GBP Health / Biotech News Digest 07-28-2010

GBP Health / Biotech News 07-28-2010

EurekAlert - Biology: Public Release: 28-Jul-2010 American Journal of Pathology Morphine blocks tumor growth Current research suggests that taking morphine can block new blood vessel and tumor growth. The related report by Koodie et al, "Morphine suppresses tumor angiogenesis through a HIF1�/p38MAPK pathway," appears in the August 2010 issue of the American Journal of Pathology. Contact: Angela Colmone, Ph.D. acolmone@asip.org 301-634-7953 American Journal of Pathology Public Release: 28-Jul-2010 Nature Molecular mechanism triggering Parkinson's disease identified in Stanford study Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified a molecular pathway responsible for the death of key nerve cells whose loss causes Parkinson's disease. This discovery not only may explain how a genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's causes the cells' death, but could also open the door to new therapeutic approaches for the malady. National Institutes of Health, McKnight Foundation, Beckman Foundation, Sloan Foundation Contact: Bruce Goldman goldmanb@stanford.edu 650-725-2106 Stanford University Medical Center Public Release: 28-Jul-2010 Diabetes One molecule, many more insulin-producing cells to treat diabetes, says Pitt team With a single stimulatory molecule, human insulin-producing beta cell replication can be sustained for at least four weeks in a mouse model of diabetes, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Diabetes. They also found several cocktails of molecules that drive human beta cells to replicate, as well as important differences between mouse and human beta cells that could influence how these approaches are best used to treat diabetes. NIH/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Pam and Scott Kroh and the Don and Arleen Wagner family foundations Contact: Anita Srikameswaran SrikamAV@upmc.edu 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Public Release: 27-Jul-2010 Nature Nanotechnology Nanoblasts from laser-activated nanoparticles move molecules, proteins and DNA into cells Using chemical "nanoblasts" that punch tiny holes in the protective membranes of cells, researchers have demonstrated a new technique for getting therapeutic small molecules, proteins and DNA directly into living cells. National Institutes of Health Contact: John Toon jtoon@gatech.edu 404-894-6986 Georgia Institute of Technology Research News Public Release: 27-Jul-2010 Nature Communications Multifunctional nanoparticle enables new type of biological imaging By combining a nanoparticle's magnetic and thermal properties, researchers have created a new technique that virtually eliminates the background noise from non-radioactive medical imaging. National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health Contact: Hannah Hickey hickeyh@uw.edu 206-543-2580 University of Washington 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. Leap Forward in Efforts to Develop Treatments for Huntington's Disease July 28, 2010 — Research reveals that an enzyme linked with multiple disorders -- including stroke, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis -- is also involved in the generation of toxic protein fragments in Huntington's ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728121323.htm Where Do the Drugs Go? July 28, 2010 — Drug delivery inside the body is a complicated process. Compounds travel through a maze of aqueous solutions, lipid membranes, and barriers between the blood and tissues like the brain. New research ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100727174913.htm Millions of Americans in Early Stages of Kidney Disease Need Stroke Monitoring, Research Finds July 28, 2010 — Millions of Americans in the early stages of chronic kidney disease are at an increased risk of having atrial fibrillation -- a major risk factor for stroke -- according to new ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728121333.htm New Criteria for T-Cell Lymphoma Diagnosis July 28, 2010 — Researchers in Italy have discovered new diagnostic criteria to differentiate peripheral T-cell lymphomas ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100728120910.htm New HIV Treatment Guidelines Indicate Importance of Early, Individualized Antiretroviral Treatment July 27, 2010 — Advances in antiretroviral treatment have shown that the progressive immune system destruction caused by HIV infection, including AIDS, can be prevented, indicating the importance of beginning ART ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100718204739.htm HIV's Sugar Coating Offers New Vaccine Approach July 27, 2010 — The chains of sugar molecules, or carbohydrates, that cover the outside of the highly variable HIV virus remain constant, are different from those found on human cells, and could form the basis of a ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100723130141.htm Noninvasive MR Imaging of Blood Vessel Growth in Tumors Using Nanosized Contrast Agents July 26, 2010 — Scientists have incorporated nanotechnology, material science, and the clinical imaging modality MRI, to create a nanosized probe capable of noninvasively visualizing and quantifying the blood vessel ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100723123938.htm How Key Enzyme Repairs Sun-Damaged DNA July 26, 2010 — Researchers have long known that humans lack a key enzyme -- one possessed by most of the animal kingdom and even plants -- that reverses severe sun damage. For the first time, researchers have ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100725142614.htm Treatments for Blocked Carotid Arteries Vary by US Region July 26, 2010 — Medicare beneficiaries in some parts of the United Statesappear more likely to receive carotid endarterectomy, a surgical procedure to clear blockages in the artery supplying blood to the head, ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100726162115.htm Source - Health Day: Health Highlights: July 28, 2010 � White House OKs Limited Enrollment Periods For Children's Health Insurance � Major Differences Between States In Rates Of Uninsured � Cost Of Treating Back Problems Doubles Over 10 Years: Report � Major Food Safety Violations At Many U.S. Stadiums � BPA Found On Cash Register Receipts: Study Implantable Sensor Measures Blood Sugar Levels Wireless device transmitted accurate readings in pigs for more than a year, study shows. Clinical Trials Update: July 28, 2010 � Insomnia � Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) � Healthy Volunteers (Ages 18-55) Technology May Explain Mammogram's Poorer Performance in Younger Women Worse detection rate not due to tumor biology in women under 50, study suggests. Longer Time Frame for Clot-Busting Drug May Help Beat Stroke Expanding the time limit from 3 to 4.5 hours doesn't appear to delay treatment, study suggests Source - Yahoo Biotech News: Advanced Life Sciences Applies for FDA Fast-Track Designation for Restanza in CABP - PR Newswire - Wed 8:00 am ET Advanced Life Sciences Holdings, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of novel drugs in the therapeutic areas of infection, oncology and respiratory diseases, today announced that the Company has applied to the U.S. GlaxoSmithKline to Implement New Compensation Program for U.S. Sales Professionals - PR Newswire - Mon Jul 26 GlaxoSmithKline today confirmed that it will implement a new system for evaluating and compensating its sales professionals beginning in 2011. Source - Google Health News: Novel Therapies for Advanced Heart Failure Construction Equipment The first-in-human trial to utilize this novel gene therapy, CUPID (Calcium Up-regulation by Percutaneous administration of gene therapy In cardiac Disease) ... Gene Transfer May Correct Monogenic Blood Disease in Young Patients Medscape As the report explains: "Correction of �-thalassemia by gene therapyrequires gene transfer in stem/progenitor cells and high levels of �-globin gene ... Watching Genetically Engineered Cells Kill Cancer In Real Time Singularity Hub (blog) Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center are usinggene therapy to teach immune cells how to attack cancer, but that's now all.... Source - Medical News Today : Hospira Begins Phase I U.S. Clinical Trial Of Biosimilar Erythropoietin In Renal Patients Hospira, Inc. (NYSE: HSP), the world leader in generic injectable pharmaceuticals, announced the start of a U.S. Phase I clinical trial of its biosimilar erythropoietin (EPO) in patients with renal (kidney) dysfunction who have anemia , an important step on the road toward introducing a biosimilar product in the United States. Erythropoietin is a treatment for anemia associated with chronic renal failure and chemotherapy. The controlled, randomized trial of patients on hemodialysis who have already been treated with Amgen's Epogen(R) (epoetin alfa), is taking place at 20 different hemodialysis centers across the United States. Patients in the trial will be treated with both Epogen and Hospira's EPO, with each patient receiving one drug first and then being switched to the second drug. The goal of the Phase I trial is to test safety and pharmacokinetics, or measurements of the drug's blood level and distribution in the body, compared with the reference product. Pending successful completion of the Phase I trial, Hospira would launch an expanded Phase III trial in 2011, also comparing safety and efficacy of Hospira's EPO with Epogen. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196120.php Proposed Lowering Of PSA Threshold For Biopsy Could Result In Increased Overdiagnosis And Overtreatment Of Prostate Cancer, Study New research from the US suggests that most American men diagnosed withprostate cancer receive aggressive treatment, even if their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level is below the current recommended 4.0 nanograms per milliliter threshold for biopsy and their diagnosis indicates low-risk disease; the researchers argue against lowering the threshold, suggesting there is no evidence that waiting for PSA to reach the current threshold before doing a biopsy leads to significant increases in non-curable cases, whereas lowering it is likely to lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Dr Yu-Hsuan Shao, of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, and colleagues report their findings in a paper that was published online on 26 July in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA/Archives journal. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/196014.php Canadian Researchers Testing Unique Vaccines For Prion Diseases And Common Cancers Several Canadian researchers have come together to help control the relentless spread of a prion disease, chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk, through vaccines. At the same time they aim to generate safe and effective therapies for common cancers . This simultaneous research is possible thanks to a unique connection they have discovered between the two unrelated diseases. The project builds on links between prion proteins present in certain prion diseases like CWD in animals and common cancers in people like melanoma and lymphoma . The multi-provincial research is made possible by Vancouver-based PrioNet Canada's Bootstrap program and involves three scientists along with two industry partners, Toronto-based Amorfix Life Sciences Ltd. and Saskatoon-based PREVENT - the Pan Provincial Vaccine Initiative. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195975.php Starve A Cancer Researchers at Boston College, MA, have found that reducing calorie intake can restrict the growth and spread of brain cancer . Writing in ASN NEURO, Laura Shelton and colleagues report success with mice suffering from glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and invasive form of primary human brain cancer. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195776.php Source - MIT's Technology Review : Speeding Up Diagnosis of Infectious Disease A startup is developing sequencing-based tests that could detect infections within 24 hours. Genetic Tests Get Bad Grades A federal investigation finds conflicting test results and false marketing claims.

GBP Health / Biotech News Digest 07-13-2010

GBP Health / Biotech News 07-13-2010:

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: 13-Jul-2010
Human Gene Therapy
Innovation and current status of prostate cancer gene therapy featured in Human Gene Therapy
Improved delivery methods and better testing systems are needed to advance promising gene therapy strategies for treating prostate cancer, according to a series of review articles in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. The articles and an accompanying editorial are available free online.
Contact: Vicki Cohn
vcohn@liebertpub.com
914-740-2156
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

Public Release: 13-Jul-2010
UK National Stem Cell Network annual science conference
Improving clinical use of stem cells to repair heart damage
Presenting at the UK National Stem Cell Network annual science conference July 13, Professor Michael Schneider describes a new approach to treating heart attack and cardiomyopathy using stem cells.
British Heart Foundation, European Research Council, European Union, Leducq Foundation, Medical Research Council
Contact: Nancy Mendoza
ukpo@uknscn.org
01-793-413-355
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Public Release: 12-Jul-2010
Archives of Neurology
Vitamin D levels associated with Parkinson's disease risk
Individuals with higher levels of vitamin D appear to have a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Contact: Paul Knekt, D.P.H.
paul.knekt@thl.fi
JAMA and Archives Journals

Public Release: 12-Jul-2010
Archives of Neurology
Eating foods rich in vitamin E associated with lower dementia risk
Consuming more vitamin E through the diet appears to be associated with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Contact: Monique M. B. Breteler, M.D., Ph.D.
m.breteler@erasmusmc.nl
JAMA and Archives Journals

Public Release: 11-Jul-2010
UK National Stem Cell Network Annual Conference
Top professor will report new way to discover drugs that aid regenerative medicine
Professor Fiona Watt will today give the Anne McLaren Memorial Lecture at the UK National Stem Cell Network annual science meeting and will detail a new approach to screening for drugs that target stem cells. To begin with, this is being developed for adult skin stem cells, giving hope for new drugs to promote wound healing and aid the use of stem cells to, for example, treat severe burns.
Contact: Nancy Mendoza
ukpo@uknscn.org
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Public Release: 7-Jul-2010
Gene Therapy
Genetically reprogrammed HSV given systemically shrinks distant sarcomas
Scientists have used a genetically reprogrammed herpes virus and an anti-vascular drug to shrink spreading distant sarcomas designed to model metastatic disease in mice -- still an elusive goal when treating humans with cancer, according to a study in the July 8 Gene Therapy. The study results are even more significant because the oncolytic herpes virus was given to the mice systemically to attack tumors via the blood stream instead of being injected directly into tumors
Cincinnati Children's Division of Hematology/Oncology, teeoffagainstcancer.org, Katie Linz Foundation, Limb Preservation Foundation, American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health
Contact: Nick Miller
nicholas.miller@cchmc.org
513-803-6035
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center


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.
New 3-D Imaging Techniques for Improved Lung Cancer Drug Development
July 13, 2010 — Advanced imaging technologies that promise to improve effective drug development to treat lung cancer are the focus of the current issue of Optics Express. Research outlines standardized approaches ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707122038.htm


Mechanism That Determines Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Uncovered
July 13, 2010 — A team of investigators has identified a series of proteins that might make it easier for doctors to better diagnose the more metastatic forms of prostate ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712121836.htm


Scientists Create Army of Tumor-Fighting Immune Cells and Watch as They Attack Cancer
July 13, 2010 — Researchers created a large, well-armed battalion of tumor-seeking immune system cells and watched, in real time using positron emission tomography (PET), as the special forces traveled throughout ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712154430.htm


Radiation Device Allows for Targeted Breast Radiation to Control Cancer, Study Finds
July 13, 2010 — A new study of breast cancer patients at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center and the Arizona Oncology Services shows that after almost two years, the radiation given with the Strut-Adjusted Volume Implant ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712162634.htm


Universal HIV Testing and Immediate Treatment Could Reduce but Not Eliminate HIV/AIDS Epidemic
July 12, 2010 — Implementing a program of universal HIV testing and immediate antiretroviral treatment for infected individuals could have a major impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, D.C., but a new study ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100709155514.htm


Stem Cell Transplantation Successfully Treats Therapy-Resistant Chronic Leukemia, German Study Finds
July 12, 2010 — The transplantation of stem cells from a healthy donor (allogeneic) offers the chance of cure for patients with an aggressive form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), irrespective of genetic ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712103337.htm


Breakthrough in Terahertz Remote Sensing: Unique THz 'Fingerprints' Will Identify Hidden Explosives from a Distance
July 12, 2010 — A major breakthrough in remote wave sensing by a team of researchers opens the way for detecting hidden explosives, chemical, biological agents and illegal drugs from a distance of 20 ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100711155911.htm


Arsenic Shows Promise as Cancer Treatment, Study Finds
July 12, 2010 — Miss Marple notwithstanding, arsenic might not be many people's favorite chemical. But the notorious poison does have some medical applications. Specifically, a form called arsenic trioxide has been ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712154428.htm


Sirtuin1 May Boost Memory and Learning Ability; Discovery Could Lead to New Drugs to Fight Alzheimer's, Other Neurological Diseases
July 11, 2010 — The same molecular mechanism that increases life span through calorie restriction may help boost memory and brainpower, researchers ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100711155908.htm


Neural Stem Cells Attack Glioblastoma Cells
July 9, 2010 — Scientists in Germany have demonstrated how the brain's own stem cells and precursor cells control the growth of glioblastomas. Of all brain tumors, glioblastomas are among the most common and most ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706103410.htm


Source - Health Day:


Health Highlights: July 13, 2010
· Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner Dies Of Heart Attack
· Do More to Cut Blood Infections In Hospital Patients: Survey
· New Type Of Smallpox Vaccine Added To U.S. Stockpile
· Obesity At Age 20 Takes 8 years Off Men's Lives: Study
· FDA Has Concerns About New Weight Loss Drug's Side Effects
· Fewer Young Africans Being Infected With HIV: U.N.
Alzheimer's Research Spotlights Protein 'Tangles' in Brain
Studies in animals suggest buildup of 'tau' can be repressed, but will it help curb the disease?

Could Having a Bigger Head Help Slow Alzheimer's?
Larger brains may have more cells in reserve when the disease strikes, research suggests

Clinical Trials Update: July 12, 2010
· Ulcerative Proctitis
· Osteoarthritis/Rheumatoid Arthritis
· Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

Clinical Trials Update: July 9, 2010
· Diabetes
· Healthy Volunteers (Females 12-18 Years of Age)
· Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)



Source - Yahoo Biotech News:

Life's Leukemia Test in Europe - Zacks.com - Tue 11:22 am ET
Life Technologies and Asuragen Inc. have achieved the CE Mark for BCR/ABL1 Quant Test to determine the most effective treatment option for chronic myeloid leukemia. The test has been launched in Europe.

Bristol-Myers Squibb starts recall of Coumadin - AP - Mon 4:00 pm ET
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. said Monday it is recalling eight production lots of its anti-clotting drug Coumadin because the amount of the active ingredient in the drug could change.


Source - Google Health News:

Electroporation's Efficiency Improved, May Help DNA Delivery For Gene Therapy
North County Times (blog)
Gene therapy depends on getting the DNA of interest past the cell membrane, a difficult task. New research from Virginia Tech and Purdue shows how to ...

Parkinson's gene therapy step closer
New Zealand Herald
By Martin Johnston Surgical gene therapy for Parkinson's disease - one of a series of breakthroughs in Professor Matthew During's research career - has ...

Researchers Report Discovery of Powerful HIV-Zapping Antibodies
Wall Street Journal (blog)
But, as the WSJ reports, while converting the discovery into an actual vaccine, preventative therapy or even gene therapy will require some technical doings ...



Source - Medical News Today :

Possible New Approach For Diabetes Therapy
Nutrition experts at Oregon State University have essentially "cured" laboratory mice of mild, diet-induced diabetes by stimulating the production of a particular enzyme. The findings could offer a new approach to diabetes therapy, experts say, especially if a drug could be identified that would do the same thing, which in this case was accomplished with genetic manipulation.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/194560.php

Use Of Nanoparticles To Shrink Tumors In Mice Holds Important Implications For Cancer Therapy
The application of nanotechnology in the field of drug delivery has attracted much attention in recent years. In cancer research, nanotechnology holds great promise for the development of targeted, localized delivery of anticancer drugs, in which only cancer cells are affected. Such targeted-therapy methods would represent a major advance over current chemotherapy, in which anticancer drugs are distributed throughout the body, attacking healthy cells along with cancer cells and causing a number of adverse side effects.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/194382.php

Researcher Developing Novel Therapy For Alzheimer's Disease
A University of Oklahoma researcher is developing a novel therapy for Alzheimer's disease using "biopharmaceutical proteases" to attack the toxic plaque that builds up in the brain of an Alzheimer's patient - an approach that he predicts will be lower in cost and higher in effectiveness than current therapies. Peter J. Heinzelman, an associate professor in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Mechanical Engineering, recently received a $75,000 grant from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology to pursue this research, which includes the development of a library of biopharmaceutical proteases for public use.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/194301.php


Source - MIT's Technology Review :

A Turning Point for Genetic Testing
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25793/

A Simpler Way to Spy on Rogue Molecules
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25778/

GBP Health / Biotech News Digest 07-08-2010

GBP Health / Biotech News 07-08-2010:

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: 8-Jul-2010
Molecular Cell
DNA discovery opens new door to develop tools, therapies for hereditary cancers
McMaster University researchers have revealed new avenues to develop assessment tools and alternative treatments for people living with hereditary colorectal cancers.
National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, German Science Foundation
Contact: Veronica McGuire
vmcguir@mcmaster.ca
90-552-591-402-2169
McMaster University

Public Release: 8-Jul-2010
American Journal of Pathology
Professor discovers way to slow the growth of malignant melanoma
New Queen's University research has shown that the growth of melanoma, one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer, can be slowed when a little known gene called microRNA 193b is added. "This is the first step in a long road towards finding a melanoma cure," says Professor Victor Tron.
Contact: Michael Onesi
Michael.Onesi@queensu.ca
613-533-6000 x77513
Queen's University

Public Release: 8-Jul-2010
Cell
Housing upgrade shrinks tumors in mice with cancer
When mice with cancer get a boost in their social life and an upgrade in living conditions, their tumors shrink, and their cancers more often go into spontaneous remission Reported in the July 9 issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, these findings offer powerful new evidence of the critical role that social connection and an individual's mental state, may play in cancer.
Contact: Cathleen Genova
cgenova@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press

Public Release: 8-Jul-2010
Cell
A chemical to make brain cells grow
Scientists have identified a chemical that makes new neurons grow. The substance works specifically in a part of the brain that is integral to learning and memory.
Contact: Cathleen Genova
cgenova@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell Press

Public Release: 8-Jul-2010
Cell
Small molecule boosts production of brain cells, protects new cells from dying
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found a compound that preserves newly created brain cells and boosts learning and memory in an animal study.
National Institutes of Health, Hartwell Foundation, NARSAD, Staglin Family Fund, UT Southwestern, Morton H. Meyerson Family Tzedakah Fund, Simons Foundation, et al.
Contact: Aline McKenzie
aline.mckenzie@utsouthwestern.edu
214-648-3404
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Public Release: 7-Jul-2010
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
High blood levels of vitamin E reduces risk of Alzheimer's
High levels of several vitamin E components in the blood are associated with a decreased risk for Alzheimer's disease in advanced age, suggesting that vitamin E may help prevent cognitive deterioration in elderly people. This is the conclusion reached in a Swedish study published in the July 2010 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Contact: Ulla Bredberg
pressinfo@ki.se
Karolinska Institutet

Public Release: 7-Jul-2010
Gene Therapy
Genetically reprogrammed HSV given systemically shrinks distant sarcomas
Scientists have used a genetically reprogrammed herpes virus and an anti-vascular drug to shrink spreading distant sarcomas designed to model metastatic disease in mice -- still an elusive goal when treating humans with cancer, according to a study in the July 8 Gene Therapy. The study results are even more significant because the oncolytic herpes virus was given to the mice systemically to attack tumors via the blood stream instead of being injected directly into tumors
Cincinnati Children's Division of Hematology/Oncology, teeoffagainstcancer.org, Katie Linz Foundation, Limb Preservation Foundation, American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health
Contact: Nick Miller
nicholas.miller@cchmc.org
513-803-6035
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Public Release: 6-Jul-2010
Analytical Chemistry
Multicolor quantum dots aid in cancer biopsy diagnosis
The tunable fluorescent nanoparticles known as quantum dots make ideal tools for distinguishing and identifying rare cancer cells in tissue biopsies. Researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech have learned how multicolor quantum dots linked to antibodies can distinguish the Reed-Sternberg cells that are characteristic of Hodgkin's lymphoma.
NIH/National Cancer Institute
Contact: Holly Korschun
hkorsch@emory.edu
404-727-3990
Emory 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.

Pinpoint Precision: Delivering a Biochemical Payload to One Cell
July 8, 2010 — Researchers use precise electrical "tweezers" to place nanowires on predetermined spots on single cells. The technique eventually could produce new ways to deliver ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707102441.htm


Turning Back the Cellular Clock: Method Developed for Tracking Adult Stem Cells as They Regress
July 8, 2010 — For the first time, scientists have succeeded in tracking the progression of reprogrammed stem cells through live imaging to learn more about how they are reprogrammed, and how the new cells evolve ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100629122950.htm


Revolutionary Medical Dressing Uses Nanotechnology to Fight Infection
July 8, 2010 — Researchers are using nanotechnology to develop a medical dressing which will detect and treat infection in wounds. Scientists in the UK are working together with teams across Europe and Australia to ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707211621.htm


Cancer Deaths Continue to Drop
July 7, 2010 — The continued drop in overall cancer mortality rates over the last 20 years has averted more than 767,000 cancer deaths, according to a new report from the American Cancer ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707112429.htm


Scientists Design New Delivery Device for Gene Therapy
July 7, 2010 — Scientists have designed a nanoparticle that appears to effectively deliver genetic material into cells with minimal toxic effects. In lab experiments, the researchers have found that this device, a ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706161801.htm


Patients With Treatment-Resistant CLL Respond Positively to Stem Cell Transplants
July 7, 2010 — Allogeneic (donor-derived) stem cell transplant may be a promising option for patients with treatment-resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), regardless of the patient's underlying genetic ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100702092205.htm


Best Tests for Predicting Alzheimer's Disease Identified
July 7, 2010 — New research has identified the memory and brain scan tests that appear to predict best whether a person with cognitive problems might develop Alzheimer's ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630162351.htm


Novel Protein Being Tested as Potential Target in Alzheimer's Treatment
July 7, 2010 — Scientists have discovered a previously unreported mitochondrial protein that interacts with a protein known to play a role in Alzheimer's ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707221744.htm


New 3-D Imaging Techniques for Improved Lung Cancer Drug Development
July 7, 2010 — Advanced imaging technologies that promise to improve effective drug development to treat lung cancer are the focus of the current issue of Optics Express. Research outlines standardized approaches ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100707122038.htm


Neural Stem Cells Attack Glioblastoma Cells
July 6, 2010 — Scientists in Germany have demonstrated how the brain's own stem cells and precursor cells control the growth of glioblastomas. Of all brain tumors, glioblastomas are among the most common and most ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706103410.htm


Researchers Identify Factors Behind Blood-Making Stem Cells
July 6, 2010 — Researchers have made significant progress in the understanding of blood-producing (hematopoietic) stem cells. The study identifies factors that control the production of hematopoietic stem cells and ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100706150620.htm


How Loss of Key Protein Promotes Aggressive Form of Leukemia
July 4, 2010 — New research illuminates in fine detail one of the genetic paths that leads to a particularly aggressive form of leukemia. A team discovered a new tumor-suppressing function of p53, distinct, for ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100701131449.htm



Source - Health Day:
Health Highlights: July 8, 2010
· Docs Perform 1st Face Transplant Including Eyelids, Tear Ducts
· Obesity Leads to Inactivity in Kids: Study
· New Rules May Ease Veterans' Claims for PTSD Compensation
· FDA OKs Mini Eye Telescope for Macular Degeneration
Many Docs Deliver Cancer Diagnosis Badly: Study
Devastating news relayed by phone, in public hospital locations, survey finds

Clinical Trials Update: July 8, 2010
· Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH)
· Chronic Low Back Pain
· Gout
Clinical Trials Update: July 7, 2010
· Malaria Vaccine
· Chronic Pain
· Psoriasis
Clinical Trials Update: July 6, 2010

· Flu Symptoms (Ages 55-80)
· Alzheimer's Disease (Ages 50+)
· Major Depression



Source - Yahoo Biotech News:

Merck Details Plans to Advance Integration of R&D, Manufacturing and Business Operations Worldwide - Business Wire - Thu 9:00 am ET
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J.----Merck & Co., Inc. , known outside the U.S. and Canada as MSD, today provided further detail on integration plans for the company's research and development, manufacturing and other business operations as part of a global restructuring program announced following the November 2009 merger of Merck and Schering-Plough.



Source - Google Health News:

Study Shows Hope for Gene Therapy
HealthNewsDigest.com
By Wall Street Journal Online (HealthNewsDigest.com) - Researchers have launched a new gene-therapy trial for children with a rare disease known as "bubble ...

Cancer Treatment Advancements
KULR-TV
The Billings Clinic Cancer Research Center is focusing on immuno and gene therapy. "The information that we've learned about cancer is doubling every few ...

Study Shows Hope for Gene Therapy
Wall Street Journal
By AMY DOCKSER MARCUS Researchers have launched a new gene-therapy trial for children with a rare disease known as "bubble boy syndrome," reflecting fresh ...

Scientists Hope to Use Gene Therapy to Treat HIV
Tech Jackal
Scientists have learned there may be a way to prevent the spread of HIV by using genetic therapy. The process has been tested on mice and will hopefully ...

UAB scientists working on gene therapy that may cure sickle cell
al.com (blog)
(Illumina) Scientists at UAB say they're edging closer to a possible cure for sickle cell disease, one that uses gene therapy to repair diseased cells and ...



Source - Medical News Today :

HIV Prevention Strategy Key To Curbing Epidemic And Cutting Long-Term Treatment Costs
Increasing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment for people with HIV/AIDS will provide significant cost savings over a relatively short period of time, according to a formal economic analysis led by researchers at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) at Providence Health Care and the University of British Columbia (UBC). The analysis of HAART coverage in British Columbia, published recently in AIDS , the official journal of the International AIDS Society (IAS), is the first comprehensive economic evaluation of the net benefit of HAART in the province. HAART lowers viral load, stopping HIV from progressing to AIDS in individuals and helping to prevent HIV transmission. The study's key finding shows that while expanding HAART use is cost-effective for individual patients, the benefits become exponentially greater when HAART's ability to prevent HIV transmission is considered.
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/194108.php

Are Doctors Giving Patients The Best Vaccines Or The Vaccines With The Best Price?
Yesterday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking for an antitrust investigation into drug companies that offer significant discounts to doctors for providing patients with only that company's vaccines. CREW sent its letter after learning that Sanofi Pasteur and Merck require physician healthcare groups purchasing their vaccines to enter into contracts prohibiting them from purchasing vaccines made by other companies. CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan stated, "Patients presume that doctors choose vaccines based on the patient's best interests. Now we learn that's not always true. In some cases, doctors are choosing vaccines based on the discounts offered by the drug manufacturer."
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/194027.php

Researchers Explore Novel Protein As Potential Target In Alzheimer's Treatment
A South Dakota State University researcher and his colleagues elsewhere have discovered a previously unreported mitochondrial protein that interacts with a protein known to play a role in Alzheimer's disease . The discovery adds to what is known about the memory-inhibiting disease as researchers continue to search for ways to treat it.
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193752.php




Source - MIT's Technology Review :

Multiplying DNA One Drop at a Time
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25762/

Multistep Diagnostics on Paper
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25760/

Targeting a Master Regulator of Disease
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25703/

Biosensors Comfortable Enough to Wear 24-7
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25701/

GBP Health / Biotech News Digest 07-02-2010

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: 1-Jul-2010 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences UVA radiation damages DNA in human melanocyte skin cells and can lead to melanoma A new study by researchers at NYU School of Medicine found that UVA radiation damages the DNA in human melanocyte cells, causing mutations that can lead to melanoma. Melanocytes, which contain a substance called melanin that darkens the skin to protect it from the ultraviolet rays of the sun, are more vulnerable to UVA radiation than normal skin cells because they are unable to repair themselves as efficiently. National Institutes of Health Contact: Lauren Woods lauren.woods@nyumc.org 212-404-3555 NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine Public Release: 1-Jul-2010 Science DNA mutation rates raise curtain on cause of cancer What if we could understand why cancer develops? One idea that has emerged is that for a cell to transform into a cancer cell it must suffer a large number of mutations affecting different genes needed to control cell growth. In a study published this week in Science, Brandeis University researchers have found that the process of repairing DNA damage also unexpectedly increases the rate of mutations and changes the kinds of mutations that arise. Contact: Laura Gardner gardner@brandeis.edu 781-736-4204 Brandeis University Public Release: 1-Jul-2010 Science Genetic regulator opens new avenues to AIDS, immune system research Researchers have discovered a genetic regulator that plays a key role in the formation of "T cells," a type of white blood cell. The discovery suggests that some types of immune function might be influenced by manipulation of this genetic regulator. This could be a target for drug development, and could open the door to new immune system-based therapies for everything from diseases of T cells, such as HIV/AIDS, to autoimmune disorders and allergies. National Institutes of Health Contact: Mark Leid mark.leid@oregonstate.edu 541-737-5809 Oregon State University Public Release: 1-Jul-2010 Cell Stem Cell Work-life balance: Brain stem cells need their rest, too Stem cells in the brain remain dormant until called upon to divide and make more neurons. However, little has been known about the molecular guards that keep them quiet. Now scientists from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have identified the signal that prevents stem cells from proliferating, protecting the brain against too much cell division and ensuring a pool of neural stem cells that lasts a lifetime. Contact: Gina Kirchweger kirchweger@salk.edu 45-341-001-340 Salk Institute Public Release: 1-Jul-2010 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Stem-cell therapy may provide new approach to fight infection A new study shows that treatment with mesenchymal stem cells can triple survival rates in mice with sepsis, a deadly condition that can occur when an infection spreads throughout the body. The treatment reduced the damaging effects of inflammation and increased the body's ability to clear the infection. Mesenchymal stem cells are found in adult bone marrow and they have been used extensively in clinical trials in humans for other conditions. Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Northern Therapeutics Contact: Jennifer Paterson jpaterson@ohri.ca 613-798-5555 x73325 Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Public Release: 1-Jul-2010 Genes & Development CSHL team shows how loss of key protein promotes aggressive form of leukemia New research by scientists at CSHL illuminates in fine detail one of the genetic paths that leads to a particularly aggressive form of leukemia. A team discovered a new tumor-suppressing function of p53, distinct, for instance, from apoptosis, and somewhat related to senescence. They showed that it has the ability to reinforce cell-fate and differentiation programs. In AML, p53 loss leads to cancer by disabling this reinforcement. Contact: Peter Tarr tarr@cshl.edu 516-367-8455 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Public Release: 30-Jun-2010 Nature Stanford study shows key enzyme in fetal heart development also involved in adult heart disease Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified for the first time an enzyme that plays vital roles in both fetal heart development and in causing cardiac hypertrophy -- an enlargement of the heart -- in adults. The discovery could be used in the future to try to develop new treatments for heart disease. National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, Children's Heart Foundation, March of Dimes Foundation, University of California, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Kaiser Foundation, Baxter Foundation Contact: Tracie White traciew@stanford.edu 650-723-7628 Stanford University Medical Center Public Release: 29-Jun-2010 Nature Biotechnology Turning back the cellular clock For the first time, scientists at Tel Aviv University in collaboration with researchers at Harvard University have succeeded in tracking the progression of reprogrammed stem cells through live imaging to learn more about how they are reprogrammed, and how the new cells evolve over time. This will allow researchers to develop techniques and choose the right cells for replacement therapy and give invaluable insight into how these cells will eventually react in the human body. Contact: George Hunka ghunka@aftau.org 212-742-9070 American Friends of Tel Aviv University Public Release: 28-Jun-2010 A pacemaker for your brain A Tel Aviv University team led by Prof. Matti Mintz of TAU's Psychobiology Research Unit is delving deep into human behavior, neurophysiology and engineering to create a chip that can help doctors wire computer applications and sensors to the brain. The chip will provide deep brain stimulation precisely where and when it's needed. 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. Melanoma-Initiating Cell Identified July 1, 2010 — Scientists have identified a cancer-initiating cell in human melanomas. The finding is significant because the existence of such a cell in the aggressive skin cancer has been a source of debate. It ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630132754.htm Gene Regulating Human Brain Development Identified July 1, 2010 — With more than 100 billion neurons and billions of other specialized cells, the human brain is a marvel of nature. It is the organ that makes people ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100701131159.htm Cancer Stem Cells Are Not 'One Size Fits All,' Lung Cancer Models Show July 1, 2010 — Cancer stem cells have enticed scientists because of the potential to provide more durable and widespread cancer cures by identifying and targeting the tumor's most voracious cells. Now, researchers ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100701131447.htm Reprogrammed Human Blood Cells Show Promise for Disease Research July 1, 2010 — Cells from frozen human blood samples can be reprogrammed to an embryonic stem-cell-like state, according to new research. These cells can be multiplied and used to study the genetic and molecular ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100701131207.htm Cancer Drug Shows Promise for Treating a Wide Range of Inflammatory Diseases June 30, 2010 — Those looking for a new treatment for a range of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus may need to look no further than a drug already ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630101026.htm How Dietary Supplement May Block Cancer Cells June 30, 2010 — A new study shows how a substance produced when eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts can block the proliferation of cancer cells. Earlier evidence indicates that the substance indole-3-carbinol may ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100629131316.htm Nano-Sized Advance Toward Next Big Treatment Era in Dentistry June 30, 2010 — Scientists are reporting an advance toward the next big treatment revolution in dentistry -- the era in which root canal therapy brings diseased teeth back to life, rather than leaving a "non-vital" ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630132842.htm Pathologists Call for New Training Program to Support Personalized Medicine June 30, 2010 — Doctors have issued "a call to action" for the medical profession to catch up with the technology and business communities in the application of genomics to personalized health ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630111043.htm Higher Cancer Rates Found in Liver Transplant Patients Receiving Cyclosporine for Immunosuppression June 27, 2010 — Researchers have found that cyclosporine treatment is a significant risk factor for the development of de novo cancer in liver transplant ... http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624112312.htm Source - Health Day: Health Highlights: July 1, 2010 · West Nile Cases Lower in 2009 · VA Facility Should Be Investigated: Senators · 40 Million Expired Swine Flu Vaccine Doses to Be Destroyed · EPA Way Behind on Air Pollution Regulations: Report · Americans With Pre-Existing Conditions to Get Health Coverage PSA Test Does Cut Prostate Cancer Deaths, Study Finds Swedish report adds to controversy over the usefulness of the blood screen Clinical Trials Update: July 1, 2010 · High Cholesterol · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) · Iron-Deficiency Anemia Predicting Alzheimer's Risk in Patients With Cognitive Problems Abnormal results on memory test, PET scan linked to 12-fold increase in risk, study shows Source - Yahoo Biotech News: Summary Box: Medicare reviews Dendreon's Provenge - AP - 25 minutes ago WHAT'S HAPPENING: Medicare will spend a year deciding whether to cover Dendreon Corp.'s prostate cancer therapy Provenge, which costs $93,000 for a course of treatment. Dendreon Statement on CMS National Coverage Analysis - PR Newswire - Wed 7:48 pm ET Dendreon Corporation announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services today initiated a National Coverage Analysis of PROVENGE® , an autologous cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer . Source - Google Health News: Oncolytic vaccine therapy shows promise in melanoma, SCC studies ModernMedicine "OncoVEX GM-CSF represents an entirely new approach designed to combine the best aspects of gene therapy, oncolytic virus therapy and autologous cancer ... Immunovaccine Signs Agreement With Oncothyreon To Develop Cancer Vaccine MarketWatch (press release) Oncothyreon's ONT-10 is a synthetic MUC1-based liposomal glycolipopeptide cancer vaccine. Immunovaccine's DepoVax(TM) platform is a lipid in oil-depot ... Source - Medical News Today : 40 Million Swine Flu Vaccines Written Off As Trash, USA Approximately 40 million doses of swine flu vaccine, worth around US$260 million are to be burned. Jerry Weir, Vaccines Research and Review, FDA (Food and Drug Administration,USA) commented that by historical standards "It's a lot". One quarter of USA's stocks of swine flu vaccine expired yesterday and will be burned, authorities inform. This is about four times as much as the leftover from seasonal flu vaccines, and is probably a record. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193622.php KIMS, GE Healthcare And Varian Medical Systems Join Forces To Increase Cancer Care Access Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), GE Healthcare and Varian Medical Systems today are announcing a cooperative working relationship to jointly address the growing oncology needs in rural India. Under the cooperative relationship, KIMS plans to establish 10 "See and Treat" oncology centers with an investment of Rs.200 crores to acquire latest technology for these centres. The proposed network of centers will have one advanced GE Discovery PET/CT Molecular Imaging Systems each for detecting the disease at its earliest possible stage and 3 centrally located cyclotrons for producing FDG bio-markers required for the disease detection. Several of these centers will be equipped with radiotherapy and radio-surgery technology from Varian Medical Systems for treating patients. These first-of-its-kind, stand-alone, "See and Treat" cancer care centers are targeted for: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193418.php\ Original HIV Infection Lurks Within Despite Countless Changes Scientists have been surprised to learn that, despite thousands of changes that viruses like HIVundergo in rapid fashion to evade the body's immune system, the original version that caused the infection is still present in the body months later. The finding, published in the June issue of theJournal of Virology, is the result of an uncommonly detailed look at the cat-and-mouse action that takes place in an organism shortly after infection. The work is aimed at understanding the earliest stages of infection by HIV more thoroughly, to help scientists develop ways either to quash the infection outright or to develop a vaccine to prevent infection. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193395.php Artificial Pancreas Could Be Available In A Few Years Researchers speaking at an annual conference suggested that research into making an artificial pancreas so patients with type 1 diabetes can better control glucose levels, is progressing rapidly and that the technology could be commercially available in just a few years. On Sunday, as part of the 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) that is running from June 25 to 29 in Orlando, Florida, scientists from the ADA and the international charity Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) spoke in a joint session about how quickly research into treatments for type 1 diabetes and its complications is progressing, with particular emphasis on the Artificial Pancreas Project. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/193163.php Source - MIT's Technology Review : Genes for Extreme Longevity http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25693/?a=f Drug Device for Hearing Loss http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25683/?a=f Building a Substitute Pancreas for Diabetics http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/25659/