Pharma News

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited's generics subsidiary, Daiichi Sankyo Espha, will launch seven new generic drugs with four new active ingredients. The products: Naftopidil OD tablets 25mg, 50mg, 75mg “DSEP” (Flivas OD tablets 25mg, 50mg, 75mg) for the treatment for urination disorder due to enlargement of prostate; Metformin hydrochloride tablets 250mgMT, 500mgMT “DSEP” (Metgluco tablets 250mg, 500mg) for biguanide-type oral hypoglycemic agent; Letrozole tablets 2.5mg “DSEP” (Femara tablets 2.5mg)  Aromatase inhibitor/postmenopausal breast cancer treatment; Oxaliplatin IV infusion solution 200mg “DSEP” (Elplat IV infusion solution 200mg) anti-malignant tumour agent.

Cinnamaldehyde, chemical constituent of  cinnamon has distinctive flavor and smell. Associate Professor Georg Wondrak, and Professor Donna Zhang, at the University of Arizona recently completed a study in which they proved that adding cinnamaldehyde, the compound that gives cinnamon its distinctive flavor and smell, to the diet of mice protected the mice against colorectal cancer. In response to cinnamaldehyde, the mice's cells had acquired the ability to protect themselves against exposure to a carcinogen through detoxification and repair.

Researchers have successfully engineered E coli bacteria to produce new forms of antibiotics — including three that show promise in fighting drug-resistant bacteria. Blaine A Pfeifer, an associate professor of chemical and biological engineering in the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, has been studying how to engineer Escherichia coli (E coli) to generate new varieties of erythromycin, a popular antibiotic.

Memories that are 'lost' as a result of traumatic injury, stress or diseases such as Alzheimer's can be recalled by activating brain cells with light, MIT scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have found. Researchers were able to reactivate memories that could not otherwise be retrieved, using a technology known as optogenetics.

Arogya Finance, a social healthcare venture, has launched the Arogya Card in Mumbai. The Arogya Card is a a pre-approved medical loan of upto Rs.2 lakh for the cardholders and their family members.