A new form of iron may hold the clue that leads to treatment for a fatal inherited nervous system disease that can cause gait disturbance, speech problems, heart disease, diabetes and other symptoms. In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences today, researchers unravel a thread of evidence about Friedreichs ataxia (FA), a rare condition that strikes when sufferers are aged from five to 15. Co-authors Professor Tim St Pierre and Dr Lucia Gutierrez of The University of Western Australias BioMagnetics Group, are internationally acclaimed experts in the roles of iron in the body and ways to measure and detect iron. With PhD student Adam Fleming at UWA and fellow researchers from the University of Sydney led by Professor Des Richardson, as well as institutions in Canada and Spain, they have found a yet-to-be named new form of iron in the heart of the mice with the disease. The iron looks like a mineralised form of iron and phosphate, Professor St Pierre said. Its a type of rust that isnt an iron oxide. The UWA team and their colleagues around the world used techniques including Mssbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility measurements to try to identify the … Continue reading →

ATLANTA, Nov. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company focusing on CNS and immunology treatment and research, is sponsoring key sets of VIMPAT (lacosamide) C-V data at the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES) in San Diego, Calif., November 30 - December 4. "UCB recognizes the importance of investing in clinical research and is proud to present VIMPAT data that support our goal of gaining additional insight into the treatment of epilepsy," said Carol Satler, MD, PhD, Vice President, U.S. Medical Affairs, UCB, Inc. "Our collaborations with the scientific community allow us to increase our understanding of VIMPAT and underscore our commitment to improving the lives of people with epilepsy." VIMPAT is indicated as an add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy (ages> 17 in the U.S., ages> 16 years in the EU). The most common adverse reactions reported in pivotal trials and occurring in 10 percent or more of VIMPAT-treated patients, and greater than placebo, were dizziness, headache, nausea, and diplopia. Additional important safety information for VIMPAT is available below. Following is a guide to UCB-sponsored posters for VIMPAT and epilepsy being exhibited during the AES annual meeting. To schedule … Continue reading →