REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced clinical progress with its Anti-Notch2/3 (OMP-59R5) product candidate, which will trigger an $8 million milestone payment from the companys strategic collaborator GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). OncoMed has initiated a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in its anti-Notch2/3 antibody (OMP-59R5) program. In the Phase 1b/2 PINNACLE trial (Phase 1b/2 INvestigation of anti-Notch Antibody therapy with Cisplatin and etoposide in small cell Lung carcinoma Efficacy and safety), Anti-Notch2/3 is being tested in combination with cisplatin and etoposide in first-line extensive-stage SCLC patients. Following a Phase 1b dose escalation and expansion phase, a randomized Phase 2 clinical trial will proceed in these patients to compare the efficacy of standard-of-care cisplatin and etoposide either with Anti-Notch2/3 or with placebo. The primary endpoint of the Phase 2 part of the trial will be progression-free survival (PFS) in the Anti-Notch2/3 arm compared to a placebo arm in patients who have a particular biomarker. Key secondary and exploratory endpoints include overall survival, response rate, and safety. Enrollment of patients in both the U.S. and Europe is planned. Dr. Robert Jotte, Developmental Co-Chair for US Oncology Lung … Continue reading →

Boston, MA (PRWEB) May 14, 2013 Doctors Health Press, a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular online Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is reporting on a new study finding that brain tissue transplants may effectively cure epilepsy. As Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin (http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/) notes in an e-newsletter article, epilepsy, a disease impacting close to three million Americans and 50 million people worldwide, has been perplexing doctors since it was first reported. Current medical treatments dont seem to work, with 30% of sufferers not responding to treatment at all, making epilepsy a very frustrating, and often dangerous, condition. As the e-newsletter article, The Mysterious Disease Affecting 50 Million People reports, because medical treatments dont tend to work, doctors have changed their focus to alternative therapiesand researchers may have found a cure. The latest study out of the University of California in San Francisco produced results indicating that brain tissue transplants to epileptics can either halt or drastically reduce seizures. Transplanted brain tissue directly focusing on the cause of seizures showed resoundingly positive results. The Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin article states that doctors recognized seizures occur because of highly active nerve … Continue reading →

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) May 14, 2013 Many children with autism have difficulty in expressing themselves verbally and often art can become an outlet and means for them to communicate with the world around them. Nicole Martin ATR, the author of "Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism" used the following passage to describe autism in an article written for the American Art Therapy Association Autism Tool Kit. Imagine being chronically over-stimulated, with inadequate communication tools, difficulty focusing, and anxiety--this is the world of a person with autism. Art therapy provides real relief; a visual tool for communication, a window to the imagination, and a motivation to make connections. Art therapists are fluent in providing high-quality, visual, sensory-rich opportunities for learning for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Research confirms art therapy is a proven treatment modality that helps individuals on the Autism Spectrum to comfortably explore and attain increased selfawareness, enhanced communication and self-expression, improved focus and motor skills, and balanced sensory integration. We are pleased to be involved in a pilot test with our virtual wall technology that features digital spray paint with the Autism Treatment Center of Dallas. Said Dennis Walthers, Founder of Air Graffiti Dallas. … Continue reading →

CARY, N.C., May 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --National Autism Network launches the most comprehensive and up to date website (www.nationalautismnetwork.com), available for individuals, families, and service providers affected by autism. The National Autism Network organizes the Internet as it pertains to autism spectrum disorders providing both families and providers with a single source to get the latest information. The site includes the largest collection of autism-related articles, hundreds of pages of information on diagnostics, early intervention, treatment models, education, legislation and much more. There are discussion forums allowing parents and professionals to connect on an unlimited number of subjects, an events calendar with over 2500 local events as well as a nationwide provider directory. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130514/PH12994-a ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130514/PH12994LOGO-b ) "When a child is diagnosed with autism, families spend an enormous amount of time scanning the Internet for answers. We created this resource to limit that time with information from credible sources as well as providing a forum in which parents, providers and individuals on the spectrum could unite in one location," said Cari DeCandia, Director of National Autism Network. Every individual and family member that registers with the National Autism Network will have the capability to create a profile, participate … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/w7qhgz/disease_and) has announced the addition of the "Disease and Therapy Review: Stroke" report to their offering. The Stroke Disease and Therapy Review provides an overview of the condition, with incidence, prevalence, and mortality numbers for major countries worldwide, information on diagnosis, and an overview of treatment for different types of strokes. Dosing and treatment cost information is provided for various treatment types and for medication. General information on the stroke market, potential future therapies, and sales of leading drugs and therapies are provided. Disease and Therapy Reviews were developed to provide a basic understanding of the key facts about a disease and market in a quick, easy-to-read format. These reports are prepared by the senior market research team of Timely Data Resources. Each Disease and Therapy Review provides a concise analysis of the most important information about a particular disease, its treatment, and the market opportunities. Reports begin with an overview of the condition, and also contain tables that summarize the available worldwide incidence and prevalence data for the condition, a review of current diagnosis strategies and treatment options, general information about the market size, and information about important market trends. The data contained in … Continue reading →

At the age of 8, Kendall "Roo" Gillis is a stroke survivor. Last July, the first-grader who earned her nickname Roo from the character of the same name in Winnie the Pooh, was playing on the beach when she told her mother, Greta, "my head hurts." Her mother noticed Kendall was drooling, having trouble walking and was becoming lethargic. After a call to her pediatrician who recognized the signs of pediatric stroke, Gillis was flown to Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, a pediatric specialty hospital, in Hollywood where she fell into a coma, underwent brain surgery and spent the next two months recuperating. Kendall, who just completed her first communion, was one of about 6 in 100,000 children to suffer a pediatric stroke. Strokes are the sixth leading cause of death in children and can also occur neo-natally. Greta Gillis, who runs a telecommunications company with her husband Bill, said, "We did not think Kendall would survive. We did not know what the outcome would be. We were so lucky to have the best care and dedicated physicians at Joe DiMaggio and it was in her favor that she's so young and her brain is so plastic." As it turned out, … Continue reading →

Public release date: 14-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Shantell Kirkendoll smkirk@umich.edu 734-764-2220 University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich. African-Americans know the signs of stroke, but concerns about medical cost, ambulance response time and unfamiliarity with the need for prompt hospital care impacted whether they called 9-1-1 immediately. A study that included 77 African-Americans in Flint, Mich., revealed barriers among adults and youth in getting help for stroke which is significantly higher among African-Americans and leads to more deaths and disability. Adults mentioned the cost of paying for an ambulance, while young people worried about staying calm if they witnessed someone having a stroke, according to the study by the University of Michigan. "Overwhelmingly adult and youth participants recognized that stroke was an emergency, but to increase 9-1-1 calls for stroke, interventions will need to address factors beyond identification of stroke warning signs," says study lead author Lesli Skolarus, M.D., a neurologist at the U-M Health System. The findings were published online Tuesday in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association. U-M stroke specialists and public health experts partnered with Bridges to the Future to conduct the study in Flint, a … Continue reading →

MONDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs on one side of the body, confusion and trouble speaking are among the signs that someone is having a stroke. The sooner a stroke is recognized and treated, the greater the chance of recovery, experts say. "When someone has a stroke, they may show either slight or extremely noticeable physical changes," Dr. Randolph Marshall, chief of the stroke division at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, said in a hospital news release. "The most effective way to prevent the permanent damage associated with stroke is to recognize the signs of an attack and to seek medical attention immediately." Dizziness and trouble walking, loss of vision in one or both eyes and a severe headache that comes on suddenly for no apparent reason are other signs that someone is having a stroke. Early treatment, however, can prevent or possibly reverse the damage caused by strokes. The experts advised remembering the acronym "FAST" to help people recognize a stroke sooner and reduce any long-term damage. One of the most common treatments for stroke is tissue plasminogen activator, the "clot-busting" treatment also known as TPA. The drug is … Continue reading →