Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated with high mortality rates

Researchers from the Karolinska Institute determined that patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have a higher overall mortality rate compared with the general population. Details of this study are available in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver...

Joe Jimenez to replace Daniel Vasella as Novartis CEO

> Joe Jimenez to replace Daniel Vasella as Novartis CEO. Release > Afferent Pharmaceuticals has appointed Bruce McCarthy as CEO. Release > Pavan Handa has joined Antares Pharma as SVP of business development....

Researchers develop new tool for gene delivery

Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts have developed a new tool for gene therapy that significantly increases gene delivery to cells in the retina compared to other carriers and DNA alone, according to a study published in the January issue of The Journal of Gene Medicine. The tool, a peptide called PEG-POD, provides a vehicle for therapeutic genes and may help researchers develop therapies for degenerative eye...

Seroquel and Seroquel XR Will Garner Nearly One Quarter of Antipsychotics Sales for Major Depressive Disorder By 2013, Following Seroquel XR’s Approval as an Adjunctive Therapy for the Indication

In the news release, Seroquel and Seroquel XR Will Garner Nearly One Quarter of Antipsychotics Sales for Major Depressive Disorder By 2013, Following Seroquel XR’s Approval as an Adjunctive Therapy for the Indication issued on January 27 by Decision Resources over PR Newswire, we are advised...

New Report and Survey Findings Highlight Why More Women Die From Heart Disease Than Men

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) launched "WINHeart -- Score a WIN for Women," an initiative that raises awareness surrounding gender-based disparities in the diagnosis, treatment and survival of women with...

Positive results from Supernus Pharmaceuticals’ SPN 810 Phase IIa trial for ADHD

Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc., today announced that its Phase IIa U.S. clinical trial for SPN 810 in children with ADHD and persistent serious conduct problems met the primary endpoints of safety and tolerability, as well as showed statistically significant reduction versus baseline in conduct problems across all doses. The trial was initiated in 2009 and was a proof-of-concept, open-label study in children 6 to 12 years of age, assigned to one of four doses over a six-week treatment period,...

Gene therapy study seeks to improve brain function in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) researchers are testing the effectiveness of gene therapy for the first time to treat patients with this common brain disease. A total of 12 institutions are participating in a nationwide study to test the experimental medication,...

FDA approves Novo’s blockbuster diabetes drug

After an exhaustive 21-month review, the FDA has extended its approval for the blockbuster new type 2 diabetes drug Victoza (liraglutide). And the news quickly spurred shares of Novo Nordisk higher. Victoza was approved for Europe last summer (and in Japan last week) and the manufacturer doesn't plan on wasting any time in getting the new drug out onto the hugely important U.S. market. Company execs tell Dow Jones that the treatment will be sold for $8 per 1.2 mgs compared to $4.3 for the same...

Envoy Enters Diabetes and Obesity Collaboration with Merck & Co., Inc.

Envoy Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a multi-year research collaboration agreement with an affiliate of Merck & Co., Inc. to discover novel diabetes and obesity drug targets. Under the agreement, Envoy will use its proprietary bacTRAP® technology to identify proteins expressed specifically in certain cell types. Merck will then work to identify and develop compounds that modulate protein targets with therapeutic potential for the treatment of metabolic...

Cardium Provides Update on Commercial Development Plans for Generx Angiogenic Therapy for Heart Disease at 2010 Cell & Gene Therapy Forum

Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE Amex: CXM) reported today that its Cardium Biologics division provided an update on plans for the continuing commercial development of Generx™ (alferminogene tadenovec, Ad5FGF-4), a DNA-based angiogenic therapy product candidate for patients with coronary artery disease.  The update was presented by Gabor M. Rubanyi, M.D., Ph.D., Cardium's Chief Scientific Officer at the annual 2010 Cell & Gene Therapy Forum in Washington, D.C. on January 25, 2010.  An...