ViroPharma Incorporated (VPHM) recently announced results from a phase II study of its candidate VP20621 (non-toxigenic Clostridium difficile), which is being developed to prevent recurrent C. difficile infections (CDI), a gastrointestinal infection. The study (n=168) was conducted over 14 days wherein VP20621 was administered orally in adults previously treated for C. difficile- associated diarrhea (:CDAD) with oral vancomycin or metronidazole. The patients were given either placebo or VP20621 after they completed their antibiotic treatment to evaluate the tolerability of the latter. Results from the study revealed statistically significant reductions in CDI recurrence in patients treated with VP20621 compared to those in the placebo arm. We note that at its inv day in Sep 2012, the company had designated VP20621 as a non-core asset. However, encouraged by the data, ViroPharma plans to seek a partner for the further development and subsequent commercialization of the candidate. We note that ViroPharma already has an approved drug, Vancocin indicated for the treatment of CDAD. Hence, ViroPharma plans to complete the evaluation of the phase II data to determine the pathway for future development. Nevertheless, ViroPharma also has maribavir in its pipeline, which is being developed for the treatment of cytomegalovirus (:CMV) infections in transplant … Continue reading →

Public release date: 24-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Erin White ewhite@northwestern.edu 847-491-4888 Northwestern University CHICAGO --- With the help of genetics, prostate specific antigen (PSA) screenings may become more accurate and reduce the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies, according to a new study from Northwestern Medicine. Personalized PSA testing using genetic variants could account for an 18 percent reduction in the number of men who likely would have undergone unnecessary biopsies, according to the study. It will be published in the May 2013 issue of The Journal of Urology. The high survival rate of men with prostate cancer is largely a reflection of PSA testing, but support for the widespread use of the screening method has been the topic of recent debate because of its limited specificity. "By utilizing a person's genetic makeup we can personalize care when he comes in for a PSA screening," said Brian Helfand, M.D., lead author of the study. "We may be able to prevent some men from having an unnecessary biopsy and prevent a delay in biopsy for men who may have an aggressive disease." Helfand is an adjunct assistant professor of cell and molecular biology at Northwestern University Feinberg School … Continue reading →

Public release date: 24-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Nick Miller nicholas.miller@cchmc.org 513-803-6035 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center CINCINNATI Researchers report in Nature Genetics they have increased the number of confirmed genes linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) from three to 17 a finding that will clarify how JIA fits into the spectrum of autoimmune disorders and help identify potential treatment targets. Published April 21, the study involves an international research team that analyzed 2,816 JIA cases recruited from more than 40 pediatric rheumatology clinics. It was the largest collaborative patient population of JIA to date, including patient DNA samples from across the United States, Germany and United Kingdom, according to Susan Thompson, PhD, a researcher in the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center who was a leader for the study. "These findings will help us understand how the long suspected genetic contributions to JIA are driving the disease process, with the ultimate goal being earlier and improved diagnosis and treatment," Thompson said. JIA is the most common rheumatic disease of childhood that involves several different but related forms. Affecting some 50,000 children in the US, the actual cause of the disease remains unknown. JIA … Continue reading →

Apr. 24, 2013 A new study presented last week is coming one step closer to finding out whether or not an athlete's genetic makeup determines the severity of post-concussive brain function. Tom Terrell, MD, M.Phil., presented his concussion research entitled "Association between Genetic Polymorphisms and the Difference between Baseline and Post-Concussion Headminder/ImPACT Neuropsychological Test Scores in Reaction Time and Errors in College Athletes" on April 20, 2013, at the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego, Cal. This prospective cohort study is the first to link 2 particular genetic markers Tau gene exon 6 Hist47Tyr and APOE Promoter G-219T) to post-concussion neurocognitive function ("reaction time") and outcome in a group of college football and men's/ women's soccer athletes. Dr. Terrell believes this is one precursor to understanding the link between genetic factors and neurocognitive outcome for concussion in contact sport athletes. The prospective cohort study included 3,218 college athletes with the study group including 131 who completed a concussion/medical history questionnaire, genetic sampling, and baseline neuropsychological testing (Headminder and ImPACT). Funded by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Foundation and the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), Dr. Terrell's large prospective cohort … Continue reading →

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