New partnerships could help bring a novel class of biopharmaceutical to patients. Messenger RNAsmolecules that carry information between the genome and the protein-building machinery of cellscould become the next big class of biopharmaceutical drug. These molecules were once thought unusable as drugs because they are notoriously fragile and could rouse an inflammatory immune response. Now, thanks to several recent scientific discoveries, they are attracting the increasing attention of pharmaceutical companies. Recently, the pharmaceutical heavyweight AstraZeneca announced it would pay Moderna Therapetuics $240 million for rights to the startups mRNA technology, which it will use to develop treatments for cardiovascular, metabolic, and cancer patients. Inside a cell, mRNA serves as an intermediary between DNA-encoding genes and their protein products. As a drug, an mRNA would supply the biological instructions for producing a protein inside cells, perhaps a protein that replaces a missing or broken version inherited as part of a genetic disorder. In some ways, an mRNA would be more efficient than DNA-based gene therapy (which would require the cells to make their own mRNA intermediary before producing a protein) and more effective than recombinant protein therapy. While several companies are developing therapeutic gene-silencing RNAs, which inhibit damaging proteins from being … Continue reading →

A nine-year-old boy was caught selling drugs to primary and high school learners, a Tshwane metro police officer said. The police officer told Die Beeld that the Centurion boy had been selling drugs for his parents. The incident highlighted the availability of drugs at primary schools, where Grade seven learners were often selling the drugs to the younger children. According to Tshwane metro police inspector, Sidney de Wet, many primary school teachers did not know what signs to look for when searching for drugs. "The schools often dont know which signs to look out for - like dagga, which makes eyes turn red, nyope which brings about sleepiness and Cat, which makes users aggressive." According to an education expert at the University of the Free State, many primary school children used drugs. The expert also revealed that a study of high school pupils in Gauteng, the Free State and the Eastern Cape showed that drug use was prevalent with 58% regularly using dagga at school while 38% said other drugs were used on school property. View original post here: Boy (9) sells drugs at school … Continue reading →

Chandigarh, April 1 (IANS) Having busted an international drugs racket worth millions of dollars operating from Punjab, police said Monday that there is a Chinese connection to the crime. The drugs racket has already been linked to the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, and Afghanistan-Pakistan. Police said five Chinese associates had visited Chandigarh in 2010 for a quality check of methamphetamine, a substance known as "Ice" in rave party circles, and pseudophedrine, which is used as raw material in the manufacture of Ice. "The identity of the Chinese visitors has been established; further action is being taken," a police spokesman said here Monday. No further details of the Chinese men have been disclosed so far, pending investigation. Since the first seizure of over 28 kg heroin March 7, Punjab Police claimed to have seized huge quantities of drugs, including lifestyle drugs used in parties, from various places. Based on international prices for these drugs, police said the haul was valued at Rs.484 crore. The Fatehgarh Sahib district police had Sunday recovered 10 kg of "Ice" and 230 kg of pseudophedrine. The latest seizures were made from Panchkula (near Chandigarh), Patiala and Sangrur. Police say international boxer Vijender Singh consumed heroin 12 … Continue reading →

Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case about prescription drugs that involves a great deal of moneyincluding yours. The case concerns whether its legal for brand-name drug firms to strike financial deals that delay competitors entry into the market. Drug firms typically are awarded 20-year patents, though some of that time is eaten up while the drug is in development and before it begins earning revenues. In the last few years, would-be generic competitors have challenged the legality of a drugs patent, hoping to be able to sell a generic version before the patent term ends. Americans Struggling to Pay for Prescription Drugs If a generic competitor is successful in their patent challenge and the two companies reach a settlement, some brand-name drug companies have offered to pay the generic firm if it delays bringing its generic versionwhich costs consumers much less money than the brand name drugto the market for a period of time. By keeping a lower-priced generic version of a brand-name drug off the market longer, the brand-name companies stand to make a great deal more money. So much money, in fact, that even paying the generics to not sell their drugs for a … Continue reading →