Preventing Dangerous Liaisons

A new peptidomimetic inhibits prostate cancer’s growth by preventing the androgen receptor from binding to its cofactor
Read more

http://www.chemistryviews.org/details/news/4884471/Preventing_Dangerous_Liaisons.html

A combination of the myxoma virus and the immune suppressant rapamycin can kill glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and deadliest malignant brain tumor

 read all at

http://www.dddmag.com/news/2013/06/virotherapy-rapamycin-combo-kills-brain-tumors

rapamycin, sirolimus

.Artificial sweetener a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

Mannitol, a sugar alcohol produced by fungi, bacteria, and algae, is a common component of sugar-free gum and candy. The sweetener is also used in the medical field — it’s approved by the FDA as a diuretic to flush out excess fluids and used during surgery as a substance that opens the blood/brain barrier to ease the passage of other drugs.

Now Profs. Ehud Gazit and Daniel Segal of Tel Aviv University‘s Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology and the Sagol School of Neuroscience, along with their colleague Dr. Ronit Shaltiel-Karyo and PhD candidate Moran Frenkel-Pinter, have found that mannitol also prevents clumps of the protein α-synuclein from forming in the brain — a process that is characteristic of Parkinson’s disease.

Read more at

http://scienceblog.com/63913/artificial-sweetener-a-potential-treatment-for-parkinsons-disease/

Ambrx partners with Zhejiang for breast cancer antibody drug conjugate development

Ambrx has partnered with Zhejiang Medicine for the development and commercialization of ARX788, its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) for breast cancer... Targeting Her2-positive breast cancer, ARX788 is developed by the clinical stage biopharmaceutical company Ambrx as site-specific ADC.

http://contractresearch.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/news/ambrx-partners-with-zhejiang-for-breast-cancer-antibody-drug-conjugate-development-170613

Chemical Nanoengineering: Designing Drugs Controlled by Light

Researchers at IRB Barcelona and IBEC design the first peptides regulated by light to modulate biological processes. (Credit: Copyright Laura Nevola)





The scientific cooperation between chemists, biotechnologists and physicists from various Catalan institutes, headed by Pau Gorostiza, from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), and Ernest Giralt, from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), has led to a breakthrough that will favor the development of light-regulated therapeutic molecules.

read all at
 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130618101516.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fmatter_energy%2Forganic_
chemistry+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Matter+%26+Energy+News+--+Organic+Chemistry%29

HANDBOOK OF MEDICINAL HERBS-by DOCSTOC

Handbook of Medicinal Herbs (PDF)

Incyte Drug Jakafi ® (ruxolitinib) Improved Overall Survival in Phase III Trial of Patients with Myelofibrosis

ruxolitinib Incyte Drug Jakafi®ruxolitinib Improved Overall Survival in Phase ... Incyte Drug Jakafi®ruxolitinib Improved Overall Survival in Phase III Trial of Patients with Myel. by Business Wirevia The Motley Fool Jun 16th 2013 220AM ... http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/06/16/incyte-drug-jakafi-ruxolitinib-improved-overall-su/ Ruxolitinib (trade names Jakafi and Jakavi, by Incyte Pharmaceuticals and Novartis) is a drug for the treatment of intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis, a type of bone marrow cancer. It is also being investigated for the treatment of other types of cancer (such as lymphomas and pancreatic cancer), for polycythemia vera, and for plaque psoriasis. The phase III Controlled Myelofibrosis Study with Oral JAK Inhibitor-I (COMFORT-I) and COMFORT-II trials showed significant benefits by reducing spleen size, relieving debilitating symptoms, and improving overall survival

ABILIFY® Granted Additional Approval as Adjunctive Therapy for the Treatment of Depression in Japan

ABILIFY® Granted Additional Approval as Adjunctive Therapy for the Treatment of Depression in Japan

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. today obtained regulatory approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for ABILIFY as the first antsipsychotic drug in Japan to treat...

http://japan.pharmaintellect.com/2013/06/abilify-granted-additional-approval-as.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Pharmainvest+%28PharmaInvest%29

Amgen, Cytokinetics expand collaboration

Omecamtiv mecarbil

Omecamtiv mecarbil

Omecamtiv mecarbil

Omecamtiv mecarbil

Omecamtiv mecarbil
Amgen, Cytokinetics expand collaboration

Thursday, June 13, 2013 01:30 PM

Amgen and Cytokinetics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, have expanded their strategic collaboration to include Japan. In 2006, Cytokinetics and Amgen entered into a collaboration to discover, develop and commercialize novel small-molecule therapeutics that activate cardiac muscle contractility for potential applications in the treatment of heart failure. Omecamtiv mecarbil is the most advanced drug candidate in this collaboration.

- See more at:
 http://www.centerwatch.com//news-online/article/4852/amgen-cytokinetics-expand-collaboration

 Omecamtiv mecarbil , previously codenamed CK-1827452, is a cardiac specific myosin activator. It is clinically tested for its role in the treatment of left ventricular systolic heart failure. Systolic heart failure is characterised as a decreased cardiac output (<40% ejection fraction), due to decreased stroke volume, resulting in the inability to meet the metabolic demands of the body. The loss of contraction is caused by a reduced number of effective actin-myosin cross bridges in the left ventricular myocytes. One possible underlying mechanism is altered signal transduction that interferes with excitation-contraction coupling. A decreased cardiac output causes peripheral hypotension and activation of the sympathetic nervous system. This in turn stimulates the cardiac myocytes excessively, eventually leading to left ventricular hypertrophy, characteristic of chronic heart failure. Some symptoms of systolic heart failure are fatigue, peripheral oedema, dyspnoea, exercise intolerance and breathlessness. Current inotropic drug therapies such as dobutamine, are palliative and not a cure. They also cause many adverse effects including arrhythmias related to increased myocardical oxygen consumption, desensitization of adrenergic receptors and altering intracellular calcium levels. Thus systolic heart failure is considered malignant, however the novel mechanism of Omecamtiv Mecarbil is a hopeful long-term resolution.

The Design, Development and Scale-Up of Safe Chemical Processes and Operations

2 - 4 October 2013 • Chilworth Global, Princeton, NJ, USA

Dr Vahid Ebadat, Chilworth Technology Inc.

Dr. Swati Umbrajkar

Dr Will Watson, Scientific Update

http://ecampaign.scientificupdate.co.uk/index.php?action=social&c=17c276c8e723eb46aef576537e9d56d0.882

Developing safe processes is of paramount importance to any chemical company. Exothermic chemical reactions in batch and semi- batch processes can result in serious injury to people and plant if they get out of control. Results of thermal runaways include violent loss of containment, possibly explosion and the release of flammable or toxic materials to the environment.
Employers are bound by Health & Safety legislation to ensure the safety of their employees and those outside their employment who might be affected by their activities. Chemical manufacturers must therefore be aware of all potential dangers in their processes and take steps to eliminate them. The best approach is to design safety into the process from the start.
This seminar is designed to enhance the awareness of chemists and engineers regarding hazard issues. Utilizing the expertise of the chemists and chemical engineers at Chilworth Global and Scientific Update, it will consider hazard control of new chemical processes throughout their development cycle: from early development through to full-scale production. Hazards can often be eliminated by appropriate choice of reagent or synthetic route at the R&D stage. Where this is not possible, techniques exist to quantify the hazards so that robust engineering solutions can he applied in production.

Who Should Attend?

• R&D and Process Development Chemists, Chemical Engineers, Managers and anyone whose responsibilities include safety or risk assessment of chemical processes or building safety into chemical process scale-up.

Visit SCIENTIFIC UPDATE website for complete course information.

http://ecampaign.scientificupdate.co.uk/index.php?action=social&c=17c276c8e723eb46aef576537e9d56d0.882

DRUG SCALEUP AND MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL BY DR ANTHONY MELVIN CRASTO, WORLD DRUG TRACKER

http://drug-scaleup-and-manufacturing.webnode.com/news/my-website-on-scaleup-of-organic-compounds/

AstraZeneca buys Pearl Therapeutics in $1.15bn deal

AstraZeneca buys Pearl Therapeutics in $1.15bn deal


The UK's second largest drug company, AstraZeneca, has announced that it will buy US based lung disease drug specialist, Pearl Therapeutics, in a deal worth up to $1.15bn (£742m).

 http://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/news/newsastrazeneca-buys-pearl-therapeutics-in-115bn-deal?WT.mc_id=DN_News














 

PFIZER, MERCK, SANOFI --Does This Pipeline Promise Tomorrow's Blockbuster Sales?

Does This Pipeline Promise Tomorrow's Blockbuster Sales?

Motley Fool
Pfizer's future looks strong with its robust pipeline that boasts 74 total drugs in development, and at least in late-stage candidates, Merck looks strong as well, with another 23 therapies in phase 2 development. However, it's the quality, not the ...


read all at
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/06/12/does-this-pipeline-promise-tomorrows-blockbuster-s.aspx

Roche's RoActemra gets EU OK for rare child arthritis

The European Medicines Agency has expanded approval for Roche's RoActemra to cover the treatment of children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

The regulator has decreed that RoActemra (tocilizumab) can be used to treat patients two years of age and older who have not responded adequately to treatment with methotrexate. The drug can be given alone or in combination with MTX.

http://www.pharmatimes.com/Article/13-06-10/Roche_s_RoActemra_gets_EU_OK_for_rare_child_arthritis.aspx

Tocilizumab(INN, or atlizumab, developed by Hoffmann–La Roche and Chugai and sold under the trade names Actemra and RoActemra) is an immunosuppressive drug, mainly for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a severe form of RA in children. It is a humanized monoclonal antibody against the interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R). Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine that plays an important role in immune response and is implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases, such asautoimmune diseases, multiple myeloma and prostate cancer.

 

Will nanorods be the next big male contraceptive idea?

Will nanorods be the next big male contraceptive idea?

Successful experiments on mice bode well for a future human contraceptive - if men can stomach the injections Researchers in China have discovered a new method of male contraception: a quick injection of gold nanorods into the testes, followed by a 10 minute dose of infrared light. The procedure has only been demonstrated in mice, but the researchers believe it could be used for dogs and cats – and even humans. Pet contraception is considered an important topic, given the four million unwanted dogs and cats that are thought to be put down every year in the US alone. Many vets routinely sterilise pets, but since surgery requires time and expertise scientists have been looking for cheaper, simpler alternatives.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/06/gold-nanorods-male-contraceptive



Functionalising the nanorods with methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) enables them to be used for contraception or even sterilisation © ACS

New Fluzone Quadrivalent Four-Strain Influenza Vaccine from Sanofi Pasteur Now Licensed By FDA for Broad Age Range of Children and Adults

 

A 5cc vial of Fluzone

June 10, 2013 – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for licensure of its four-strain influenza vaccine, Fluzone Quadrivalent vaccine. Fluzone Quadrivalent vaccine is the newest addition to the Fluzone family of influenza vaccines. Like Sanofi Pasteur’s Fluzone vaccine, which is administered to more than 50 million people in the U.S. each year, Fluzone Quadrivalent vaccine is licensed for use in children six months of age and older, adolescents, and adults.
http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/new-fluzone-quadrivalent-four-strain-influenza-vaccine-sanofi-pasteur-now-licensed-fda-broad-age-3810.html





Influenza (Flu)

90Y-Epratuzumab Study Shows Improvement of Therapy Results Following R-CHOP

 


June 10, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immunomedics, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMMU), a biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development of monoclonal antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases, today reported that adding two doses of epratuzumab labeled with the radioisotope, yttrium-90 (90Y), to a combination of rituximab and CHOP chemotherapy (R-CHOP), the standard of care for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), appeared to improve elderly patients' responses to treatment.

read all at
http://www.drugs.com/clinical_trials/90y-epratuzumab-study-shows-improvement-therapy-results-following-r-chop-15714.html 




by
WORLD DRUG TRACKER
DR ANTHONY

Germany's Merck Gets Chinese Cancer Drug

 

A chemist works in BeiGene’s labs in Beijing.

Credit: Beigene

 

Germany's Merck Gets Chinese Cancer Drug

Pharmaceutical R&D: Deal signals growing Western confidence in Chinese inventions.

Merck Serono will pay up to $233 million to the Beijing-based drug discovery firm BeiGene for marketing rights outside China to a cancer drug candidate. BeiGene says its compound may be effective against melanoma, colorectal cancer, and other forms of the disease. Human trials of the drug are expected to begin next year.

The deal marks the second time in less than two years that a multinational company has acquired rights to a drug invented in China. In December 2011, Shanghai-based Hutchison MediPharma agreed to license to AstraZeneca the global rights to volitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor being developed as a cancer treatment.

http://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i23/Germanys-Merck-Chinese-Cancer-Drug.html

Infinity Pharmaceuticals And IPI-145: ASCO 2013 Highlights

Infinity Pharmaceuticals And IPI-145: ASCO 2013 Highlights
Seeking Alpha

In June 2012, Infinity suffered a significant writedown when its cancer drug, saridegib proved ineffective in a Phase II clinical trial. The company restructured financing deals with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Purdue Pharmaceutical Products, and ...


http://seekingalpha.com/article/1491062-infinity-pharmaceuticals-and-ipi-145-asco-2013-highlights?source=google_news

BY WORLD DRUG TRACKER

Blocking Biosimilars

Blocking Biosimilars 

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to finalize regulations to establish a pathway for approving biopharmaceutical or biosimilar drugs, leading branded drug manufacturers are looking ahead and lobbying state legislatures to enact laws that would limit the substitution of biogenerics for brand-name drugs. Currently, pharmacists in most states can substitute lower-cost generics for branded chemical or small-molecule drugs without such approval.

http://www.dddmag.com/articles/2013/06/blocking-biosimilars

BY WORLD DRUG TRACKER