Biotech Week articles from July 2001

Biotech Week archives from July 2001

Transgenic Mice Change Color When Gene Is Turned On/Off.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4- (NewsRx Network) -- Researchers from the University of Virginia have developed a new and powerful transgenic mouse model system. This system allows scientists to introduce a foreign gene into the mouse and turn this gene on and off...

Formulation With Three Antigens Exceeds Par In Adult Trials.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Compared with a standard hepatitis B vaccine containing a singular antigen, adult trials of a novel vaccine containing three antigens meets and in some instances exceeds...

PCR-ELISA Identifies Rifampin Resistance Accurately And Quickly.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - Testing Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates for rifampin resistance with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) delivers quick and...

Mucosal Vaccine Generates Immune Response On Par With Live Formulation.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4- (NewsRx Network) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - A nasally administered vaccine against Shigella flexneri, the most common cause of dysentery, shows promise against the pathogen in humans and warrants further...

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Induces Condition In Mice.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - Injections of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in diabetic mice rapidly enhance insulin signal transduction in the liver, leading to a hypoglycemic effect, say...

New Clues Aid Detection, Ensure Blood Safety.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- New technology that could eliminate the risks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy transmission to humans via infected food or blood transfusions may be on the horizon. Oxford University and V.I. Technologies...

Chemotherapy With B7-Immunoglobin G Effective In Mice.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer - A combination of systemic immunotherapy using soluble B7-immunoglobin G (B7-IgG) with chemotherapy has achieved promising results in a murine model, researchers in...

Neovastat Increases Angiostatin Level in Animal Model.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4- (NewsRx Network) -- AEterna Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:AELA) presented new data showing that Neovastat/AE-941 is able to increase the level of angiostatin in mice with implanted human glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. ...

Patent Awarded For Nucleic Acid Probe-Based System To Detect Infectious Diseases, Cancers.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Applied Gene Technologies Inc. announced that it has received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (No. 6,242,188) for its Tessera[TM] Array Technology, entitled "Sample processing to release...

Varisolve [R] Trials Prove Efficacy and Safety of New Treatment.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4- (NewsRx Network) -- BTG (LSE:BGC) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Provensis, reported findings from two pilot studies that its new microfoam treatment for varicose veins, Varisolve [R], is both safe and effective. ...

Diagnostic Kit Claims 100% Detection.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- BioCurex, Inc. (OTC:BOCX) announced the first results on use of its Histo-RECAF diagnostic kit for detection of breast cancer. Dr. G. Ardao, chief of the department of pathology and Dr. G. Gualco of...

Patient-Optimized Dosing Reduces Risk Of Over/Under-Dosing.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4- (NewsRx Network) -- Corixa (Nasdaq:CRXA) and GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) announced clinical trial results that suggest that the use of Patient-Optimized[TM] dosing with Bexxar[TM] (tositumomab and iodine I-131 tositumomab) therapy...

Angioplasty Patients In Trial With Recombinant Protein rNAPc2.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Corvas International, Inc., (Nasdaq:CVAS) announced that it has completed enrollment in a multicenter, Phase IIa safety trial involving the proprietary injectable anticoagulant, recombinant Nematode...

Pilot Trial Shows Positive Results.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Curon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq:CURN) reports positive one-year follow-up results from a pilot study in which the company's Secca[TM] System was used for treating fecal incontinence. Dr. Takeshi Takahashi, the...

Therapeutic Vaccine For Earlier Stage Disease.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Dendreon Corporation (Nasdaq:DNDN) announced the expansion of its clinical trial program for Provenge[TM], its therapeutic cancer vaccine, with the initiation of a Phase III trial targeting men with earlier...

Compound's Anti-Obesity Properties Confirmed In Second Gerbil Study.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Forbes Medi-Tech, Inc. (TSE:FMI and NASDAQ:FMTI) presented further results of pre-clinical studies on its novel cardiovascular pharmaceutical FM-VP4 at the American Heart Association's Second Annual Conference...

Candidate For Combination Treatment Well Tolerated, With Large Therapeutic Window.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq:GNVC), a leading gene therapy company, announced that data from studies with TNFerade [TM], a product candidate intended for use in combination with radiation therapy to improve the...

Peripheral Arterial Tone Signal Is Diagnostic.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Several news studies presented at the meeting of the Associated Sleep Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) reveal that peripheral arterial tone, or PAT, plays an important role in early diagnosis and ultimately...

Certican[TM] Effectively Prevents Acute Rejection.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Certican[TM} (everolimus, RAD), appears to be effective and safe when administered in combination with Neoral[R] (cyclosporine USP) and corticosteroids to primary renal allograft patients. New data from two...

CNS Cancers Killed Using Poliovirus Tumor-Killing RNA Technology.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4- (NewsRx Network) -- Replicon Technologies, Inc. (RTI), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapeutic applications for replicons (viral capsids containing self-amplifying RNA derived from poliovirus), has announced...

Increased Patient Survival Follows Treatment For Metastatic Disease.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- Demonstrating new success in cancer immunotherapy, researchers reported that they have increased the survival time of cancer patients using novel therapeutic vaccines. Data show, for the first time, that...

Phase II Clinical Trial Of Combination Therapy initiated.
July 4, 2001... 2001 JUL 4 - (NewsRx Network) -- XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. (London:XTL) announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical study of XTL-001 in combination with lamivudine for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. It is...

Silent HBV Infection In Patients With HCV May Increase Liver Illness.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Sonia Bell-Nichols, senior medical writer - Hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients coinfected with "silent" hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections may suffer more severe liver disease, according to investigators in...

Growth Factor Neutralization Provides Relief.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Deborah W. Heinrich, PhD, staff medical writer Researchers in Japan found that neutralization of platelet-derived growth factor ameliorated glomerulonephritis in a rat model. It has been established...

Monoclonal Antibody Eradicates Tumors In Animal Models.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Genmab A/S (CSE:GEN and Neuer Markt:GE9D) announced that its HuMax[TM]--EGFr, a human monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), demonstrated potent anti-tumor effects in in vivo...

Study Uncovers Structure Of Key Molecule That Regulates Drug Metabolism.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Chemists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and GlaxoSmithKline have succeeded in determining the structure of a key molecule in the liver that regulates the metabolism of more than 63% of...

Study Finds Increased Risk Of Heart Disease In RA Patients.(rheumatoid arthritis )
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more likely to suffer or die from cardiovascular disease, researchers reported at EULAR 2001, the annual congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)....

Hair Can Be Used To Make Skin Grafts.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- By plucking out a few hairs, doctors can grow skin grafts from a patients own cells. The technique could replace the painful method of taking skin from another part of the body for grafts or tissue...

Sibutramine Plus Counseling Tips The Scales Against Obesity.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - More than one-third of obese men and women who took the maximum dose of sibutramine - along with a dose of dietary advice - were able to lose at least 10% of their body...

VerticalNews Launch Uses NewsRx Artificial Intelligence Technology.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 -- (NewsRx Network) -- NewsRx, the leading provider of life science databases and daily and weekly health news, has leveraged its technology platform to create a new media company, VerticalNews. VerticalNews' two-year goal is...

Perflubron Enhances Adenovirus-Mediated Gene Expression In Lungs.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp. (NASDAQ: ALLP) announced that the use of [LiquiVent.sup.R] , an oxygen-carrying liquid (perflubron), enhanced adenovirus-mediated gene expression in the lungs of spontaneously...

Phase III Trial Results Of Investigational Drug Promising For Diabetic Men.(vardenafil)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- The first Phase III results for vardenafil, Bayer's investigational treatment to improve erectile function, showed statistically significant improvement in erectile function for men with diabetes, one of the...

Hemodialysis Technology Advances In Preclinical Study.
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- CryoLife, Inc. (NYSE: CRY) presented the results of an animal study on the use of animal tissues to create A-V (arteriovenous) access grafts in hemodialysis applications using the company's patented...

Gene Pill Platform Receives Broad Patent Coverage.(an oral form of gene therapy that delivers the gene to the intestines)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Genteric, Inc., announced it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent Office that will extend the intellectual property coverage for its Gene Pill technology platform to include all secreted...

NIAID Collaboration Yields New Diagnostic Test.(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, test for Lyme disease from Immunetics, Inc.)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- A new test developed with funding from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has been shown to be highly accurate and sensitive for detecting antibodies to Lyme disease. ...

Monotherapy Shows Sustained Efficacy, Ongoing Tolerability.(Enbrel to treat rheumatoid arthritis)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- In clinical data presented from three long-term studies of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), patients receiving [Enbrel.sup.R] (etanercept) demonstrated a sustained therapeutic response...

Advances In Novel Tissue-Selective Steroid Receptor Modulator Compounds Discussed.(for treating hypogonadism)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: LGND) announced that major scientific advances in three of its key research programs involving the estrogen, androgen, and glucocorticoid receptors were presented at the...

Phase II Grant Awarded To Accelerate Crystallization Process.(Emerald BioStructures;a protein crystallization process is used to create drugs)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- MediChem Life Sciences (Nasdaq: MCLS) announced that Emerald BioStructures, its structural proteomics division, was awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBTR) grant from the U.S. National...

Phase II Trial For Intranasal Apomorphine HCI Initiated.(for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Nastech Pharmaceutical Company Inc., (Nasdaq: NSTK) announced initiation of a Phase II clinical trial using a proprietary intranasal apomorphine HCI formulation for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction...

Promising Phase II Clinical Results For Therapeutic Mouthwash.(ONYX-015 mouthwash from Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.for premalignant oral dysplasia)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:ONXX) announced Phase II clinical trial results of its lead product CI-1042 (ONYX-015) for premalignant oral dysplasia that is administered to patients as a mouthwash. ...

System That Identifies Gene Mutations Could Help Cut Research Time Dramatically.(Temperature-Gradient Capillary Electrophoresis from SpectruMedix Corp)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Working with SpectruMedix Corp., researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Tennessee, could soon find mutations in mice in months instead of years. Researchers...

Long-Term Immune-Based Therapy Is Safe And Effective.(Remune from Trinity Medical Group USA, Inc. for treating HIV Infection)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Trinity Medical Group USA, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: TMGU) presented clinical data on HIV positive patients who have undergone treatment using its immune-based Remune[TM] product, suggesting that patients...

Phase I/II Clinical Trial Of Gene Therapy Initiated.(VLTS-589 from Valentis, Inc. for treating peripheral arterial disease)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Valentis, Inc. (Nasdaq: VLTS) announced the initiation of patient dosing in a Phase I/II clinical trial of its human Del-1 gene therapy, VLTS-589, for treatment of patients with peripheral arterial disease...

Technology For Hepatitis B Virus Is Patented.(PhenoSense from ViroLogic, Inc. for drug-resistance testing)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- ViroLogic, Inc. (Nasdaq: VLGC) announced the issuance of 42 separate claims in U.S. Patent No. 6,242,187 related to hepatitis B virus (HBV) drug-resistance testing. The issued claims relate to anti-HBV drug...

Company Announces First Patent On Maternal Urine DNA Analysis Of Unborn Fetus.(Xenomics Inc.)
July 11, 2001... 2001 JUL 11 - (NewsRx Network) -- Xenomics Inc. announced that its first patent entitled "Methods for Detection of Nucleic Acid Sequences in Urine" has been granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (#6,251,638). The patent broadly...

Thalidomide Wreaks Havoc On Multiple Myeloma Via Natural Killer Cells.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Scientists suspect the drug thalidomide targets multiple myeloma via a mechanism that uses natural killer cells. "The antiangiogenic activity of thalidomide,...

Varicella Vaccine Does Not Increase Risk of Birth Defects.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25- (NewsRx Network) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - Women who inadvertently receive the varicella vaccine during or just before pregnancy probably do not have cause for alarm, say researchers working in the United States....

Company Says It Has Determined How Carrier Red Blood Cells Can Release Their Payload.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Drugs might soon be dispatched with pinpoint accuracy to diseased organs by using a patient's own red blood cells as drug-carrying torpedoes, reported the June 30, 2001, issue of New Scientist. The drug is...

Rifampicin Can Interfere With Saquinavir Metabolism.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Michael Greer, senior medical writer Coadministration of the HIV protease inhibitor saquinavir with the antibiotic rifampicin can reduce saquinavir's bioavailability to ineffective levels, researchers in...

Biotechnology To Protect Soldiers Of The Future, Report Says.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Biotechnology could protect soldiers from injury, infection, and chemical weapons on the high-tech battlegrounds of the future, according to a report released by the National Research Council (NRC) in the U.S....

Short-Term Dieting Does Not Impair Sports Performance.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - Moderate energy restriction in physically fit people may encourage weight loss without affecting strength or endurance, researchers in the United States have found. ...

Immunity After DTaP-HBV Vaccine Comparable With Natural Infection.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Children who receive the combination vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and hepatitis B (DTaP-HBV) develop protection against pertussis that closely...

Novel Herpes Simplex Virus Vector Technology Patented.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- BioVex Limited announced that a key patent (USP No. 6,248,320), licensed by BioVex from the founding scientists' academic institution, has been granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This patent...

Collagen Inhibitor Significantly Reduces Fibrotic Process.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Collgard Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd., announced that, in a recently concluded preclinical study, its compound Halofuginone "significantly reduced the severity of fibrosis in both renal glomeruli and stroma." ...

Clinical Testing Of Oral Insulin Initiated.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Emisphere Technologies, Inc. (EMIS) announced it has initiated the clinical phase of studies evaluating its proprietary oral-delivery technology for use with insulin. The Phase I studies are being...

Antiangiogenesis Drug To Be Evaluated In Phase II Clinical Trial.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25- (NewsRx Network) -- EntreMed, Inc. (ENMD) announced a collaborative relationship with Aventis Pharmaceuticals for Phase II clinical studies in patients with hormonerefractory prostate cancer. The objectives of this study are to...

Antisense Compound Acts Synergistically With Chemotherapy.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Genta Inc. (GNTA) announced the presentation of two scientific studies that documented the synergy between Genta's antisense compound, Genasense[TM], with drugs that are being used in ongoing, late-stage,...

Side Effect Of Renal Disease Treatment Is Reduced By Drug.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Genzyme General (GENZ) reported first-year results from its three-year "Treat to Goal" clinical trial of [Renagel.sup.R] (sevelamer hydrochloride) to treat end-stage renal disease. The data were presented...

Catalytic Antioxidant Protects Brain Tissue.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Incara Pharmaceuticals Corporation (INCR) announced that its catalytic antioxidant significantly reduced brain tissue damage and specific markers of free radical damage, and improved neurological function when...

Gene That Maintains Filtration Barrier In Kidney Found.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- A team of scientists at Lexicon Genetics, Inc. (LEXG) has reported discovering a novel gene called Nephi that may play an important role in maintaining the ifitration barrier that prevents nephrotic syndrome, a...

Siplizumab Safe And Well Tolerated In Clinical Trials.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- MedImmune, Inc. (MEDI) and BioTransplant Incorporated (BTRN) announced results from three clinical trials with siplizumab, showing that the humanized monoclonal antibody is safe and well tolerated as therapy in...

Oral Insulin Studies Show Positive Safety And Efficacy Results.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) - Nobex Corp. announced new data from ongoing exploratory Phase II studies of its fast-acting oral insulin product for the treatment of diabetes. In the combined results of three studies, which included...

Prevention Trial To Enroll Impaired Glucose Tolerance Patients.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. announced plans to conduct the largest clinical trial to date on the prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The NAVIGATOR (Nateglinide And Valsartan in...

Patients Benefit From High-Dose Interferon Therapy.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL25 - (NewsRx Network) -- High-dose interferon beta-lb is more effective than interferon beta-la for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, according to data presented by Schering AG (SCH). The Schering data were presented at a...

Novel Second-Generation Drugs Under Development.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Sequella, Inc., announced it is receiving scientific support from the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI)/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Inter-Institute Program for the...

Lumbar Fusion Device Launched.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Sulzer Medica Ltd. has started marketing the BP[TM] lumbar interbody fusion cage, the first new lumbar fusion device since the introduction of the BAK/Proximity device in 1997. In the United States, there...

Immunosuppressive Agent Pentostatin Shows Promise.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- SuperGen, Inc. (SUPG & SUPGZ) announced that its drug [Nipent.sup.R] (pentostatin), which is currently marketed for the treatment of hairy cell leukemia, has generated interest among researchers for the...

Phase I Trial Of Inhaled Selection Antagonist Initiated.
July 25, 2001... 2001 JUL 25 - (NewsRx Network) -- Texas Biotechnology Corp. (TXBI) and Revotar Biopharmaceuticals AG announced the initiation of a Phase I study using the inhaled formulation of bimosiamose, a selectin antagonist formally referred to as...