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New drug therapy could improve brain function and life expectancy of ALS patients

May 31, 2017June 5, 2017 TheBioConnection Comment(0)

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers are developing a new therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) using part of an existing FDA-approved drug that restores the central nervous system’s (CNS) immune defenses and increases life expectancy. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a lethal, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor nerve […]

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Pharmaceuticals

FDA approves drug to treat ALS

May 5, 2017May 7, 2017 TheBioConnection Comments Off

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Radicava (edaravone) to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. “After learning about the use of edaravone to treat ALS in Japan, we rapidly engaged with the drug developer about filing a marketing application in the United States,” said Eric Bastings, […]

Drug compound stops cancer cells from spreading in mice June 22, 2018
New research shows that it may be possible to freeze cancer cells and kill them where they stand.
Miniature testing of drug pairs on tumor biopsies June 22, 2018
Combinations of cancer drugs can be quickly and cheaply tested on tumour cells using a novel device developed by scientists. The research marks the latest advancement in the field of personalized medicine.
New clues to improving chemotherapies June 21, 2018
The work has important implications for understanding how human cancer cells develop resistance to natural product-based chemotherapies.
Higher body fat linked to lower breast cancer risk in younger women June 21, 2018
An analysis has linked higher body mass index, or BMI, to lower breast cancer risk for younger women, even for women within a normal weight range.
DNA enzyme shuffles cell membranes a thousand times faster than its natural counterpart June 21, 2018
A new synthetic enzyme, crafted from DNA rather than protein, flips lipid molecules within the cell membrane, triggering a signal pathway that could be harnessed to induce cell death in cancer cells. This is the first such synthetic enzyme to outperform its natural counterpart -- and it does so by three orders of magnitude.
New target to stop cancer growth uncovered June 21, 2018
Researchers have discovered that a protein called Munc13-4 helps cancer cells secrete large numbers of exosomes -- tiny, membrane-bound packages containing proteins and RNAs that stimulate tumor progression. The study could lead to new therapies that stop tumor growth and metastasis by halting exosome production.
Human immune 'trigger' map paves way for better treatments June 21, 2018
A discovery about how human cells are 'triggered' to undergo an inflammatory type of cell death could have implications for treating cancer, stroke and tissue injury, and immune disorders. A research team has identified the molecular trigger in human cells that drives necroptosis, and implicated defects in this molecular trigger as potentially playing a role […]
Opening up a drug delivery route: Discovery of a new vehicle peptide June 21, 2018
The bottleneck of cationic antimicrobial peptides as anticancer therapeutics is their limited ability to penetrate cell membranes. Researchers discovered a cyclic decapeptide (termed peptide 1) that serves as a promising lead compound as a new intracellular delivery vehicle for therapeutically effective peptides. When conjugated with another membrane impermeable proapoptotic domain (PAD) peptide, the compound was […]
Transport of lipid-conjugated floxuridine by natural serum albumin for delivery to cancer cells June 21, 2018
How can elimination of therapeutics from the bloodstream or their early enzymatic degradation be avoided in systemic delivery? Scientists have new developed a method to bind an established cancer therapeutic, floxuridine, with natural serum albumin for its transport and delivery to target cancer cells.
Novel therapy makes oxidative stress deadly to cancer June 21, 2018
Oxidative stress can help tumors thrive, but one way novel cancer treatments work is by pushing levels to the point where it instead helps them die, scientists report.

Canadian senate votes to legalize recreational cannabis; product could be on retail shelves in 8-12 weeks June 22, 2018
Canada is first major economy to vote to legalize recreational cannabis use and according to industry analysts, the Canadian cannabis industry could surpass C$22 billion in size over the coming years.
BriaCell Therapeutics with an update on its Off The Shelf breast cancer treatment reducing drug treatment costs June 22, 2018
BriaCell Therapeutics (TSX-V:BCT, OTCMKTS:BCTXF) president & CEO Bill Williams speaks to Proactive about the evolution of the company, why he invested his own funds in BriaCell’s growth, and the development of Bria OTS — the first-ever off-the-shelf treatment for breast cancer. He discussed the group’s funding and growth plans.
Crescita Therapeutics leverages its unique drug delivery systems and a strong pipeline for growth June 22, 2018
Crescita Therapeutics Inc. (TSX:CTX) executive chairman of the Board Dan Chicoine talks to Proactive about the rapid growth of its prescription dermatology lines and how it is leveraging its unique drug delivery systems to support growth of its product lines. He also discussed how the company deals with intense competition in the skincare industry.
Daily CryptoCann Report: The Federal Reserve launches a crypto index; LeBron James has a cannabis strain named after him June 22, 2018
The Fed will use data from the Coinbase exchange to track Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum and Litecoin
Redfund Capital Corp grows client list with cannabis edibles infusions brand, Biolog Inc June 22, 2018
Biolog has developed a patented system to infuse food and beverages with cannabis
Oppenheimer raises Heron Therapeutics' price target 47% on promise of post-op painkiller June 22, 2018
Analysts forecast peak sales of US$1bn for the San Diego biotech’s HTX-011 treatment for postoperative pain
Tandem Diabetes Care shares surge following FDA approval for its automated insulin pump June 22, 2018
The device uses an algorithm to predict glucose levels 30 minutes into the future
Synairgen says its drug well tolerated in phase II trial June 22, 2018
Richard Marsden, CEO of Synairgen plc (LON:SNG), tells Proactive the phase II trial showed that its drug for the sufferers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been well tolerated. “To show the drug was well tolerated was a very important step. In coming days or weeks we will put some further data out, which […]
Cambian Group trading in line with expectations June 22, 2018
The group's services have a specific focus on children who present high severity needs with challenging behaviours and complex care requirements
Synairgen’s lead drug well tolerated so far in phase II trial June 22, 2018
The trial is in two parts and after the positive interim safety readout, regulators have given the green light for the second stage to go ahead

STAT Plus: Ohio peels back the curtain on a lucrative PBM profit center June 22, 2018
"This is the first glimpse of what the pharmacy benefit manager is getting paid.”
STAT Plus: Lawmakers ask FTC to examine whether pay-to-delay deals are thwarting biosimilars June 22, 2018
"Given that the companies do not publicize the terms of their settlements, we are left in the dark."
STAT Plus: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings June 22, 2018
Hired someone new and exciting? Promoting a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us.
STAT Plus: Pharmalittle: E.U. health chief calls Trump freeloading claim ‘fake news’; one drug maker says no to Right to Try June 22, 2018
Sarepta Therapeutics says it will not offer pre-approval access under right-to-try legislation or the FDA's expanded access program for any of its Duchenne muscular dystrophy drugs under development.
STAT Plus: Frustrated at the pace of biosimilar development, FDA yanks a draft guidance June 21, 2018
"The market for these products is not advancing as quickly as I hoped,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.
STAT Plus: Canada looks to restrict how drug makers market opioids June 21, 2018
“I am calling on industry to act now and stop their marketing activities associated with these products in Canada,” Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor said.
STAT Plus: Pharmalittle: A ‘right to try’ drug may cost $300,000; a rash of shortages for a new shingles vaccine June 21, 2018
A national shortage of a new and more effective vaccine to protect adults older than 50 from shingles is prompting retailers to create waiting lists and the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, to…
STAT Plus: Consumer group petitions FDA to yank a widely prescribed gout drug over heart risks June 21, 2018
Takeda notched $1.9 billion in U.S. sales of Uloric from 2012 through 2017.
STAT Plus: European Parliament restricts antibiotic use in food-producing livestock June 20, 2018
The European parliament passes new rules limiting antibiotic use for livestock, hoping to cut back on antibiotic resistance in people.
STAT Plus: Pharmalittle: A campaign downplays concerns over antibiotics given animals; U.K. parents step up fight over Vertex drug June 20, 2018
Cystic fibrosis patients in the U.K. are stepping up efforts to resolve a “heartbreaking” row that is denying their families access to the Orkambi drug sold by Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Harmony Biosciences Makes Headway on Narcolepsy Drug Involving Histamine
For type 1 narcolepsy, this sleep-wake instability is linked to low levels of hypocretin, also called orexin. Hypocretin is a neurotransmitter produced in the hypothalamus and has a significant role in wakefulness and regulating rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. But Harmony Biosciences has found an...
ThromboGenics Partners with Prevent Blindness at 2018 Focus on Eye Health National Summit in Washington DC
ThromboGenics NV announces its participation and support of the seventh annual Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health National Summit
Roche Makes Changes to Executive Committee Following Departure of its Head of Partnering
There is another change coming to the senior leadership team at Swiss pharma giant Roche.
June 22 Research Roundup: Diabetes, Spinal Injury, Pancreatic Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease
There are plenty of great scientific research stories out this week including a possible cure for diabetes, healing spinal injury and more.
Researchers Make Possible Link Between Alzheimer’s and Herpes Virus
Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai evaluated data on the brains of people and found higher levels of herpes virus in the Alzheimer’s patients.
J&J Opens its JLABS @ NYC Business Incubator With 26 Companies in Place
After waiting with bated breath, Johnson & Johnson Innovation finally opened its New York City JLABS facility with 26 resident companies, including the four winners of the JLABS @ NYC QuickFire Challenge.
AxoGen CEO Karen Zaderej Named A Florida Entrepreneur of the Year
As a female chief executive officer in the healthcare industry Karen Zaderej often stands out in a male-dominated industry.
Autolus Brings in $150 Million in IPO, Continues Strong Investment Trend for Biotechs This Week
Autolus Therapeutics snagged $150 million from its initial public offering, about $25 million more than the company initially expected when it began its roadshow effort earlier this month.
Concerns Rise Over Negative Impact of HEV Light on Skin as Companies Delve Into Anti-Aging Therap...
Something that most everyone does multiple times a day may not be as care-free as initially thought. Taking a selfie with a smart phone can actually be harmful to your skin.
FDA Could See Mission Scope Narrow Under White House Proposal
The scope of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s mission could become much narrower if a proposed restructuring of the federal government comes to fruition.