Drug Week

Immunology - Novel regulatory factor, IgA-inducing protein, identified

Immunology - Recognition of CpG motifs expressed by oligodeoxynucleotides

Immunology - Some autoimmune hepatitis patients show immunoreactivity to PDC-E2

Inclusion Body Myositis - Anti-T-lymphocyte globulin before MTX was better than methotrexate alone

Infectious Disease Therapy - Cefotaxime sensitizes penicillin-resistant pneumococci to levofloxacin

Infectious Disease Therapy - Cethromycin highly active against enterococci

Infectious Disease Therapy - Garenoxacin highly active against resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae

Infectious Disease Therapy - Generic ceftriaxone products fail to meet quality standards

Infectious Disease Therapy - Levofloxacin active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Infectious Disease Therapy - Novel parenteral cephalosporin shows promise against MRSA and other pathogens

Infectious Disease Therapy - Novel thiacetazone derivative highly active against Mycobacterium avium

Infectious Disease Therapy - Rifampin has little effect on linezolid therapy against Staphylococcus aureus

Infectious Disease Therapy - Single azithromycin dose equally effective as 5-day regimen in children with otitis media

Infectious Disease Therapy - Telithromycin highly active against resistant respiratory tract pathogens

Influenza - CRADA signed for evaluating approaches to influenza vaccine delivery

Influenza - Treating older adults is cost-effective, but preventing flu is better

Influenza Vaccine - Inactivated influenza vaccine safe during pregnancy in high-risk women

Inhaled Insulin - AERx diabetes management system posters presented

Insulin Sensitizer - 25 Million Actos prescriptions written

Intravenous Immunoglobulin - Myocardial, cerebral infarctions, peripheral ischemia result from IVIg therapy

Legal Issues - Fosamax Once-Weekly U.S. patent upheld

Legal Issues - Genentech settles patent dispute

Legal Issues - Notice of allowance received on 3-DPL Map patent

Legal Issues - U.S. patent granted for helping taxanes dissolve rapidly

Leptospirosis Virulence - A new virulence factor is associated with highly pathogenic Leptospira

Leukemia Therapy - Hydroxyurea improves interferon therapy for leukemia

Liver Failure - HCV genotype 4 patients suffer worse liver disease after liver transplantation

Lung Cancer - Early treatment with epoetin alfa maintains hemoglobin levels during chemotherapy

Lyme Disease Vaccine - Lyme borreliosis reviewed

Lymphoma - Monoclonal antibodies are showing promise in Phase I and II trials for lymphoma

Lymphoproliferation - Darbepoetin alfa benefits anemic patients with lymphoproliferative cancers

Macular Degeneration - Patent issued for composition of synthetic squalamine intermediates

Malaria - Initial stage of human phase IIa of DB289 malaria study completed

Malaria Therapy - Ankyrin peptide blocks falcipain-2-mediated malaria parasite release

Malaria Therapy - Artesunate adds little efficacy to chloroquine treatment for malaria

Malaria Therapy - Artesunate-primaquine antimalarial regimen highly effective in Thailand

Malaria Therapy - Extracts from Brazilian medical plants show limited antimalarial activity

Malaria Therapy - Extracts from Ivorian medical plants show antimalarial activity

Malaria Therapy - NP30 Plasmodium sensitization distinct from that of verapamil

Malaria Therapy - RA metabolites have less antimalarial activity than retinol

Managed Care - Diverse roles pharmacists fill in managed care reported in document

Market Analysis - Half of pharmaceutical firms turn to sales reps to identify thought leaders

Market Analysis - Report reveals hidden cost of specialty drugs

Measles Vaccine - IgG avidity distinguishes secondary from primary measles vaccination failures

Medical Marijuana - Health insurance covers prescribed cannabis to patients in Netherlands

Medication Compliance - Medication reminder products sold in Europe

Medicine Allergies - Chronic urticaria occurs by many mechanisms and drugs including NSAIDs

Melanoma - Study raises prospect of practical vaccine

Melanoma - UV skin damage, aging is from DNA and immune damage; antioxidants may help

Meningitis - High cost of children's vaccine may be keeping some doctors from giving it

Menopause - Early reductions in hormone production highlight odds for bone fracture

Mental Health - Ascorbate treatment reduces Huntington disease symptoms in mice

Mergers and Acquisitions - Acquisition of Salus Therapeutics completed

Mergers and Acquisitions - Company completes Molecular Probes acquisition

Mergers and Acquisitions - Deal combines two large pharmacy benefit management companies

Mergers and Acquisitions - ICN Pharmaceuticals successfully completes acquisition

Mergers and Acquisitions - Meditech and Elan Bio Dynamics enter joint venture

Mergers and Acquisitions - Negotiations underway to acquire Twinlab assets

Mergers and Acquisitions - Postmerger Pyrosequencing management team unveiled

Migraine - LDL receptor gene polymorphism linked to migraine without aura

Migraine - New dose of Imigran approved for adolescents

Multiple Sclerosis - Campath MS trial enrollment surpasses midpoint

Multiple Sclerosis - Phase I trial initiated for antisense drug

Mutagenesis - Two ENU-induced mutations in Rasgrf1 induce early mouse growth retardation

Myasthenia Gravis - Cyclosporin A-taking MG patient given gabapentin for Zoster pain got weaker

Myeloma - Patient with IgD multiple myeloma, on hemodialysis, improved with thalidomide

Myocardial Infarction - Additional data from Pexelizumab COMMA trial reported

NKT Cell Development - Alpha-galactosylceramide can stop NKT-cell development in the thymus

Nerve Growth - Nerve growth factor induces proliferation of PC12 cells through Cdc42

Neurodegeneration - Increased peroxiredoxin-3 could protect hippocampal neurons from injury

Neurology - Galanin gene delivery attenuates seizures and neuronal death

Neuroscience - Bcl-2 phosphorylation not required for its effects on NF kappa B activity

Neuroscience - Brain expression of multifunctional DNA repair enzyme gene investigated

Neuroscience - Gene splicing techniques correct dystrophin levels in mdx dystrophic animals

Neuroscience - VEGF gene therapy improves brain injury due to ischemia in animal studies

Newcastle Disease Virus - Newcastle disease virus nucleocapsid protein investigated

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - Canada accepts Bexxar submission for priority review

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - Pixantrone shows long-lasting tumor responses in relapsed, aggressive NHL

Nuclear Protein Transport - Influenza A virus nucleoprotein can bind the importins alpha3 and alpha5

Obesity Pathogenesis - Eating behavior associated with Rorschach characteristics in obesity

Obesity Risk Factor - Women using copper IUD for contraception gain weight over time

Obstetrics - Angiogenesis-related genes are low where pregnancy loss is recurrent

Oncology - FHIT gene transfer inhibits the growth of gastric cancers in mice

Oncology - Intrabody-based strategies might inhibit angiogenesis and tumor growth

Oncolysis - Biological proteins render some virotherapies incapable of stopping cancer

Oral Insulin - Breakthrough reported in development of Intesulin

Orthopedics - Vertebral fracture predicts later risk for osteoporosis and mortality

Osteomyelitis -  Bartonella henselae genotype I is capable of causing osteomyelitis

Osteoporosis - Alendronate is as useful for men as it is for women in maintaining bone health

Osteoporosis - New evidence fails to link parathyroid hormone and poor bone health

Ovarian Cancer - Carboplatin regimen better tolerated in patients with advanced disease

Pain Medicine - Dutch pharmacies to start selling medicinal marijuana to patients

Pain Therapy - FDA approval granted for generic topical anesthetic

Pancreatic Cancer - Biweekly treatment with gemcitabine, 5-FU and folinic acid is well-tolerated

Pancreatic Cancer - Metastatic lesions respond to therapy when treated on dual fronts

Papillomavirus Vaccine - Papillomavirus vaccines showing promise in clinical trials

Parkinson Disease - Rasagiline reduces "off" time

Patents - Brazil threatens to produce AIDS drugs if companies don't reduce prices

Patents - New patent covers immunostimulatory DNA sequences linked to allergens, antigens

Pathogenic Fungi - Virulence to humans by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans may be incidental

Patient Education - Alliance to educate seniors about company's drug savings program

Pediatric Eye Lupus - Childhood discoid lupus erythematosus often involves photosensitivity

Peripheral Artery Disease - Cholesterol drug increases pain-free walking distance

Persistent Fever - Vancomycin does not benefit persistently febrile neutropenic cancer patients

Personnel - Andrew Reddick named president and CEO of pharmaceutical company

Personnel - Barchi elected to board of directors at drug development services firm

Personnel - CEO Duterme retires, Chimbel to assume position

Personnel - CEO to retire, remain on board at pharmaceutical firm

Personnel - Director hired for biotech industry development in North Carolina

Personnel - General counsel and compliance officer join lab services company

Personnel - Harvard doctor to chair scientific, clinical advisory committees at biotech firm

Personnel - Indevus maker announces departure of two board members

Personnel - Lisack named executive director at pharmaceutical association

Personnel - Management team expanded with three new senior executives

Personnel - Nobel prize-winning chemist named to scientific advisory board

Personnel - Perez named head of sales, marketing at pharmaceutical firm; sales force bolstered

Personnel - Richard Levy, MD, named senior VP, drug development

Personnel - Roseanne Branciforte to lead Florida-based pharmaceutical company

Personnel - Sheppard to join genomics company board

Personnel - Stein named president of Palo Alto research firm

Personnel - Ted G. Wood appointed to pharmaceutical company's board of directors

Pharmacokinetics - Pharmacokinetics of simvastatin in healthy human volunteers reported

Pheochromocytoma - Interleukin-6 produced by tumor may induce high body temperature

Plastic Surgery - Vascular endothelial growth factor improves ischemic flap survival in rodents

Pneumonia Vaccine - Pneumococcal surface protein A and pneumolysin protect against pneumonia

Postoperative Pain - Local anesthetic infusion helps alleviate pain after hand surgery

Postsurgical Pain - Phase II studies to be initiated with APF112

Predictive Medicine - IMI signs collaborative research agreement

Prion Disease - Theoretical model of prion disease incubation proposed

Prostate Cancer - Company expands prostate seed line, offers Readi-Strand

Prostate Cancer - p38 MAP kinase modulates Smad-dependent changes in human prostate cell adhesion

Protein Expression - RNA-binding protein malfunctions produce many cell-specific human diseases

Proteomics - Analysis of polar interactions of alpha-helix packings in proteins reported

Proteomics - Binding interface database compiles amino acid hot spots in proteins

Proteomics - G-proteins act as transducers in transmembrane signaling

Proteomics - Identification of proteins based on redox state reviewed

Proteomics - MsrR involved in Staphylococcus aureus sarA attenuation

Proteomics - N-terminal domain of adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor-1 modeled

Proteomics - Proteomics Standards Initiative promotes data integrity

Proteomics - Researchers characterize two isoforms of human DnaJ homologue HSJ2

Psoriasis - T-cell-based therapy and targeting will give new insight on psoriatic process

Psoriatic Arthritis - FDA approves Enbrel to inhibit bone and joint damage

Psychology - Eating disorder patients rate collaborative intervention strategies high

Psychotropic Drugs - FDA approves once-daily Wellbutrin XL

Pulmonary Disease - Transcriptional profiles highlight genes that promote pulmonary angiogenesis

Pyelonephritis - FDA approves once-daily Cipro XR for the treatment of cUTIs

Receptor Studies - Short agouti-related peptides are melanocortin receptor inverse agonists

Rectal Cancer - Chemo plus radiation before surgery leads to improved sphincter control

Regulatory Requirements - Pharmaceutical company receives administrative inquiry

Reproductive Medicine - Fadrozole hydrochloride curbs embryonic implantation in rodents

Reproductive Medicine - Intracytoplasmic sperm injection circumvents the specter of HCV transmission

Reproductive Medicine - Prenatal hydrocortisone acetate exposure has long-term effects in male rats

Reproductive Medicine - The efficacy of a new polyurethane condom matches that of latex condoms

Respiratory Infection - RSV may cause many acute respiratory infections in urban Mexican children

Respiratory Inflammation - Surfactant protein D proteolysis by leukocyte elastase eliminates its function

Respiratory Medicine - Sex steroid hormones modulate lifelong aspects of breathing control

Restenosis - Study confirms effectiveness of sirolimus-eluting stent

Retail - Sixteen Oregon pharmacies to be sold to Walgreens

SARS - Maxheal to be tested by NIH-funded program

SARS - Positive results reported with Neugene antisense compound

Schizophrenia - Neuropeptide Y gene polymorphism associated with schizophrenia in humans

Scrapie - Cathepsin B and cathepsin L activities upregulated in scrapie-infected cells

Sexually Transmitted Disease - Anti-Herpes compound license agreement exercised

Sinusitis - Paranasal sinus disease is linked with fungal infections

Smallpox - Vaccine maker reports financial performance, provides clinical update

Solid Cancer - Reduced tumor interstitial fluid pressure augments the efficacy of chemotherapy

Specimen Storage - Indianapolis chosen as site for a specimen management facility

Sports Medicine - Postmenopausal female elite runners experience lower rates of bone loss

Stem-Cell Transplantation - Immature leukocyte monitoring may aid PBSC harvest

Stem-Cell Transplantation - Mechanisms of defibrotide activity clarified

Stereochemistry - Cyclophilins are immunoreactive and bind cyclosporin due to 3-D structure

Stock Market - Cancer company receives delisting notice; SEC investigation underway

Stock Market - Drug delivery developer applies for listing on the American Stock Exchange

Stroke - Uncoupling protein-2 prevents neuronal death after stroke and brain trauma

Stroke - Vessel formation after ischemic stroke resembles that in normal brain tissue

Substance Abuse - HHS makes $1.15 million emergency award to Baltimore for drug abuse treatment

Substance Abuse - Office-based therapy for opiate addiction successful

Supplements - Kinray, Inc., now distributes Resurgex

Synovial Inflammation - Synoviocytes release interleukins 6,8 in response to protein I/II

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - Nonprofit announces new research priority to accelerate lupus treatments

T-Cell Activation - Activation of TCR requires TRPC3-controlled calcium influx into T cells

T-Cell Activation - PD-1 controls T-cell tolerance; blockade in liver increases antiviral effect

Tetanus Vaccine - Tetanus toxoid vaccine accepted by pregnant women in the Ivory Coast

Thyroid - Cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation interferes with angiogenesis and metastasis

Thyroid Cancer - Wilms tumor gene, WT1, has high expression in most thyroid cancers

Thyroiditis - Riedel and fibrous Hashimoto thyroiditis are histologically distinguishable

Tick-borne Disease - DNA evidence of Borrelia lonestari found in ticks in Missouri

Toxicology - Topical corticosteroid use during pregnancy may associate with cleft lip

Transplant Medicine - Retrovirus-based selection makes cells more resistant to cytotoxin

Transplant Medicine - Secrets of antirejection drug developed from Easter Island bacterium revealed

Transplantation - Voriconazole is effective and safe for treating invasive mold infections

Tuberculosis Therapy - Gatifloxacin shows promise as part of antituberculous regimen

Type 2 Diabetes - Exenatide open-label study continues to show promise

Type 2 Diabetes - FDA approves new Avandamet dosage strengths

Urinary Tract Infection - Company receives FDA approval for generic Urispas

Urticaria - Immune-related urticaria involves mast cell activation by antibodies, T cells

Vaccine Adjuvant - Lipid- and carbohydrate-based adjuvant/carriers in immunology reviewed

Vaccine Development - Alphavirus replicon particles based on poxvirus expression vectors produced

Vaccine Development - Dendritic cells become more effective after interleukin-2 transfection

Vaccine Development - Experimental molecular design of combined vaccines reported

Vaccine Development - Millions of smallpox vaccine doses delivered to U.S. stockpile

Vaccine Development - Regulatory issues of vaccines in Argentina reviewed

Vaccine Safety - FDA regulatory considerations of maternal immunization discussed

Vaccine Safety - Genetic risk for atopy may decrease infant vaccination success

Varicose Veins - Preliminary results of Varisolve European phase III trial reported

Vector Development - Electroporation and gene therapy arrest EBV-mediated cancer in tumor models

Virology - Analysis of Moloney murine leukemia virus envelope protein reported

Virology - Polioviruses and human enterovirus species C appear related

Virology - Proteases other than SKI-1 involved in processing at RKPL site

Virology - Recombinant Sendai virus vectors can transduce activated T lymphocytes

Virology - Simian virus 40 structural protein Vp3, not Vp2, essential for infection

Virology - Viral combinations enhance the antitumor effect of interleukin-12 gene therapy

Virotherapies - Pharmacologic indicators of antitumor efficacy for virotherapy evaluated

Weight Loss - Natural fat compound may be basis for new class of drugs targeting obesity

Weight Loss - Top-ups of naturally occurring gut hormone could help treat obesity

Weight Reduction - Hydrodynamics augments leptin gene expression and increases weight loss in mice

West Nile Virus - Yellow fever-West Nile vaccine not effective in fish crows

Xerostomia - Betaine relieves symptoms