Heart Disease :: Genomics to play key role in prevention, therapy
Genetic factors are poised to take a leading role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Therapy
Heart Disease :: Guidelines, hypothermia improve survival
A patient?s chance of survival falls 7 percent to 10 percent per minute when CPR is delayed after cardiac arrest, and post-arrest survival for out-of-hospital events is as low as 2 percent in one large Chicago hospital.
Breast Cancer :: Novel vaccine shows promise against early-stage breast cancer
A diagnosis of breast cancer has taken on a new meaning in the past 10 years, as research has produced a host of new therapies and detection techniques, significantly improving long-term survival for women who have been fighting the disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Repeat treatment with MabThera provides continuous improvement of quality of life in RA patients
Data presented at this year’s American College of Rheumatology Congress (ACR) show that patients receiving repeat treatment with MabThera/Rituxan (rituximab) achieved continued improvement in both physical and mental aspects of quality of life measures. In addition, a higher proportion of patients achieved a significant improvement in disease symptoms with a second course of MabThera, compared to the first course they received.
Acne :: Positive findings for Aczone in acne – QLT
QLT Inc. (NASDAQ: QLTI; TSX: QLT) today announced positive results of a Phase IV clinical trial of Aczone? in more than 50 patients with G6PD deficiency that was performed to meet a post-approval commitment requested by the FDA. The purpose of this study was to gather more information about the safety of Aczone, a prescription topical medicine, in treating patients with acne who have certain blood disorders.
Health :: Abbott to Expand Presence in Lipid Management Market with Acquisition of Kos Pharmaceuticals
Abbott and Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced a definitive agreement for Abbott to acquire Kos for $78 per share in cash, for a total transaction value of $3.7 billion, net of cash currently held by Kos. Based in Cranbury, N.J., Kos is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops and markets proprietary medications for the treatment of chronic cardiovascular, metabolic and respiratory diseases. The company has a growing presence in the $20 billion lipid management market.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :: ORENCIA, abatacept demonstrate continued efficacy in adults with rheumatoid arthritis
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) today announced that two-year data from three Phase III pivotal trials demonstrate the long-term efficacy of ORENCIA? (abatacept) in adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate and TNF antagonists. The data also demonstrate that ORENCIA provided clinically meaningful improvements in multiple aspects of health-related quality of life and physical function, sustained improvements in pain and had a consistent safety and tolerability profile through two years of treatment. These data will be presented at the upcoming 2006 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Scientific Meeting.
Brain Tumors :: Newly identified biomarker detects and regulates spread of brain tumors
Researchers have identified a novel biomarker for brain tumors and have uncovered a potential role the marker may play when the tumor spreads or comes back after treatment. The biomarker, a protein known as “soluble attractin,” is normally absent in the central nervous system and is undetectable in cerebral spinal fluid unless malignant astrocytomas are present in the CNS. This newfound ability to identify biomarkers for malignant astrocytomas means physicians will have a minimally invasive method to track the success of treatments.
Cancer :: First report that apoptotic and anti-angiogenic therapies work better together than alone
American researchers have found that giving a combination of imantanib and a drug that induces cell death was better at inhibiting the growth of Ewing’s sarcoma in mice than either therapy on its own, according to research presented at the 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Prague on Friday.
Prostate Cancer :: Scientists design a PSA-activated protoxin that kills prostate cancer
Scientists have found a way of using a protein made by prostate cancer to target and kill the cancer cells themselves. In preliminary studies the new therapy affected only the prostate, without causing damage to other healthy tissues, and now it is being tested in a phase I clinical trial, according to research presented at the 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Prague on Friday.