Pharma News

The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published a study that shows Afinitor® (everolimus) tablets plus best supportive care (BSC) more than doubled progression-free survival (PFS), or time without tumor growth, versus placebo plus BSC in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NET)[1].

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) has asked the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for the sake of patient safety, to work with foreign governments to allow for the importation of sodium thiopental (Pentothal, Hospira) because domestic production of the controversial agent ceased in 2009.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released its latest list of drugs to monitor based on potential signs of serious risks or new safety information identified in the agency's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS).

The quarterly watch list consists of 13 medications that treat a wide range of conditions, including cough, angina, diabetes, cancer, and bipolar disorder.

Medical researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston (UTHealth) presented new research results at the American Heart Association International Stroke Conference that demonstrated how MultiStem, a novel stem cell therapy being developed by Athersys, Inc. provided multiple benefits when administered in preclinical models of ischemic stroke.

Common baldness could have its roots in a newly identified stem cell defect, a finding that could potentially lead to new hair-loss treatments down the road, a new study reveals. Researchers say they discovered that a cellular malfunction short-circuits the process by which hair follicle stem cells turn into hair-producing progenitor cells.

Ecron Acunova (EA), a leading CRO with presence in Europe and Asia announced a joint venture with Jamjuree Innovations Co. Ltd., (JJI) Thailand. JJI is a 100% subsidiary of Chulalongkorn University Intellectual Property Foundation and enjoys strong ties with the University’s Faculty of Medicine, including Clinical Research Center (Chula CRC). The joint venture CRO is based in Bangkok and will conduct clinical research in key South East Asian countries under the name Ecron Acunova Company Ltd (EACL). Dr.

Cell Biosciences, Inc., a provider of innovative protein analysis tools to life science researchers, today announced the launch of the latest addition to their premier line of next-generation imaging products, the FluorChem® M MultiFluor system. This new platform combines highly-sensitive quantitative detection of multicolor fluorescent Western blots with key ease-of-use features aimed at simplifying the laboratory imaging process.

The New National Pharmaceutical Policy would soon be placed for consent before the Cabinet Ministers said Mr M K Azhagiri, Indian Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, at the conference on “Intellectual Property Rights: Challenges and Way Forward for the Pharmaceutical Industry”, organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) held in Chennai (India) on December 15, 2010.

EpiCept Corporation announced that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has initiated a phase II trial with Crolibulin (EPC2407). The trial will assess the drug's efficacy and safety in combination with cisplatin in patients with Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC). Crolibulin is a vascular disruption and apoptosis inducing agent that has demonstrated potent anti-tumour activity in both preclinical and early clinical studies.