Treating intensive care patients who develop life-threatening bacterial infections, or septicemia, with insulin potentially could reduce their chances of succumbing to the infection, if results of a new preliminary study can be replicated in a larger study.
The paper is published online ahead of print in Diabetes Care.
Link:http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-09/uab-imr090810.php
Source:EurekAlert

Scientists said their two-year clinical trial was the largest to date into the effect of B vitamins on so-called "mild cognitive impairment" -- a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
The results are published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) One journal.
Link:http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6875CL20100908
Source:Reuters

The Phase I clinical trial for its anthrax monoclonal antibody therapeutic has commenced with the dosing of the first subject. Emergent’s fully human monoclonal antibody product candidate is being developed as a parenteral post-exposure therapeutic to treat symptoms of inhalational anthrax disease. The Phase I clinical trial, involving 50 healthy volunteers, is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose escalation study designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of the monoclonal antibody candidate.
Link:http://www.emergentbiosolutions.com/NewsReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=1468126
Source:Emergent BioSolutions

The initiation of an international 700-patient, phase 3 trial of oral methylnaltrexone in patients with chronic, non-cancer pain who are experiencing constipation as a result of their opioid-pain management regimens was announced. The goal of the study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral methylnaltrexone to treat opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in this patient setting.
Link:http://www.progenics.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=505503
Source:Progenics

Study results from its Phase 2 multicenter, placebo controlled, double-blind, randomized dose escalation study for KRN5500 were presented at the 13th World Congress on Pain held recently in Montreal.
The study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of KRN5500 for treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with cancer, and primary endpoint results from the study have previously been released.
KRN5500 is a novel non-opioid analgesic agent, a semi-synthetic derivative of spicamycin:(6-[4-Deoxy-4-[(2E,4E)-tetradecadienoylglycyl]amino-L-glycero-beta-L-manno-heptopyranosyl]amino-9H-purine).
Link:http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=219408&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1468450&highlight=
Source:DARA

Results from a pharmacodynamics (PD) trial comparing the acute effects on pulmonary artery pressure of LEVADEX(TM), dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE) administered intravenously (IV) and placebo were announced. In the trial, there was no statistically significant difference between the LEVADEX and placebo groups in the primary endpoint of pulmonary artery pressure over two hours after administration. LEVADEX is a novel orally inhaled migraine therapy that has completed Phase 3 efficacy development for the acute treatment of migraine.
Link:http://ir.mappharma.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=505468
Source:MAP

All non-asthmatic patients and a subset of asthmatic patients have completed 12 months of treatment in the open-label safety trial of LEVADEX(TM). In addition, the Company has completed patient treatment in a thorough QT trial, the last trial necessary to support a New Drug Application (NDA) for LEVADEX. At this time, all patients have been enrolled in the Company's clinical trials in support of an NDA, which the Company expects to submit in the first half of 2011. LEVADEX is a novel orally inhaled migraine therapy that has completed Phase 3 efficacy development for the acute treatment of migraine.
Link:http://ir.mappharma.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=505474
Source:MAP

The publication of Phase I results demonstrating that CYT997, a novel vascular disrupting agent (VDA), was well tolerated at doses that were associated with pharmacodynamic evidence of vascular disruption in tumors was announced. The article entitled "Phase I trial of CYT997, a novel cytotoxic and vascular-disrupting agent," was published in the premier cancer journal, the British Journal of Cancer.
Link:http://www.ymbiosciences.com/investors/press_releases_item.php?newsid=1468212
Source:YM BioSciences

A new Cochrane review finds that a variety of non-hormonal treatments (mostly non-hormonal drugs) can offer women who have had breast cancer some relief from hot flashes. Side effects are frequent, however, and must weigh into any decisions to use the interventions.
Link:http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/568075/?sc=rsmn
Source:Newswise

Authorisation from the Spanish Medicines and Health Products Agency to commence a second Phase I/II clinical trial with SYL040012 for treating ocular hypertension has been received.
SYL040012 is a specific RNAi which targets the β-2 adrenergic receptor. It has proven effective in diminishing intraocular pressure in animal models in vivo and also in preventing glaucoma, and was found to be superior to the drugs used in the control branch of the trial.
Link:http://www.sylentis.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36%3Asylentis-recibe-autorizacion-para-comenzar-un-nuevo-ensayo-clinico-de-fase-iii-con-syl040012-en-pacientes-para-el-tratamiento-de-la-presion-intraocular-elevada-y-glaucoma-&catid=4%3Anoticias-sylentis&Itemid=35&lang=en
Source:Sylentis