Science and Enterprise

Tag: FDA

  • FDA Approves Oral Drug for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved yesterday teriflunomide, a tablet taken once a day for the treatment of adults with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. The drug, marketed under the name Aubagio, was developed by the Genzyme division of the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the…

  • FDA Approves Clinical Trial for H5N1 Vaccine

    Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) in Seattle and Medicago Inc. in Quebec City, Canada say the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved their request to start a clinical trial of a vaccine for the H5N1 avian flu. The early stage — phase 1 — trial will test the safety and ability to generate an immune…

  • Chemical in Hand Soap Found to Impair Muscle Functions

    Research at University of California at Davis and University of Colorado in Aurora indicates triclosan, an antibacterial chemical used in soap and other personal-care products, hinders muscle contractions in animals, causing weakness in mice and slower swimming ability in fish. The team led by UC Davis veterinary medical professor Isaac Pessah published its findings online…

  • FDA Approves Diabetic Macular Edema Treatment

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the drug ranibizumab, given by injection to treat diabetic macular edema, an eye disease that occurs in people with diabetes. Genentech, a division of the global pharmaceutical company Roche in South San Francisco, California, markets the drug under the name Lucentis. Diabetic macular edema can cause…

  • Special: Health Care Experts Propose Sweeping Cost Control Changes

    Updated: 4 August 2012 A group of noted health care policy experts offer a series of proposals they say can rein in health care costs, with implications for the federal budget, the economy as a whole, and developers of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The panel, convened by the Center for American Progress, a progressive think-tank…

  • Biopharma Secures $38.5 Million in Series D Funds

    Chiasma Inc., a biopharmaceutical company in Jerusalem, Israel, has closed its $38.5 million series D funding round, the fourth cycle of financing after initial start-up. The round was led by by new investor Abingworth and current investor MPM Capital, with participation from current share holders 7 Med Health Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners, F3 Ventures, and…

  • Study: Better Medical Device Security Alerts Needed

    Researchers at University of Massachusetts in Amherst and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston (affiliated with Harvard Medical School) uncovered indications that security and privacy problems with medical devices may not be adequately reported or tracked by regulators. The team reported its findings yesterday in the online journal PLoS One. The computer scientists and…

  • Technology Developed to Diagnose, Treat Atrial Fibrillation

    Researchers at University of California in San Diego and Los Angeles, and Indiana University have discovered that irregular heart rhythms known as atrial fibrillation are the result of small electrical sources within the heart, in the form of spinning electrical rotors or focal beats. The research team published its findings online in the Journal of…

  • Chronic Pain Technology Company Gains $3.5M Series B Funds

    Neuros Medical Inc., a company in Cleveland developing a university-discovered electronic pain relief technology, says it raised $3.5 million in series B venture funds, the second round of financing after start-up. Boston Scientific and Glengary LLC led the round, with new investors RiverVest Venture Partners, LLC, Blue Tree Allied Angels, and ModelVest joining current investors…

  • Agilent, University, Agencies to Partner on Pathogen Genomes

    Agilent Technologies Inc. in Santa Clara, California is collaborating with University of California in Davis, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on collecting a database of 100,000 foodborne pathogen genomes. The 100K Genome Project aims to sequence the genetic code of some 100,000 foodborne pathogens over five years, and make…