Month: February 2012
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Software to Aid Genome Analysis for Cancer Therapies
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta have developed software that analyzes ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the human genome to provide more useful data for generating personalized cancer therapies. The work of biology professor John McDonald (pictured left) and bioinformatics Ph.D. candidate Vinay Mittal is described and appears online in the journal Nucleic Acids…
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FDA Approves Drug for Glaucoma, Ocular Hypertension
The pharmaceutical company Merck in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey says the Food and Drug Administration has approved its drug Zioptan to reduce elevated intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Zioptan is the brand name for Merck’s tafluprost ophthalmic solution to reduce pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma is the second most common…
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Devices, Industrial Biotech Lead 2012 Life Science Funding
Funding for privately-held life sciences companies worldwide in the first six weeks of 2012 shows medical device developers and industrial biotechnology companies attracting the most equity capital, but drug developers engaging in the largest number of financing deals. The report by life sciences venture capital firm Burrill and Company was released on Friday. Burrill reports…
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University Genome Research Helping Biofuel Developer
Researchers at University of Georgia in Athens have mapped the genomes of two originator cells of the large perennial grass miscanthus that can help develop this grass as a source of ethanol and bioenergy. A California biofuel feedstock developer is partnering with the university on this project. Miscanthus is a promising candidate for biomass farming,…
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Pharma Companies to Partner on Cough and Cold Drugs
Vernalis plc in Winnersh, U.K. and Tris Pharma Inc. in Monmouth Junction, New Jersey have agreed to develop and market prescription cough and cold drugs in the U.S. Financial terms and timetable of the deal were not disclosed. Under the agreement, Tris will use its drug delivery technology to develop, on behalf of Vernalis, up…
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Study: 4.5 Million Americans Had Knee Replacement Surgery
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston calculate that more than 4.5 million Americans have had a total knee replacement (TKR), becoming one of the most common conditions affecting people in the U.S. age 50 and over. The team led by Elena Losina of the hospital’s Orthopedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research, presents…
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FDA Releases Draft Biosimilars Guidance
The Food and Drug Administration has issued three guidance documents in draft on biosimilar therapeutics — functional equivalents of biologic therapies — that the agency says will soon be open for public comment. Guidance documents offer insights into the current thinking of FDA on key scientific and regulatory topics, and are not binding on the…
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Companies Among Gates Foundation TB Biomarkers Awardees
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded today $7.7 million in funding to identify biomarkers for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in low-resource settings. The 10 awards aim to promote research into TB biomarkers that leads to a simple, low-cost tool to quickly and accurately diagnose TB in developing countries. One of the primary grant recipients is…
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Student Devises Lithium Battery for Solar Energy Storage
A joint research project between a graduate student at University of Southampton in the U.K. and the company REAPSystems, also in Southampton, has resulted in a battery that can help improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar power. REAPSystems was founded by Dennis Doerffel, himself a former Southampton researcher and now the company’s…
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Goal Setting Helps Change Diets of Adults with Diabetes
Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus and Loyola University in Baltimore have found setting specific goals can help improve dietary habits of people with Type 2 diabetes. Their findings appear in the January 2012 issue of the journal Patient Education and Counseling (paid subscription required). The team led by Ohio State nutrition professor Carla…