GBP Health / Biotech News 06-09-2010:
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: 9-Jun-2010
Molecular Cancer Therapeutics
Compound enhances cancer-killing properties of agent in trials
Adding a second agent may make a new, experimental anti-cancer drug effective against a wide range of cancers, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine have found.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Jeanne Galatzer-Levy
jgala@uic.edu
312-996-1583
University of Illinois at Chicago
Public Release: 9-Jun-2010Journal of the American Chemical Society
Plastic antibody works in first tests in living animals
Scientists are reporting the first evidence that a plastic antibody -- an artificial version of the proteins produced by the body's immune system to recognize and fight infections and foreign substances -- works in the bloodstream of a living animal. The discovery, they suggest in a report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, is an advance toward medical use of simple plastic particles custom tailored to fight an array of troublesome "antigens."
Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical Society
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics
Importance of insulin delivery devices for diabetes management
The growing use of insulin delivery devices such as pens and pumps may help individuals with diabetes optimize blood glucose control and minimize their risk for chronic health problems associated with diabetes, as described in a special supplement to Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. The issue is available free online.
Contact: Vicki Cohn
vcohn@liebertpub.com
914-740-2156
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010Vaccine
Harnessing the immune system's diagnostic power
Bart Legutki, a researcher at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University has pioneered a method to track an individual's state of health by profiling the immune system. The new technique, known as immunosignaturing, could provide rapid, pre-symptomatic diagnosis for a broad range of ailments, from infectious diseases to chronic afflictions to varied forms of cancer, offering the best hope for successful treatment.
Contact: Kimberly Ovitt
kimberly.ovitt@asu.edu
480-727-8688
Arizona State University
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010
Biogen Idec and Elan initiate first-of-its-kind patient-reported outcomes research program in MS
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN), in collaboration with EPI-Q Inc. and Avatar International LLC, today announced the launch of My MS Health, a first-of-its-kind, Web-based, patient-reported outcomes research program. My MS Health is designed to track and provide instant reports on patient function and quality of life using validated measures over time.
Contact: Kate Weiss
Kate.Weiss@BiogenIdec.com
617-914-6524
GCI Health
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010
Government funding for synthetic biology on the rise
A new analysis by the Synthetic Biology Project at the Woodrow Wilson Center found that the US government has spent around $430 million on research related to synthetic biology since 2005, with the US Department of Energy funding a majority of the research.
Contact: Todd Kuiken
todd.kuiken@wilsoncenter.org
202-691-4398
Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010Cell Stem Cell
New type of human stem cell may be more easy to manipulate
Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have a developed a new type of human pluripotent stem cell that can be manipulated more readily than currently available stem cells.National Institutes of Health, Dutch Science Organization, Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz Foundation, National Science Council of Taiwan
Contact: Sue McGreevey
smcgreevey@partners.org
617-724-2764
Massachusetts General Hospital
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010
Helping hearts, spinal cords and tendons heal themselves
Queen's University Brian Amsden is hoping that in about 10 years a tendon, spinal cord or heart valve will be able to regenerate itself after an injury or disease. The chemical engineering professor, along with scientists from the University of Western Ontario and University of Toronto, is currently trying to develop microscopic polymer fibers to help rebuild human tissue and speed the healing process.
Contact: Michael Onesi
Michael.Onesi@queensu.ca
61-353-360-007-7513
Queen's University
Public Release: 7-Jun-2010Current Biology
A turn-off for cancer
Prof. Shaul Yalovsky of Tel Aviv University has identified a "switch" that can turn on cell growth in plants. The researcher believes he is one step away from turning this ROP-like switch off in humans -- a process which could prevent tumor growth.
Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Public Release: 8-Jun-2010Genes & Development
A launchpad for stem cell research
Dr. Yechiel Elkabetz of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine has identified a special class of stem cells called "rosette-stage NSCs," which he is using to develop a tool to control the growth and development of these cells in the human body. With this tool, he says, researchers around the world will be better able to understand the progression of nervous system disorders, discover new drugs and replace defective cells.
Contact: George Hunka
ghunka@aftau.org
212-742-9070
American Friends of Tel Aviv University
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.
Short People Are More Likely to Develop Heart Disease Than Tall People, Review Finds
June 9, 2010 — Short people are at greater risk of developing heart disease than tall people, according to the first systematic review and meta-analysis of all the available ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608211134.htm
Scientists Uncover Protein That Thwarts Tumor Invasion
June 9, 2010 — Researchers have determined that cancer cells lacking a key protein are more invasive and more likely to metastasize, providing a possible drug target to combat certain tumor ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607101802.htm
Detecting Tumors Faster
June 9, 2010 — To diagnose cancer reliably, doctors usually conduct a biopsy including tissue analysis, which is a time-consuming process. A microscopic image sensor, fitted in an endoscope, is being developed for ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607112044.htm
New Myeloma Drug Shows Promise in Early Testing
June 9, 2010 — A drug designed to target cancerous plasma cells appears promising in treating multiple myeloma, a type of blood ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607151322.htm
Antibody Therapy Lengthens Survival of Metastatic Melanoma Patients in Large Clinical Trial
June 9, 2010 — A therapy that multiplies the effect of a natural disease-fighting antibody has extended the lives of patients with metastatic melanoma in a large, international clinical ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607101656.htm
Vacuum Cleaner Sucks Up Strokes
June 8, 2010 — A clot vacuum cleaner that sucks out stroke-producing blockages from blood vessels in the brain may sound like science fiction. But this potentially paradigm-shifting procedure may successfully ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608162240.htm
Radioactive Optical Imaging and 'Quantum Dot' Nano-Imaging at the Forefront of Molecular Medicine
June 8, 2010 — Researchers have presented the results of a multidisciplinary study involving the capture of radiation luminescence and radioactive-excited nanoparticles to help detect subtle signs of disease. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607142009.htm
Healthy Diet Could Slow or Reverse Early Effects of Alzheimer's Disease
June 8, 2010 — Patients in the early to moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease could have their cognitive impairment slowed or even reversed by switching to a healthier diet, new research ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608182647.htm
A Launchpad for Stem Cell Research
June 8, 2010 — Scientists have identified a special class of stem cells called "rosette-stage NSCs," which he is using to develop a tool to control the growth and development of these cells in the human body. With ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100608135110.htm
New Treatment Method Safe, Effective for Advanced Melanoma Patients, Study Suggests
June 7, 2010 — Patients undergoing treatment for melanoma that has spread to the liver may respond well to chemotherapy delivered directly to the liver's blood vessels, according to a new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100606104823.htm
Next Generation CT Scanner Views Whole Organs in a Heartbeat
June 7, 2010 — A next generation CT scanner allows doctors to image an entire organ in less than a second or track blood flow through the brain or to a tumor -- all with less radiation exposure to ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603091633.htm
Scientists Break Barrier to Creating Potential Therapeutic Molecules
June 6, 2010 — Scientists have created a novel technique that for the first time will allow the efficient production of a molecular structure that is common to a vast array of natural molecules. This advance ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524151435.htm
Source - Health Day:
Health Highlights: June 9, 2010
- WHO Chief Defends Swine Flu Planning
- Pet Health Costs a Concern for Many Americans: Poll
- FDA Considers New MS Drug
Health Care Reform Bill Best Option: Analysis
The chosen plan will insure more Americans with least cost to government, think tank says
Common Pain Relievers Raise Heart Risk for Healthy Folks
Safety of drugs like Advil and Aleve differ, study finds
Clinical Trials Update: June 9, 2010
- Lower Back Pain
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Clinical Trials Update: June 8, 2010
- Overactive Bladder (OAB)
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Lupus
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:
Genzyme and Icahn reach accord - Reuters - 1 hour, 44 minutes ago
Activist investor Carl Icahn has abandoned his proxy fight at Genzyme Corp in return for the biotechnology company's acceptance of two of his representatives to its board.
Human Genome Sciences says cancer drug fails study - AP - Wed 7:48 am ET
Human Genome Sciences's potential cancer drug mapatumumab failed in a midstage study, the company said Wednesday. There was no difference in disease response or progression-free survival rates between patients receiving the drug for multiple myeloma and the control group, the company said.
Source - Google Health News:
New gene therapy may stimulate failing hearts to pump effectively
HealthJockey.com
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine now claim to have developed a new gene therapy namely SERCA2a (produced as MYDICAR) that is secure and ...
Study Demonstrates Safety, Benefits of SERCA2a Replacement in Advanced Heart ...
DG News
... California, presented findings from the phase 2 Calcium Up-Regulation by Percutaneous Administration of Gene Therapy in Cardiac Disease (CUPID) study ...
Source - Medical News Today :
Recent Study Documents The Spread Of A Disease Process Thought To Signal The Onset Of Alzheimer's Disease
Research unveiled at SNM's 57th Annual Meeting shows that scientists are drawing closer to documenting the progression of a disease process believed to cause Alzheimer's disease . This research could eventually lead to life-saving preventative measures for millions of patients who suffer from this chronic neurodegenerative disorder. "Alzheimer's is a relentless disease that kills once it is established in the brain, but we are tantalizingly close to a cure," said Mark Mintun, M.D., professor of radiology and director of the Center for Clinical Imaging Research at Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. "The build-up of a naturally-occurring protein called beta-amyloid appears to be associated with the initiation of the disease. There is significant interest in understanding how to image this process and develop potential pharmaceuticals to prevent or remove beta-amyloid from the brain before the onset of dementia ."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/191210.php
Medtronic Launches Next-Generation Continuous Glucose Monitoring System For Advanced Diabetes Management In 49 Countries Around The World
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) announced yesterday the launch of iPro™2 Professional CGM, a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system used by physicians to help improve diabetesmanagement, in 49 countries around the world. This simplified, yet more advanced fourth-generation CGM system is valuable for detecting high and low glucose fluctuations that can lead to dangerous health complications, which often go undetected with traditional A1C tests (a measurement of glucose control over a two-to-three-month period) and glucose meter measurements. iPro2 Professional CGM has received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark. Subject to other local approvals, Medtronic plans to release iPro2 Professional CGM in 22 more countries around the world, for 71 in total, including the United States where Medtronic has submitted its application for approval to the Food and Drug Administration.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/191085.php
Progress In Cancer Immunology Reaches New Milestone
Physician-scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) are studying a novel approach to treat metastatic melanoma , known as immunotherapy, which uses the body's own immune system to attack cancer . Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, encouraging new data shows - for the first time - a survival benefit in metastatic melanoma patients using an immunotherapy discovered and clinically investigated by researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. The therapy, called anti-CTLA-4 (now known as ipilimumab), was developed in 1996 by James Allison, PhD, Chair of the Sloan-Kettering Institute's Immunology Program at MSKCC. For the past 20 years, Dr. Allison's research has focused on the mechanisms that regulate the immunologic responses of T lymphocytes - commonly referred to as T cells - with an emphasis on manipulating T cell response in order to develop novel tumor immunotherapy approaches.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/191065.php
Successful Phase III Clinical Trial Results Reported For NovoCure's Novel Medical Device For Treatment Of Recurrent Glioblastoma
Data from the first phase III clinical trial of NovoCure's NovoTTF device for treatment of patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) were presented as a late breaking abstract during the Neuro-Oncology session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. Study results show that NovoTTF, a novel, noninvasive, portable medical device, may be as or more effective than the best available chemotherapies for GBM, but without the toxicity usually associated with cytotoxic or targeted treatments. The study enrolled 237 patients with recurrent, late-stage GBM, the most malignant form of primary brain cancer . Using low intensity, alternating electric fields to disrupt tumor growth, NovoTTF is the first non-drug, non-radiation, non-surgical treatment approach to show promise of clinical benefit for the treatment of brain cancer.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/191066.php
GE Healthcare Helps Healthcare Providers Improve Patient Experience Through Innovative Technologies
Focusing on helping clinicians improve experiences for their patients, GE Healthcare is highlighting an innovative portfolio of molecular imaging technologies and agents at the 57th annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM), June 5-9, in Salt Lake City. "Our vision for the Molecular Imaging business is to apply innovation to improve the patient experience," said Terri Bresenham, vice president of the GE Healthcare Molecular Imaging business. "We have shortened traditional exam times and reduced dose without compromising a clinician or researcher's ability to understand disease from the beginning."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/191067.php
Source - MIT's Technology Review :
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.