An enzyme inhibitor that regulates insect larvae development reduces heart enlargement and irregular heart rhythms in a mouse model, a 16-member University of California, Davis research team has discovered. The work, published in the current edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could lead to important new medications to treat human heart patients.
Results from two Roche studies show for the first time that chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis as well as those not on dialysis who need correction of renal anaemia, can be successfully treated with Mircera on a simple twice monthly dosing schedule ? an option that does not exist today. Mircera was shown to be as effective as existing agents in correcting renal anaemia while reducing the dosing frequency 2 to 6-fold of these drugs. Two phase III trials demonstrating these findings were presented at the 39th annual meeting of the American Society of Nephrology in San Diego, USA.
Data from two 24-week analyses of the RESIST-1 and RESIST-2 studies, which evaluated Aptivus? (tipranavir) in treatment-experienced HIV-1 infected patients, were published in the 15 November issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Data demonstrate that at 24-weeks Aptivus, used with ritonavir (Aptivus/r) as part of combination antiretroviral therapy, achieved superior antiviral and immunological activity in treatment-experienced patients with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection.
The deadline to submit nominations for the 2007 Welcome Back Awards, a national awards program that recognizes heroes of the depression community, has been extended by one month. Nominations are now due by Sunday, December 31, 2006.
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that when a molecule responsible for dialing down the immune system malfunctions in the brain cells of mice, the rodents develop symptoms of the degenerative brain disease.
Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute in California publishes new research that identifies a specific human enzyme that could kill cancer cells.
Cincinnati scientists have found further evidence that certain defensive white cells in the body cause or play a major role in the symptoms experienced by asthma patients.
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Malaria Research Institute have developed a new test for detecting the malaria parasite in human urine and saliva. Although not a diagnostic test for determining treatment, the method could potentially reduce the need for blood sampling in epidemiological studies where large-scale malaria screening is required.
A powerful analysis from this month’s Vaccine highlights the huge gap between current vaccination coverage across Europe and the recommendations endorsed by the European U nion. Currently, only one-third of all high-risk populations are receiving seasonal influenza vaccine in Europe, resulting in avoidable morbidity, hospitalizations and mortality.
On 16 November 2006 the Department of Health contacted Strategic Health Authorities in England to remind them of their obligation to provide the disease modifying drugs for MS to people who meet the prescription criteria.