Drug Week articles from July 2003

Drug Week archives from July 2003

Study finds statins would cut heart attacks, strokes by a third in diabetics.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Doctors should routinely consider giving cholesterol-lowering statins to anyone with diabetes who has a substantial risk of a heart attack or a stroke, according to the authors of research in the June...

Heart drug might help fight chronic fungal infections.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Johns Hopkins scientists have determined why a drug routinely used to treat heart arrhythmias might become a crucial addition to fighting chronic fungal infections. In 2002, scientists had noted...

Genaera announces promising interim lung cancer clinical trial results.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genaera Corp. (GENR) announced promising interim results for its antiangiogenic drug, squalamine, in its phase IIb non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) clinical trial. The results currently reported...

New range of antibiotics may present a threat to public health, biologists say.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A remarkable range of antibiotics under development may compromise our natural defenses against infection, warns a McGill University evolutionary biologist Graham Bell. Dr. Graham Bell and coauthor...

Combination therapy shows antitumor activity in resistant cancers.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cell Therapeutics, Inc., (CTI) (CTIC) announced that encouraging interim, phase I data, among 21 patients in a study of escalating doses of Xyotax (175 mg/m[superscript]2 - 250 mg/m[superscript]2) in...

Study shows positive results for controlling cancer pain.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Penwest Pharmaceuticals Co. (NASDAQ:PPCO) announced that Endo Pharmaceuticals, Penwest's partner in the development and commercialization of oxymorphone ER, reported positive results for that drug from...

Agency says U.S. government was shortchanged on cancer drug.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- U.S. federal scientists spent millions creating the cancer drug Taxol but got only a little of the money back - despite $9 billion in sales - after turning over Taxol to a pharmaceutical company,...

Combined use of TNFerade, radiation produced 85% response rate.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GenVec, Inc., (GNVC) announced data from a phase I clinical trial using TNFerade in combination with radiation therapy in patients with soft tissue sarcoma. The results presented in a poster...

National organizations applaud educational initiative.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The National Association of AIDS Education & Training Centers (NAAETC) and the American Public Health Association applauded the launch of "Dialogues: Education and Treatment for a Well Planned Future,"...

Company presents preclinical results from AIDS vaccine program.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Targeted Genetics Corporation (NASDAQ:TGEN) announced that it presented positive data in support of its AIDS vaccine program at the 6th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy in...

HAART appears to have caused biological shift towards more treatable disease.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Since the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to treat HIV, physicians have seen an improvement in the prognosis for patients with AIDS-related lymphomas. Researchers from the U.S....

Adoxa now available in new 75-mg tablets.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bioglan Pharmaceuticals Company announced that Adoxa (doxycycline) tablets are now available in a 75mg tablet, adding a middle-range dosage option to Bioglan's popular 50mg and 100mg tablets currently...

Enrollment completed for Atrisone phase III studies.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Atrix Laboratories, Inc., (ATRX) announced that enrollment has been completed for the pivotal phase III clinical studies for Atrisone (5% dapsone topical gel) for the treatment of acne. More than...

Gemtuzumab ozogamicin may be effective for pediatric patients.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) can be beneficial for pediatric leukemia patients. This agent "was developed to treat CD33+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML)," researchers in the Netherlands explained....

Age-related differences found in the side effect profile of citalopram.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Age-related differences were found in the side effect profile of citalopram. "The authors evaluated the autonomic and cardiovascular side effects of citalopram with particular emphasis on their...

Fc epsilon receptor for IgE beta chain is a catalyst for IgE reactions.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The beta chain of the IgE receptor acts as a catalyst for signal transduction and amplification. According to published research from Japan, "The beta chain, a component of the high-affinity...

Study shows levocetirizine improves allergic rhinitis sufferers' QOL.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Study data indicate Xyzal (levocetirizine; UCB Pharma) significantly improves patients' quality of life as compared with placebo in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis (PER). The new quality...

New patents issued for Alzheimer disease treatments.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- ProteoTech (Proteoglycan Technologies) Inc. has been issued a European patent pertaining to new pharmaceutical agents for treating human amyloid diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. ...

An amebic thiol-specific antioxidant prevents killing by host mononuclear ROS.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Amebic dysentery begins with attachment to host mononuclear cells with GalNAc lectin and attachment of a thiol specific antioxidant to its cytoplasmic domain to neutralize reactive oxygen species...

Medical Modeling assists in surgical separation of adult conjoined twins.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Medical Modeling, LLC, producer of medical imaging-based anatomical models, confirmed that it is helping an international team of surgeons in Singapore who will be performing a landmark separation of...

VEGF gene transfer improves myocardial perfusion in a phase II clinical trial.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Vascular endothelial growth factor gene therapy is complementary to post-angioplasty myocardial perfusion, according to the results of a clinical trial...

FDA clears IND for anthrax vaccine candidate.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- VaxGen, Inc., (VXGN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its candidate anthrax vaccine. The effective IND...

Viper venom derivative obtustatin suppresses angiogenesis in laboratory studies.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Viper venom derivative obtustatin suppresses angiogenesis in laboratory studies. "A novel disintegrin, obtustatin, was purified from the venom of the Vipera lebetina obtusa viper. Obtustatin is the...

Treatment lowers the elevated GRK2 present in the brains of depressed patients.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients with depression have elevated GRK2, and treatment with antidepressants lowers the kinase. "G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) and beta-arrestin-2 play a crucial role in the...

Two coumarin derivatives may serve as new lead compounds of antitumor agents.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two coumarin derivatives may serve as new lead compounds of antitumor agents. According to recent research published in the British Journal of Cancer, "In search for new anticancer agents, we have...

Myrica rubra var. acuminata has antitumor constituents.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Myrica rubra var. acuminata has antitumor constituents. "Myrica rubra var. acuminata is a native shrub widely distributed and used as folk medicine in Taiwan for stomach disorders and diarrhea....

Caspase inhibition switches doxorubicin-induced apoptosis to senescence.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Caspase inhibition switches doxorubicin-induced apoptosis to senescence. "The inhibition of apoptosis is generally believed to be a major determinant of resistance to chemotherapy," investigators in...

Study shows increased risk of heart disease in women.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is a condition that affects nearly 10% of reproductive-aged women, are at an increased risk for developing atherosclerosis, a disease that causes a...

Study will evaluate recombinant canarypox HIV-1 vaccine in IV drug users.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A Harvard School of Public Health researcher will be conducting a study to evaluate the efficacy of a recombinant canarypox HIV-1 vaccine in IV drug users. S. Dhalla announced the clinical trial at...

Patients with autoimmune hepatitis form CK19-specific T cells.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Patients with autoimmune hepatitis form CK19-specific T cells "Recently we have demonstrated the existence of anti-cytokeratin 19 (CK19) antibodies in sera of patients with autoimmune hepatitis...

Genomics company to support AAAS prize.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Affymetrix, Inc., (AFFX) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) announced Affymetrix' support of the AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize. The prize recognizes outstanding...

Alfuzosin not associated with a clinically relevant prolongation of QT interval.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sanofi-Synthelabo announced that the Cardiovascular & Renal Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously (with one member abstaining) that the company's...

Angiopoietins have the potential for treating several human diseases.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Angiopoietins have the potential for treating several human diseases. "Angiopoietins are a recently discovered family of growth factors which act on endothelial cells via Tie receptors. They are...

Biodefense R&D agreement signed with U.S. Army.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (BISP) announced that it has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army's Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases...

Report shows competitive cytokine and growth factor market.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Niche suppliers of cytokine and growth factor products, such as immunoassay kits, reagents, and recombinant proteins, are competing well against larger companies with a more broad product line. ...

Protein interaction discovery tool launched, technology used in SARS studies.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc., (CIPH) announced the launch of its new Interaction Discovery Mapping (IDM) platform based on the SELDI ProteinChip Biomarker System and that the company's technology is being...

Glycine-treated products can be stored briefly and used after opening.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Some glycine-treated blood products can be stored briefly and used after opening. Scientists in Japan "evaluated microbial viability in preparations packaged for single use only which mandate that...

FDA issues 510(k) clearance for new blood banking system.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics announced that its Micro Typing Systems subsidiary received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin marketing the Ortho ProVue, a new, fully...

Bioelectrical impedance provides accurate body composition values in girls.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Bioelectrical impedance provides accurate body composition values in adolescent girls. "Previous studies have assessed the ability of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to estimate body...

LifeCell and Stryker Howmedica Osteonics enter marketing services agreement.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- LifeCell Corp. (LIFC), a company involved in the development and commercialization of biological products to repair or replace the body's damaged tissue, announced that it has entered into an exclusive...

Survival not substantively affected by depressed mood or other psychopathology.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Survival is not substantively affected by depressed mood or other psychopathology. According to a study from the United States, "An electronic database search identified 15 studies of psychosocial...

Test identifies patients at high risk of bone complications.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Data show that the bone marker N-telopeptide (Ntx) may predict the clinical outcome of patients with bone complications that stem from a variety of different cancers, according to a study presented at...

Phase III data for brain metastases available.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Pharmacyclics, Inc., (NASDAQ:PCYC) highlighted the results of a Phase III trial with its investigational cancer agent, Xcytrin (motexafin gadolinium) Injection, for the treatment of brain metastases...

Research may lead to blood test for brain tumor diagnosis.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cleveland Clinic researchers have found that elevated serum levels of the protein S100B could be an indication of a brain tumor or of extensive disruption to a person's blood-brain barrier, the...

New program announced for treating brain injury and stroke.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Sirus Pharmaceuticals Limited announced initiation of a program to develop SRSS 025 for treatment of loss of motor function resulting from traumatic brain insult due to injury or stroke. The...

Researchers reprogram genetic material to reverse cancer.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Nuclei removed from mouse brain tumor cells and transplanted into mouse eggs whose own nuclei have been removed, give rise to cloned embryos with normal tissues, even though the mutations causing the...

TMEFF1 may behave as a tumor suppressor gene in brain cancers.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- TMEFF1 may behave as a tumor suppressor gene in brain cancers. "TMEFF1 is a novel transmembrane protein, containing two follisatin domains and an epidermal growth factor-like region, researchers in...

Antitumor activity reported for ABI-007 in patients resistant to taxane.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- At the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting, American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc., (APPX) said investigators reported on the early findings in a phase II metastatic breast...

Epirubicin clinical trial shows treatment improves survival rate.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Results from the largest trial of its kind show that a particular chemotherapy regime, which includes a drug called Epirubicin (Pharmacia & Upjohn Co.), can prevent breast cancer recurrence following...

New chemotherapy agent highlighted in oncology studies.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Taxotere (docetaxel) Injection Concentrate, an active chemotherapy agent, showed positive results in various treatment regimens in early and advanced breast cancer according to numerous phase II and III...

Phase II study shows strong clinical responses.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Introgen Therapeutics, Inc., (NASDAQ:INGN) and its collaborators at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center reported preliminary data from a phase II study in patients with locally advanced...

Rb2 gene may play role in determining effectiveness of drug therapies.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The tumor-suppressing gene pRb2/p130 may play a significant role in determining the effectiveness of drug therapies against breast cancer in women, according to a study by researchers at Temple...

High dietary (n-3)/(n-6) fatty acid ratio lowers breast cancer risk.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New evidence supports the theory that a diet containing a high (n-3)/(n-6) fatty acid ratio lowers the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women. "Recent research has suggested that an increased...

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease patients can take new COX-2 versions.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease patients can consider taking the new, highly selective COX-2 inhibitors. "Aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) exert their clinical...

New clinical trial data presented.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (NASDAQ:VION) announced that clinical data from a Phase 1 trial of its anti-cancer agent Triapine in combination with gemcitabine were presented in a poster session at the...

Angiogenesis quantification needs streamlining if predictive value is the goal.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Angiogenesis quantification needs streamlining if predictive value is the goal. "Chalkley counts have been suggested as the primary method for immunohistochemical evaluation of angiogenesis,...

Growth factor regulation may block tumor entry by immune effector cells.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Growth factor regulation may block tumor entry by immune effector cells. "The expression of endothelial cell (EC) adhesion molecules involved in leukocyte-vessel wall interactions is suppressed in...

Vaccine based on high-affinity receptor suppresses tumor angiogenesis.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Researchers in China have developed a tumor vaccine that uses cross-reactions between animal groups to break immune tolerance and to suppress intratumoral...

Invasion or proliferation, but not both, occur in malignant basal cell carcinoma.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A study of basal cell carcinoma found that p16 governs invasion of cells, and that invasiveness and proliferation are mutually exclusive functions. "Using a highly infiltrative tumor type of basal...

CD105 prevents suicide in endothelial cells held under hypoxic conditions.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- by Sonia Nichols, senior medical writer - Hypoxic endothelial cells are protected from apoptosis by CD105, or endoglin, according to a new journal report. "CD105, a marker of endothelial cells, is...

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans regulate angiogenic signals in brain endothelium.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Heparan sulfate proteoglycans regulate angiogenic signals in brain endothelium. "Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) is a potent angiogenic factor in gliomas. Heparan sulfate promotes ligand binding...

A model optimizes scheduling for radiotherapy and angiogenesis inhibitors.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A model optimizes scheduling for radiotherapy and angiogenesis inhibitors. "We incorporate a previously validated mathematical model of a vascularized tumor into an optimal control problem to...

Advexin therapy halts tumor growth in advanced esophageal cancer patients.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Two abstracts describing an early stage phase I/II clinical study in esophageal cancer indicated that Introgen Therapeutics' (INGN) Advexin therapy was well-tolerated by patients and appeared to slow...

Company shows promising treatment for soft tissue sarcoma.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- New data announced on behalf of PharmaMar show that Yondelis (ET-743) has positive activity in advanced adult soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Encouraging clinical data of Yondelis in combination with...

Data about Quadramet in hematological and solid tumor cancers presented at ASCO.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cytogen Corp. (CYTO) announced that clinical investigators from cancer research centers around the world presented new clinical data on Quadramet in hematological and solid tumor cancers at the annual...

Data suggest risk of infection doubles with reduced Neupogen administration.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Amgen (AMGN) announced data from several studies presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting evaluating the impact of optimal usage of Neupogen (Filgrastim) to help facilitate...

Early data show positive indicators of antitumor activity with gimatecan.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Preliminary data showing positive indicators of antitumor activity with the oral camptothecin derivative gimatecan (ST1481) were presented at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting....

Encouraging data reported for genomic tests for lung, breast therapy.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Genomic Health, Inc., announced encouraging preliminary data in clinical trials using a novel approach to molecular pathology. RNA analysis of thin sections of standard tumor biopsies were used to...

EntreMed and Corvas scientists identify new cancer target.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- EntreMed, Inc., (ENMD) and Corvas International, Inc., (CVAS) published preclinical findings demonstrating that the growth of primary and metastatic tumors in animal models was prevented when scientists...

Favorable phase I results of KOS-862 (Epothilone D) presented at ASCO.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Kosan Biosciences, Inc., (KOSN) and Roche announced results of the initial phase I clinical trial of KOS-862 (Epothilone D). KOS-862 is a polyketide natural product that inhibits cancer cells by...

GenOdyssee presents preclinical results of interferon alpha variants.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- GenOdyssee, S.A., presented preclinical data on its natural functional variants of interferon alpha (IFN alpha) in a poster presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in...

IMiDs demonstrate potential activity in solid tumors.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Celgene Corp. (CELG) advanced the development of its leading IMiD clinical candidates in solid tumor indications. In preclinical studies, Revimid has demonstrated potent anticancer activity through...

Lorus publishes results of GTI-2040 antitumor activity.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Scientists at Lorus Therapeutics, Inc., have published the results of experimental studies in mouse models bearing human tumors treated with GTI-2040, the company's lead antisense compound. The...

New clinical findings announced for NeoLipid anticancer compounds.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- NeoPharm, Inc., (NEOL) and its collaborators unveiled new and additional preliminary data from the company's phase I clinical trials at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting. ...

Phase III results enhances treatment for pancreatic cancer patients.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The first results of the phase III trial comparing the combination of gemcitabine (Gem) and oxaliplatin (Ox) to gemcitabine alone were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical...

Research shows weight gain, safety in treatment of cancer.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Final study data presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology confirmed that oxandrolone therapy in patients with cancer-related weight loss resulted in weight gain and...

Trials show early signs of tolerability for RAF kinease inhibitor.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A novel investigational RAF kinase inhibitor showed encouraging signs when used in combination with standard chemotherapeutics, according to Phase Ib and Phase I trial data released at the annual...

Vascular targeting agent proves effective in cancer treatment.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Peregrine Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PPHM) announced the publication of a report showing that certain chemical agents make tumor blood vessels more responsive to its Vascular Targeting Agent (VTA) effector...

Gene therapy important part of cancer research.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A group of researchers have attempted to activate the cell death pathways to treat several kinds of cancer, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy...

Antitumor immunity induced by electrofusion of tumor and dendritic cells.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Specific antitumor immunity was induced in mice with the electrofusion product of tumor cells and dendritic cells. According to a study from the United States, "Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent...

Apoptosis plus CD80 costimulation promote immune response by melanoma cells.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Apoptotic cell death in conjunction with CD80 costimulation conferred uveal melanoma cells with the ability to induce immune responses. "Uveal melanoma is a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis...

Appetite symptoms and diminished thinking ability may indicate depression.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Appetite symptoms and diminished thinking ability may indicate depression. "Diagnosing depression in cancer patients has been challenging because the diagnostic criteria include somatic symptoms...

Cadmium studies suggest new pathway to human cancer.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reported that cadmium, a naturally occurring metal which shows up in food, water, and cigarette smoke, disturbs a DNA repair...

Secreted VEGF and metanephroi extract stimulate microvessel formation.
July 4, 2003... 2003 JUL 4 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Secreted VEGF and metanephroi extract stimulate microvessel formation. "We have demonstrated that during culture under 5% O[subscript]2, the addition of recombinant human vascular endothelial...