GBP Health/Biotech 12-15-2009

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Source - EurekAlert - Biology:

Public Release: 14-Dec-2009

ACS Nano

Nanoprobes hit targets in tumors, could lessen chemo side effects

Tiny nanoprobes have shown to be effective in delivering cancer drugs more directly to tumor cells -- mitigating the damage to nearby healthy cells -- and Purdue University research has shown that the nanoprobes are getting the drugs to right cellular compartments.

Trask Grant, Purdue Research Foundation

Contact: Brian Wallheimer

bwallhei@purdue.edu

765-496-2050

Purdue University

Public Release: 14-Dec-2009

Advanced Functional Materials

Tracking new cancer-killing particles with MRI

Researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have created a single nanoparticle that can be tracked in real time with MRI as it homes in on cancer cells, tags them with a fluorescent dye and kills them with heat. The all-in-one particle is one of the first examples from a growing field called "theranostics" that develops technologies physicians can use to diagnose and treat diseases in a single procedure.

US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Welch Foundation, US Department of Defense

Contact: Jade Boyd

jadeboyd@rice.edu

713-348-6778

Rice University

Public Release: 14-Dec-2009

BMC Biology

IUPUI researchers tackle protein mechanisms behind limb regeneration

The most comprehensive study to date of the proteins in a species of salamander that can regrow appendages may provide important clues to how similar regeneration could be induced in humans.

W. M. Keck Foundation

Contact: Cindy Fox Aisen

caisen@iupui.edu

317-274-7722

Indiana University School of Medicine

Public Release: 14-Dec-2009

Nature Structural and Molecular Biology

DNA needs a good editor

Groundbreaking findings from Tel Aviv University's Professor Gil Ast and his team reveal a new mechanism to explain how splicing works. They've discovered that the structure of DNA itself affects the ways RNA is spliced. "These findings," says Professor Ast, "will bring us closer to understanding diseases like cystic fibrosis and certain forms of cancer that result from our cells' failure to edit sequences properly."

Contact: George Hunka

ghunka@aftau.org

212-742-9070

American Friends of Tel Aviv University

Public Release: 13-Dec-2009

Nature Nanotechnology

Scientists use nanosensors for first time to measure cancer biomarkers in blood

A team led by Yale University researchers has used nanosensors to measure cancer biomarkers in whole blood for the first time. Their findings could dramatically simplify the way physicians test for biomarkers of cancer and other diseases.

Contact: Suzanne Taylor Muzzin

suzanne.taylormuzzin@yale.edu

203-432-8555

Yale University

Public Release: 10-Dec-2009

Stem Cells

Successful stem cell therapy for treatment of eye disease

Newly published research reveals the first successful treatment of eight patients with "limbal stem cell deficiency" using the patients' own stem cells without the need of suppressing their immunity.

Contact: Ben Norman

Benorman@wiley.com

44-124-377-0375

Wiley-Blackwell

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.

Rapid Cardiac Biomarker Testing System Developed; Cuts Testing Time from 6 Hours to 45 Minutes

December 14, 2009 — A new rapid and sensitive integrated system tests simultaneously for specific cardiac biomarkers in finger prick amount of blood. It could help physicians quickly arrive at the right diagnosis for ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091208153138.htm

Immune-Boosting Drugs Could Enhance Cancer Treatment

December 14, 2009 — Stimulating the body’s own immune system to fight cancer offers new treatment opportunities for cancer patients, and scientists have made the first step towards finding existing drugs that ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091209194439.htm

Several Serious Illnesses Missing from US Vaccination Plan

December 14, 2009 — While vaccines help prevent many diseases in the United States, the nation lacks immunization protection against several serious illnesses, according to a new ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091211150326.htm

Novel Detection Method Unmasks Circulating Breast Cancer Cells

December 14, 2009 — Circulating metastatic breast cancer cells can lose their epithelial receptors, a process that enables them to travel through the bloodstream undetected, according to new ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091211200339.htm

New Understanding of How to Prevent Destruction of a Tumor Suppressor

December 14, 2009 — Researchers have determined how the protein Mdm2, which is elevated in late-stage cancers, disables genes that suppress the growth of tumors. The finding may lead to development of new drugs for late ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091201182612.htm

Scientists Identify Natural Anti-Cancer Defenses

December 13, 2009 — Researchers have discovered a novel molecular mechanism that prevents cancer. They have found that the SOCS1 molecule prevents the cancer-causing activity of cytokines, hormones that are culprits in ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091211131514.htm

Researchers Show 'Trigger' to Stem Cell Differentiation

December 13, 2009 — A gene which is essential for stem cells' capabilities to become any cell type has been identified by researchers. The discovery represents a further step in the ever-expanding field of understanding ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091210101403.htm

New Model of Skin Cancer Provides Insights on Second-Most Common Type of Cancer

December 13, 2009 — Researchers have developed a new model of skin cancer based on the knowledge that a common cancer-related molecule called Src kinase is activated in human skin-cancer ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091210153651.htm

Hyperglycemia: New Mechanism Underlying Cardiovascular Disease Described

December 12, 2009 — Hyperglycemia starts a complex chain of events that damages blood vessels and cause cardiovascular disease. Scientists have now been able to demonstrate why this happens, as well as how the ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091207150438.htm

Breast Cancer Survival Improves If Herceptin Is Used With Chemotherapy

December 12, 2009 — Using Herceptin with chemotherapy, instead of after, clearly improves treatment of women with HER2+ breast cancer, and should be the new standard of care, says a ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091212141414.htm

Cataloging All That Goes Wrong in a Cancer Cell

December 11, 2009 — A team of scientists has produced a systematic listing of the ways a particular cancerous cell has "gone wrong," giving researchers a powerful tool that eventually could make possible new, more ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091210162226.htm

Delaying the Aging Process Protects Against Alzheimer's Disease

December 11, 2009 — Aging is the single greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. In a new study, researchers found that simply slowing the aging process in mice prone to develop Alzheimer's disease prevented their ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091210125542.htm

Source - Health Day:

Health Highlights: Dec. 14 2009

Kidney Exchange Benefits 13 Recipients

Americans May Live Longer Than Government Thinks

Bionic Fingers Function Like Real Ones

Less Sodium in SpaghettiOs

Gel Doesn't Appear to Protect Women From HIV: Study

Contributors to Heart Failure Identified

Twelve variants seen in one gene, researchers say

Clinical Trials Update: Dec. 14, 2009

Atrial Fibrillation

High Cholesterol

Menstrual Migraine

Clinical Trials Update: Dec. 11, 2009

High Blood Pressure

Diabetes Type 2

Insomnia

Source - Yahoo Biotech News:

FDA says OSI drug effective against lung cancer - AP - Mon 1:40 pm ET

Federal health regulators say OSI Pharmaceutical's Tarceva slows the progression of lung cancer and extends patients' lives when used as a follow-up to chemotherapy.

Biogen Idec Stands Ready to Close Its $17.50 Per Share All-Cash Tender Offer for Facet Biotech - Business Wire - Fri Dec 11

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.----Biogen Idec Inc. today reiterated that its all-cash $17.50 per share tender offer for Facet Biotech Corporation represents its best-and-final offer. Biogen Idec believes its offer fairly values Facet.

Source - Google Health News:

TIME names Vietnamese scientist on list of top ten discoveries

Thanh Nien Daily

Other top significant findings in 2009 include the oldest skeleton of a prehuman hominid, the decoding of the human epigenome, a gene therapy that cures ...

Debating the risks of advanced therapies

Pharmaceutical Technology Magazine

"In the words of the commission, gene therapy, somatic cell therapy and tissue engineered products are expected to have a major impact on public health by ...

Scientists find single 'on-off' gene that can change gender traits

Times Online

Rather than be placed on medication for the rest of their life, only a short course of gene therapy would be required.

Stem cell transplants treat 'incurable' blood disorder

New Scientist

One option in future may be to create stem cells from a patient's own tissue, then return these after using gene therapy to correct the genetic mutation ...

Gene Therapy and Stem Cells Save Limb

AScribe (press release)

To find out if HIF-1 gene therapy could improve blood flow in a diabetic animal, the team then tested the same virus in diabetic and non-diabetic mice that ...

Source - Medical News Today:

UNC Scientists Coordinate Study To Determine Link Between Insulin Use And Cancer In People With Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are linked to an increased risk of certain cancers . Recently published studies suggested that insulin glargine (a synthetic insulin preparation marketed under the trade name Lantus ), may be associated with a higher risk of certain cancers than other insulins or oral glucose lowering medications. However, these studies were unable to control for important factors such as obesity that may have driven the association. On the other hand, a large randomized trial designed to examine another aspect of diabetes care, which used insulin glargine in one arm, showed no increase in the frequency of cancer with glargine.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173937.php

Merck KGaA Starts Stimuvax Phase III Study INSPIRE In Asian Patients With Advanced NSCLC

Merck KGaA announced the initiation of its multi-national Phase III study of the investigational therapeutic cancer vaccine Stimuvax® (BLP25 liposome vaccine) in Asian patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The INSPIRE(a) study will investigate if Stimuvax can extend overall survival in Asian patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC. INSPIRE is being initiated in five Asian regions. Enrollment in the study, which will involve approximately 420 patients across China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, is now open in Hong Kong and will subsequently expand to the additional countries.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173851.php

New Ethical Questions Are Being Raised In Stem Cell Research

A groundbreaking discovery two years ago that turned ordinary skin cells back into an embryonic or "pluripotent" state was hailed as the solution to the controversial ethical question that has plagued stem-cell science for the past decade. But is it the solution? Or have iPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells ) simply added a new dimension to the legal, social and ethical debates that are an important and necessary part of stem-cell advances.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173785.php

Newly Discovered Mechanism Allows Cells To Change State

Cells are not static. They can transform themselves over time - but change can have dangerous implications. Benign cells, for example, can suddenly change into cancerous ones. That's one reason why scientists are trying to figure out why and how cells can shed their old identity and take on a new one. If they can figure out how this happens, researchers may better understand why many different cells - such as stem cells or cells that become cancerous - transform. That, in turn, could someday allow scientists to control the transformative process in a way that might help treat a wide range of diseases.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/173635.php

S ource - MIT 's Technology Review:

Making Drugs Survive Longer in Blood

http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/24150/

Calming Cells Fend Off Immune Attack

http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/24149/

A Stimulating Treatment for Sleep Apnea

http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/24152/

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