Since August, 2005, this news digest has been a complimentary service of GBP Capital, a private equity firm investing in early to mid-stage life science companies. See www.gbpcap.com. The digest is published two to four days a week. If you have colleagues who would be interested in receiving this digest by email, they can be added to the list at: http://www.gbpcap.com/
Source - EurekAlert – Biology:
Public Release: 21-Jul-2009
A drug-dispensing contact lens
Taking eye drops multiple times a day can be difficult to do, and as little as 1 to 7 percent of the dose is actually absorbed by the eye. Now, researchers led by Daniel Kohane, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery at Children's Hospital Boston, have developed special contact lenses that can gradually dispense a constant amount of medication to the eye, at adjustable rates.
Contact: Jamie Newton
james.newton@childrens.harvard.edu
617-919-3110
Children's Hospital Boston
Public Release: 21-Jul-2009
Skin-like tissue developed from human embryonic stem cells
Tufts researchers have used pluripotent human embryonic stem cells to create three-dimensional tissues that mimic human skin and the oral mucosa.
Contact: Siobhan Gallagher
617-636-6586
Tufts University, Health Sciences
Public Release: 21-Jul-2009
Researchers design first model motor nerve system that's insulated and organized like the human body
Researchers from the University of Central Florida report on the first lab-grown motor nerves that are insulated and organized just like they are in the human body. The model system will drastically improve understanding of the causes of myelin-related conditions, such as diabetic neuropathy and later, possibly multiple sclerosis.
Contact: Allyn Molina
Al.molina@elsevier.com
212-366-3656
Elsevier
Public Release: 21-Jul-2009
1 step at a time: Motor molecules use random walks to make deliveries in living cells
Cells rely on tiny molecular motors to deliver cargo, such as mRNA and organelles, within the cell. The critical nature of this transport system is evidenced by the fact that disruption of motors by genetic defects leads to fatal diseases in humans. Although investigators have isolated these motor to study their function in a controlled environment outside the cell, it has been difficult for researchers to follow these fascinating molecular transporters in their natural environment, the living cell.
Contact: Cathleen Genova
cgenova@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press
Public Release: 20-Jul-2009
Common cold virus efficiently delivers corrected gene to cystic fibrosis cells
Scientists have worked for 20 years to perfect gene therapy for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, which causes the body to produce dehydrated, thicker-than-normal mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life threatening infections. Now University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine scientists have found what may be the most efficient way to deliver a corrected gene to lung cells collected from cystic fibrosis patients.
Contact: Les Lang
llang@med.unc.edu
919-966-9366
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Public Release: 20-Jul-2009
New breast cancer-promoting gene identified
Research has identified RCP as a new gene contributing to aggressive breast cancer behavior. Detailed analysis determined that one mechanism by which RCP promotes breast cancer is likely to be via activation of the RAS signaling pathway, a known tumor-promoting pathway. The authors hope the data generated in this study not only provide new insight into the cellular processes underlying breast cancer but also help identify potential new therapeutic targets.
Contact: Karen Honey
press_releases@the-jci.org
215-573-1850
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Public Release: 20-Jul-2009
Gene linked to increasingly common type of blood cancer
Carriers have nearly twice the risk of developing follicular lymphoma, according to cancer's first genome-wide association study.
Contact: Steve Yozwiak
syozwiak@tgen.org
602-343-8704
The Translational Genomics Research Institute
Public Release: 20-Jul-2009
Discovery of genetic toggle switch inches closer to possible diabetes cure
Scientists have identified a master regulator gene for early embryonic development of the pancreas and other organs, putting researchers closer to coaxing stem cells into pancreatic cells as a possible cure for type 1 diabetes. Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center report their findings in the July 21 Developmental Cell. Besides having important implications in diabetes research, the study offers new insights into certain congenital birth defects.
Contact: Nick Miller
nicholas.miller@cchmc.org
513-803-6035
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Public Release: 20-Jul-2009
Students embed stem cells in sutures to enhance healing
Biomedical engineering students have demonstrated a practical way to embed a patient's adult stem cells in the surgical thread used to repair serious orthopedic injuries such as ruptured tendons. The goal is to enhance healing and reduce the likelihood of reinjury.
Contact: Phil Sneiderman
prs@jhu.edu
443-287-9960
Johns Hopkins University
Public Release: 17-Jul-2009
Scientists locate disease switches
A team of scientists from the University of Copenhagen and the Max Planck Institute in Germany, has identified no less than 3,600 molecular switches in the human body. These switches, which regulate protein functions, may prove to be a crucial factor in human aging and the onset and treatment of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The results of the team's work have been published in the current edition of the journal Science.
Contact: Professor Matthias Mann
Matthias.Mann@cpr.ku.dk
49-175-418-6313
University of Copenhagen
Source - Science Daily:
Please note: Due to the format restrictions of Science Daily articles, you must click on the URL (web address) below the article summary, rather than the article title.
Ovary Removal May Increase Lung Cancer Risk
July 21, 2009 — Women who have premature menopause because of medical interventions are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, according to a new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721104244.htm
New DNA Vaccine Inhibits Deadly Skin Cancer In Mice
July 21, 2009 — A new DNA vaccine inhibited malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer, in mice by eliciting antibodies that target a gastrin-releasing peptide which is known to play a key role in cancer ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721110609.htm
New Drug Candidate Prolongs The Lives Of Pancreatic Cancer Patients
July 21, 2009 — The new drug compound Salirasib has shown positive results against pancreatic cancer and recently passed Phase I/II clinical trials. The drug, given in combination with gemcitabine, the standard drug ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720134512.htm
Network Of Altered Genes Appear To Play Role In Development Of Brain Tumors
July 21, 2009 — The interaction between a network of altered genes appears to play an important role in the development and progression of brain tumors, according to a new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090714165043.htm
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Repair Heart, Study Shows
July 21, 2009 — In a proof-of-concept study, researchers have demonstrated that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be used to treat heart disease. iPS cells are stem cells converted from adult ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720163539.htm
Clotting In Veins Close To Skin May Be Associated With More Dangerous Deep-vein Blood Clots
July 21, 2009 — About one-fourth of patients with superficial vein thrombosis -- clotting in blood vessels close to the skin -- also may have the life-threatening condition deep vein thrombosis, according to a new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720163553.htm
Immunotherapy Linked To Lower Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease
July 21, 2009 — Immunotherapy IVIg treatments, the addition of good antibodies into the blood stream, may hold promise for lowering the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other similar brain disorders, according to new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720163536.htm
Alzheimer's Drug Increases Toxic Beta Amyloid In Brain, But Still Provides Benefits
July 21, 2009 — New insights into how a Phase III Alzheimer's drug might work were among the advances in potential therapies targeting two brain proteins -- amyloid and tau -- recently reported. Scientists also ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090715074934.htm
New Strategy In Tumor Treatment
July 20, 2009 — A new strategy may treat tumors that do not respond to conventional treatment. Medical researchers used a two part strategy to selectively kill tumors while protecting healthy ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720092024.htm
New Information About DNA Repair Mechanism Could Lead To Better Cancer Drugs
July 20, 2009 — Researchers have shed new light on a process that fixes breaks in the genetic material of the body's cells. Their findings could lead to ways of enhancing chemotherapy drugs that destroy cancer cells ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090716201134.htm
Molecules Discovered With A Higher Selective Ability To Exterminate Cancer Cells
July 20, 2009 — Researchers have obtained a new type of molecules which have proven -in in vitro cultivations- a high level of efficiency against cancer cells, as well as very low toxicity against the body’s ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090709072906.htm
3-D Scaffold Of Living, Beating Heart Cells May Lead To Viable Strategies Of Transplanting Cells Into Diseased Hearts
July 20, 2009 — Researchers have created a new 3-D scaffold of living, beating heart cells -- a promising step forward on the quest for viable strategies of transplanting cells into diseased ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720191141.htm
Insights Into Failed HIV-1 Vaccine Trial
July 20, 2009 — The leading explanation for why the Merck HIV-1 vaccine candidate was ineffective is ruled out in new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720190810.htm
Evaluating More Lymph Nodes May Not Improve Identification Of Late-stage Colorectal Cancer
July 20, 2009 — Surgically removing and evaluating an increasing number of lymph nodes does not appear to identify a greater number of patients with stage III colorectal cancer, according to a new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720163546.htm
Risk Factors Of Cardiovascular Disease Rising In Poor, Young
July 20, 2009 — Cardiovascular disease is increasing in adults under 50 and those of lower socioeconomic status, despite recent trends which show that cardiovascular disease is declining in Canada overall, say ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090720134244.htm
Moles And Melanoma: Genetic Links To Skin Cancer Found
July 19, 2009 — Research shows the genetic connection between moles and melanoma -- and why the more moles a person has, the more susceptible they are to the disease. Researchers found a clear link between some ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706113656.htm
Why Neural Stem Cells Divide And Differentiate
July 17, 2009 — Neural stem cells represent the cellular backup of our brain. These cells are capable of self-renewal to form new stem cells or differentiate into neurons, astrocytes or oligodendrocytes. The ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090630091033.htm
Source - Health Day:
Health Highlights: July 21, 2009
- Worldwide Death Toll From Swine Flu Surpasses 700: WHO
- Swine Flu Vaccine Could Get Scarce: Experts
- Experimental Lupus Drug Shows Some Promise: Report
- Praise for NIH Pick Widespread, But Not Unanimous
Experts confident that U.S. won't repeat problems seen in 1976 episode.
Clinical Trials Update: July 21, 2009
- High Cholesterol
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation
- Chronic Low Back Pain
Health experts still working on H1N1 swine flu vaccine, which should be ready by fall
Study Questions Lymph Node Harvesting in Colorectal Cancer
Removing more during surgery may not be needed, researchers say
Elder Boom Will Be Felt Worldwide
Population older than 65 could reach 1.3 billion by 2040
Clinical Trials Update: July 20, 2009
- Birth Control (Healthy Female Volunteers)
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Bipolar Disorder
- Emphysema
- Osteoarthritis
- Women's Health
- Atrial Fibrillation
- Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Hepatitis C
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:
Idenix shares fall following 2Q report, study data
Shares of Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc. plunged Tuesday after the biotechnology company reported a wider-than-expected second-quarter loss and one analyst said financing issues could weaken its position in partnership discussions.
Human Genome Sciences lupus drug met study goal
Biotech drugmaker Human Genome Sciences reported positive results Monday for its experimental lupus drug, confounding analyst expectations and potentially clearing the way for the first new treatment against the inflammatory disease in a half century.
Source - Google Health News:
HHS advisors urge full speed on H1N1 vaccine production
CIDRAP - Minneapolis,MN,USA
... had expected from experience with H5N1 vaccines: about 1.4 doses per egg. However, he said the H1N1 vaccine virus apparently contains less hemagglutinin ...
Now Legal Immunity for Swine flu Vaccine Makers
Center for Research on Globalization - Montreal,Quebec,Canada
by F. William Engdahl The US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, has just signed a decree granting vaccine makers total legal ...
Vaccine trial a 'giant leap'
News24 - South Africa
... flu) or H5N1 influenza (avian flu). Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the vaccine's launch was ...
Big Pharma: Baxter Files Swine Flu Vaccine Patent a Year Ahead of ...
Center for Research on Globalization - Montreal,Quebec,Canada
by Lori Price Barack Opharma issues the ultimate bad news during his weekly Friday night bad news dump: Legal immunity set for swine flu vaccine makers 17 ...
A potential targeting gene therapy for developing HCV
EurekAlert (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
Gene therapy has emerged as a novel approach to combat HCV infection in the last few years. However, one of the most important obstacles to overcome is ...
Source - Medical News Today:
Some Routine Cancer Screenings Not Proven To Reduce Deaths, Experts Say
Routine screenings for cancers -- including breast cancer in younger women -- have not proven to reduce the chance of death for people without specific symptoms or risk factors, and experts suggest that some tests could lead to harm, the New York Times
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158176.php
Oral Health The Key To Alzheimer's Cure?
A major research grant will help scientists study the links between memory and oral health in a bid to establish control over Alzheimer's disease. The news of a $1.3 million study to be carried out on thousands of participants has been welcomed by the UK's leading oral health charity - the British Dental Health Foundation. Research has long associated oral health with overall health problems, including dementia - though no studies have made clear how the state of the teeth and mouth affect mental function.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158118.php
The Effect Of Dietary Factors On Dementia
Experts estimate that over 24 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, and many of these people live in low- and middle-income countries. Recently, there has been growing interest in whether dietary factors, particularly oily fish and meat, might influence the onset and/or severity of dementia. Oily fish are rich in omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which some studies suggest are positively related to cognitive function in later life. Conversely, there is a suggestion from some studies that increased meat consumption may be related to cognitive decline. To examine this, a group of international researchers studied older people in 7 middle- to low-income countries. You can read the results of their study in the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Data from 14,960 participants (≥65 y of age) living in China, India, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and Peru were analyzed. Dietary habits were assessed by using standard, culturally appropriate face-to-face interviews, and dementia was diagnosed by using validated culturally and educationally fair criteria.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158064.php
Diabetes Wounds Healed With Oxygen Under Pressure
Every 30 seconds a person somewhere in the world loses a lower limb to amputation due to diabetic foot disease. In Australia about 275 people develop diabetes
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157974.php
Researchers Working On How Gold Nanoparticles Illuminated With Laser Light May Be Able To Detect And Treat Cancer
At a technical breakfast, Romain Quidant presented his research into the detection and treatment of cancer using gold nanoparticles illuminated with laser light. Quidant, who was recently awarded the Fresnel Prize 2009 that recognizes the highest level of excellence amongst emerging researchers in the field of photonics, is an ICREA researcher at the UPC's Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) and a fellow of the Cellex Foundation Barcelona.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158015.php
Seminal Finding Has Major Implications For The Development Of New And Better Vaccines
A research team led by the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology has identified the specific gene which triggers the body to produce disease-fighting antibodies -- a seminal finding that clarifies the exact molecular steps taken by the body to mount an antibody defense against viruses and other pathogens. The finding, published online today in the prestigious journal Science, has major implications for the development of new and more effective vaccines. The La Jolla Institute's Shane Crotty, Ph.D., was the lead scientist on the team, which also included researchers from Yale University. "The finding is enormous in terms of its long-term benefit to science and society as a whole because it illuminates a pivotal piece of the vaccine development puzzle -- that is, 'what is the molecular switch that tells the body to create antibodies?' Dr. Crotty has pinpointed the BCL6 gene and, in doing so, has answered a critical question that has long been sought by the scientific community," said Mitchell Kronenberg, Ph.D., president & scientific director of the La Jolla Institute, a nonprofit biomedical research institute. Dr. Kronenberg said this knowledge opens the door to developing ways to boost antibody production, thereby creating stronger and more effective vaccines.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157911.php
A Potential Targeting Gene Therapy For Developing HCV
Gene therapy has emerged as a novel approach to combat HCV infection in the last few years. However, one of the most important obstacles to overcome is "targeting": the appropriate genes must be delivered and expressed in HCV infected hepatocytes without harming normal tissues. A research article published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this issue. The research team led by Professor Feng from Central South University cloned the 2'-5'oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) promoter and investigated its activity in the HCV-core positive liver cells. Since the role of HCV-core protein in modulating OAS gene expression is very controversial, this article further investigates the relationship of HCV-core protein and OAS promoter in human embryo hepatocyte line L02.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157950.php
Injectable Drugs Benefiting From Advances In Evolving Device Designs
As life expectancy increases in developed economies, the healthcare industry is preparing for a number of new challenges as well as opportunities. A longer life span is expected to translate to a growing number of patients diagnosed with chronic conditions. To counteract the financial and medical infrastructure implications of this trend, pressure from the public sector and managed care organizations will place a premium on therapeutic self-administration, an expectation that is creating an increased interest in routes of administration that are patient-friendly and cost-effective. Pharma company decision makers have come to the realization that for many products, success no longer only depends on the medication itself but also on achieving a consumer-compatible form of packaging and application. "For injectable drugs, the convergence of evolving device technology, high-performance materials, and innovative design concepts have led to the availability of syringes and injectors that offer an unprecedented level of human engineering, reliability, safety and patient-friendly features," explains George Perros, Greystone Associates Managing Director. "These devices are providing drug developers with the options they require to satisfy therapeutic targets as well as company business objectives."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157815.php
Source - MIT's Technology Review:
Brain Surgery Using Sound Waves
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23031/
Silicon Chip Spots Blood Proteins
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23029/
Provoking Our Inner Stem Cells
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23017/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.