Pharma Business Week articles from September 2008

Pharma Business Week archives from September 2008

Experiments could lead to new treatments for neuroblastoma.
September 1, 2008... Neuroblastoma is one of the most devastating diagnoses a child can receive. The cancer's victims average 2 years old when the disease is detected, most often by a parent feeling a lump in a child's abdomen. By then, the disease has often...

Codeine not safe for all breastfeeding moms and their babies.
September 1, 2008... Using pain treatments which contain codeine may be risky for some breastfeeding mothers, according to researchers at The University of Western Ontario, and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. Lead author Dr. Gideon Koren...

Reports by O. Difede and co-researchers describe recent advances in acid reflux disease.(Report)
September 1, 2008... Researchers in Palermo, Italy conducted a study "To assess the occurrence of oral pathological changes and symptoms in patients affected by gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). 200 patients with GERD and 100 matched healthy controls were...

Research from University of Oulu broadens understanding of anesthesia.(Report)
September 1, 2008... "Depth-of-anesthesia monitoring with the electroencephalogram has become widely used in anesthesia practice. Generally, the methods presented are based on the spectral changes of the electroencephalogram. in this study, the authors evaluate the...

Researchers from Royal United Hospital, Emergency Department detail new studies and findings in the area of anesthesia.
September 1, 2008... According to recent research from Bath, the United Kingdom, " To determine whether the use of ethyl chloride and subcutaneous lidocaine are associated with a reduction in pain during arterial blood sampling compared with using no local...

Karin Eastham Steps Down as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Burnham Institute for Medical Research.
September 1, 2008... Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) has announced that Karin Eastham, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Trustees has resigned effective September 30 (see also Burnham Institute for...

Ferro Offers High-Purity Grade of Naphthalene Dicarboxylic Acid to Global Industry.
September 1, 2008... Ferro Corporation's (NYSE: FOE) Organic Specialties Group announced it has acquired full manufacturing and commercial rights for the production of high purity 2,6 naphthalene dicarboxylic acid (HNDA) from 2,6 naphthalene dicarboxylate (NDC)....

HST Global, Inc. Posts Second-Quarter Results.(Financial report)
September 1, 2008... HST Global, Inc. (OTCBB:HSTC) announced its unaudited results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2008 (see also HST Global, Inc.). Net revenues for the second quarter of 2008 were $0. The net loss for the quarter was ($720,084), or...

OxySense Releases New Permeation Measurement Solution for Packaging Laboratories.
September 1, 2008... OxySense(R) announced the OxyOTR(TM) accessory system, an oxygen permeation measurement system to be used for oxygen transmission rate (OTR) testing with the OxySense(R) 4000B in packaging laboratories. With the understanding that the...

Hospitals, Healthcare Providers to Save with Premier Agreement for Handheld Doppler Equipment, Accessories.
September 1, 2008... Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, announced a new agreement for handheld doppler equipment and accessories with Huntleigh Healthcare LLC of Eatontown, N.J (see also Premier Inc.). The 36-month agreement, effective August 1, 2008, is...

Contraceptive Devices: How is the Performance of Contraceptive Device Manufacturers Perceived by Ob/Gyn surgeons?
September 1, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/93c960/contraceptive_devi) has announced the addition of the "Contraceptive Devices: How is the Performance of Contraceptive Device Manufacturers Perceived by Ob/Gyn surgeons?"...

Research and Market: CooperVision, Inc. Medical Equipment Company Share Analysis Provides Summary Analysis of Key Revenue Lines and Strategy.
September 1, 2008... Research and Market (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c52fc1/coopervision_inc) has announced the addition of the "CooperVision, Inc. Medical Equipment Company Share Analysis" companyprofile to their offering (see also Research and...

The Vectura Group Plc - Healthcare - Medical Equipment - SWOT Report Examines the Company's Business Structure and Operations, History and Products.(Company overview)(Report)
September 1, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/902fae/vectura_group_plc) has announced the addition of the "Vectura Group plc - Healthcare - Medical Equipment - SWOT Report" company profile to their offering (see also...

SupplyScape to Drive Supply Chain Collaboration Discussion at SCOPE West.
September 1, 2008... SupplyScape Corporation, the leading provider of software to secure the safety and value of the global life sciences supply chain, announced that Graham Clark, vice president of business development, will chair a roundtable discussion and...

Three Pilot Projects to Receive Grants from the Washington State Health Care Authority Totaling $1.7 Million to Test Consumer Managed Health Record Banks.
September 1, 2008... Starting in early 2009, more than 18,000 Washingtonians in three different communities will have the opportunity to organize and manage access to their own health information under separate health record bank pilot project grants from the...

Willow Laboratories Announces Launch of Steroid Testing Services.
September 1, 2008... Willow Laboratories announced that it has started testing individuals for steroid use. Realizing the growing concern among parents and employers, Willow Laboratories provided this service on a limited basis in January of 2008. Now, Willow...

Year-Round Sun Protection from a Pill.
September 1, 2008... XenaCare Holdings Inc. (OTC BB: XCHO) announced that their innovative new product called the SunPill(R) has moved into the retail sales environment, both online and in select drug store chains supported by a national TV campaign (see also...

Kids with pets grow up to be snorers.
September 8, 2008... A predisposition to adult snoring can be established very early in life. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Respiratory Research describes possible childhood risk factors, including exposure to animals, early respiratory...

Life isn't 2-D, so why should our encyclopedias be?
September 8, 2008... Biologists and biochemists are now able to access 3D images of biomacromolecules underlying biological functions and disease. Rather than relying on text to provide the understanding of biomacromolecule structures, a collaborative website...

Cocaine-induced brain plasticity may protect the addicted brain.
September 8, 2008... A new study has unraveled some of the mysteries of the cocaine-addicted brain and may pave the way for the design of more effective treatments for drug addiction. The research, published by Cell Press in the August 28 issue of the journal...

Research Ethics Committees identify and correct problems in applications to do cancer trials.
September 8, 2008... Researchers running cancer trials are often critical of the Research Ethics Committee (REC) process they have to go through to get their trials approved, complaining that it's too complex, burdensome and sometimes unreasonable. In the UK only...

Olive leaf extract can help tackle high blood pressure and cholesterol.
September 8, 2008... Taking 1000mg of a specific olive leaf extract (EFLA[R]943) can lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure in patients with mild hypertension (high blood pressure). These findings came from a 'Twins' trial, in which different treatments were...

Amerinet Names Stevens as Chief Human Resources Officer.
September 8, 2008... Amerinet announces the appointment of a new Chief Human Resources Officer, Stanley "Bud" Stevens. Bringing an extensive background in human resource leadership and management, Stevens will begin with Amerinet, effective August 25, 2008. His...

Gentium Announces Italian Legal Proceeding.
September 8, 2008... Gentium S.p.A. (NASDAQ: GENT) (the "Company") announced that a legal proceeding has been commenced against the Company's Board of Directors and Board of Statutory Auditors in the Court of Como in Italy seeking to prevent a proposed financing...

PanGenex PGXC Updates Following the Florida Chiropractic Association National Convention and Expo.
September 8, 2008... PanGenex Corporation (Pink Sheets:PGXC) hosted a successful product showcase at the Florida Chiropractic Association National Convention and Expo from August 22nd thru August 24th. PanGenex had the opportunity to directly meet over 500...

PerkinElmer to Present at Thomas Weisel Partners Healthcare Conference.(Conference news)(Company overview)
September 8, 2008... PerkinElmer, Inc. (NYSE: PKI), a global leader in Health Sciences and Photonics, announced that it will present at the Thomas Weisel Partners Healthcare Conference 2008 on Wednesday, September 3 at 2:40 p.m. Eastern Time at the Four Seasons...

Out Now - Actavis Operations EOOD Bulgaria - Company Profile.(Company overview)
September 8, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6716db/actavis_operations) has announced the addition of the "Actavis Operations EOOD (Bulgaria) - Company Profile" company profile to their offering (see also Research and...

The Depilatories in Canada Market Report Offers a Comprehensive Guide to the Size and Shape of the Market at a National Level.
September 8, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/21ca48/depilatories_in_ca) has announced the addition of the "Depilatories in Canada" report to their offering (see also Research and Markets Ltd.). The Depilatories in...

Researchers locate geographic origins from DNA.
September 15, 2008... One day soon, you may be able to pinpoint the geographic origins of your ancestors based on analysis of your DNA (see also Cornell University Communications). A study published online this week in Nature by an international team that...

Study: Teen suicide spike was no fluke.
September 15, 2008... A troubling study in the September 3rd Journal of the American Medical Association raises new concerns about kids committing suicide in this country. After a one year spike in the number of suicides, doctors were hoping to see more normal...

Do 68 molecules hold the key to understanding disease?
September 15, 2008... Why is it that the origins of many serious diseases remain a mystery? In considering that question, a scientist at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has come up with a unified molecular view of the indivisible unit of...

Innate immune system targets asthma-linked fungus for destruction.
September 15, 2008... A new study shows that the innate immune system of humans is capable of killing a fungus linked to airway inflammation, chronic rhinosinusitis and bronchial asthma. Researchers at Mayo Clinic and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) have...

Reports from University Hospital describe recent advances in acid reflux disease.
September 15, 2008... According to recent research from Leuven, Belgium, "Both gastroesophageal reflux and airway colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P aeruginosa) are common in lung transplantation (LTx) recipients. There is mounting evidence that, due to...

AtheroGenics Noteholders Expect Company Will Elect Not to Pay 2008 Notes When Due.(Report)
September 15, 2008... CNH Partners, LLC, Tamalpais Asset Management LP, Tang Capital Partners, LP, and Zazove Associates LLC (the "08 Noteholders"), which collectively hold approximately 96% of the outstanding 4 1/2 % Convertible Notes Due 2008 (the "08 Notes")...

BioPharm America 2008 Presenter Profile for Debiopharm.
September 15, 2008... BioPharm America 2008 takes place September 9 - 10, 2008 at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead. Listed below is Debiopharm's presenter profile (see also Business Wire Global Event Services). For in-depth information about BioPharm America...

Ferro Announces Appointment of Mark Duesenberg as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary.
September 15, 2008... Ferro Corporation (NYSE: FOE) has announced that Mark H. Duesenberg will join the Company on September 17, 2008, as Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary (see also Ferro Corporation). Mr. Duesenberg, 46, brings extensive legal...

Heartbeat Digital Recognized as Google Adwords-Qualified Agency.
September 15, 2008... Heartbeat Digital, an Interactive media agency based in Manhattan, has been named an official Google AdWords Qualified Company. To merit this recognition, Heartbeat was rigorously tested using Google's highly competitive Advertising...

InSite Vision Announces Webcast of Presentation at the Wall Street Analyst Forum's 19th Annual Institutional Investor Conference.(Conference news)
September 15, 2008... InSite Vision Incorporated (AMEX:ISV) announced that S. Kumar Chandrasekaran, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, will present an overview of the company at The Wall Street Analyst Forum's 19th Annual Institutional Investor Conference...

Minerva Settles Litigation.
September 15, 2008... Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation and James Czirr, its former Chief Executive Officer, announced the resolution of their legal dispute (see also Minerva Biotechnologies Corporation). As part of the settlement, each of the parties withdrew...

NeoPharm Granted Additional Time to Regain Listing Compliance on NASDAQ.
September 15, 2008... NeoPharm, Inc. (NASDAQ: NEOL), announced that, on September 2, 2008, the Company received a letter from the NASDAQ Listing Qualifications Panel (the "Panel") informing the Company that the Panel had determined to grant the Company's request to...

Precision Dynamics Releases New Ident-Alert Colored Snaps Providing Hospitals with Quick and Easy Patient Alert ID.
September 15, 2008... Precision Dynamics Corporation (PDC), the leader of automated wristband identification, announces the release of Ident-Alert(TM) Colored Snaps. As the newest addition to PDC's Alert Band(R) ID products, Ident-Alert(TM) Colored Snaps will...

Free Rite Aid RX Savings Card Now Available in California so Residents Can Save on More Than 10,000 Prescription Drugs; Success of Card in Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia Prompts Nationwide Debut Later This Month.
September 15, 2008... California residents can realize significant savings on more than 10,000 prescription drugs with the free Rite Aid RX Savings Card just made available at Rite Aid drugstores across the state and soon to be offered at all Rite Aid stores across...

SK&A Board of Directors Promotes David Escalante, Jr. to President and CEO.(Company overview)
September 15, 2008... Stuart Krasney, founder and Chairman of the Board of SK&A, a leading provider of healthcare information solutions and research, announced the promotion of David Escalante, Jr. to the position of Chief Executive Officer. The promotion makes...

New marker for raised intracranial pressure.(Report)
September 22, 2008... Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of the thickness of the optic nerve sheath are a good marker for raised intracranial pressure (ICP). New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care shows that a...

Immaturity of the brain may cause schizophrenia.
September 22, 2008... The underdevelopment of a specific region in the brain may lead to schizophrenia in individuals. According to research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Brain, dentate gyrus, which is located in the hippocampus in the...

Gene therapy prevents blindness in an animal model of mitochondrial dysfunction.
September 22, 2008... Scientists have created an animal model suitable for testing and validating gene therapies for treatment of a common mitochondrial dysfunction that causes loss of vision. The research, published by Cell Press in the September issue of the...

How do Lactobacilli treat Helicobacter pylori-related diseases?(Report)
September 22, 2008... Some studies have demonstrated H. pylori stimulates the release of interleukin-8 (IL-8) from gastric epithelia, which initiates inflammatory damage to gastric mucosa and plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori infections. H....

Is yakult helpful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome?
September 22, 2008... SIBO is a common feature in IBS and in fact may be directly related to the genesis of IBS symptoms. An ERBHAL on a lactulose breath test may indicate SIBO. Antibiotics and elemental diets have been shown to be effective in treating SIBO, but...

Adolor Appoints John M. Limongelli as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary.
September 22, 2008... Adolor Corporation (Nasdaq:ADLR) announced the appointment of John M. Limongelli, Esq., as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Mr. Limongelli will join the Company on September 18, 2008, and report to Michael Dougherty, Adolor...

CDEX Inc. Launches New Web Site.(Company overview)(Website overview)
September 22, 2008... CDEX Inc. (OTCBB: CEXI) announces the launch of its redesigned and updated corporate web site, www.CDEXInc.com. The new site provides customers, investors and the general public a comprehensive source for important information about the...

Concept Media Programs to be Featured on Penn Foster's New Online Bookstore.
September 22, 2008... Concept Media, a leading producer and distributor of healthcare education media, has teamed up with Penn Foster, one of the world's largest online career schools, to distribute programs focused on Maternal and Childhood Development through...

Illumina Announces 2-for-1 Stock Split.
September 22, 2008... Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) announced that the proposed amendment to its certificate of incorporation, designed to increase the number of authorized shares of its common stock from 120 million to 320 million, was approved at the special...

InSite Vision Announces Proxy Advisory Firm's Recommendation of Only One Director Member from Dissident's Slate.
September 22, 2008... InSite Vision Incorporated (AMEX:ISV) announced that Glass, Lewis and Co., LLC, a leading proxy advisory firm, recommends that stockholders vote for only one of the six dissident nominees for the company's Board of Directors being considered...

Lannett Company Announces William Farber, Chairman of the Board, Takes Medical Leave.
September 22, 2008... Lannett Company Inc. (AMEX: LCI) announced that William Farber, the company's chairman since 1991, has taken a temporary leave of absence for health reasons. The company also said that Jeffrey Farber, a non-employee director of Lannett and...

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Increases Claims Processing Efficiency and Flexibility Through Pegasystems' Technology.
September 22, 2008... Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (BCBS MN) is deploying Pegasystems' Claims Repair Solution Framework(TM) (NASDAQ: PEGA) to address new Blue Cross Blue Shield Association compliance mandates, boost productivity and increase accuracy across...

POZEN Sponsors Habitat for Humanity Home in Hillsborough, North Carolina.
September 22, 2008... POZEN Inc. (NASDAQ: POZN), announced that the company, together with a matching contribution from the Plachetka Family Fund of Triangle Community Foundation, have donated a total of $70,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Orange County (HHOC)...

Promega Maxwell 16 System First Personal Automation System to Offer User Programmability.
September 22, 2008... Promega Corporation announces the release of the Maxwell 16 Flexi Method Firmware, a new Maxwell software operating system providing users with the most flexibility and control of automated instrument operation. The new functionality helps...

A Detailed Analysis of the OTC Market in Central and Eastern Europe 2008: Including a Comparative Analysis and Forecasts to 2010.
September 22, 2008... Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b8561b/otc_market_in_cent) has announced the addition of the "OTC Market in Central and Eastern Europe 2008: Comparative Analysis and Development Forecasts for 2008-2010" report...

Rite Aid Stores Stock Additional Emergency Supplies to Help Residents Prepare for Tropical Storm Hanna.
September 22, 2008... As Tropical Storm Hanna heads toward the East Coast, Rite Aid stores in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have stocked up on supplies to help residents get ready and urge them to plan ahead (see also Rite Aid Corporation). All...

Walgreens Donates Food and Supplies to Baton Rouge Area Shelters in the Wake of Hurricane Gustav.
September 22, 2008... Walgreens trucks loaded with food, water and emergency supplies have arrived in Baton Rouge, La., to aid with continuing Hurricane Gustav relief efforts. Water, trail mix, granola bars and other snack items along with infant formula and diapers...

Fantastic photographs of fluorescent fish.
September 29, 2008... Scientists have discovered that certain fish are capable of glowing red. Research published in BMC Ecology includes striking images of fish fluorescing vivid red light (see also BioMed Central). Due to absorption of 'red' wavelengths of...

Inflammatory response to infection and injury may worsen dementia.
September 29, 2008... Inflammation in the brain resulting from infection or injury may accelerate the progress of dementia, research funded by the Wellcome Trust suggests. The findings, published this week in the journal Biological Psychiatry, may have implications...

Does probiotic intervention induce the serum global lipid profile change?
September 29, 2008... The new global metabolic profiling techniques, like lipidomics as a branch of metabolomics, have made it possible to measure large numbers of different metabolites, and are currently being applied to increase our understanding of the health and...

Research from Turku University in acid reflux disease provides new insights.(Clinical report)
September 29, 2008... "The objective of this clinical prospective study was to find out if laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is an effective treatment in laryngopharyngeal reflux disease. Twenty-two consecutive patients, 16 female and 6 male, who were referred to...

Data on addiction medicine published by researchers at University of Copenhagen.
September 29, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Trials, "A number of studies indicate a link between cannabis-use and psychosis as well as more severe psychosis in those with existing psychotic disorders. There is currently insufficient...

Affymax to Present at UBS Global Life Sciences Conference.(Conference news)
September 29, 2008... Affymax, Inc. (NASDAQ: AFFY) announced that management will present at the 2008 UBS Global Life Sciences Conference on Thursday, September 25, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. ET at the Grand Hyatt New York (see also Affymax, Inc.). A live webcast of...

Affymetrix to Webcast Presentation at UBS Global Life Sciences Conference.(Conference news)
September 29, 2008... Affymetrix Inc. (NASDAQ:AFFX) announced that Kevin King, president of Affymetrix, will provide a company overview at the UBS Global Life Sciences Conference on September 23, 2008 in New York City, NY. A live webcast of the presentation will...

Antigenics to Present at the UBS 2008 Global Life Sciences Conference.(Conference news)
September 29, 2008... Antigenics Inc. (NASDAQ: AGEN) announced that Garo Armen, Ph.D., the company's chairman and chief executive officer, will present at the UBS 2008 Global Life Sciences Conference at the Grand Hyatt New York on Monday, September 22, 2008 at 8:00...

Finalists Named for AZBio Annual Awards.
September 29, 2008... The Arizona BioIndustry Association (AZBio) released the names of the finalists for its 2008 annual awards. The winners will be named during the AZBio Annual Dinner, held in partnership with Arizona CURE, on Thursday, September 18, at The...

Affymetrix to Distribute Biotique XRAY Software.
September 29, 2008... Biotique Systems announced a distribution agreement with Affymetrix Inc allowing Affymetrix to distribute XRAY directly to its customers. XRAY is an easy to use but powerful gene expression analysis system and is deployed as a Microsoft(R)...

etrials to Sponsor and Exhibit at the 2008 Society of Clinical Data Management Conference in Dallas.(Conference news)
September 29, 2008... etrials Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: ETWC), a leading provider of adaptive eClinical solutions, announced the Company is a silver sponsor of and will be exhibiting at the 2008 Society of Clinical Data Management (SCDM) Conference to be held Sunday,...

HealthExtras, Inc. Will Become Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc.
September 29, 2008... HealthExtras, Inc. (NASDAQ:HLEX) announced that it will change its name to Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. after a unanimous vote by the board of directors on September 10, 2008. The change will become effective on October 1, 2008 and the...

InSite Vision Strongly Disagrees with Recommendation of Proxy Advisory Firm; Urges Stockholders to Support Board Nominees.
September 29, 2008... InSite Vision Incorporated (AMEX:ISV) announced that the company strongly disagrees with the recommendation of the RiskMetrics Group (formerly Institutional Shareholder Services) that InSite Vision shareholders should vote for four of the six...

NitroMed Receives Notification from NASDAQ Regarding Non-Compliance with NASDAQ's Minimum Bid Price Requirement.
September 29, 2008... NitroMed, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTMD) reported that on September 16, 2008 it received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market's Listing Qualifications Department providing notification that, for the last 30 consecutive business days, the bid price of...

SeraCare Life Sciences Announces Completion of SEC Investigation.
September 29, 2008... SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: SRLS) (the "Company") announced that it has been notified by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the SEC has completed its investigation of the Company and does not intend to recommend any...