TURKU, FINLAND--(Marketwired - Jun 4, 2013) - Biotie Therapies Corp. ("Biotie") today announced that it has obtained an exclusive option to acquire Neurelis, Inc. ("Neurelis"), a private specialty pharmaceutical company based in San Diego, CA, focused on developing products for epilepsy and other disorders of the central nervous system ("CNS"). Neurelis' lead product, NRL-1, is a proprietary intranasal formulation of diazepam delivered via an already marketed nasal sprayer. It is being developed to help patients with epilepsy who require intermittent use of diazepam to manage bouts of acute and repetitive seizures. Timo Veromaa, President and Chief Executive Officer of Biotie stated "Our interest in Neurelis is in line with our ongoing portfolio review, which is focused on ensuring that we are developing products that address areas of significant unmet medical need and have the greatest potential for creating value for our shareholders. We are now in a position to assess the potential of NRL-1 alongside our internal pipeline opportunities." He continued "NRL-1 is an exciting late-stage product for the control of epileptic seizures. We believe the product could offer a far better solution for patients and their caregivers who currently rely on rectal administration of diazepam or visits to the … Continue reading →

Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) June 04, 2013 Special Learning, Inc., the leading global provider of mobile technology applications and educational resources for the autism community, announced today a new initiative to spread global autism awareness by offering a free copy of one its most popular e-books. For the month of June, Special Learning is giving away The ABCs of Autism, its most popular e-book on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to foster further public education, insight, and awareness of the disorder. Special Learning offers a large selection of downloadable products designed for parents, providers and educators to use in the treatment and teaching of individuals affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Comprehensive information, provided in various downloadable formats, is available on topics related to autism and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). The Special Learning e-book series was written under the guidance of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and has been developed specifically for those looking to obtain a broad understanding of autism. Special Learning is committed to informing and educating the global community about the condition of autism spectrum disorder, said Karen Chung, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Special Learning. It is our mission to empower others, through … Continue reading →

New research is offering clues about why people with a genetic condition associated with autism and intellectual disability exhibit certain behaviors, a finding which may spur treatment advances. In looking at mice with a genetic abnormality similar to fragile X syndrome, researchers say they suspect that individuals with the condition may have too much activity occurring in the brain. Whether asleep or awake, scientists observing the mice found that networks of neurons in the brain were firing way more often than they should, a phenomenon that might explain certain traits common to those with the developmental disorder. We tested the signaling between different neurons in fragile X mice and indeed found there was abnormally high firing of action potentials the signals between neurons and also abnormally high synchrony that is, too many neurons fired together, said Carlos Portera-Cailliau of the University of California, Los Angeles, a senior author of the study published online this week in the journal Nature Neuroscience. The finding could help explain why many people with fragile X struggle with sleep, seizures and learning disabilities, the researchers said. And, it could lead to new treatments. Because brain scientists know a lot about the factors that regulate neuronal … Continue reading →

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA (PRWEB) June 04, 2013 ACT Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!), a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide care and treatment to children with autism, announces its 8th Annual Denim & Diamonds for Autism fundraiser, presented by Puritas Organic Gold, a fulvic-infused organic high alkaline water, will be held on Sunday, October 6, 2013 at Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village, CA. "Puritas Organic Gold is proud to sponsor the 8th Annual Denim & Diamonds for Autism event and support the mission of ACT Today!, helping to raise awareness and provide treatment services and support to families to help their children with autism achieve their full potential," says Puritas brands project manager Karen Nelson. ACT Today!s annual Denim & Diamonds for Autism makes it possible for the nonprofit organization to provide immediate and direct care and treatment to children and families in need. Over the past seven years, ACT Today! has provided $1 million dollars in access to care and treatment to families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who cannot afford the necessary tools their children need to reach their full potential. ACT Today! provides access to services that include social skills programs, tuition … Continue reading →

Just a couple of weeks ago, getting ready to head to high school, Parker Roos took part in a three-day team-building event called Outward Ingersoll. He climbed ropes, ran, wore jeans. At the often-vexed and often-vexing age of 14, he was having a blast. Hes had such an amazing year, says his mother, Holly Usrey-Roos. Everything the other kids did, he did. It doesnt sound like a such big deal. Unless, like Parker, you have Fragile X Syndrome, or FXS. Unless, like Parker, your medication becomes unavailable at any price. The leading known genetic cause of autism, FXS can have a wide range of symptoms. Parker used to be nonverbal, but aggressive, and mostly made his wishes known by screaming. Usrey-Roos once wore long-sleeved shirts to cover her bruises and became an advocate/educator to help people understand. Shes held fundraisers, fought for treatment, testified before Congress, stayed up late nights emailing other FXS families as a liaison with the National Fragile X Foundation. It hasnt been easy, but it got easier when Parker was 10 years old. He entered a drug trial for a promising medication called Arbaclofen. Two weeks later, he told his mother he loved her for the … Continue reading →