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Period Ending June 02, 2007
STEM CELLS: RESEARCHER REPORGRAM CELLS INTO EMBRYONIC ONES
Researchers at the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at UCLA said they were able to reprogram normal tissue cells into cells with the same unlimited properties as embryonic stem cells, the cells that are able to give rise to every cell type found in the body. The work, done in mouse models, appears in Cell Stem Cell. Reprogramming adult stem cells into embryonic stem cells could generate a potentially limitless source of immune-compatible cells for tissue engineering and transplantation medicine. If the work can be replicated in human cells, it may mean that a patient's skin cells, for example, could be reprogrammed to become embryonic stem cells. The technique could also provide an alternative to somatic cell nuclear transfer or so-called therapeutic cloning, which is a source of controversy because deriving embryonic stem cells through that process requires the destruction of an embryo.
SMOKING: ALTERED DNA IN SPERM, DAMAGE COULD PASS TO OFFSPRING
Children could inherit genetic damage from a father who smokes, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Research. Researchers at Health Canada's Environmental and Occupational Toxicology Division found in mice models that mutations of DNA of sperm, if inherited, persists as irreversible changes in the genetic composition of offspring. The researchers found that the longer a subject was exposed to smoking the more mutations accumulate and the more likely a potential effect might arise in offspring.
STEM CELLS: CORD BLOOD COMPARABLE TO MATCHED BONE MARROW
Umbilical cord blood transplants may offer blood cancer patients better outcomes than bone marrow transplants, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota. The study is the first to directly compare matched bone marrow, which is currently considered the preferred graft, with matched and mismatched umbilical cord blood. The study, published in The Lancet, found mismatched cord blood performed as well as matched bone marrow as measured by leukemia-free survival rates, providing the degree of mismatch was limited and the number of cord blood cells available was sufficient. Study participants who received matched cord blood had a 20 percent higher survival rate than matched bone marrow recipients, though the number of matched cord blood transplants was small.
ALZHEIMER'S: SCIENTISTS IDENTIFY GENE THAT RAISES RISK OF AD
A study comparing more genetic markers in the DNA of people with and without Alzheimer's disease than ever before has enabled researchers to identify a common gene that appears to increase a person's risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. The finding suggests that the gene—called GAB2—modifies an individual's risk when associated with other genes, including APOE4. The finding was made by researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, Banner Alzheimer's Institute, Kronos Science Laboratory and their collaborative partners, The study, published in the journal Neuron, suggests the healthy form of the GAB2 gene may protect brain cells from developing tangles, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. If the findings are confirmed, this discovery could provide a target for future Alzheimer's therapeutic drugs.
CANCER: CONTRIBUTOR TO AGGRESSIVE PROLIFERATION IDENTIFIED
Mutations in the cell adhesion molecule known as integrin alpha 7 lead to unchecked tumor cell proliferation and a significantly higher incidence in cancer spread, or metastasis, in several cancer cell lines, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Integrin alpha 7 belongs to a major class of cell membrane proteins that play a role in the attachment of a cell to the extra-cellular matrix, which is the material that holds cells within a particular type of tissue together. Integrins also help cells attach to one another and are involved in transmitting chemical signals between cells and the ECM. In the study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, the researchers said the findings suggest that integrin á7 represents an important new target for cancer therapy and prevention.
GENETICS: GENE INFLUENCES SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
An international research team has identified a gene that influences the susceptibility to late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The researchers identified the gene, called GAB2, as one that appears to influence the risk of Alzheimer's in people with a version of a gene called APOE, which is the best established genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Late-onset Alzheimer's is expected to become an overwhelming medical problem in the next few decades as the population ages, since it afflicts about 10 percent of people over 65 and almost half of people over 85. In a study published in the journal Neuron, the researchers identified variations in the GAB2 genes that were highly associated with cases of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The researchers said the discovery provides new opportunities to investigate pathogenesis, predisposition, treatment and prevention late-onset Alzheimer's.
CHEMO-BRAIN: GENIUS PILL ALLEVIATES FOGGINESS AFTER CHEMO
A drug described by some people as a "genius pill" for enhancing cognitive function provided relief to a small group of breast cancer survivors who were coping with a side effect known as "chemo-brain," according to a study from researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center study. The drug modafinil, which is marketed as Provigil, was originally licensed to treat narcolepsy. Modafinil promotes wakefulness and seems to boost brainpower without causing the jittery, restless feelings induced by amphetamines. Although some in the scientific community doubt the existence of "chemo-brain," many cancer patients insist they are suffering from an impairment of brain function after chemotherapy and desire some form of relief. The results, presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, showed the women had a faster memory and could more accurately recognize words and pictures after four weeks on the drug.
OBESITY: HORMONE COULD CURB FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION, BINGING
The synthetic form of a hormone previously found to reduce body weight and produce a feeling of fullness when eating may help curb binge eating and the desire to eat high-fat foods and sweets. The hormone is Pramlintide, the synthetic form of amylin, a hormone produced in the beta cells of the pancreas that signals satiety. The research, conducted by San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals at ten US research sites and published in the online edition of the American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, found Pramlintide treatment reduces 24-hour caloric intake and meal sizes and improves control of eating in obese subjects. Pramlintide is marketed in the US by Amylin Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Symlin to treat diabetes and control blood sugar. The drug is also under development as a potential drug for obesity.
CANCER: RESEARCHERS FIND STEM CELLS IN COLORECTAL TUMORS
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have identified the cancer stem cells that propagate tumors in colon and rectal cancer, a discovery that could lead to improved treatment of this deadly cancer. The discovery, reported online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is expected to enable researchers to better understand how to identify these cells and to do molecular studies to find potential new therapies. These stem cells act like a spring at the source of a creek, constantly dividing to produce new tumor cells. Although the other tumor cells can divide and cause damage through their sheer bulk, they are shorter lived and can't maintain the tumor's growth. The cancer stem cells are also likely to be responsible when tumors spread to distant sites.
DIAGNOSTICS: LASERS OFFERS ALTERNATIVE TO SCALPELS FOR DETECTING SKIN CANCER
In an early step toward nonsurgical screening for malignant skin cancers, Duke University chemists have demonstrated a laser-based system that can capture three-dimensional images of the chemical and structural changes under way beneath the surface of human skin. The system can provide an alternative to today's method of cutting a mole and examining a slice of it with a microscope. The Duke scientists said they are trying to find cancer signals they can get to without having to cut out the mole. This is the first approach that can target molecules like hemoglobin and melanin. It's also the first to get microscopic resolution images the equivalent of what a doctor would see if he or she were able to slice down to that particular point, the researchers said. The distributions of hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells, and melanin, a skin pigment, serve as early warning signs for skin cancer growth.
DIAGNOSTICS: BLOOD TEST COULD GUIDE LUNG CANCER THERAPY
Researchers have discovered a signature of proteins in the blood that predicts which non-small-cell lung cancer patients will live longer when they are treated with certain targeted cancer therapies. The research represents a step forward in ushering in an era of personalized medicine. A multi-center team led by investigators at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, said the research could one day help physicians decide which lung cancer patients to treat with drugs collectively known as EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The drawbacks of treating every patient with a targeted therapy include the expense of these drugs, the delay—for those who do not respond—in initiation of effective therapy, and the possibility that some patients will be harmed by the targeted therapy. The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, could lead to a simple and inexpensive blood test to select the most beneficial therapy for each patient.
TESTOSTERONE: LOW LEVELS OF SEX HORMONE SIGNALS RISK OF DEATH IN MEN OVER 50
Low levels of testosterone may increase the long-term risk of death in men over 50 years old, according to researchers with the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The findings, presented at a meeting of The Endocrine Society, are the second to link deficiency of testosterone with increased death from all causes. The researchers followed nearly 800 men ages 50 to 91 for nearly 18 years. The group with low testosterone levels had a 33 percent greater risk of death during the next 18 years than the men with higher testosterone. This difference was not explained by smoking, drinking, physical activity level or pre-existing diseases, such as diabetes or heart disease.
OSTEOPOROSIS: WOMEN UP TO AGE 30 AT RISK FOR BONE LOSS
Women who follow strict exercise and diet regimens may harm their body's ability to form new bone, which can lead to osteoporosis later in life, according to researchers at Ohio University. In a presentation at the Endocrine Society annual meeting the researchers said that the more women exercise, the more they need to eat to stay healthy. Thousands of women severely restrict their diet and practice rigorous exercise programs for fitness and weight control, but some fail to see obvious signs of undernutrition, such as a disrupted menstrual cycle.
CLINICAL STUDIES: DRUG COMPANY FUNDING INFLUENCES OUTCOMES
In head-to-head trials of two drugs, the one deemed better appears to depend largely on who is funding the study, according to an analysis of nearly 200 statin-drug comparisons carried out between 1999 and 2005. Researchers at University of California at San Francisco examined 192 published results of trials comparing one cholesterol-lowering statin drug to another, or to a non-statin drug. The study, published online in the journal PLos Medicine, found if the reported results favored the test drug, the trial was about 20 times more likely to be funded by the maker of the statin rather than the comparison drug company. Even more striking, they say, if the conclusions or interpretation of the drug trial—which reflect the impressions of the trial investigators—favored the test drug, the trial was about 35 times more likely to be funded by the maker of that drug rather than the comparison drug.
HEP B: UK, OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES SHOULD VACCINATE KIDS
Children in the UK and seven other European countries should be universally vaccinated against hepatitis B to eliminate the major public-health impact of this disease, according to a review published in the The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Infection with hepatitis B causes between 500,000 and 1.2 million deaths per year worldwide, with around 22,000 of these deaths occurring across Europe. Researches at the Academic Centre for Travel Medicine and Vaccines, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK reviewed vaccination policies for eight countries. They found that even though the World Health Organization recommended universal childhood hepatitis B vaccination globally 12 years ago, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK vaccinate only those people considered at the highest risk of contracting the disease.
TUBERCULOSIS: NIAID OUTLINES AGENDA FOR RESISTANT TB
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a component of the National Institutes of Health, released its agenda for Multi-drug-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis. The institute said while much of its agenda focuses on these resistant forms of TB, many of the priorities also relate to drug-sensitive TB. The emergence of Multi-drug-Resistant and Extensively-Drug Resistant TB threatens to set TB control efforts back to the pre-antibiotic era. The agenda focuses on six areas including new diagnostic tools, improving therapy, basic biology and immunology, resistant TB epidemiology and preventative strategies including vaccines.
LIVER CANCER: NEXAVAR SIGNIFICANTLY EXTENDS SURVIVAL
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals said their kidney cancer drug Nexavar significantly extended overall survival in patients with primary liver cancers compared to patients taking a placebo. In results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, Nexavar extended survival by 44 percent. Median overall survival was 10.7 months in Nexavar-treated patients compared to 7.9 months in those taking placebo. Based on the strength of the data, the companies are now in the process of preparing applications to the FDA and European health authorities for a supplemental indication for Nexavar in treatment of patients with liver cancer.
BIOSHIELD: DANISH CO. WINS SMALLPOX CONTRACT WORTH UP TO $1.6 B
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a major BioShield contract to Danish biopharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic to manufacture and deliver a next-generation smallpox vaccine designed to be safer than currently stockpiled smallpox vaccines. The five-year contract for 20 million doses of the company's Imvamune smallpox vaccine is valued at more than $500 million, with options that if exercised raise the value of the agreement to $1.6 billion. The contract options allow for the government to procure up to an additional 60 million doses and would support additional clinical studies for extending the license to include HIV-infected, pediatric, and geriatric populations.
ACQUISITIONS: AMGEN TO BUY DIABETES DRUG DEVELOPER FOR $300M
Amgen said it agreed to acquire Alantos, a private company developing drugs for the treatment of diabetes and inflammatory diseases for $300 million in cash. Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Alantos' lead drug candidate is a DPP-IV inhibitor in mid-stage clinical trials for the treatment of type-2 diabetes. The drug inactivates an important mediator of blood glucose levels following meals. After the completion of the acquisition, Alantos will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amgen.
ACQUISITIONS: PRIVATE EQUITY GROUP RAISES BIOMET BID TO $11.4 B
A private equity group raised its bid for joint-replacement maker Biomet to $11.4 billion or $46 per share. The sweetened offer followed recommendations from shareholder advisory services that investors should reject the $10.9-billion bid previously made for the company. The company's board unanimously recommended shareholders accept the offer from affiliates of the Blackstone Group, Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and TPG.
CONGRESS: BILL WOULD BOLSTER FDA'S MONITORING OF DRUGS
A congressional subcommittee will consider legislation that would strengthen the FDA's ability to monitor the side effects of prescription drugs, Reuters reported. The bill, expected to be introduced this month, is expected to provide tougher provisions than those contained in a Senate bill passed last month. A hearing on the legislation is set for June 12. The legislation is expected to also allow the US health secretary to place a three-year ban on advertising for certain drugs. It would also require the FDA to review data for drugs once they've been marketed for seven years.
FDA: AGENCY CREATES ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CONVEYING RISKS
The US Food and Drug Administration said it is creating a new advisory committee designed to counsel the agency on how to better communicate the risks and benefits of FDA-regulated products to the public. The Risk Communication Advisory Committee will help the FDA understand the communication needs and priorities of the general public, advise the agency on the development of strategic plans to communicate product risks and benefits, and make recommendations on what current research suggests about crafting risk and benefit messages. The establishment of the new Risk Communication Advisory Committee stems from an Institute of Medicine's 2006 report that recommended that Congress enact legislation establishing such a committee.
LEGISLATION: HOUSE PASSES STEM CELL BILL, NO VETO-PROOF MARGIN
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would ease restrictions on the federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, but the margin was too narrow to override an expected veto from President George Bush. The legislation, which passed by a vote of 247 to 176, would expand the stem cell lines eligible for federal funding to include research involving embryos donated from in vitro fertilization clinics. The margin was 35 votes shy of the margin needed to override a veto. Bush has vowed to veto the legislation.
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