The European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods
(ECVAM), part of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is seeking to
reduce animal testing as part of the upcoming EU directive that
aims to abolish animal testing in scientific...
Cytopia has received the green light to trial a promising new drug
that could prove effective in the fight against advanced solid
tumours. In animal studies, the drug candidate has already shown
efficacy in killing cancer cells in...
The use of positron emission tomography (PET) and small animal
imaging has the potential to eliminate more strenuous drug
development trials with animals, creating a viable alternative.
BioGenex announces the launch of the Xmatrx, a walk-away system
that automates molecular diagnostics and drug target identification
and validation. The system is specifically designed to enable drug
discovery companies to customise...
Sigma, a division of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation has launched a new
offering of Custom AQUA Peptides for use with Protein-AQUA
Quantitative Proteomics, enabling important applications as
differential protein expression, biomarker quantification...
Cardiome Pharma has completed its second Phase I trial for the
controlled release oral formulation of RSD1235, an anti-arrhythmic
drug candidate that could well provide an effective drug therapy
for its 7 million sufferers worldwide.
Exelixis has submitted an investigational new drug application
(IND) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for XL820, a
novel small molecule anticancer compound that inhibits receptor
tyrosine kinases (RTKs) implicated in tumour...
A research program has released a small molecule binding annotation
and comparison tool, which is expected to accelerate lead
development in antimicrobial drug discovery, as well as allow
chemists to develop safer, more specific...
Researchers have discovered the structural basis for antibiotic
resistance to common pathogenic bacteria, which could herald the
design and development of a new class of antibiotic drugs.
Scientists have developed a monoclonal antibody that can cure mice
infected with the West Nile virus, which if confirmed, could become
one of the first monoclonal antibodies used as a treatment for an
infectious disease.
Scientists at the Karolinska Institutet (KI) have discovered that a
type of drug, when targeted at muscle cells can prove effective in
the treatment of diabetes patients with insulin resistance.
Agilent Technologies has announced plans to introduce its DNA
microarray-based genomics technology to India, reaffirming its
plans to expand its presence in medical research, drug discovery,
agro-biotech.The Indian microarray market...
Scientists have identified an enzyme that helps trigger the
development of leukaemia. The discovery, based on research using
bone marrow cells from mice, offers a potential target for new
drugs against this form of leukaemia.
Xceleron has given the FDA its seal of approval after the
regulatory body drafted a guidance document that favoured a more
flexible experimental approach to early Phase I clinical studies.
According to a new report, the Indian drug sector is evolving
rapidly, creating opportunities both domestic and globally.
However, how Indian drug companies mould their strategies in the
face of product patent protection will determine...
Bruker Daltonics introduces a new system for clinical proteomics
and peptide/protein biomarker discovery and validation, aimed at
cancer research and other clinical and diagnostics research
laboratories engaged in biomarker discovery...
The US Supreme Court's decision as to how much a patent can
restrict research conducted by another company is a question that
is certain to affect the way innovative new drugs are researched
and developed.
US researchers have developed a new approach to fighting cancer,
which uses nanoscale particles that can detect and destroy
cancerous cells. This ability differentiates it from current
molecular imaging approaches, which only detect...
US researchers have discovered a specific pattern of gene
expression linked to multiple-drug resistance of leukaemia cells is
giving unique insights into why standard therapies fail to cure
some children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia...
Dharmacon has announced the launch of the first ever product line
that uses reverse transfection technology to screen RNAi libraries
rapidly and cost effectively, increasing accessibility of RNAi
screening to researchers worldwide.
According to a new report diabetic nephropathy represents a
multi-billion-dollar market that is poorly served by existing
drugs. All this is set to change as Palosuran, currently in
clinical development, could become the first drug...
Researchers have explained how and why different forms of ovarian
cancer evolve in a discovery that could lead to earlier detection
and perhaps more personalised treatment for a disease that will
claim an estimated 16 000 women's...
The contest to produce the world's most advanced commercially
available electron microscope stepped up a gear after FEI announced
its new scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM), produced
atomic-scale imaging with resolution...
A tuberculosis drug candidate, which has been described as the most
promising Tuberculosis (TB) drug in 40 years, may lead to a shorter
and more effective treatment.
Scientists have reported the existence of enzyme-inhibiting
chemicals that severely hamper Ebola virus reproduction in
laboratory-grown cells. The discovery could form a basis for
possible drug treatments for Ebola virus infections...
Immtech International has been issued with a patent for compounds
used to control gene expression, which will add to the potential
use of Immtech's compounds as small molecule drugs that can control
gene expression selectively.
Novartis has announced the formation of an alliance between Vectura
Group and Arakis to develop and commercialise AD 237, a novel, long
acting, antimuscarinic agent, for the treatment of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Scientists have hailed an experimental drug, which fights tumours
linked to two faulty genes in breast cancer, as a breakthrough in
the fight against cancer. Animal tests have shown the drug prevents
the growth of tumours so effectively...
Leading drug developers and researchers are adopting new in vivo
models to streamline pre-clinical drug development in an effort to
cut costs that are increasing steadily throughout the
pharmaceutical industry's drug pipeline.
Celgene has announced it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA)
to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational
drug Revlimid, a first in a new class of novel immunomodulatory
drugs, or ImiDs.
CeNeS Pharmaceuticals and Tripos have entered into a new agreement
to continue their collaboration on COMT inhibitors, which represent
a new breed of therapy for Parkinson's disease and other psychotic
disorders such as schizophrenia.
Researchers have identified a common gene variant that could be a
risk factor behind a number of common diseases such as
cardiovascular disease, rheumatism and Multiple Sclerosis (MS), of
which up to a quarter of the population could...
The success of personalised healthcare depends on a better
understanding of how gut microbes interact with different
medicines, according to scientists, who believe that the microflora
makeup of an individual has been overlooked when...
The prospect of a simple vaccination to prevent cervical cancer
took a major step with the publication of positive Phase II trial
results on a candidate from Merck, called Gardasil, in the April
edition of the medical journal The...
New web based software, which can extract potentially life-saving
knowledge from data in minutes, has bioinformatic research
applications that could prove essential to laboratory technicians
wanting to improve diagnosis and treatment...
Researchers have managed to produce a microscope the size of a
single human cell, which could lead to faster development of new
drugs and quicker medical tests.
Molecular Devices launches two new reagent products for ADME assay
screening, which provide high throughput screening laboratories
with biologically relevant solutions to increase the throughput of
ADME-related compound profiling.
The controversy over the COX-2 inhibitor class refuses to die down
after the FDA asked Pfizer to withdraw Bextra (valdecoxib) from the
market because the overall risk of heart disease and
life-threatening skin reactions outweighed...
Scientists, paving the way for new treatments against Malaria, have
discovered a genetic "camouflage" with which the malaria parasite
hides itself from the immune system of the host. The findings could
lead to the development...
Selerity Technologies introduces a new silica-based stationary
phase that can withstand temperatures of up to 200ºC, overcoming
the extreme temperature barrier that has hampered HPLC technology
progression.
Innodia are to initiate a phase I trial of its lead drug candidate
for the treatment of type 2 diabetes with a view to bringing this
novel drug to market and the 170 million people affected by the
disease, a number that is expected...
Nanostream has introduced an integrated plate changing system
designed to meet the increasing demand in high-throughput
analytical laboratories. The system also aims to allow users to
increase their analytical throughput for a variety...
A new signature genetics tool, which allows doctors to personalise
drug therapy, could well have the potential to personalise a
patient's drug regimen based on his/her genetic makeup to minimise
side effects and maximise drug...
The world's largest drug firm, Pfizer, warned that 2005 would be
its "toughest year ever" as the pharmaceutical company detailed
restructuring plans to save $4 billion (€3.1 billion) in costs
every year as well as cushion...
Huntingdon Life Sciences has announced the expansion of its
pre-clinical pharmaceutical inhalation safety testing facility in
the US, which aims to double capacity and meet the increasingly
rigorous requirements demanded by the pharmaceutical...
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has praised
the latest report, acknowledging the importance of the UK
pharmaceutical industry in "improving people's quality of life,
reducing the need for surgical...
Europe has become a serious rival to the US in its efforts to
deploy genomics and proteomics as vital tools in drug discovery and
development. The push to become competitive has mainly stemmed from
significant government funding and...
Data from the first drug in a new class of antibiotics was
presented at this year's ECCMID conference, which showed the drug
demonstrated its efficacy against a wide variety of gram-positive
and gram-negative bacteria including...
Researchers have developed miniature sensors that reduce time taken
for DNA analysis. The sensors have the same size and thickness as a
fingernail and will have uses in testing genetic toxicity in new
drugs and identifying bacterial...
Researchers have identified several proteins on the surface of
cancer cells that contribute to the cells' ability to metastasise.
The finding provides unique drug targets to prevent the cancer
spread and a basis for which new...
