Current ratings for: Red and processed meat 'increases colorectal cancer risk' Ratings require JavaScript to be enabled. People with a common genetic variant who consume red or processed meat may increase their risk of colorectal cancer. This is according to a study presented at the annual American Society of Human Genetics 2013 meeting. Furthermore, the US researchers say they also found another specific genetic variant that suggests eating more fruit, vegetables and fiber may lower the risk of colorectal cancer. To reach their findings, the researchers analyzed 9,287 patients suffering from colorectal cancer alongside a control group of 9,117 healthy individuals. They also analyzed 2.7 million genetic sequences to determine whether there was a link between consumption of red and processed meat and colorectal cancer. The study shows that individuals with the genetic variant rs4143094 - a variant that affects 1 in 3 people - demonstrate a significantly increased risk of colorectal cancer linked to the consumption of red and processed meat. The researchers explain that this genetic variant is located on the same chromosome 10 region that has a transcription factor gene called GATA3 - a gene that has previously been linked to many forms of cancer. The transcription … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BIND Therapeutics, Inc. (BIND) a clinical-stage nanomedicine platform company developing targeted and programmable therapeutics called AccurinsTM, announced today that it will report financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2013 on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. BINDs management team will host a conference call and audio webcast at 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 to discuss the quarterly results and recent business developments. To access the conference call, please dial 877-312-5844 (domestic) or 253-237-1152 (international) at least five minutes prior to the start time and refer to conference ID 83773670. A live audio webcast of the call will also be available on the Investors & Media section of the company's website, http://www.bindtherapeutics.com. An archived webcast will be available on the Companys website approximately two hours after the event. About BIND Therapeutics BIND Therapeutics is a clinical-stage nanomedicine platform company developing Accurins, its novel targeted therapeutics. BIND intends to leverage its medicinal nanoengineering platform to develop a pipeline of Accurins, initially in oncology, as well as Accurins in collaboration with biopharmaceutical companies. BIND's lead drug candidate, BIND-014, is an Accurin that targets PSMA and contains docetaxel, a clinically-validated and widely used cancer chemotherapy drug. … Continue reading →

29.10.2013 - (idw) VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH Since the official launch in June 2013, the European Technology Platform for Nanomedicine (ETPN) together with the EU funded consortium NANOMED2020, are organising the first ever Nanomedicine Award to honor the best international nanomedicine innovation for 2013! The call for applications ended on September 7th gathering overall 23 candidatures coming from all over the world: from Europe but also from Australia and the US. Gathering academia and SMEs, and covering all three fields of diagnostics and imaging, therapeutics and regenerative medicine, this first edition is seen as a success holding great promises for the coming years. The Award winners will be officially announced during the Nanomedicine Panel Session at BIO-Europe 2103 in Vienna on 4th November. Projects have since been reviewed and assessed by a panel of highly-qualified pharma industry specialists with experience in R&D and commercial roles: Laurent Levy, Nanobiotix; Neil Desai, Celgene; Mike Eaton, consultant; Patrick Tricoli, Sanofi; Karen Zinkevich-Peotti, Ipsen and Thorsten Melcher, Johnson & Johnson Innovation. For the second time at BIO-Europe, a session is especially dedicated to the field of nanomedicine, representing a major opportunity to increase the visibility and synergies of the field with the pharmaceutical … Continue reading →

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved SABRIL (vigabatrin) as add-on therapy for the treatment of refractory complex partial seizures (CPS) in children 10 years of age and older who have inadequately responded to several other treatments and if the possible benefit outweighs the risk of vision loss.1 This approval expands upon the age range of SABRILs previous indication as adjunctive therapy for adults with refractory CPS. SABRIL is not indicated as a first-line agent for refractory CPS. Of the more than two million Americans affected by epilepsy,2 approximately 35 percent have CPS, which originates from a single region of the brain and can cause impaired consciousness.3 Approximately 30 to 36 percent of those with CPS continue to have seizures despite trying multiple therapies, and are considered to have refractory CPS.4,5,6 It is crucially important for people with challenging seizures like refractory CPS to not give up and continue striving for improved seizure management, and this expanded Sabril indication provides another consideration for the treatment of those ten and older with refractory CPS, said Philip Gattone, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. We encourage people living with such challenging seizures and their loved ones to … Continue reading →

Oct. 25, 2013 New research published in JAMA Psychiatry reveals that topiramate, a drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches, also could be the first reliable medication to help treat cocaine dependence. The study, led by Bankole A. Johnson, DSc. MD., MB.ChB., MPhil., chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and head of the School's new Brain Science Research Consortium Unit, with support from the National Institutes of Health and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, is one of the first to establish a pharmacological treatment for cocaine addiction, for which there are currently no FDA-approved medications. Addiction affects 13.2 to 19.7 million cocaine users worldwide. Cocaine is responsible for more U.S. emergency room visits than any other illegal drug. Cocaine harms the brain, heart, blood vessels, and lungs -- and can even cause sudden death. Professor Johnson, one of the nation's leading neuroscientists and psychopharmacologists, had previously found that topiramate was a safe and effective treatment for alcohol dependence compared with placebo. In releasing the new study, Professor Johnson, who conducted the research when he was with Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences … Continue reading →

By Janice Wood Associate News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 27, 2013 A new study reveals that topiramate, a drug approved to treat epilepsy and migraine headaches, also could help treat cocaine dependence. The study is one of the first to establish a pharmacological treatment for cocaine addiction, for which there are currently no FDA-approved medications, according to Dr. Bankole A. Johnson, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who led the research. Johnson previously found that Topamax (topiramate) was a safe and effective treatment for alcohol dependence. According to the researcher, there are between 13.2 million and 19.7 million cocaine addicts worldwide. Cocaine is responsible for more emergency room visits in the United States than any other illegal drug, he noted. The drug harms the brain, heart, blood vessels, and lungs and can cause sudden death, he added. The new study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, was conducted while Johnson was with the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. The study enrolled 142 people, over the age of 18, who were seeking treatment for cocaine dependence. The participants were randomly assigned to a topiramate … Continue reading →

The Michigan Department of Community Health has awarded $500,000 to Central Michigan University psychology professors to increase the number of professionals trained to serve individuals with autism spectrum disorders. CMU faculty members Carl Merle Johnson, Sharon Bradley-Johnson, Michael Hixson, Mark Reilly and Katrina Rhymer will train students in applied behavior analysis, which focuses on improving social behaviors of individuals with autism using intervention practices to modify actions and teach new skills. Behavior analysis is considered the best treatment of choice for autism because of the results it provides, said Johnson. Every individual who receives treatment experiences some improvement. Thats why its so important for us to train more people to be able to provide the service. The need is great and growing, particularly here in central and northern Michigan. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports one in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder, a neurological condition that affects normal brain function and impacts communication and interaction skills. The U.S. Department of Education estimates the number of individuals diagnosed with ASD is growing nationally at a rate of 10 to 17 percent a year. The one-year grant began Oct. 1 and will certify 25 undergraduate … Continue reading →