Monthly Archives: February 2012

Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure and Exosome Diagnostics Collaborate to Advance Clinical Studies of Exosome Biofluid …

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC2) and Exosome Diagnostics are collaborating with leading academic medical centers to accelerate clinical validation of Exosome's blood and cerebrospinal fluid-based molecular diagnostics technology in brain cancer.  The collaboration will explore the capabilities of Exosome RNA biofluid-based diagnostic technology for early identification, progression monitoring and disease risk stratification in glioma, the most common form of brain cancer. Brain cancer is the leading cause of death among children and young adults under age 20. This year, more than 200,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with either a primary or metastatic brain tumor.  There are more than 120 different types of brain tumors, making specific diagnosis and effective treatment extremely complicated. In many cases, accessing brain tissue via biopsy carries significant risk or is not surgically feasible.  The ability to sample a brain cancer's genetic characteristics through a blood or cerebrospinal fluid sample could contribute greatly to driving advances in clinical treatment and drug development. This collaboration will bring together world-leading clinicians, researchers and industry participants to develop the potential of stable, high-quality disease-specific RNA harvested from exosomes found in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. The joint effort will … Continue reading →

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Sanofi faces uphill struggle in MS drug market

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

* Sanofi (Paris: FR0000120578 - news) seen as smaller player in MS * Co excited about Lemtrada prospects - CEO * Experts say wider choice of drugs is best for patients PARIS, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Sanofi SA risks falling behind in the battle for share of the fast-growing multi-billion euro multiple sclerosis (MS) market, as rivals push ahead with revolutionary treatments while doubts remain over the French drugmaker's own drug candidates. Sanofi, which has relied on blood thinners and cancer therapies to drive sales but faces increased competition from generic drug versions, is preparing to submit two MS treatments for approval this year. But it faces an uphill battle to catch Novartis AG's Gilenya and Biogen Idec Inc (NasdaqGS: BIIB - news) 's BG-12, set to dominate a market that JPMorgan analysts see growing to $14 billion in 2015 from $9.6 billion last year. "Sanofi will remain a small player compared with Biogen or Novartis, but it will still remain on the radar screen," said Beatrice Muzard, an analyst at brokerage Natixis (Euronext: KN.NX - news) . MS, which has no cure, affects 2.5 million people worldwide. It is a chronic, often disabling disease that attacks the central nervous … Continue reading →

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Stem cell Q and A

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

Q. What are human stem cells? A. Stem cells are the blank slates of the body that are used as the building blocks for growth, repair and replacement. As blank slates, these cells can be triggered to develop into the specific types of cells that make up tissues. There are two different kinds of stem cells, based on their development potential. One category is known as pluripotent stem cells, meaning they have the ability to develop into any type of tissue in the body. Pluripotent stem cells can be broken into two subcategories: those that are derived from human embryos, and those that are created from human skin cells, based on pioneering research conducted at McMaster University. The second category are adult, or somatic, stem cells, which are found in the various organs and tissues of the body. These, too, are blank slates that can be triggered to differentiate, but they can only be transformed into the cell types that are specific to that particular tissue. “When you talk about adult stem cells, they come in different flavours and they’re very specific in their role but they don’t have the broad potential that pluripotent stem cells have,” said Dr. Mick … Continue reading →

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$30 million donation from Boris family will help McMaster turn stem cell research into therapy

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

McMaster University is on its way to moving stem cell research “from the bench to the bedside” thanks to a $30 million boost from a local family. The Marta and Owen Boris Foundation made the large donation to establish a human stem cell therapy centre and a unique clinic for patients with complex health conditions. Owen, the founder of Mountain Cablevision, was in talks with McMaster about investing in their work before he died last April. His children and wife contacted the university a month later and carried out his vision, firming up their commitment last November. The Boris Family Centre in Human Stem Cell Therapies will be developed as part of the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute using $24 million of the funds. “It’s getting over that chasm from the bench to the bedside that this (donation) is going to allow us to do,” the institute’s scientific director Dr. Mick Bhatia said. The centre will give scientists the resources to focus on converting McMaster’s breakthroughs — such as the ability to make blood or types of neural cells with stem cells — into clinical applications through investigative trials, Bhatia said. “In the absence of this donation, I … Continue reading →

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Biotech: Regenerative Medicine – Hong Kong Science Park – Video

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

27-01-2012 00:55 Introduction to Regenerative Medicine related companies in Hong Kong Science Park Original post: Biotech: Regenerative Medicine - Hong Kong Science Park - Video … Continue reading →

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Parents' lawsuit claims pharmacy sickened Gig Harbor boy

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

A Pierce County sheriff’s deputy and his wife are suing a Gig Harbor pharmacy, claiming it twice gave their son incorrect dosages of medicine that made him very sick. Darrell Cochran, attorney for Eric and Laura Carlson, filed the lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court earlier this week. The suit names Olympic Pharmacy and Healthcare Services as the sole defendant. The Carlsons seek unspecified damages. Jeff Bond, owner of Olympic Pharmacy, referred calls to his insurance carrier in Iowa. A representative there declined to comment. The lawsuit contends Olympic Pharmacy is “an imminent public health danger” because it has not instituted procedures to prevent similar problems. “Plaintiffs hope to help prevent future injuries to their friends and neighbors who rely on this pharmacy and to recover fair and just compensation for their injuries,” the suit states. The Carlsons contend Olympic Pharmacy in 2009 and 2011 improperly filled their son’s seizure medication, giving him too much of the medication both times. The first time the pharmacy loaded eight doses of a drug called Lorazepam in a single syringe instead of single doses in eight syringes, the suit states. The boy lapsed into unconsciousness and was hospitalized with hallucinations. Laura Carlson later … Continue reading →

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Parents sue Gig Harbor pharmacy

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

ADAM LYNN; Staff writer • Published February 06, 2012 Modified February 05, 2012 A Pierce County sheriff’s deputy and his wife are suing a Gig Harbor pharmacy, claiming it twice gave their son incorrect dosages of medicine that made him very sick. Darrell Cochran, attorney for Eric and Laura Carlson, filed the lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court earlier this week. The suit names Olympic Pharmacy and Healthcare Services as the sole defendant. The Carlsons seek unspecified damages. Jeff Bond, owner of Olympic Pharmacy, referred calls to his insurance carrier in Iowa. A representative there declined to comment. The lawsuit contends Olympic Pharmacy is “an imminent public health danger” because it has not instituted procedures to prevent similar problems. “Plaintiffs hope to help prevent future injuries to their friends and neighbors who rely on this pharmacy and to recover fair and just compensation for their injuries,” the suit states. The Carlsons contend Olympic Pharmacy in 2009 and 2011 improperly filled their son’s seizure medication, giving him too much of the medication both times. The first time the pharmacy loaded eight doses of a drug called Lorazepam in a single syringe instead of single doses in eight syringes, the suit states. … Continue reading →

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Cystic Fibrosis Drug is Personalized Medicine – Video

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

31-01-2012 08:03 The drug Kalydeco has been approved to treat patients with one of the mutations that cause cystic fibrosis. FDA's Stephen Spielberg, MD, Ph.D, tells how this targeted treatment represents how personalized medicine will revolutionize health care. See the article here: Cystic Fibrosis Drug is Personalized Medicine - Video … Continue reading →

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New genetic discovery could boost treatment for stroke patients

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

Scientists have identified a genetic mutation in one of the 23,000 human genes that can double the risk of a stroke, which kills more than six million people worldwide each year and is the second top cause of death in developed countries. Click here to see the 'Strokes: How they happen' graphic A study of thousands of stroke patients in Britain and Germany found a link between the most common type of stroke – a blocked blood vessel leading to the brain – and a genetic variation in a gene known as HDAC9. Although strokes are known to run in families, this is one of the first studies to identify a precise DNA variant in the human genetic code that doubles a person's risk of developing a blocked artery supplying vital oxygen to the brain. The HDAC9 gene was already known to be involved in the formation of muscle tissue and the development of the heart, but the latest research suggests it is also implicated in a particular kind of illness called large-artery ischaemic stroke. Scientists said the DNA variation occurs on about 10 per cent of the chromosomes carrying the HDAC9 gene. People who inherit two copies of the … Continue reading →

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Panama ex-dictator Noriega suffers possible stroke

Posted: Published on February 6th, 2012

Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was taken from his prison cell to a public hospital for treatment following a possible stroke, officials said. The 77-year-old Noriega was taken to the Hospital Santo Tomas after suffering "hypertension with a possibility of a stroke," national police said in a statement that did not elaborate on his condition. "He had symptoms that indicated a stroke," Health Minister Franklin Vergara said later, adding that Noriega would be kept under observation in the intensive care unit for 24 hours and would undergo further tests. The ex-military ruler spent 22 years behind bars in the United States and France on drug trafficking and money laundering charges before being extradited to Panama on December 11. He returned home in a wheelchair, having difficulty walking and speaking due to strokes suffered in the past. A military dictator from 1983 to 1989, Noriega is serving three separate sentences after being convicted in absentia for crimes committed in Panama, including the murder of critics. He also faces a series of other complaints for human rights abuses. News of his hospitalization spread quickly in the Central American nation and the rumor mill was turning fast. "I'm glad he is getting the … Continue reading →

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