Geron Receives FDA Clearance to Begin World’s First Human Clinical Trial of Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy. Geron to Study GRNOPC1 in Patients with Acute Spinal Cord Injury. – Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance of the company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application for the clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury.
Abraxis BioScience Announces Plan to Create Abraxis Health, a New Enterprise Focused on Biomarkers and Personalized Medicine – Abraxis BioScience, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABII), a fully integrated, global biotechnology company, announced that the Board of Directors has approved a strategic plan to create Abraxis Health, Inc., an independent, stand-alone company to be spun-off from Abraxis BioScience that will be dedicated to becoming a fully integrated, next-generation, evidence-based, personalized healthcare company.
Clinical trial results on the sleep-promoting effects of Vanda Pharmaceuticals’ circadian regulator tasimelteon (VEC-162) published in the Lancet. – Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VNDA) reports publication in The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, results of clinical trials of its novel circadian regulator, experimental compound tasimelteon (VEC-162).
Research indicates drug alemtuzumab not only stops the Multiple sclerosis disease from advancing but may also restore lost function in many Multiple sclerosis patients. – A drug which was developed in Cambridge and initially designed to treat a form of leukaemia has also proven effective against combating the debilitating neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS).
First published study of new HPV test – QIAGEN’s careHPV test for developing countries shows high accuracy in predicting cervical disease, cervical cancer. – A new HPV test developed by QIAGEN specifically for use in regions of the world with scarce resources is “substantially” more accurate in identifying women with cervical disease than the current methods (Pap testing and visual inspection) in these countries.
deCODE links closer kinship with reproductive success. Phenomenon could have long-term impact on population growth in urbanizing societies. – In a paper published by deCODE genetics (Nasdaq:DCGN) scientists establish a substantial and consistent positive correlation between the kinship of couples and the number of children and grandchildren they have.
Hospital quality gap persists, resulting in 171,424 preventable deaths, according to HealthGrades’ Sixth Annual Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence study. – Patients treated at top-rated hospitals in US are nearly one-third less likely to die, on average, than those admitted to all other hospitals, according to a study released by HealthGrades (Nasdaq: HGRD), the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.
Chromosomal abnormalities play substantial role in autism, revealed in a study. Noting this change would help early diagnosis for autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – a kind of developmental disorder. – Genome-wide scans of families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have revealed new evidence that previously unknown chromosomal abnormalities have a substantial role in the prevalent developmental disorder, according to a report published online Jan. 17th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, a publication of Cell Press.
Interim analysis supports continuation of Cell Genesys’ VITAL-1 Phase 3 Clinical Trial of GVAX Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer – Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq: CEGE) announced that the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) for VITAL-1, the first of two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer, has completed a pre-planned interim analysis and has recommended that the study continue, as GVAX cancer immunotherapy improves prostate cancer patients survival.
Etanercept (Enbrel) significantly reduces psoriasis disease severity in children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. – A Phase 3 study showed that children and adolescents with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who received treatment with Enbrel experienced significant improvements in the signs and symptoms of their disease psoriasis.
