Leprosy susceptibility genes reported in New England Journal of Medicine paper — Largest genome-wide association study of an infectious disease – In the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) of leprosy and the largest GWAS on an infectious disease, scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and 26 institutes in China identified seven genes that increase an individual’s susceptibility to leprosy.
The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and 454 Life Sciences Corp. have completed a draft sequence of the Neandertal genome – The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, in Leipzig, Germany, and the 454 Life Sciences Corporation, in Branford, Connecticut, will announce on 12 February during the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and at a simultaneous European press briefing that they have completed a first draft version of the Neandertal genome.
Lupus Research Institute Highly Encouraged by Benlysta Trial Results — First Phase 3 Lupus Drug Trial in Decades to Show Effectiveness. – Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) announced that BENLYSTA (belimumab, formerly LymphoStat-B?) met the primary endpoint in BLISS-52, the first of two pivotal Phase 3 trials in patients with serologically active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Human Genome Sciences Announces Positive Results In Second Of Two Phase 3 Trials Of Albuferon(R) In Chronic Hepatitis C – Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) announced that Albuferon (albinterferon alfa-2b) met its primary endpoint of non-inferiority to peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys) in ACHIEVE 1, a Phase 3 clinical trial of Albuferon in combination with ribavirin in treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (p=0.0008).
Changes in scores of genes contribute to autism risk — Newfound genetic differences provide many hints at causes – Small differences in as many as a thousand genes contribute to risk for autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This new study examined data on several types of rare, genetic differences in more than 14,000 DNA samples from parents, affected children, and unrelated individuals.
Ordinary skin cells morphed into functional brain cells — Scientists at CWRU School of Medicine discover new technique that holds promise for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy – Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that directly converts skin cells to the type of brain cells destroyed in patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other so-called myelin disorders.
Violence puts wear and tear on kids’ DNA — Exposure to Violence During Childhood is Associated with Telomere Erosion from 5 to 10 Years of Age – Children who have experienced violence might really be older than their years. The DNA of 10-year-olds who experienced violence in their young lives has been found to show wear and tear normally associated with aging, a Duke University study has found.
CSHL team finds evidence for the genetic basis of autism — Models of autism show that gene copy number controls brain structure and behavior – Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have discovered that one of the most common genetic alterations in autism — deletion of a 27-gene cluster on chromosome 16 — causes autism-like features.
GM chickens that don’t transmit bird flu developed – Breakthrough could prevent future bird flu epidemics – Chickens genetically modified to prevent them spreading bird flu have been produced by researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh. They developed a new gene coding that controls bird flu virus progress.
Life Technologies, TGen and US Oncology partner on groundbreaking breast cancer sequencing research — First-of-its-kind project will sequence difficult breast cancers to provide insight into treatment strategies – Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) announced that it is collaborating with the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and US Oncology to sequence the genomes of 14 patients afflicted with triple negative breast cancer whose tumors have progressed despite multiple other therapies.
