GBP Health / Biotech News 06-23-2010:
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/. Also, the complete history of the entire content of all news articles in our digests since August, 2005 is searchable with Google's enterprise search engine at the same site.
EurekAlert - Biology:
Public Release: 22-Jun-2010
Journal of Biological Chemistry
Research from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professor offers clues to Alzheimer's disease
An organic compound found in red wine -- resveratrol -- has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease, according to research led by Rensselaer Professor Peter M. Tessier. The findings, published in the May 28 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, are a step toward understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in certain neurodegenerative diseases.
Contact: Mary Martialay
martim12@rpi.edu
518-276-2156
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Public Release: 22-Jun-2010Journal of Clinical Oncology
Chlordecone exposure and risk of prostate cancer
In an article to be published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, researchers from Inserm, the CHU in Pointe a Pitre and from the Center for Analytical Research and Technology, show that exposure to chlordecone, an organochlorine chemical with well defined estrogenic properties, is associated with a significant increased risk of prostate cancer.
Contact: Luc Multigner
luc.multigner@inserm.fr
33-144-236-086
INSERM (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale)
Public Release: 22-Jun-2010Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Viral protein structure study offers HIV therapy hope
The UK's National Physical Laboratory is involved in a collaborative project that is helping to further the understanding of HIV viral protein structure which could lead to new molecular medicines.
NPL's Strategic Research Program
Contact: Joe Meaney
joe@proofcommunication.com
084-568-01864
National Physical Laboratory
Public Release: 22-Jun-2010Gut Microbes
Gut bacteria could be key indicator of colon cancer risk
A new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine suggests that a shift in the balance between the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria that populate our gut could be a harbinger of colon cancer.National Institutes of Health
Contact: Les Lang
llang@med.unc.edu
919-966-9366
University of North Carolina School of Medicine
Public Release: 22-Jun-2010PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
New vaccine strategies could safely control Rift Valley fever
Two new approaches could form the basis for the first-ever human vaccine for Rift Valley fever, an infectious disease that threatens both farm animals and people, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research. Reported in this week's PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, experimental vaccines developed with these approaches produced strong immune responses in mice and may be safer than the only available RVF vaccine, which is limited to animal use.National Institutes of Health
Contact: Clare Collins
CollCX@upmc.edu
412-648-9725
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Public Release: 22-Jun-2010Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Coffee may protect against head and neck cancers
Data on the effects of coffee on cancer risk have been mixed. However, results of a recent study add to the brewing evidence that drinking coffee protects against cancer, this time against head and neck cancer.
Contact: Tara Yates
tara.yates@aacr.org
267-646-0558
American Association for Cancer Research
Public Release: 21-Jun-2010Nature Nanotechnology
Researchers create self-assembling nanodevices that move and change shape on demand
By emulating nature's design principles, researchers have created nanodevices made of DNA that self-assemble and can be programmed to move and change shape on demand. Double helices fold up into larger, rigid linear struts that connect by intervening single-stranded DNA. These single strands of DNA pull the struts up into a 3D form. The resulting nanodevices are light, flexible and strong "tensegrities," so-called because they balance tension and compression.National Institutes of Health
Contact: David Cameron
david_cameron@hms.harvard.edu
617-432-0441
Harvard Medical School
Public Release: 21-Jun-2010Nature Cell Biology
Studying cells in 3-D could reveal new cancer targets
Showing movies in 3-D has produced a box-office bonanza in recent months. Could viewing cell behavior in three dimensions lead to important advances in cancer research?NIH/National Cancer Institute
Contact: Mary Spiro
mspiro@jhu.edu
410-516-4802
Johns Hopkins University
Public Release: 21-Jun-2010Journal of the American Chemical Society
UCI researchers develop world's first plastic antibodies
UC Irvine researchers have developed the first "plastic antibodies" successfully employed in live organisms -- stopping the spread of bee venom through the bloodstream of mice.
Contact: Laura Rico
lrico@uci.edu
949-824-9055
University of California - Irvine
Public Release: 20-Jun-2010Nature Biotechnology
Penn bioengineers create simulator to test blood platelets in virtual heart attacks
A team of bioengineers from the University of Pennsylvania Institute for Medicine and Engineering have trained a computer neural network model to accurately predict how blood platelets would respond to complex conditions found during a heart attack or stroke.National Institutes of Health
Contact: Jordan Reese
jreese@upenn.edu
215-573-6604
University of Pennsylvania
Public Release: 21-Jun-2010
1000 Genomes Project releases pilot data
The completion of three pilot projects designed to determine how best to build an extremely detailed map of human genetic variation begins a new chapter in the international project called 1000 Genomes said the director of the Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center, which is a major contributor to the effort.454 Life Sciences, Applied Biosystems, Beijing Genomics Institute, Illumina Inc., Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Contact: Glenna Picton
713-798-4712
Baylor College of Medicine
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.
June 23, 2010 — Patients with a specific kind of lung cancer may benefit from a Phase III clinical trial being offered. The new drug, crizotinib, under development by Pfizer, showed dramatic results in reducing lung ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100622142603.htm
New Technology for Pharmaceutical Drug Development
June 23, 2010 — A new technology platform for testing drugs will simplify the process and bring long-term benefits to the pharmaceutical ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100623085839.htm
Bioengineers Create Simulator to Test Blood Platelets in Virtual Heart Attacks
June 22, 2010 — Bioengineers have trained a computer neural network model to accurately predict how blood platelets would respond to complex conditions found during a heart attack or ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100620155745.htm
Novel Pathway May Open Doors for New Blood Pressure Treatments
June 22, 2010 — Researchers have found that increasing certain proteins in the blood vessels of mice, relaxed the vessels, lowering the animal's blood pressure. The study provides new avenues for research that may ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621174005.htm
Cardiac Imaging Breakthrough Helps Determine Diminished Blood Flow to the Heart
June 22, 2010 — Research is challenging the typical paradigm used to determine whether heart patients will benefit from invasive procedures like stent-placement or open-heart ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607141959.htm
Cancers of Sweat Glands, Other Skin-Related Structures May Be Increasing in United States
June 22, 2010 — Cutaneous appendageal carcinomas -- tumors of the skin appendages such as hair, nails, sweat glands and mammary glands -- are rare but rates appear to be increasing in the United States, according to ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621173737.htm
Compound Found in Red Wine Neutralizes Toxicity of Proteins Related to Alzheimer's
June 22, 2010 — An organic compound found in red wine -- resveratrol -- has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease. The findings are a step toward understanding the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100622112556.htm
Noninvasive Combination Technique May Reduce Number of Breast Biopsies
June 22, 2010 — By combining two relatively inexpensive technologies based on sound and light waves, researchers hope to lower the rate at which women undergo breast biopsies for suspicious lesions, according to a ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100622074609.htm
Wearable Sensors With Diagnostic Capabilities
June 21, 2010 — Researchers are developing intelligent medical sensors which can be worn by patients to monitor their symptoms and which will alert doctors if medical intervention is ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621074416.htm
Common Alzheimer's Medication Helps Skills Necessary for Safe Driving, Study Suggests
June 21, 2010 — A promising study demonstrated that cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI), a type of medication often prescribed for Alzheimer's disease (AD), improved some cognitive skills in patients with mild AD -- ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609102026.htm
Molecular Discovery Suggests New Strategy to Fight Cancer Drug Resistance
June 21, 2010 — Scientists have found a way to disable a common protein that often thwarts chemotherapy treatment of several major forms of cancer. The researchers discovered, surprisingly, that they could exploit a ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100620155750.htm
Gold Nanoparticles Create Visible-Light Catalysis in Nanowires
June 21, 2010 — Scientists have created visible-light catalysis, using silver chloride nanowires decorated with gold nanoparticles, that may decompose organic molecules in polluted ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615122534.htm
Gene Therapy Reverses Type 1 Diabetes in Mice, Experimental Technique Shows
June 21, 2010 — Using gene therapy, researchers say they have developed an experimental cure for Type 1 diabetes, a disease that affects about one in every 400 to 600 children and ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621091211.htm
Therapeutic Potential of Embryonic Stem Cells
June 21, 2010 — Scientists recently investigated the expression of key members of the Nodal embryonic signaling pathway, critical to maintaining pluripotency, in hiPSC and hESC cell lines. Nodal is an important ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618170924.htm
New Drugs to Relieve Cancer Pain
June 21, 2010 — Researchers in the UK and Italy have collaborated to develop new drugs which have the potential to relieve cancer pain without causing many of the side effects of current pain-treatments like ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621074444.htm
Source - Health Day:
Health Highlights: June 23, 2010
· Study Faults McDonald's for Happy Meals Side Dishes
· Few Substance Abuse Centers Offer Programs for Gays/Lesbians
· FDA Approves New H1N1 Flu Test
· U.S. Bans Mail Shipments of Tobacco \
U.S. Health Care Ranks Low Among Developed Nations: Report
Despite high cost, it delivers too little to patients, Commonwealth Fund says.
Study Clears Cell Phone Towers of Childhood Cancer Connection
Proximity during pregnancy doesn't appear to raise risk of leukemia, brain tumors, researchers say
Fewer Hours for Medical Residents May Backfire
Workweek restrictions negatively affect surgical training and patient care, study finds
Clinical Trials Update: June 22, 2010
· Allergies
· Osteoarthritis of the Knee
· Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Pain - Non-Diabetic)
Clinical Trials Update: June 21, 2010
· Chronic Pain
· Rheumatoid Arthritis
· Tinnitus
Clinical Trials Update: June 18, 2010
· Hepatitis C
· Breast Pain
· Low Male Testosterone Levels
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:
Alnylam Biotherapeutics Presents New Data on RNAi Applications in Biotherapeutics Manufacturing- Business Wire - Wed 8:00 am ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.----Alnylam Biotherapeutics, a division of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today the presentation of new data at the IBC 6th Annual Cell Line Development and Engineering conference held in San Francisco, California from June 21 – 24, 2010.
Select Stocks Outperform In Rough Week For Biotechs- Indie Research - Tue 10:37 am ET
Given its volatility, the biotech sector is not well suited for risk-averse investors, but despite underperforming the market substantially over the past five sessions, prudent stock pickers managed to find double-digit gains in a handful of high fliers.
Source - Google Health News:
Neurologix Prelim. Results Phase 2 Trial of Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease
Gerson Lehrman Group
FORT LEE, NJ, June 22, 2010--Neurologix, Inc. , announced positive results in a Phase 2 trial of NLX-P101, investigational gene therapy for advanced ...
Gene Therapy Can Cure Type 1 Diabetes
TopNews United States
The team had tried to control the two major defects, which are responsible for Type 1 diabetes, by using effective gene therapy. ...
Cancer: Fine-tuning cellular suicide
Nanowerk LLC
(Nanowerk News) Suicide gene therapy is a cancer treatment strategy that targets tumors with toxic genes, or genes encoding enzymes that produce toxic ...
New Breakthroughs in Diabetes, Cardiology and Gene Therapy
Zawya (press release)
Finally, the symposium concluded that the study of patients' genes in medical diagnosis and how the design of gene therapy can be useful in the treatment of ...
Gene therapy as a treatment for HIV patients
BioNews
By Lux Fatimathas A human RNA (ribonucleic acid)-based gene therapy trial to combat HIV has passed the first safety test. US researchers modified human ...
Nice University Hospital Center: Inauguration of the cellular and gene therapy ...
Invest in Cote d'Azur Newsletter
These treatments could rapidly represent state-of-the-art therapeutic alternatives in reconstructive medicine, and the treatment of cancer and chronic ...
Insect Cell Production of Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus that Produce ...
TechCombo (blog)
This technology describes a new method for targeting solid tumors using gene therapy. More specifically, mammalian HEC-1 has a critical role in chromosome ...
New gene therapy for heart failure treatment promising
Spokane Journal of Business
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City, have developed a new gene therapy that they claim is safe and effective in reversing ...
Source - Medical News Today :
11 New Melanoma Treatments Currently In Late-Phase Development
MarketResearch.com has announced the addition of Datamonitor's new report "Stakeholder Opinions: Melanoma Future treatment will be based on individual tumor gene expression signatures," to their collection of Biotechnology market reports. The majority of patients present with early-stage melanoma , when surgery is often curative. Patients with metastatic disease are poorly served by current drugs, with very few approved treatment options and no widely accepted standard of care. A significant unmet need therefore remains for more effective agents, which has made melanoma a popular R&D target.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/192697.php
Compound Found In Red Wine Neutralizes Toxicity Of Proteins Related To Alzheimer's
An organic compound found in red wine - resveratrol - has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer's disease , according to research led by Rensselaer Professor Peter M. Tessier. The findings, published in the May 28 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, are a step toward understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in certain neurodegenerative diseases. "We've shown how resveratrol has very interesting selectivity to target and neutralize a select set of toxic peptide isoforms," Tessier said. "Because resveratrol picks out the clumps of peptides that are bad and leaves alone the ones that are benign, it helps us to think about the structural differences between the peptide isoforms."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/192600.php
Kevetrin Demonstrates Significant Results In The Treatment Of Multi-Drug Resistant Cancer Cells
Cellceutix Corporation (OTCBB: CTIX) is pleased to announce that they have concluded more pre-clinical cell studies for Kevetrin, their flagship compound for the treatment of multi-drug resistant strains of lung, breast and colon cancers . The research was conducted on drug resistant non-small cell lung carcinoma cells by the Cellceutix research team at a world-renown cancer hospital in Boston. The studies were focused on the methods of action with Kevetrin pertaining to the cell life cycle process. Efficient elimination of carcinoma cells requires identifying multi-pathways to treat the affected cells. This research had the purpose of identifying another pathway that Kevetrin may be effective against multi-drug resistant cancer cells. The data compiled from the research showed that Kevetrin had a 78% effective rate of G2/M arrest. The data also showed that cells treated with Kevetrin also demonstrated a 66% increase in apoptosis, defined as a form of cell death, as compared to non-treated cells.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/192422.php
Scientific American Article Says DNA Vaccines Are Reaching Their Potential
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE Amex: INO), a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced that Scientific Americanmagazine has published in its July issue an article entitled "DNA Drugs Come of Age." The article was co-authored by Dr. David Weiner, Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, and Professor, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, at the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. Matthew Morrow, a post-doctorate research fellow at University of Pennsylvania. The article details the "rebirth" of DNA vaccines, which are recognized as safer; easier and faster to develop and manufacture; and not requiring refrigeration - in contrast to traditional vaccines. The article states: "A new generation of plasmid-based vaccines is proving in human and animal trials that it can produce the desired responses while retaining the safety and other benefits that make DNA so appealing. The same DNA-based technology is also now expanding to other forms of immune therapy and the direct delivery of medicines. In their mature form, such DNA-based vaccines and treatments are poised to become a success story by addressing several conditions that now lack effective treatments."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/192283.php
Source - MIT's Technology Review :
Cell Transplants for Macular Degeneration
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25647/?a=f
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