
Triptonide biotransformation by Aspergillus niger yields less active drugs.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Triptonide biotransformation by Aspergillus niger yields less active drugs. "The diterpenoid triepoxides are the major active constituents of Tripterygium wilfordii, with potent antitumor and immune activities. But the strong toxicity of ...
Tumor-up-regulated cytochrome P4501B1 enzyme can be targeted by cytotoxic T cells.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cytochrome P4501B1, up-regulated in tumors to metabolize drugs, can be targeted by specific cytotoxic T cells. According to a study from Germany, "cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1), a drug-metabolizing extrahepatic enzyme, was recently shown ...
The mevalonate synthesis pathway is a potential therapeutic target in cancer.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New research highlights the mevalonate synthesis pathway as a target for anticancer therapies and suggest a greater role for geranylgeranylated proteins in cellular processes germane to cancer. "According to a study from the United ...
The immunoproteasome produces better MHC antigens than constitutive proteasome.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The immunoproteasome produces better MHC antigens than the constitutive proteasome can. "Intracellular proteins are degraded largely by proteasomes. In cells stimulated with IFNgamma, the active proteasome subunits are replaced by ...
Strawberry extract alters proliferation of HepG[subscript]2 human liver cancer in vivo.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Exposure to all strawberry cultivar extracts significantly inhibited the proliferation of HepG[subscript]2 human liver cancer cells, researchers report. "Strawberries contain high levels of antioxidants, which have been correlated with a ...
Neomycin inhibits activation of cyclin D1; is antiproliferative to glioma cells.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Neomycin inhibits activation of cyclin D1; is antiproliferative to glioma cells in culture. "The progression of mammalian cells through G[subscript]1 phase of the cell cycle is governed by the D-type cyclins (D1, D2, D3). These proteins ...
Newly identified VE-statin inhibits smooth muscle cell migration.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Newly identified VE-statin inhibits smooth muscle cell migration. "The recruitment and proliferation of smooth muscle cells and pericytes are two key events for the stabilization of newly formed capillaries during angiogenesis and, when ...
Asthmatic Caucasian children don't have an associated CD14 promoter polymorphism.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Asthmatic Caucasian children don't have an associated CD14 promoter polymorphism. According to a study from Germany, "several studies have investigated the association of a promoter polymorphism in CD14 with atopic phenotypes. ...
Drug delivery company enters the dry powder inhalation - asthma market.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Inyx, Inc., (IYXI), a developer and manufacturer of specialized drug delivery pharmaceutical products with expertise in niche aerosol technologies, announced that its operating subsidiary, INyX Phama, Ltd., has entered into an agreement with a ...
Evidence-based conclusions on inhaled steroid treatment presented.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy remains the gold standard of asthma treatment, according to findings from a systematic evidence review released by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and ...
Novartis, SkyePharma plan new product for treatment of asthma and COPD.
Jan 02, 2004 ... 2004 JAN 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- SkyePharma PLC (SKYE) announced an agreement with Novartis Pharma AG to jointly develop a new product for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The product will combine Novartis' novel long-acting ...