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Merck Halts Parkinson's Drug Trials

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

By Tim Brugger | More Articles May 24, 2013 | The phase 3 clinical program for Merck's (NYSE: MRK) new drug preladenant, a receptor antagonist in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, will be discontinued based on a lack of efficacy compared to a placebo, the companyannouncedyesterday. After studying the results of three independent phase 3 clinical trials, Merck has decided to "discontinue the extension phases of these studies and no longer plans to pursue regulatory filings for preladenant," the company said in a statement. In response to the preladenant trial results, Dr. David Michelson, vice president of clinical research, neuroscience, and ophthalmology at Merck research laboratories, said, "Parkinson's disease is very complex, making it difficult to treat patients and develop novel therapeutic approaches." Merck intends to conduct further studies of the preladenant trial's results and will share its data with the scientific community in an effort to find "new approaches to treat this debilitating disease." Visit link: Merck Halts Parkinson's Drug Trials … Continue reading →

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Proteins in migration: New animal model provides important clues on mechanisms of Parkinson's disease

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

May 24, 2013 In Parkinson's disease, the protein "alpha-synuclein" aggregates and accumulates within neurons. Specific areas of the brain become progressively affected as the disease develops and advances. The mechanism underlying this pathological progression is poorly understood but could result from spreading of the protein (or abnormal forms of it) along nerve projections connecting lower to upper brain regions. Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn have developed a novel experimental model that reproduces for the first time this pattern of alpha-synuclein brain spreading and provides important clues on the mechanisms underlying this pathological process. They triggered the production of human alpha-synuclein in the lower rat brain and were able to trace the spreading of this protein toward higher brain regions. The new experimental paradigm could promote the development of ways to halt or slow down disease development in humans. The research team headed by Prof. Donato Di Monte presents these results in the scientific journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the nervous system. It typically manifests itself with motor disturbances, such as an uncontrollable trembling of the limbs, as well as non-motor symptoms, including sleep disorders and depression. At the present, … Continue reading →

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New U.T. facility for Parkinson's

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

Published: 5/25/2013 - Updated: 4 minutes ago NEW FACILITY OFFERS HOPE FOR PARKINSONS PATIENTS BY LORENZO LIGATO BLADE STAFF WRITER Vicki Bolinger was only 47 years old when she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2002. A retired nurse, she underwent a series of medications and treatments in clinics scattered across Ohio before arriving at the Gardner-McMaster Parkinson Center on the University of Toledo Health Science campus. It was at the center, she said, that she found a "wonderful, dedicated staff and rooms twice as big." Ms. Bolinger, 58, of Marion, Ohio, is one some 1,300 patients who will receive treatment at the new Gardner-McMaster Parkinson Center. Characteristics of Parkinsons disease include shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination. According to the National Institutes of Health, the brain disorder affects about 500,000 people in the United States. The average age of onset is 60 years. The disease was first described in 1817 by James Parkinson, a British doctor. The nearly 6,000-square-foot center was inaugurated on Apr. 26 after a major six-month renovation project that turned the old medical facility into one of the leading Parkinson's centers in the nation, said Dr. Lawrence Elmer, a professor of neurology at … Continue reading →

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Boy is the first to have cerebral palsy 'successfully treated' using stem cells, taking him from a vegetative state to …

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

The child was left in a vegetative state after going into cardiac arrest Doctors said his future was bleak and his chances of survival were minimal But German doctors performed stem-cell therapy using frozen blood from his umbilical cord stored at birth and now he can walk, talk and smile again Experts said the results dispel 'long-held doubts' about stem cell therapy By Rachel Reilly PUBLISHED: 08:48 EST, 25 May 2013 | UPDATED: 09:47 EST, 25 May 2013 458 shares 15 View comments Doctors claim to have successfully treated a child suffering with cerebral palsy with stem cells for the first time. Just weeks after being given an intravenous stem cell treatment from umbilical cord blood, the symptoms of a boy who had been left in a vegetative state after a heart attack improved considerably. Within months he could talk and move. The German doctors who carried out the treatment say the results of the treatment dispel 'long-held doubts' surrounding the effectiveness of stem cell therapy. Doctors have successfully treated paediatric cerebral palsy with umbilical cord blood for the first time,on a patient known only L.B. They say the breakthrough dispels 'long-held doubts' surrounding the effectiveness of stem cell therapy … Continue reading →

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Retraining muscles to move smoothly in cerebral palsy cases

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

Two years ago, Adam Leon, 16, couldnt raise his right arm. He has cerebral palsy caused by a stroke before or just after birth that left his right arm and wrist stiff. Then in January 2012, Adam started getting Botox treatments from Dr. Roberto Lopez-Alberola, a pediatric neurologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Every three months, Lopez-Alberola injects the toxin into the affected muscles using electromyography to hear the nerves firing and target the right ones. Actually its the nerve were paralyzing. The muscle that was previously very tight or spastic now becomes relaxed, Lopez-Alberola explained. They put electrodes on my upper arms, and then the doctor injects the syringe full of the Botox, Adam said. The machine makes noises. [The targeted muscle] sounds like static, Adam said. The injections, coupled with intensive physical therapy and workouts in a Kendall gym with a personal trainer, have enabled Adam to extend his arm. I can carry groceries, I can turn doorknobs, it improves my balance, Adam said, adding that it takes a lot of brain power to learn to work unused muscles. Before, I felt low. My arm was so stiff and everyone would look at me, … Continue reading →

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Research and Markets: Ocrelizumab (Multiple Sclerosis) – Forecast and Market Analysis to 2022

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/p32xmw/ocrelizumab) has announced the addition of the "Ocrelizumab (Multiple Sclerosis) - Forecast and Market Analysis to 2022" report to their offering. Ocrelizumab (Multiple Sclerosis) - Forecast and Market Analysis to 2022. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory neurological disorder characterized pathologically by demyelination, axonal transection and neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. With curative therapy still elusive, current disease management is dependent on life-long pharmacotherapy with disease-modifying therapies (DMT). The dominance of first-line injectable DMTs, including the interferon beta (IFN) agents: Bayer's Betaseron/Betaferon (IFN-1b), Biogen's Avonex (IFN-1a) and Merck's Rebif (IFN-1a), and Teva's Copaxone (glatiramer acetate), has been a salient feature of the MS therapeutics market. However, the competitive landscape is undergoing significant change with the emergence of oral therapies, several pipeline products with notable efficacies, and looming generics/biosimilars following the patent expiries of key branded products during the forecast period. In addition, the entry of new companies such as Sanofi/Genzyme and F. Hoffmann-La-Roche/Genentech will challenge the position of the established players in the MS marketplace. Roche's/Genentech's and Biogen Idec's ocrelizumab (RG1594) is a recombinant humanized CD20 mAb that is currently being investigated in Phase III trials for the treatment of RRMS and PPMS. … Continue reading →

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MS liberation therapy fund should end, Parrott says

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

Independent MLA and retired surgeon Jim Parrott is calling on the provincial government to stop spending taxpayers' money on a controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis. The Alward government set up a fund in 2010 to match up to $2,500 in community donations for patients who want to travel outside of New Brunswick to get the so-called liberation therapy. But Parrott says the treatment, which involves opening up narrow neck veins, has since been proven "ineffective" and the fund, which has a budget of $75,000 this year, should now be rescinded. "It should have been evaluated with much more intensity, the value of the procedure," he said. A recent University of Buffalo study found liberation therapy did not improve symptoms and actually made a few patients worse. Finance Minister Blaine Higgs said earlier this month the fund, which falls under his department, was a campaign promise, but he planned to seek advice from doctors on the issue. Health Minister Ted Flemming agrees it may be time to reconsider the fund. "Perhaps three-and-a-half years ago there was some idea that yeah, it did work. Perhaps three-and-a-half years later, if there's now no clinical evidence that it does work, then you change," Flemming … Continue reading →

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HRT: New Guidelines 2013

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

The British Menopause Society and Women's Health Concern have released updated guidelines on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to provide clarity around the role of HRT, the benefits and the risks. The new guidelines appear in the society's flagship title, Menopause International. The key points are: *The decision whether to use HRT should be made by each woman having been given sufficient information by her health professional to make a fully informed choice. *The HRT dosage, regimen, and duration should be individualized, with annual evaluation of pros and cons. *Arbitrary limits should not be placed on the duration of usage of HRT; if symptoms persist, the benefits of hormone therapy usually outweigh the risks. *HRT prescribed before the age of 60 has a favorable benefit/risk profile. *It is imperative that women with primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) are encouraged to use HRT at least until the average age of the menopause. *If HRT is to be used in women over 60 years of age, lower doses should be started, preferably with a transdermal route of administration. *It is imperative that in our aging population, research and development of increasingly sophisticated hormonal preparations should continue to maximize benefits and minimize side effects and … Continue reading →

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Hormone replacement therapy: British Menopause Society and Women's Health Concern release updated guidelines

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

May 24, 2013 The British Menopause Society and Women's Health Concern have today released updated guidelines on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to provide clarity around the role of HRT, the benefits and the risks. The new guidelines appear in the society's flagship title, Menopause International, published by SAGE. Over the last 11 years, HRT has changed from being branded the "elixir of youth" to being considered extremely risky and only to be used in certain circumstances. Since the publication of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial in 2002, and the Million Women study (MWS) in 2003, confusion and controversy has surrounded the use of HRT and the known benefits have often been forgotten. A panel of experts have carefully considered, researched and reanalyzed the WHI and MWS studies alongside conducting further trials and studies, to offer practioners a detailed review of the evidence to help them optimize their clinical decisions, and provide women with more balanced and accurate advice on HRT treatment for menopause. The new HRT recommendations are designed to complement the BMS Observations and Recommendations on menopause. The updated guidelines detail key recommendations targeting access to advice on how women can optimize their menopause transition and beyond, focusing … Continue reading →

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Stem Cell Funding Challenge Tossed by U.S. Appeals Court

Posted: Published on May 25th, 2013

A lawsuit challenging U.S. funding for human embryonic stem-cell research was rejected by a federal appeals court in Washington, which upheld a lower courts ruling dismissing the case. A three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington today said that U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth committed no error when he threw out the lawsuit filed by James Sherley, a researcher at Boston Biomedical Research Institute, and Theresa Deisher, founder of AVM Biotechnology in Seattle. Lamberth, in his July 2011 dismissal ruling, cited an earlier appeals court finding that the government-backed research is probably lawful. The two doctors sought to block the U.S. Health and Human Services Department and the National Institutes of Health from spending federal funds on research involving human embryonic stem cells, arguing it violates a law known as the Dickey-Wicker Amendment. The 1996 statute bars government spending on research that damages or destroys a human embryo. In a 2-1 decision in April 2011, the appeals court let the funding continue while Lamberth considered a final ruling. The appellate panel said the language of the statute wouldnt support a funding cutoff. The case is Sherley v. Sebelius, 11-5241, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District … Continue reading →

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