Wednesday, May 20, 2009

GBP Health / Biotech News 05-19-2009


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, they can be added to the list at: http://www.gbpcap.com/ .  

Source - EurekAlert – Biology

Public Release: 19-May-2009
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Protein identified as critical to insulating the body's wiring could also become treatment target <https://my.mcg.edu/portal/page/portal/6A456B55BCCA6DBDE0440003BAD149FF>
A new protein identified as critical to insulating the wiring that connects the brain and body could one day be a treatment target for divergent diseases, from rare ones that lower the pain threshold to cancer, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.
Contact: Toni Baker
tbaker@mcg.edu
706-721-4421
Medical College of Georgia <http://www.mcg.edu>


 
Public Release: 19-May-2009
Nature Methods
Proteomics: Finding the key ingredients of disease <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/muhc-pft051909.php>
New findings from an international collaboration, involving McGill University, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center and the Human Proteome Organization published in Nature Methods show how to improve protein analysis to tease out relevant potential disease-causing molecules.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Genome Quebec, McGill University
Contact: Isabelle Kling
isabelle.kling@muhc.mcgill.ca
514-843-1560
McGill University Health Centre <http://www.muhc.ca/>


 
Public Release: 19-May-2009
Physics in Medicine and Biology
Breakthrough in radiotherapy promises targeted cancer treatment <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/iop-bir051909.php>
A new development in radiotherapy will enable a far more precise and accurate treatment for cancerous tumors by using real-time images to guide the radiation beam.
Contact: Lena Weber
lena.weber@iop.org
44-207-470-4896
Institute of Physics <http://www.iop.org>


 
Public Release: 19-May-2009
International Journal of Risk Assessment and Management
Pandemic passenger screening <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/ip-pps051909.php>
Four major US national laboratories have worked together to develop a computer model to help airport authorities screen passengers for pandemic influenza. The tool can help estimate false negatives, people with influenza who slip through the screening process, and so assess the risk of infected passengers unknowingly spreading disease across the nation.
Contact: Robert Brigantic
robert.brigantic@pnl.gov
Inderscience Publishers <http://www.inderscience.com>


 
Public Release: 19-May-2009
BIOCOMP '09
New tool helps researchers identify DNA patterns of cancer, genetic disorders <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/ncsu-nth051409.php>
A new tool will help researchers identify the minute changes in DNA patterns that lead to cancer, Huntington's disease and a host of other genetic disorders. The tool was developed at North Carolina State University and translates DNA sequences into graphic images, which allows researchers to distinguish genetic patterns more quickly and efficiently than is possible using computers.
Contact: Matt Shipman
matt_shipman@ncsu.edu
919-515-6386
North Carolina State University <http://www.ncsu.edu>


 
Public Release: 18-May-2009
American Society for Microbiology 109th General Meeting
New vaccine strategy might offer protection against pandemic influenza strains <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/asfm-nvs051409.php>
A novel vaccine strategy using virus-like particles could provide stronger and longer-lasting influenza vaccines with a significantly shorter development and production time than current ones, allowing public health authorities to react more quickly in the event of a potential pandemic.
Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology <http://www.asm.org>


 
Public Release: 18-May-2009
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Biological link established between tumors and depression <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/uoc-ble051309.php>
In a study that could help explain the connections between depression and cancer, researchers have used an animal model to find, for the first time, a biological link between tumors and negative mood changes. The team determined that substances associated with depression are produced in increased quantities by tumors and are transmitted to the brain. Additionally, pathways that normally moderate the impact of depression-causing substances are disrupted when a tumor develops.
American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health, Brain Research Foundation
Contact: William Harms
w-harms@uchicago.edu
773-702-8356
University of Chicago <http://www-news.uchicago.edu>


 
Public Release: 18-May-2009
Cancer Research
Computer model predicts brain tumor growth and evolution <http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2009/05/tumors>
Scientists from Brown University, the University of Texas and elsewhere have developed a computational computer model that tracks brain tumor growth virtually and can be matched to real tumors. The new computer model could lead to specific, targeted treatments for individualized therapy. Details are in the May 15 edition of the journal Cancer Research.
Cullen Trust of Health Care, NIH/National Cancer Institute, US Department of Defense, National Science Foundation
Contact: Mark Hollmer
Mark_Hollmer@brown.edu
401-863-1862
Brown University <http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau>


 
Public Release: 18-May-2009
Cancer Research
Tumor growth and chemo response may be predicted by mathematical model <http://publicaffairs.uth.tmc.edu/media/newsreleases/nr2009/mathmodel.htm>
The aggressiveness of tumors and their susceptibility to chemotherapy may become easier to predict based on a mathematical model developed at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
Cullen Trust for Health Care, National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Defense
Contact: Robert Cahill
Robert.Cahill@uth.tmc.edu
713-500-3030
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston <http://www.uthouston.edu>


 
Public Release: 18-May-2009
Small
New tool for next-generation cancer treatments using nanodiamonds <http://www.mccormick.northwestern.edu/news/articles/517>
A research team at Northwestern University has demonstrated use of a Nanofountain Probe that can precisely deliver tiny doses of drug-carrying nanomaterials to individual cells.
National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, V Foundation, Coulter Foundation
Contact: Kyle Delaney
k-delaney@northwestern.edu
847-467-4010
Northwestern University <http://www.northwestern.edu>


 
Public Release: 17-May-2009
Nature Medicine
Novel vaccine approach offers hope in fight against HIV <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/chop-nva051209.php>
A research team may have broken the stubborn impasse that has frustrated the invention of an effective HIV vaccine, by using an approach that bypasses the usual path followed by vaccine developers. By using gene transfer technology that produces molecules that block infection, the scientists protected monkeys from infection by a virus closely related to HIV -- the simian immunodeficiency virus, or SIV -- that causes AIDS in rhesus monkeys.
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
Contact: Juliann Walsh
Walshj1@email.chop.edu
267-426-6054
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia <http://www.chop.edu>


 
 
Public Release: 14-May-2009
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
ACLU -- Myriad Genetics lawsuit will become landmark case <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/mali-agl051409.php>
The American Civil Liberties Union action in filing a lawsuit yesterday against Myriad Genetics is going to lead to one of the most important legal battles in the history of biotechnology, asserts Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. The ACLU charged that the patenting of two human genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer will inhibit medical research. The organization also claims that the patents are invalid and unconstitutional.
Contact: John Sterling
jsterling@genengnews.com
914-740-2196
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News <http://www.liebertpub.com>


 
Public Release: 13-May-2009
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
MIT's implantable device offers continuous cancer monitoring <http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/cancer-detect-0512.html>
Surgical removal of a tissue sample is now the standard for diagnosing cancer. Such procedures, known as biopsies, are accurate but only offer a snapshot of the tumor at a single moment in time. Monitoring a tumor for weeks or months after the biopsy, tracking its growth and how it responds to treatment, would be much more valuable. Now MIT researchers report the first implantable device that can do just that.
NIH/National Cancer Institute, National Science Foundation
Contact: Elizabeth Thomson
thomson@mit.edu
617-258-5402
Massachusetts Institute of Technology <http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice>


 
Public Release: 12-May-2009
Annals of Biomedical Engineering
'Beating' heart machine expedites research and development of new surgical tools, techniques <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/ncsu-hm051209.php>
A new machine developed at North Carolina State University makes an animal heart pump much like a live heart after it has been removed from the animal's body, allowing researchers to expedite the development of new tools and techniques for heart surgery. The machine saves researchers time and money by allowing them to test and refine their technologies in a realistic surgical environment, without the cost and time associated with animal or clinical trials.
NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Contact: Matt Shipman
matt_shipman@ncsu.edu
919-515-6386
North Carolina State University <http://www.ncsu.edu>


 
 
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.
 
 
How Alzheimer's Robs Sufferers Of Episodic Memory <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172642.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Scientists have developed new insights into how one kind of memory works. The study shows that laboratory rats have "episodic-like memory" and could open novel ways to study life-robbing loss of ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172642.htm

Cystic Fibrosis: Sodium Channel Blocker Shows Promise As Potential Treatment For CF <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517143226.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Cystic fibrosis patients may benefit from a new therapy that increases airway hydration, preventing the buildup of mucous, which is a key factor in the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517143226.htm

Heart Disease Patients Carrying Extra Pounds Do Better, Live Longer <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172654.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Being overweight or obese is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors; however, in patients with established CVD, obesity appears to play a protective role. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172654.htm

Surprise 'Spark' For Pre-cancerous Colon Polyps <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514125154.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Researchers have studied the events leading to colon cancer and found that an unexpected protein serves as the "spark" that triggers formation of colon polyps, the precursors to cancerous ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514125154.htm

Breakthrough In Radiotherapy Promises Targeted Cancer Treatment <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519083839.htm>
May 19, 2009
— A new development in radiotherapy will enable a far more precise and accurate treatment for cancerous tumors by using real-time images to guide the radiation ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090519083839.htm

Popular Cancer Drug Linked To Often Fatal Brain Virus <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518161158.htm>
May 19, 2009
— A new study links use of the popular cancer drug rituximab to a swiftly moving and often fatal viral brain infection called PML. Rituximab is the most important and widely used cancer drug for ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518161158.htm

New Tool Isolates RNA Within Specific Cells <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518101910.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Biologists, using fruit flies, have created a way to isolate RNA from specific cells, opening a new window on how gene expression drives normal development and disease-causing ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518101910.htm

Artificial Skin Manufactured In Fully Automated Process <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518102959.htm>
May 19, 2009
— There is an increasing demand for skin. Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics and medical engineering products need it in order to test the compatibility of their products with human ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518102959.htm

Disruption Of Immune-system Pathway Key Step In Cancer Progression, Study Shows <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172637.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Human immune cells communicate constantly with one another as they coordinate to fight off infection and other threats. Now researchers have shown that muffling a key voice in this conversational ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172637.htm

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Could Be Used In Gene Therapy <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518103225.htm>
May 19, 2009
— Gene therapy offers hope in treating diseases such as cystic fibrosis and disorders of the retina, as well as with more common illnesses such as AIDS, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases (for ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518103225.htm

Chemotherapy Improves Survival Among Older Breast Cancer Patients <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513173455.htm>
May 18, 2009
— Chemotherapy in addition to surgery or surgery and radiation improves survival among older women with breast ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513173455.htm

New Therapies Mean HIV Patients Gain Longer Lives, Face New Challenges <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517164916.htm>
May 18, 2009
— New HIV therapies have prolonged lives and improved health for patients with HIV, but the treatments have also brought the longer-term effects of the disease into sharper ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517164916.htm

New Tool Can Help Predict Risk Of Alzheimer's In Elderly <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513173450.htm>
May 18, 2009
— A new tool can help predict whether people age 65 and older have a high risk of developing Alzheimer's ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513173450.htm

Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis Offers Large Social, Fiscal Benefits <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090512153339.htm>
May 18, 2009
— Early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease could save millions or even billions of dollars while simultaneously improving care, according to new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090512153339.htm

Gene Transfer Technology May Lead To HIV Vaccine <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517143224.htm>
May 18, 2009
— Scientists may have broken the stubborn impasse that has frustrated the invention of an effective HIV vaccine, by using an approach that bypasses the usual path followed by vaccine developers. By ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517143224.htm

Future Of Personalized Cancer Treatment: New System Delivers RNA Into Cells <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517081157.htm>
May 18, 2009
— In technology that promises to one day allow drug delivery to be tailored to an individual patient and a particular cancer tumor, researchers have developed an efficient system for delivering siRNA ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090517081157.htm

New Tool For Predicting Drug Responsiveness In Non–small Cell Lung Cancer <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172448.htm>
May 18, 2009
— Scientists have developed a new genomics approach that enabled them to predict whether non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) will respond to specific therapeutics in vitro and in mouse models of ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172448.htm

Web-based Consultations May Reduce Referrals To Dermatologists <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518161120.htm>
May 18, 2009
— A Web-based system allowing general practitioners to confer with specialists regarding patients with skin conditions may reduce referrals to dermatologists by approximately 20 percent, according to a ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518161120.htm

New Vaccine Strategy Might Offer Protection Against Pandemic Influenza Strains <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518120954.htm>
May 18, 2009
— A novel vaccine strategy using virus-like particles could provide stronger and longer-lasting influenza vaccines with a significantly shorter development and production time than current ones, ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518120954.htm

Derivative Of Red Sea Coral May Fight Skin Cancer <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515152853.htm>
May 17, 2009
— Scientists are exploring the mechanisms by which a substance derived ultimately from Red Sea coral could help treat skin ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515152853.htm

Many People Misjudge Their Degree Of Cancer Risk <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514222029.htm>
May 16, 2009
— Working with a population of individuals at risk for gastrointestinal cancers, researchers have learned that many people misjudge their actual degree of cancer risk and, therefore, their true need ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514222029.htm

Progress Toward Artificial Tissue? <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515104227.htm>
May 16, 2009
— Researchers have developed a novel, highly porous, sponge-like material whose mechanical properties closely resemble those of biological soft ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090515104227.htm

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Co-transplantation Prevents Embryonic Stem Cell Transplant-associated Tumors <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511122420.htm>
May 14, 2009
— Transplanted embryonic stem cells can potentially treat the effects of spinal cord injury (SCI), yet a serious drawback has been the development of tumors following transplantation. A new study has ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511122420.htm

Microwave Technique Successful In Treatment Of Liver Tumors, Surgeon Shows <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513121629.htm>
May 14, 2009
— A surgeon who has developed a pioneering technique using microwaves to destroy liver tumors has treated more than 100 patients in the UK and other patients are now being treated internationally. The ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513121629.htm

Novel Therapy May Prove Effective In Treatment Of 30 Percent Of Cancers <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513173503.htm>
May 14, 2009
— A ground-breaking Canada-wide clinical trial has shown that a common anti-viral drug, ribavirin, can be beneficial in the treatment of cancer ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090513173503.htm

Immunotherapy Effective Against Neuroblastoma In Children <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514222021.htm>
May 14, 2009
— A phase III study has shown that adding an antibody-based therapy that harnesses the body's immune system resulted in a 20 percent increase in the number of children living disease-free for at least ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514222021.htm

 
 
 
Source - Health Day:
 
Health Highlights: May 19, 2009 <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=627239>
  • Erectile Drugs Similarly Effective: Report
  • Little Progress Made in Preventing Medical Errors: Report
  • California Counties Lose Medical Marijuana Fight
Spread of Swine Flu in Japan Could Raise WHO Alert to Highest Level <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=627217>
But U.S. health officials say the disease is no more dangerous than regular flu

Clinical Trials Update: May 19, 2009 <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=627242>
  • Urinary Tract Infections
  • Endometriosis
  • Gout (Hyperuricemia)
Molecule in Skin May Link Eczema and Asthma <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=627188>
Finding in mice might explain progression from skin to breathing condition

New Methods Could Speed Production of Flu Vaccines  <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=627173>
Clinical trials using new strategies show promise for better protection against flu

Clinical Trials Update: May 18, 2009 <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=627192>
  • Migraine and Cluster Headaches
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Eye Disorders/Infections
  • Gastroparesis
  • Gout
  • Type 1 Diabetes

 
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:
 
 

International Stem Cell Corporation Provides Comments on National Institutes of Health's Proposed Stem Cell Research Guidelines <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/mostpop/*http:/biz.yahoo.com/bw/090519/20090519005286.html?.v=1>  - Business Wire - Tue 8:30 am ET
OCEANSIDE, Calif.----International Stem Cell Corporation , the company which pioneered the creation of human stem cells from unfertilized eggs , provides the following comments regarding draft stem cell research guidelines issued by the National Institutes of Health on April 17, 2009.

Vitro Launches Products to Support Stem Cell Research and Drug Development <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/mostpop/*http:/biz.yahoo.com/bw/090519/20090519005482.html?.v=1>  - Business Wire - Tue 8:00 am ET
GOLDEN, Colo.----Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. , dba Vitro Biopharma, announced the commercial availability of specialized products to support stem cell research and drug development. This new product line called, "Tools for Stem Cell and Drug Development™" features novel products to support research involving mesenchymal stem cells , induced pluripotent stem cells and cancer research that specifically utilizes stem cells that preferentially migrate to cancer cells and facilitate their destruction.
 
Swine Flu Index Jumps as Vaccine Stockpiling Continues <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/mostpop/*http:/biz.yahoo.com/indie/090518/1932_id.html?.v=1>  - Indie Research - Mon 12:06 pm ET
Select stocks connected to H1N1 vaccine production and development were up big on Monday after reports of stockpiling.

Glaxo offers WHO 50 million pandemic vaccines <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/latestnews/*http:/biz.yahoo.com/ap/090519/eu_med_glaxo_pandemic_vaccine.html?.v=2>

 
 
 
Source - Google Health News:


 
 
Nations urge WHO to change criteria for pandemic <http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzz357patY4-QaJFvo9O95zMM_EQD9893JLG0>
The Associated Press
Some cited the costly and potentially risky consequences, such as switching from seasonal to pandemic vaccine, even though the virus so far appears to be ...
 
 
 
Purdue scientist races to create H1N1 flu vaccine <http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090518/NEWS02/905180347/1001/NEWS>
News Sentinel - Fort Wayne,IN,USA
Purdue offered the H5N1 vaccine technology Mittal developed to a commercial vaccine manufacturer. Mittal said he cannot name the company because of his role ...
 
 
 
New Methods Could Speed Production of Flu Vaccines <http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/05/18/new-methods-could-speed-production-of-flu-vaccines.html>
U.S. News & World Report - Washington,DC,USA
... population for potential pandemic strains such as H5N1 or 1918," Ross said. "Some researchers advocate adding these strains to the annual flu vaccine. ...
 
 
 
 
62nd World Health Assembly opens next week <http://www.emportal.rs/en/news/region/88410.html>
emportal - Belgrade,Serbia
... to increase production capacity for the H1N1 vaccine by stopping production of the seasonal flu vaccine or stopping development of the H5N1 vaccine. ...
 
 
 
World at crossroads in swine flu crisis, conference told <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jt0ZKLMvDnEzOccg8twuuxP-rdHg>
AFP
It shows none of the genetic markers of highly lethal pathogens such as Asia's H5N1 "bird flu" virus. The worry, though, is that this could happen if the ...
 
 
 
Health negotiators narrowly miss virus sharing deal <http://www.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUSLG555061>
Reuters - USA
The new vaccine incorporated genes from an H5N1 strain isolated from an Indonesian victim of bird flu in 2005. But in 2007 Indonesia refused to share H5N1 ...
 
 
 
The world is already sick of swine flu <http://eurasia.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/05/15/the_world_is_already_sick_of_swine_flu>
Foreign Policy - USA
Many are adding this scare to the ranks of past pandemic scares, including H5N1 bird flu, SARS, and the Y2K bug (the computer pandemic that wasn't). ...
 
 
 
Glaxo Receives Major Orders For H1N1 Flu Vaccine <http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/health-care/glaxo-receives-major-orders-hn-flu-vaccine/>
FOXBusiness - USA
Glaxo also plans to convert its planned donation of 50 million doses of the H5N1, or avian flu, vaccine to the WHO to doses of H1N1 vaccine. ...
 
 
 
What's in a vaccine? <http://www.bizmology.com/2009/05/12/what%E2%80%99s-in-a-vaccine/>
Bizmology - Austin,TX,USA
... have developed or are developing bird flu (H5N1) vaccines, but the FDA has not yet approved a bird flu vaccine in the US since the threat is minimal. ...
 
 
 
Immune Cells Hold Back Gene Therapy <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511180647.htm>
Science Daily (press release) - USA
A recent gene therapy trial, using the viral vector AAV2 to transfer the F9 gene into liver cells, failed to establish long-lived Factor IX expression. ...
 
 
 
Slow down the stem cell hype <http://culture11.com/diary/38260>
Culture11 - Alexandria,VA,USA
A History Lesson for Stem Cells? where he compares the hype around embryonic stem cell research to previously hyped research into gene therapy. ...
 

 
Source - Medical News Today:
 
 
Drinking Too Much Cola Can Lead To Muscle Paralysis <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150656.php>
Researchers in Greece carrying out a review of cases of patients suffering symptoms ranging from mild weakness to profound muscle paralysis are warning about excessive cola consumption that can lead to hypokalaemia, or low levels of blood potassium.   The research was led by Dr Moses Elisaf from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Ioannina, Greece and is to be published in the June issue of International Journal of Clinical Practice, IJCP.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150656.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150656.php>
 
Researchers Develop Vaccine Candidate That Is Successful In Blocking Simian Version Of HIV <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150547.php>
Researchers have successfully blocked SIV, the simian version of HIV, using a new technique that could help lead to the development of an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia <
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090518_Novel_technique_developed_at_CHOP_may_lead_to_HIV_vaccine.html%3c/cite%3e%3c/a%3e%20reports.%20The%20research,%20published%20online%20in%20the%20journal%20%3ccite%3eNature%20Medicine%3c/cite%3e,%20was%20l> . The team also included scientists from Nationwide Children's Hospital <http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/gd/templates/pages/Home/home.aspx?page=1>  in Columbus, Ohio, and the New England Primate Research Center <http://www.hms.harvard.edu/nerprc/>  in Boston. Johnson and colleagues developed a genetically altered virus that carried the vaccine candidate and injected it into the muscles of monkeys. The vaccine prompted the muscles to produce a protein that is designed to bind to SIV and prevent it from infecting cells (Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/18). After treating nine monkeys with the vaccine candidate for one month, the researchers injected them with SIV. Six monkeys were not administered the vaccine candidate before being injected with SIV. None of the immunized monkeys developed AIDS, while three showed indications of SIV infection. Researchers detected high concentrations of the proteins in their blood one year later. All six non-immunized monkeys became infected with SIV, and four died during the trial (Schmid, AP/Austin American-Statesman <http://www.statesman.com/search/content/shared-gen/ap/Health_Medical/US_MED_Battling_AIDS.html> , 5/18). The DNA used in the carrier virus can deliver DNA into the cells of both monkeys and humans, according to the Inquirer.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150547.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150547.php>
 
Get Screened: Early Detection Is The Key To Successful Skin Cancer Treatment <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150430.php>
The bad news: Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, accounting for 40% of all carcinoma diagnoses. More than 1.6 million new cases of skin cancer were diagnosed last year, resulting in the death of more than 11,000 people.   The good news: Most skin cancers-even melanoma, the most serious form-can be treated successfully if detected early. To this end, the American Cancer Society recommends a skin examination as part of periodic checkups for people age 20 and older. Even better than treatable, nearly all skin cancers are preventable by limiting unprotected exposure to the sun.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150430.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150430.php>
 
The Dawn Of A New Era In Cancer Treatment
A new article in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News highlights enormous change in cancer medicine with highly personalised treatments, patient top-up payments in some markets, response-related payments and even refunds when there is no response to a treatment, all driving the future of cancer care worldwide. The article - written by Karol Sikora, professor of cancer medicine at Imperial College, London - cites an increasingly informed and consumerist society as one of the key drivers in this critical and evolving competitive marketplace.

An Entirely New Direction For RNAi Delivery - The Future Of Personalized Cancer Treatment
In technology that promises to one day allow drug delivery to be tailored to an individual patient and a particular cancer tumor, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, have developed an efficient system for delivering siRNA into primary cells. The work was published on May 17 in the advance on-line edition of Nature Biotechnology.   "RNAi has an unbelievable potential to manage cancer and treat it," said Steven Dowdy, PhD, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and professor of cellular and molecular medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "While there's still a long way to go, we have successfully developed a technology that allows for siRNA drug delivery into the entire population of cells, both primary and tumor-causing, without being toxic to the cells."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150367.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150367.php>
 
Medtronic Completes Enrollment In International Post-Market Study Of Resolute Drug-Eluting Stent <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150255.php>
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), announced completion of enrollment in RESOLUTE International, a post-market study of its Resolute Drug-Eluting Stent (DES). One-year data from this international study, which enrolled 2,464 patients at 88 sites from 17 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, are expected in the second half of 2010.   "RESOLUTE International will expand our experience and understanding of the Resolute DES in the setting of standard clinical practice, which affords a degree of diversity in patient types and lesion characteristics that are typically not well represented in tightly controlled clinical trials," said Prof. Dr. Franz-Josef Neumann of the Heart Center of Bad Krozingen in Germany on behalf of his co-principal investigators, Drs. Petr Widimský of the Faculty Hospital of Kralovske Vinohrady in Prague and Jorge Belardi of the Cardiovascular Institute of Buenos Aires. "Together with other data from the Resolute clinical program, we expect the findings from RESOLUTE International to help physicians make the best possible treatment decisions for the spectrum of patients they see daily."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150255.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150255.php>
 
Can New Surgery Revolutionize Diabetes Treatment? <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150114.php>
Metabolic surgery, a new surgical approach to metabolic disease, may provide the key to curing diabetes <
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/diabetes/whatisdiabetes.php>  in some patients. This data was presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.  "This goes beyond just weight-loss surgery," Chief of Gastrointestinal Metabolic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College Francesco Rubino, MD, said. "For its clinical potential, and maybe even more for its implications for the understanding of diabetes, metabolic surgery is one of the most important research opportunities for the next decade in medicine."  According to Dr. Rubino, a growing body of evidence suggests that the mechanisms of diabetes resolution after surgery involve intestinal signals: "I am confident that we may see important discoveries occur as we direct our attention to the role of the bowel in diabetes."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150114.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150114.php>
 
New MS Drugs Growing In Popularity But Are They Increasing The Risk Of Cancer? <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149809.php>
Current CIHR-funded research: In the first study of its kind, researchers from Canada are examining whether beta-interferon, widely used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), increases the risk of cancer for MS patients.   "Given the increasing popularity of MS drugs, even a moderate increase in the risk of cancer could translate into a substantial number of new cancer cases," says lead researcher Dr. Helen Tremlett  <
http://www.ubcneurology.com/Staff%20Web%20Pages/TremlettH.html> at the University of British Columbia. "Our study will also benefit from its independence from the pharmaceutical industry, which manufactures beta-interferon."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149809.php <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149809.php>

 
 
Source - MIT's Technology Review:
 
 
Detecting Aircraft Pathogens Before It's Too Late <http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22667/?nlid=2037>
http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22667/?nlid=2037 <http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22667/?nlid=2037>

Gene Transfer Offers HIV Hope <
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22663/?nlid=2030>
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22663/?nlid=2030 <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22663/?nlid=2030>
 
Tiny Implants for Treating Chronic Pain <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22657/?nlid=2032>
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22657/?nlid=2032 <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22657/?nlid=2032>
 
Pig-to-Monkey Transplant Treats Diabetes <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22636/?nlid=2019>
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22636/?nlid=2019 <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22636/?nlid=2019>
 
Better Detection of Lung Cancer <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22581/?nlid=1997>
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22581/?nlid=1997 <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/22581/?nlid=1997>
  

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