Pharma
The Lead
Human 3D Skin Models
April 10, 2013 1:36 pm | by Scott Hickman, Marketing Manager, Toxicology, BioReliance Corporation | Articles | Comments
The development of the 3D reconstructed human skin micronucleus (RSMN) assay is the first to overcome the limitations of traditional cell culture methods. It can provide a more biologically relevant result than standard 2D in vitro genotoxicity assays, since it provides a functional stratum corneum, which accounts for permeability and appears to have a normal dermal metabolic capability.
DNA Manipulation Reduces 'Problem' Drinking
February 21, 2013 10:06 am | News | Comments
A new study identified a potential new approach for reducing problem...
Personalized Cancer Drug Selection a Possibility
February 15, 2013 11:13 am | News | Comments
Scientists have developed a way to personalize chemotherapy drug selection for cancer patients...
Personalized Cancer Drug Selection a Possibility
February 15, 2013 11:13 am | News | Comments
Scientists have developed a way to personalize chemotherapy drug selection for cancer patients...
Alzheimer's Drug Restores Lost Brain Connections
June 18, 2013 10:02 am | News | CommentsThe first experimental drug to boost brain synapses lost in Alzheimer’s disease has been developed by researchers. The drug, called NitroMemantine, combines two FDA-approved medicines to stop the destructive cascade of changes in the brain that destroys the connections between neurons, leading to memory loss and cognitive decline.
Researchers Tackle MERS with SARS Approach
June 18, 2013 9:46 am | News | CommentsA pair of researchers who in the past created compounds to block the SARS virus are now tackling the new Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, or MERS-CoV. The team's successful work on SARS paved the way for them to swiftly work on MERS CoV, reducing parts of the process that would normally take years to a matter of month.
Melanoma Tumors 'Eradicated' in Mice
June 17, 2013 11:10 am | News | CommentsResearchers eradicated most melanoma tumors by exposing them to a fast-acting virus, according to a report in the Journal of Virology. Melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer and can spread throughout the body and even into the brain.
Toxin Testing Helps Treat Spine Injuries, MS Symptoms
June 17, 2013 10:28 am | News | CommentsA medical test previously developed to measure a toxin found in tobacco smokers has been adapted to measure the same toxin in people suffering from spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis, offering a potential tool to reduce symptoms.
HIV Treatment Can Protect Injection Drug Users
June 12, 2013 3:06 pm | by MIKE STOBBE - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsDoctors should consider giving a daily AIDS drug to another high risk group to help prevent infections - people who shoot heroin, methamphetamines or other injection drugs, U.S. health officials say. A similar recommendation is already in place for gay men and heterosexual couples at high risk of catching HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Diabetes, Dementia Share a 'Vicious Cycle'
June 11, 2013 10:08 am | News | CommentsA study looks at the close link between diabetes and dementia, which can create a vicious cycle. Diabetes-associated episodes of low blood sugar may increase the risk of developing dementia, while having dementia or even milder forms of cognitive impairment may increase the risk of experiencing low blood sugar, according to the study.
Technology Safely Delivers Vaccines to the Gut
June 11, 2013 9:53 am | News | CommentsA new technology under development by an academic–industry partnership protects oral vaccines from destruction by the digestive system. From the mouth to the small intestine, the digestive system presents a series of challenges designed to protect us by killing ingested bacteria.
FDA Finds Fungus in Specialty Steroids
June 7, 2013 5:30 pm | by MATTHEW PERRONE - AP Health Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsFederal health officials say they have found bacteria and fungus in drug vials from a Tennessee specialty pharmacy that recalled all of its injectable medicines last month. The Food and Drug Administration said in an online posting Friday that it identified the growths in two unopened vials of a steroid injection distributed by the Main Street Family Pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy in Newbern, Tenn.
Anesthesia Effects Depend on Age of Neurons, Not Patient
June 6, 2013 11:07 am | News | CommentsAs pediatric specialists become increasingly aware that surgical anesthesia may have lasting effects on the developing brains of young children, new research suggests the threat may also apply to adult brains. Researchers recently reported that testing in laboratory mice shows anesthesia’s neurotoxic effects depend on the age of brain neurons– not the age of the animal undergoing anesthesia.
Novel Compound Kills Cancer Cells, Stops Metastasis
June 6, 2013 9:51 am | News | CommentsScientists are reporting development and successful lab tests on the first potential drug to pack a lethal one-two punch against melanoma skin cancer cells. Hit number one destroys cells in the main tumor, and the second hit blocks the spread of the cancer to other sites in the body.
J&J Recalls 32M Contraceptive Packages
June 4, 2013 1:28 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsJohnson & Johnson is conducting a voluntary recall of millions of oral contraceptive packages in 43 countries outside the U.S., but says there's a "very low" risk that the flawed tablets could cause unplanned pregnancies. It's the latest in a series of about 40 product recalls announced by the U.S.-based company since 2009.
New Method Can Mass-produce High-quality DNA
June 4, 2013 10:47 am | News | CommentsA new method of manufacturing short, single-stranded DNA molecules can solve many of the problems associated with current production methods. The new method can be of value to both DNA nanotechnology and the development of drugs consisting of DNA fragments.
Ketamine Cousin Lifts Depression Without Side Effects
May 31, 2013 11:02 am | News | CommentsGLYX-13, a molecular cousin to ketamine, induces similar antidepressant results without the street drug side effects, reports a new study. Major depression affects about 10 percent of the adult population and is the second leading cause of disability in U.S. adults.
Supercomputer Helps Build HIV Capsid Structure
May 30, 2013 11:55 am | News | CommentsResearchers report that they have determined the precise chemical structure of the HIV capsid, a protein shell that protects the virus’s genetic material and is a key to its virulence. The capsid has become an attractive target for the development of new antiretroviral drugs.
Gene Therapy Protects Against Pandemic Flu Strains
May 30, 2013 11:21 am | News | CommentsResearchers have developed a new gene therapy to thwart a potential influenza pandemic. Investigators demonstrated that a single dose of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing a broadly neutralizing flu antibody into the nasal passages of mice and ferrets gives them complete protection and substantial reductions in flu replication when exposed to lethal strains of H5N1 and H1N1 flu virus.
Nanoparticles Shape-shift in Response to Tumor Signal
May 29, 2013 11:28 am | News | CommentsScientists have designed tiny spherical particles to float easily through the bloodstream after injection, then assemble into a durable scaffold within diseased tissue. An enzyme produced by a specific type of tumor can trigger the transformation of the spheres into netlike structures that accumulate at the site of a cancer.
Liquid-repelling Paper May Yield New Biomedical Diagnostics
May 29, 2013 10:35 am | News | CommentsPaper is known for its ability to absorb liquids, making it ideal for products such as paper towels. But by modifying the underlying network of cellulose fibers, etching off surface “fluff” and applying a thin chemical coating, researchers have created a new type of paper that repels a wide variety of liquids– including water and oil.
Lab-based Skin Test Predicts Adverse Drug Reactions
May 28, 2013 11:46 am | News | CommentsA simple lab-based skin test which eliminates the risk of adverse reactions to new drugs, cosmetics and household chemicals has been developed by team of researchers. It uses real human skin and immune cells to show any reaction such as a rash or blistering indicating a wider immune response within the body.
Protein Fusion May Yield Universal Influenza Vaccination
May 23, 2013 11:47 am | News | CommentsA new approach for immunizing against influenza elicited a more potent immune response and broader protection than the currently licensed seasonal influenza vaccines when tested in mice and ferrets. The vaccine concept represents an important step forward in the quest to develop a universal influenza vaccine.
Addiction-blocking Drug Under Development
May 22, 2013 12:50 pm | News | CommentsResearchers have unraveled the molecular foundations of cocaine’s effects on the brain, and identified a compound that blocks cravings for the drug in cocaine-addicted mice. The compound, already proven safe for humans, is undergoing further animal testing in preparation for possible clinical trials in cocaine addicts.
Researchers Closer to Alzheimer's Prevention, Treatment
May 22, 2013 11:10 am | News | CommentsImagine a pharmaceutical prevention, treatment or even cure for Alzheimer’s disease. It is almost impossible to overstate how monumental a development that would be and how it would answer the prayers of millions. Though science isn’t there yet, a new study offers a tantalizing glimpse of potential solutions.
One-step Genetic Engineering Technology Developed
May 22, 2013 10:06 am | News | CommentsA new, streamlined approach to genetic engineering drastically reduces the time and effort needed to insert new genes into bacteria, the workhorses of biotechnology, scientists are reporting. The method paves the way for more rapid development of designer microbes for drug development, environmental cleanup and other activities.
Vitamin C Kills Drug-resistant TB
May 21, 2013 12:00 pm | by Einstein | News | CommentsResearchers have determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in laboratory culture. The finding suggests that vitamin C added to existing TB drugs could shorten TB therapy, and it highlights a new area for drug design.
A New Way to Open Clogged Arteries
May 21, 2013 11:03 am | News | CommentsOver the past few decades, scientists have developed many devices that can reopen clogged arteries, including angioplasty balloons and metallic stents. While generally effective, each of these treatments has drawbacks, including the risk of side effects.
UK Measles Surge Years After Vaccine Scare
May 20, 2013 6:00 am | by MARIA CHENG - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsMore than a decade ago, British parents refused to give measles shots to at least a million children because of a vaccine scare that raised the specter of autism. Now, health officials are scrambling to catch up and stop a growing epidemic of the contagious disease. This year, the U.K. has had more than 1,200 cases of measles, after a record number of nearly 2,000 cases last year.
