HATFIELD, England, September 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Europe first region in the world to gain access to this new therapy for partial seizures Fycompa(R) (perampanel) is the first in a new class of epilepsy treatments, with demonstrated efficacy in partial onset seizures, in particular with secondary generalisations.[1] In Europe, perampanel is indicated for use as an adjunctive treatment for partial onset seizures, with or without secondarily generalised seizures, in patients with epilepsy aged 12 years and older.[1] Following the UK launch, perampanel will also be launched in Germany, Austria and Denmark this month. Discovered and developed by Eisai in the UK and Japan, perampanel is the first and only licensed anti-epileptic drug (AED) to selectively target AMPA receptors, a receptor in the brain which plays a critical role in the initiation and spread of seizures.[2] This mechanism of action is different to any other licensed AEDs. In addition, perampanel has the added benefit of convenient, once-daily dosing at bedtime [1] and significantly, is the only third generation partial-onset epilepsy treatment licensed to treat adolescent epilepsy from launch. Improved epilepsy care is crucial. Currently, the cost burden of epilepsy in Europe is estimated to stand at EUR20 billion annually, [3] whilst … Continue reading →

HATFIELD, England, September 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UK first country in Europe to gain access to new therapy for partial epilepsy Fycompa (perampanel), discovered and developed by Eisai in the UK and Japan, is launched today as the first in an entirely new class of treatment for uncontrolled partial epilepsy (the most common form of the condition). The new therapy has demonstrated efficacy in partial onset seizures, in particular with secondary generalisations. It is indicated as an adjunctive treatment for partial-onset seizures, with or without secondarily generalised seizures, in people with epilepsy aged 12 years and older.[1] The worldwide supply of this new drug will be manufactured, packaged and distributed from the company's new 100 million facility in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Perampanel is the first and only licensed anti-epileptic drug (AED) to selectively target AMPA receptors, a receptor in the brain which plays a critical role in the spread of epileptic seizures.[2] This mechanism of action is different to other, currently available AEDs. In addition, perampanel has the added benefit of convenient, once-daily dosing at bedtime[1] and significantly, is the only third generation partial epilepsy treatment approved to treat adolescents with epilepsy from launch. There are approximately 600,000 individuals in the … Continue reading →

MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 12, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. (PACB) provider of the PacBio(R)RS High Resolution Genetic Analyzer, today announced that renowned scientist Lucy Shapiro, Ph.D. of Stanford University has joined the Company's Board of Directors. Dr. Shapiro currently serves as the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research and the Director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine, where she has been as a faculty member since 1989. Dr. Shapiro is a co-founder and director of Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In 1989, Dr. Shapiro founded Stanford University's Department of Developmental Biology, and served as its Chairman from 1989 to 1997. Prior to that, Dr. Shapiro served as Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. She received a B.A. from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Shapiro has received numerous awards and has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences for her … Continue reading →

(CBS News) Scientists have restored hearing in gerbils using a stem cell therapy that may hold promise for deaf humans. Using human embryonic stem cells, researchers at the University of Sheffield were able to implant immature nerve cells into gerbils, which then regenerated and were able to improve hearing ability in the animals. The study was published on Sept. 12 in Nature. Scientists restore sense of smell to mice who were born with genetic abnormality Marvel team creates deaf superhero called Blue Ear in honor of boy According to a Nature News article on the study, more than 275 million people have moderate-to-profound hearing loss, many of whom have it caused by a disruption in communication between the inner ear and brain. Senior study author Dr. Marcelo Rivolta, a stem cell researcher at the University of Sheffield told HealthDay that about 80 to 90 percent of deafness is due to problems with cells in the inner ear. There are two types of inner ear cells. Hair cells translate vibrations into electrical signals that are transmitted via the auditory nerve to the brain. Problems with these cells are typically fixed via cochlear implant, a small device which can bypass the hair … Continue reading →