Pharma Business Week articles from June 2009

Pharma Business Week archives from June 2009

Urgent care centers: Between the ER and the family doctor.
June 1, 2009... Urgent care centers (UCCs) are providing an alternative to emergency room treatment. A study published in the open access journal BMC Health Services Research has shown that UCCs tend to be open well outside of office hours and offer a wider...

Proteomics: Finding the key ingredients of disease.
June 1, 2009... This release is available in French (see also McGill University Health Centre). Montreal, May 19th, 2009 - The winner of the chilli cook-off, usually has a key secret ingredient, which is hard to identify. Similarly, many diseases have...

Prevention program helps teens override a gene linked to risky behavior.
June 1, 2009... A family-based prevention program designed to help adolescents avoid substance use and other risky behavior proved especially effective for a group of young teens with a genetic risk factor contributing toward such behavior, according to a new...

Anti-inflammatory effect of 'rotten eggs' gas.
June 1, 2009... Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter have synthesized a new molecule which releases hydrogen sulfide (H2S) - the gas that gives rotten eggs their characteristic smell and which has recently been found to be produced naturally...

UNC study: New approach promises greater success for predicting drug safety.
June 1, 2009... Adverse reactions to drugs represent one of the leading causes of death in the United States. But there may be a way to predict who is most likely to suffer a toxic side effect to a drug before they have even taken it (see also University of...

Food Technology Service, Inc. Reports Earnings.(Financial report)
June 1, 2009... Food Technology Service, Inc., (Nasdaq:VIFL) announced results for the first quarter of 2009. Revenues were $674,830 during the first quarter of 2009 compared to revenues of $558,869 for the same period in 2008. This is an increase of 20.7...

Americans Making Tough Choices to Reduce Their Healthcare Costs.
June 1, 2009... As job losses continue across America, concerns about meeting mortgage and credit card payments are only two of the financial issues weighing heavily on the minds of the average American. Almost half (49 percent) of respondents polled in the...

Global Generics Industry Report Estimates That the Global Generics Market Will Sustain a CAGR of 14% During the Period 2008-12.(Report)
June 1, 2009... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/991700/global_generics_in) has announced the addition of the "Global Generics Industry Report" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets). The global generics...

Carbohydrate restriction may slow prostate tumor growth.
June 8, 2009... Restricting carbohydrates, regardless of weight loss, appears to slow the growth of prostate tumors, according to an animal study being published this week by researchers in the Duke Prostate Center (see also Duke University Medical Center)....

Research finds kava safe and effective.
June 8, 2009... Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have found a traditional extract of Kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety (see also Springer). To be published online this week...

M. D. Anderson study finds dramatic increase in metastatic colon cancer survival.
June 8, 2009... HOUSTON Novel chemotherapy and biological agents for metastatic colorectal cancer, combined with surgical advances in liver resection, have resulted in a dramatic increase in survival for patients with advanced disease, according to...

A potential drug for liver carcinoma.
June 8, 2009... Looking for efficient anti-tumor drugs is a hot research area. Chrysin (5,7-dihydroxy flavone), a natural widely-distributed flavonoid, has been reported to have many different biological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-virus,...

An efficient approach to monitor gastrointestinal microflora changes.
June 8, 2009... Pi-deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the most common digestive diseases and usually the equilibrium of gastrointestinal microflora are broken, which plays many important roles in the growth, development and performance...

CombinatoRx Receives NASDAQ Notification.(Report)
June 8, 2009... CombinatoRx, Incorporated (NASDAQ: CRXX) reported that it received a letter, dated May 18, 2009, from the Listing Qualifications Department of The NASDAQ Stock Market informing the Company that it no longer complies with the minimum $10.0...

Ockham Development Group, an ASG Company, and etrials Worldwide Announce 5-year EDC Technology Transfer Agreement.
June 8, 2009... etrials Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: ETWC), a leading provider of adaptive eClinical solutions, and Ockham Development Group -- a global contract research and development organization and wholly owned subsidiary of ASG, Inc. -- announced they have...

Incyte to Present at Goldman Sachs 30th Annual Global Healthcare Conference.(Conference news)
June 8, 2009... Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq:INCY) announced it will participate in the Goldman Sachs 30th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 10:45 a.m. (Eastern Time). Presenting for Incyte Corporation will be Paul Friedman, M.D.,...

PPD Increases Cash Dividend Rate for Fourth Consecutive Year; Declares Second Quarter Dividend.
June 8, 2009... PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) announced that its board of directors has amended the company's annual cash dividend policy to increase the annual dividend rate by 20 percent, from $0.50 to $0.60 per year, payable quarterly at a rate of $0.15 per...

Hospitals, Healthcare Providers to Save with New Premier Agreements for Airway Clearance Devices.
June 8, 2009... Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, announced new agreements for airway clearance devices have been awarded to Electromed Inc. of New Prague, Minn.; Hill-Rom Company Inc. of Batesville, Ind.; RespirTech of Saint Paul, Minn.; and Thayer...

Resilin springs simplify the control of crustacean limb movements.
June 15, 2009... Animals can simplify the brain control of their limb movements by moving a joint with just one muscle that operates against a spring made of the almost perfect elastic substance called resilin. This principle is analysed and illustrated by...

Swedish study highlights hospital disaster potential.
June 15, 2009... Factors that lead to emergency department overcrowdings, ambulance diversions and other incidents that endanger patient safety have been revealed. A study published in BioMed Central's open access Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation...

Citalopram no better than placebo treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders.
June 15, 2009... Citalopram, a medication commonly prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), was no more effective than a placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors, according to researchers funded by the National Institute of Mental Health...

Hitting where it hurts: Exploiting cancer cell 'addiction' may lead to new therapies.
June 15, 2009... A new study uncovers a gene expression signature that reliably identifies cancer cells whose survival is dependent on a common signaling pathway, even when the cells contain multiple other genetic abnormalities. The research, published by Cell...

Common autism medication is ineffective for repetitive behaviors, study finds.(Clinical report)
June 15, 2009... Citalopram (Celexa), a medication commonly prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), was no more effective than a placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors, according to a multi-site clinical trial guided by lead author Bryan...

HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award[TM] Recipient Hospitals Released Today -- 57% Better in Patient Satisfaction.
June 15, 2009... HealthGrades, the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization, today identified hospitals receiving the 2009/2010 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ and posted the recipients on www.HealthGrades.com. These hospitals...

Health Management Associates, Inc. to Present at Citigroup's 2009 Healthcare Services Day.
June 15, 2009... Health Management Associates, Inc. (NYSE:HMA) announced that its management will present at Citigroup's 2009 Healthcare Services Day on June 3, 2009 in New York City (see also Health Management Associates, Inc.). HMA's management will...

Researchers identify new risk factor gene for rheumatoid arthritis.
June 22, 2009... Scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and a team of collaborators from across the country have identified a new risk factor gene for rheumatoid arthritis. The paper will be published in Nature Genetics and the finding...

Found: 1 in 3 billion.
June 22, 2009... Eureka! Vancouver scientists from the Ovarian Cancer Research (OvCaRe) Program at BC Cancer Agency and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute have discovered that there appears to be a single spelling mistake in the genetic code of...

A potential treatment for gastric motility disorders.
June 22, 2009... GES or pacing has been under investigation as a potential therapy for gastrointestinal motility disorders. Conventionally, GES is performed using a single pair of electrodes or single-channel GES. However, few studies have investigated the...

Endoscopic ultrasonography can differentiate neoplastic from.
June 22, 2009... Although most gallbladder (GB) polyps are benign, some early carcinomas of the GB share the same appearance as benign polyps. Currently, GB polyps larger than 1 cm should be surgically removed because of the increased risk of malignancy. On the...

Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, College of Medicine describe findings in addiction medicine.
June 22, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "A variety of preclinical models have been constructed to emphasize unique aspects of addiction-like behavior. These include Negative Reinforcement (Pain Avoidance), Positive Reinforcement...

Amerinet Executive Briefing Focuses on Quality and Patient Safety.
June 22, 2009... Amerinet Inc., a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization, recently convened leading healthcare executives in an examination of quality and patient safety in healthcare. The session was part of Amerinet's Executive Briefing...

J. Lawrence Wilson Retires from AmerisourceBergen Board of Directors.
June 22, 2009... AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE:ABC) announced that J. Lawrence Wilson, 73, a member of the Company's Board of Directors has chosen to retire from the Board effective immediately (see also AmerisourceBergen Corporation). Richard C....

Charles River to Present at June Conferences.(Conference news)
June 22, 2009... Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE:CRL) announced that it will present at four upcoming conferences: the William Blair 29th Annual Growth Stock Conference in Chicago on Tuesday, June 9th at 1:50 p.m. CT (2:50 p.m. ET), Goldman...

Dyadic International Announces Settlement with Securities and Exchange Commission.
June 22, 2009... Dyadic International, Inc. ("Dyadic") (Pink Sheets:DYAI) announced that it has settled the administrative proceeding by the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") without admitting or denying the SEC's findings (see also Dyadic...

Mean new microRNA data analysis method gives sharper results.
June 29, 2009... Our understanding of the importance of microRNAs in regulating gene expression is expanding, and with it our requirement for robust methods to measure their expression levels. Now a new method published in BioMed Central's open access journal...

Scripps research team creates simple chemical system that mimics DNA.
June 29, 2009... A team of Scripps Research scientists has created a new analog to DNA that assembles and disassembles itself without the need for enzymes. Because the new system comprises components that might reasonably be expected in a primordial world, the...

Protein regulates movement of mitochondria in brain cells.
June 29, 2009... Scientists have identified a protein in the brain that plays a key role in the function of mitochondria - the part of the cell that supplies energy, supports cellular activity, and potentially wards off threats from disease. The discovery,...

Antibiotics-resistant gulls worry scientists.
June 29, 2009... The resistance pattern for antibiotics in gulls is the same as in humans, and a new study by Uppsala University researchers shows that nearly half of Mediterranean gulls in southern France have some form of resistance to antibiotics. The study...

Crowded emergency departments pose greater risks for patients with heart attacks.
June 29, 2009... Patients with heart attacks and other forms of chest pain are three to five times more likely to experience serious complications after hospital admission when they are treated in a crowded emergency department (ED), according to a new study...

BioInformatics, LLC New Report - Exploring the Epigenetics Market: Opportunities for Product Placement and Innovations.
June 29, 2009... BioInformatics, LLC announces the pending release of its newest report, Exploring the Epigenetics Market: Opportunities for Product Placement and Innovations. Designed to provide guidance for life science suppliers selling products that support...

Ken Paulus is Allina Hospitals & Clinics CEO.
June 29, 2009... Allina Hospitals & Clinics' president Ken Paulus officially added the title and duties of chief executive officer this week with the retirement of Richard Pettingill. Paulus has served as Allina's chief operating officer since joining the...

Medication Non-Compliance Estimated to Result in More Than 300,000 Deaths Each Year.
June 29, 2009... Medication non-compliance is becoming one of the most expensive and deadly problems in healthcare today. Hospital costs due to patient non-compliance are estimated at $8.5 billion annually. And with more than 300,000 deaths annually resulting...

Hundreds of Organizations to Call on CVS to Stop Practice of Locking Condoms, Adopt National Policy.
June 29, 2009... A national coalition of hundreds of community organizations, health care educators and advocates are expected to announce June 11, 2009 that they are uniting in an effort to stop CVS Caremark Corp. from locking condoms in its drugstores...

Conmed Healthcare Management, Inc. Announces New Healthcare Services Contract with Creek County, Oklahoma.
June 29, 2009... Conmed Healthcare Management, Inc. (OTCBB:CMHM - News), a leading full service provider of correctional facility healthcare services to county detention centers, announced that it has been awarded a new, multi-year contract with Creek County,...

Valley Health Selects McKesson Solution to Meet Changing Revenue Management Needs.
June 29, 2009... Valley Health System, based in Winchester, Va., has chosen McKesson's Horizon Enterprise Revenue Management™ solution to help transform the front end of its revenue management cycle. The five-hospital health system plans to use the...

Meridian Bioscience to Present at the William Blair and Company's 29th Annual Growth Stock Conference.(Conference news)
June 29, 2009... Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) announced that the Company has been invited to present at the William Blair and Company's 29th Annual Growth Stock Conference on Thursday, June 11 at 9:20 a.m. CDT at the Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago, IL....

Quintiles Again Named to Computerworld's "100 Best Places to Work in IT" List.
June 29, 2009... Quintiles Transnational Corp. has been named to Computerworld magazine's "100 Best Places to Work in IT" list for the second year in a row, improving to a ranking of 16th on the 2009 list (see also Quintiles Transnational Corp.). The Best...

Tikcro Technologies Reports 2009 First Quarter Results.(Financial report)
June 29, 2009... Tikcro Technologies Ltd. (OTC BB: TIKRF) reported results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2009 (see also Tikcro Technologies Ltd.). Net loss for the first quarter was $43,000 or $(0.01) per share. As of March 31, 2009, the Company had...