GBP Health / Biotech News 09-23-2009

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Source - EurekAlert – Biology:

Public Release: 23-Sep-2009
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Study looks at using the immune system to reduce prostate cancer risk
Immune therapies have been explored as a way to treat cancer after it develops. But a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that genetic risk of prostate cancer can be reduced by rescuing critical immune system cells.
National Institutes of Health, US Department of Defense
Contact: Nicole Fawcett
nfawcett@umich.edu
734-764-2220
University of Michigan Health System

Public Release: 23-Sep-2009
ECCO 15 -- ESMO 34 Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress
New cancer drug test promises safer and more effective clinical trials
A group of scientists from Hamburg may have taken a big step towards more effective cancer drug development, Europe's largest cancer congress, ECCO 15 -- ESMO 34 heard on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Dr Ilona Schonn, Director of Cell Culture Research at Indivumed GmbH, told the conference that they had developed a preclinical drug test platform that would enable researchers to analyze tumor tissue for individual patient drug responses on the molecular level.
Contact: Mary Rice
mary@mrcommunication.org
33-066-893-0650
ECCO-the European CanCer Organisation

Public Release: 23-Sep-2009
ECCO 15 -- ESMO 34 Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress
Trial of new treatment for advanced melanoma shows rapid shrinking of tumors
Researchers have made significant advances in the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma -- one of the most difficult cancers to treat successfully -- according to a study to be presented at ECCO 15 -- ESMO 34, in Berlin on Thursday. In the phase I extension study, researchers have seen rapid and dramatic shrinking of metastatic tumors in patients treated with a new compound that blocks the activity of the cancer-causing mutation of the BRAF gene, which is implicated in about 50 percent melanomas and 5 percent of colorectal cancers.
Plexxikon Inc., Roche
Contact: Emma Mason
wordmason@mac.com
44-771-129-6986
ECCO-the European CanCer Organisation

Public Release: 22-Sep-2009
Neurobiology of Aging
Rethinking Alzheimer's disease and its treatment targets
A new UCLA study suggests that the natural repair of myelin in the brain may be the root cause of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Contact: Mark Wheeler
mwheeler@mednet.ucla.edu
310-794-2265
University of California - Los Angeles

Public Release: 22-Sep-2009
ACS Nano
New discovery reveals fate of nanoparticles in human cells
Scientists have uncovered what happens to biomimetic nanoparticles when they enter human cells. They found that the important proteins that make up the outer layer of these nanoparticles are degraded by an enzyme called cathepsin L. Scientists now have to take this phenomenon into account and overcome this process to ensure the exciting field of nanomedicine can progress.
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Contact: Nancy Mendoza
press.office@bbsrc.ac.uk
44-179-341-3355
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Public Release: 22-Sep-2009
The Analyst
New multi-use device can shed light on oxygen intake
A fiber-optic sensor created by a team of Purdue University researchers that is capable of measuring oxygen intake rates could have broad applications ranging from plant root development to assessing the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs.
National Science Foundation
Contact: Brian Wallheimer
bwallhei@purdue.edu
765-496-2050
Purdue University

Public Release: 22-Sep-2009
Cancer Research
Obesity hinders chemotherapy treatment in children with leukemia
Obesity is an important factor contributing to chemotherapy resistance and increasing relapse rates among children with leukemia, according to recent findings published online first in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Contact: Tara Yates
tara.yates@aacr.org
267-646-0558
American Association for Cancer Research

Public Release: 21-Sep-2009
Nature Medicine
University of Iowa scientists use blood-brain barrier as therapy delivery system
The blood brain barrier is generally considered an obstacle to delivering therapies from the bloodstream to the brain. However, University of Iowa researchers have discovered a way to turn the blood vessels surrounding brain cells into a production and delivery system for getting therapeutic molecules directly into brain cells. The findings, published Sept. 13 in Nature Medicine's advance online publication, could lead to a new noninvasive approach for treating certain fatal neurological diseases.
National Institutes of Health, Batten Disease Support and Research Association
Contact: Jennifer Brown
jennifer-l-brown@uiowa.edu
319-356-7124
University of Iowa

Public Release: 21-Sep-2009
Cell
Junk DNA may prove invaluable in quest for gene therapies
Scientists have identified how a protein enables sections of so-called junk DNA to be cut and pasted within genetic code -- a finding which could speed development of gene therapies. The study by researchers at the University of Edinburgh sheds light on the process, known as DNA transposition, in which shifted genes have a significant effect on the behavior of neighboring genes. In the human genome, rearrangement of antibody genes can enable the immune system to target infection more effectively.
Contact: Catriona Kelly
catriona.kelly@ed.ac.uk
44-131-651-4401
University of Edinburgh

Public Release: 18-Sep-2009
Nano Letters
Using magnetism to turn drugs on and off
Many medical conditions, such as chronic pain, cancer and diabetes, require medications that cannot be taken orally, but must be dosed intermittently, on an as-needed basis, over a long period of time. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have devised a drug delivery solution that combines magnetism with nanotechnology.
NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Contact: James Newton
james.newton@childrens.harvard.edu
617-919-3112
Children's Hospital Boston


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.

Historic Gene Therapy Trial To Treat Alzheimer's Disease
September 23, 2009 — Researchers are now recruiting volunteers for a national gene therapy trial -- the first study of its kind for the treatment of patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922132848.htm

Rethinking Alzheimer's Disease And Its Treatment Targets
September 23, 2009 — A new study suggests that the natural repair of myelin in the brain may be the root cause of various neurodegenerative diseases such as ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922162301.htm

Alzheimer's Researcher Demonstrates Specific Immune Response To Vaccine
September 23, 2009 — A researcher who is working on a vaccine for Alzheimer's disease has demonstrated that it is possible to test and measure specific immune responses in mice carrying human genes and to anticipate the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921093604.htm

Targeted Heat Therapy Offers New Standard Treatment Option For Soft Tissue Sarcoma
September 23, 2009 — Patients with soft-tissue sarcomas at high risk of spreading were 30 percent more likely to be alive and cancer free almost three years after starting treatment if their tumors were heated at the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095657.htm

Expert Calls For New Cancer Research Priorities
September 22, 2009 — Cancer research is too focused on new drug development, while not enough money and effort is being devoted to pursuing important advances in knowledge likely to have the biggest impact on combating ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095655.htm

Regulating The Regulators: New Therapeutic Approach Against Cancer
September 21, 2009 — The development of cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of normal cells of the body. Our immune system can sense the growth of the tumor cells and can usually eliminate them using direct killing ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090916092542.htm

Anticancer Nanotech: Protein Can Be Used To Carry Radioactive Isotopes To Cancerous Tumor
September 21, 2009 — Tiny particles of albumin, a protein found in the blood, can be used to carry radioactive isotopes to the site of a cancerous tumor in the body and so avoid many of the side-effects of conventional ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090916092651.htm

Whole-brain Radiotherapy After Surgery Or Radiosurgery Not Recommended For Brain Metastases
September 21, 2009 — Whole-brain radiotherapy should not be given routinely to all patients whose cancer has spread to the brain, according to new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921182709.htm

New Chemically-activated Antigen Could Expedite Development Of HIV Vaccine
September 21, 2009 — Scientists working to develop a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus report they have created the first antigen that induces protective antibodies capable of blocking infection of human cells ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921143145.htm

Experimental Drug Lets B Cells Live And Lymphoma Cells Die
September 21, 2009 — An investigative drug deprived non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells of their ability to survive too long and multiply too fast, according to an early ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921134823.htm

Is 'Stem Cell' Concept Holding Back Biology?
September 21, 2009 — Chemists used to explain combustion as the release of a mysterious substance, which they named "phlogiston." Only when it came to pinning down the distinctive physical properties of phlogiston did it ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090921134821.htm


Source - Health Day:

Health Highlights: Sept. 22, 2009

• Personal Emergency Response Button Poses Choking Hazard: FDA
• New OxyContin Offers 'Limited' Resistance to Abuse: FDA
• Exercise Boosts Postmenopausal Women's Cardiovascular Fitness
• Eye Test Detects Stroke Better Than MRI: Study
  

One Shot May Someday Replace Six for Rabies
Experimental vaccine offers hope for millions of people worldwide, researchers say.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 23, 2009

· COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
· Menstrual Migraine
· Osteoarthritis of the Knee or Hip
Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 22, 2009

• Stomach Ulcers
• Malaria Prevention
• Type 2 Diabetes
  

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 21, 2009
· Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
· Depression (Ages 18-65)
· Alzheimer's Disease


Source - Yahoo Biotech News:

Genzyme Provides Update on Cerezyme and Fabrazyme Supply - Business Wire - 2 hours, 34 minutes ago CAMBRIDGE, Mass.----Genzyme Corporation today provided an update on its progress to restore supplies of Cerezyme® and Fabrazyme® for patients worldwide and revised its 2009 revenue guidance for these products.

Sangamo BioSciences Announces Plans to Initiate a Second Clinical Trial of CCR5-ZFP Therapeutic to Treat HIV/AIDS - PR Newswire - Wed 7:00 am ET
Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration has reviewed and accepted an Investigational New Drug application to initiate an open-label, repeat-dosing Phase 1 clinical trial of the company's ZFN-based therapeutic, SB-728-T.

Pluristem Therapeutics Doses First Patient in U.S. With Placenta-Derived Stem Cell Product PLX-PAD in a Phase I Clinical Trial for Treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease - Business Wire - Wed 7:00 am ET
HAIFA, Israel----Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. today announced the dosing of the first patient in the U.S. with its placenta-derived stem cell product, PLX-PAD, the Company’s leading candidate, in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of critical limb ischemia , the end-stage of peripheral artery disease .

Vaccine Development Outsourcing: Choosing A CMO Partner To Advance...
Pharmaceutical Processing
... on H1N1 and H5N1 influenza and the vaccines that are in production to help combat this recent threat to human health. As a result, the vaccine industry ...


Source - Google Health News:


Color-blind monkeys recover sight with gene therapy
SmartPlanet.com
By Andrew Nusca | Sep 21, 2009 | Using gene therapy, scientists have successfully given color-blind adult monkeys the ability to see red and green. ...

In Vaccine Additive, Both Benefit and Doubt
New York Times
Glaxo's adjuvant, called AS03, is in a vaccine approved in Europe for use against the H5N1 bird flu, which spurred fears of a pandemic a few years ago.

Gene therapy aids dieters keep off weight
Times of India
Researchers from Columbia University have suggested a gene therapy that will allow dieters to eat less and burn calories at the same rate as they do when ...


Source - Medical News Today:

Flu Can Trigger Heart Attacks But Vaccine May Offer Protection For Cardiac Patients
A review of the facts published in the October edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases reports that flu can trigger heart attacks and cause cardiovascular death. However, the influenza vaccine may offer protection for cardiac patients. As a result, more efforts are required to encourage people with heart disease and diabetes (which increases the risk of heart attacks) to have the flu shot. This might be particularly necessary with the threatening of the H1N1 influenza (swine flu) pandemic and seasonal flu outbreaks when many more people are expected to catch the flu. It is common knowledge that the influenza infection can have cardiac complications, such as myocarditis. But the role of influenza in prompting heart attacks is vague. It has been suggested that acute and severe inflammation might be caused by influenza. In some patients, this may alter atherosclerotic plaques and cause clots in coronary arteries leading to heart attacks.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164830.php

Major Autism Study Focuses On Adults
The first ever major study into adults living with autism was published 22nd September by the NHS Information Centre. The report, entitled 'Autism Spectrum Disorders in adults living in households throughout England 2007' was written by Professor Terry Brugha, a Consultant Psychiatrist with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Leicester with a team of UK researchers. This ground-breaking study shows for the first time an estimate of how many adults are living with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in England. The study into the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders among adults shows that one in every hundred adults living in households has the condition - broadly the same rate as that cited for children.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164936.php

Release Of The Stem Cell Charter
The Canadian Stem Cell Foundation is proud to announce the release of the Stem Cell Charter and the world premiere of "Rock Star Scientists." The work being done each day in stem cell research labs is critically important to the future of humanity. Science is moving closer to groundbreaking treatments and cures for debilitating and often fatal diseases such as MS, muscular dystrophy, blindness, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, arthritis , diabetes , spinal cord injuries and liver disease.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164731.php

Pfizer To Present Research On Established Therapies And New Approaches To Cancer Treatment Using Investigational Agents
Pfizer Oncology will present data from across its portfolio, including results from long-term follow-up of Aromasin ® (exemestane tablets) in a study of early breast cancer ,1 updated study results from a Phase 3 study of Sutent ® (sunitinib malate) in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET),2 and early-stage research of investigational agents PF-023410663 and figitumumab (CP-751,871)4 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These data, and over a dozen additional abstracts covering Pfizer agents, will be presented at the ECCO 15/ESMO 34 bi-annual meeting in Berlin, Germany from September 20 to September 24. "Pfizer is conducting research to identify clinical benefits for targeted patient populations with investigational compounds like cMET/ALK inhibitor, while continuing to study drugs like Aromasin through their entire life cycle to ensure we provide maximum support and information to patients and healthcare providers about our cancer products," said Dr. Mace Rothenberg, senior vice president of clinical development and medical affairs for Pfizer's Oncology Business Unit.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164642.php

Alzheimer's Disease And Dementia Set To Grow Rapidly Worldwide
By 2010, 35.6 million people are expected to be living with Alzheimer's disease globally, according to Alzheimer's Disease International. The total will probably double every couple of decades and reach approximately 65.7 million by 2030, and 115.4 million twenty years after that, the organization estimates. Alzheimer's Disease International refers to the current Alzheimer's situation as "an epidemic that is increasing its pace with the graying of the population around the world". It adds that Alzheimer's is poorly recognized, worryingly underdiagnosed, and carries a stigma that causes serious problems for families of patients in all countries, regardless of income levels.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164641.php


Source - MIT's Technology Review:

Toward a Universal Flu Vaccine
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23510/

Predicting Drug Response from Brain Waves
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23509/

Simpler Colon Cancer Screening
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23500/

Laser-Triggered Chemical Reactions
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23499/