Tag: pharmaceuticals
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Early Trial Results Show Venous Leg Ulcer Drug Efficacy
The biotechnology company Pergamum AB in Solna, Sweden reports an early-stage clinical trial shows its drug to treat venous leg ulcers improved healing among patients taking the drug compared to a placebo. The trial also showed the drug, code-named LL-37, was well-tolerated at lower doses. Venous leg ulcers are shallow wounds appearing on the skin…
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Biotech, Cancer Center Partner on Tumor-Targeting Peptides
Blaze Bioscience, a biotechnology company in Seattle, is partnering with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, also in Seattle, to develop and commercialize drug candidates based on engineered peptides that better target tumor cells than conventional cancer drugs. Financial amounts in the agreement were not disclosed. The Hutchinson Center is conducting research on optides —…
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FDA Giving Roche Leukemia Antibody Priority Review
An engineered antibody to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia developed by the pharmaceutical company Roche is receiving priority review from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which sets a goal of six months to complete its evaluation. The therapy is obinutuzumab, code-named GA101, which in May, FDA designated as a “breakthrough” that expedites the review process…
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Arthritis Drug Shown to Reduce Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston, found the arthritis drug salsalate helps lower blood glucose levels and improves control of blood sugar among people with type 2 diabetes. Results of the clinical trial, which included researchers from several other universities and hospitals, appear in today’s issue of the journal…
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Blood Stem Cell Transplants Tested as Sickle Cell Therapy
Researchers at University of California in Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and hospitals in California tested a technique that harnesses a patient’s own blood-producing stem cells as a potential treatment for sickle cell disease. The team led by UCLA’s Donald Kohn published its findings today online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, under a…
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FDA Approves Protein to Prevent Hemophilia B Bleeding
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an engineered form of a human protein to prevent and control bleeding episodes in people with hemophilia B, age 16 or older. The protein known as Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant) is marketed under the brand name Rixubis by Baxter Healthcare in Deerfield, Illinois. Hemophilia B, also known as factor…
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Celgene, MorphoSys Partner on Multiple Myeloma Antibody
Celgene Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company in Summit, New Jersey, agreed to license technology and invest in the biotechnology company MorphoSys AG in Munich, Germany for commercializing a monoclonal antibody developed by MorphoSys to treat multiple myeloma and some forms of leukemia. The total potential value of the deal, if all contingencies are met, is €628…
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AstraZeneca, Roche to Share Preclinical Research Data
The global pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Roche agreed to share early-stage drug research data to speed product development and identify candidates with a greater chance of success. Financial aspects of the collaboration were not disclosed. The two companies will furnish their research data on investigational compounds to a third party, MedChemica, a computational chemistry service…
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Inexpensive Eye Test Measures Pleasure Response to Food
Nutrionists at Drexel University in Philadelphia and St. Luke’s/Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York showed the ability of a routine ophthalmology test to indicate a high pleasure response to food, a potential tool for analyzing food addictions and obesity therapies. The team led by Drexel’s Jennifer Nasser published their findings online last week in the…
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Supreme Court Rules Federal Drug Rules Preempt State Laws
The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday ruled 5-4 that in cases involving generic drugs, federal laws take precedence over an individual’s right to sue in state courts. The case, Mutual Pharmaceutical Co., v. Bartlett, overturned lower-court rulings in favor of the plaintiff, who sued the generic drug manufacturer Mutual Pharmaceutical — now part of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries…