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Risk of Parkinson’s cut by 28 per cent, study suggests

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Drugs used for diabetic patients could decrease the risk of Parkinson’s, researchers find

The prevention and treatment strategies for the progressive neurological disease just got better, thanks to new Norwegian study suggesting that glitazones (GTZs or thiazolidinediones ), substances used in treating type 2 diabetes, could significantly decrease the risk Parkinson’s disease.

The conclusions came after Dr. Charalampos Tzoulis, from the University of Bergen in Norway, and team analyzed over 100 million drug prescriptions from the Norwegian Prescription Database. Te study took place between 2005 and 2014. As a result, patients using GTZs were found to be less likely the ones to develop Parkinson’s, by 28 per cent, as researchers assume GTZs improve the function of mitochondria.

The findings were recently published in the Movement Disorders journal.

Nevertheless, further studies are needed to investigate the exact mechanisms behind the discovery and in order to generalize the results to people that do not have type 2 diabetes.

Parkinson’s disease is a condition that yearly affects more than 60.000 people in the U.S.

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Moderna’s human trials hopes to justify huge investment

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The experimental drug developed by Moderna Technologies is the result of a $5bn investment

Pharma groups such as Merck and AstraZeneca have contributed to the development of the drug with over $1bn, with the goal of creating a body that can generate its own medicines, depending on the needs.

The project aims to insert artificial messenger RNA (mRNA) compounds into the body that can afterwards produce proteins in order to cure illnesses.

After the phase 1 of the study, it has been observed that the protein named VEGF is able to boost the formation of new blood vessels in 44 patients. The phase 1 trial was led by AstraZeneca and it represents the first human trial of this kind, aiming to especially help people affected by cardiovascular diseases. The next trial will test the therapeutic effect of the drug on coronary surgery patients.

Moreover, Moderna suggested that its efforts could prove useful for developing new vaccines, as well as further discover new drugs. The company has recently started a trial for cancer immunotherapy, a vaccine for Chikungunya, as well as a mRNA treatment for a rare liver illness.

Such plans made critics state that the funds allocated for the research are exaggerated. Despite voices saying that the investments are too high, Moderna claims that the approach is the correct one, despite abandoning an advanced Zika vaccine programme in the middle of its development and started working on a new project on the microcephaly-causing disease.

In order to combat the critics, Moderna’s representatives declared that 6 new papers explaining the insights of its projects will be published in academic journals in the next 12 months. Soon after that, the company will also go public with the detailed costs of its research.

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UK scientists explain the rare ‘healthy’ smokers’ lungs mystery

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Study findings could help developing new drugs to enhance lung function and respiratory system function

Non-smokers definitely choose the best way to stay healthy. Nevertheless, not all smokers will develop lung disease, as well as non-smokers can get ill even if they weren’t exposed to the tobacco smoking risks.

New study analyzed health and genetic data from 50.000 UK Biobank project volunteers. The findings, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, were presented at the European Respiratory Society meeting.

The researchers looked for a disease known to affect over 3 million people in UK only, named Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD leads to breathlessness, chronic coughing and respiratory infections, and finally to bronchitis and emphysema.

By comparing results, scientists discovered that genes affect the way the lungs responds to injury, therefore smokers with “good genes” have a lower risk of developing COPD than smokers with “bad genes”.

“There doesn’t appear to be any kind of magic bullet that would give anyone guaranteed protection against tobacco smoke – they would still have lungs that were unhealthier than they would be had they been a non-smoker.

“The strongest thing that people can do to affect their future health in terms of COPD and also smoking-related disease like cancer and heart disease is to stop smoking”, Prof Martin Tobin, researcher at the University of Leicester, declared for BBC News.

Considering nicotine addiction consequences, study findings offer new clues about helpful drugs development, as Ian Jarrold, head of research at the British Lung Foundation, also states: “These findings represent a significant step forward in helping us achieve a clearer picture about the fascinating and intricate reality of lung health.

“Understanding genetic predisposition is essential in not only helping us develop new treatments for people with lung disease but also in teaching otherwise healthy people how to better take care of their lungs.”

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34360865

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First-ever drug that boosts female libido approved by the FDA

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Female Viagra gets approved by US Food and Drug Administration, after a long controversial process

 

As one in 10 women experience hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), the drug called Flibanserin (Addyi) gets approved to treat low sexual drive in pre-menopausal women. The non-hormonal therapy drug, Fibanserin, is also known as “Female Viagra” or “Pink Viagra” and is manufactured by Sprout Pharmaceuticals.

The pill is formulated in 100 mg tablets and it should be taken once a day, in the evening, while avoiding alcohol consumption, to boost female libido.

Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research is confident that “today’s approval provides women distressed by their low sexual desire with an approved treatment option”.

As HSDD is a real problem for women, caused by neurotransmitters imbalances, a safe and effective drug was absolutely needed. Starting October 17, Flibanserin will be available on the market at the same cost as drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction. Nevertheless, clinical trials showed that the same effect could be obtained with placebo medication, so women not responding to Flibasterin treatment after 8 weeks of daily dosage should discontinue therapy with this drug.

Originally formulated as an antidepressant, the Female Viagra approval was a long process. Also, due to the dangerous interactions with alcohol, the approval of this drug was a controversial one.

 

Source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/849643#vp_2

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First 3-D printed epilepsy pill approved

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Health officials approve the first prescription drug manufactured by 3D printing technology

 

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Spritam, the first prescription pill made through 3-D printing. Spritam is a tablet that dissolves in water, formulated to treat seizures caused by epilepsy, both in adults and children.

The manufacturer is Aprecia Pharmaceuticals. The tablet is the first one produced through a layered process via 3-D printing technology. The company states that it can produce drugs packed in high potent doses for each tablet via its printing system. Spritam,the first drug that uses this process, is expected to be launched at the beginning of 2016.

The privately owned company, Aprecia Pharmaceuticals, plans to further develop other drug using the same technology.

Other medical devices created via 3D printing, mostly prosthetics, have been previously approved by the FDA. Doctors have used this technology for customized implants, especially for children who could not be treated by using available devices for adults. Patients with rare conditions have also been helped by 3D printing tech. Medical manufacturers and medical specialists are increasingly interested in this ultimate technology, as an alternative for complicated cases that so far had little option for help.

 

 

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/04/fda-approves-first-3-d-printed-prescription-pill.html

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New class of cholesterol drugs approved

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FDA approved on Friday, July 24, the use of a new injectable cholesterol-lowering drug

“Praluent” (alirocumab), the first injectable drug that lowers the cholesterol levels was approved by the The U.S. Food and Drug Administration. I could change cardiovascular care, by cutting levels of LDL (the “bad cholesterol), as experts explained. For now, the drug is only approved for severely diseases patients, that suffered a strokeand need additional treatment, besides a healthy diet and lifestyle. Patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), an inherited illness that causes people to have high levels of cholesterol are also allowed to use Praluent.

“Praluent provides another treatment option for patients with HeFH or with known cardiovascular disease who have not been able to lower their LDL cholesterol enough on statins,” Dr. John Jenkins, director of the FDA’s Office of New Drugs, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in the news release.

With Praluent, studies once again to back up the effectiveness of PCSK9 inhibitors in lowering LDL cholesterol that clogs arteries, also lowering by half the risk of a heart attack or death due to stroke, as researchers claim.

Praluent’s side-effects include “itching, swelling, pain, or bruising where injection is given, [colds] and flu” as well as allergic reactions at the injection site, FDA experts declared. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that Praluent is not at all cheap, the new drug seems to be more efficient and provokes less complications than Statin, previously used to lower LDL.

Despite good results, the trial still needs further assessments though, as it has only been conducted for a short period of time and only early data are available. The clinical trial will complete in 2017.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=189678

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Experimental therapy for patients with colo-rectal cancer

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Scientists have discovered an experimental therapy that suppresses UC (ulcerative colitis) that causes colon cancer, one of the most aggressive types of cancer

Ulcerative colitis leads to inflammatory bowel disease that finally may lead to colo-rectal cancer. UCLA scientists treatment utilizes a chemical inhibitor able to block an RNA molecule that transmits genetic information, called microRNA-214.

While it is still unclear why colitis patients develop colon cancer, high levels of microRNA-214 have been registered in UC patients. A new chemical inhibitor of this gene has been discovered.

During two years, Dr. Dimitrios Iliopoulos (University of California, Health Sciences, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center) and Dr. Christos Polytarchou (UCLA assistant professor) examined 401 colon tissue samples from patients with UC, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colo-rectal and colon cancer and compared them to tissue samples from healthy people.

By utilizing high-tech computer programs and robotics that combines molecular and clinical information they hoped to identify the most important responsible genes, in oder to be able to create new drugs for the disease.

“The first steps of the drug discovery process usually take five to six years and by using our novel approach we expedited the drug discovery process only in two years,” said Dr. Iliopoulos. “We evaluated this drug in mice with ulcerative colitis and colon tumors and found that in both cases it was highly effective to suppress these diseases”.

No later than next year, Dr. Iliopoulos wants to begin phase I clinical trials for UC patients. The study is for now now available online.

The incidence is so high that 49.700 more people are expected to die from it in 2015. Colon cancer is the third cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150723211155.htm

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New progress in slowing Alzheimer’s disease

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Solanezumab drug shows consisting health results in new clinical trial

Research about a new drug that can slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease suggested that disease progression rate can be cut down by a third.

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly presented Solanezumab drug data at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Washington, D.C. The drug attacks the amyloid plaques that accumulate in the brain during the progression of Alzheimer, responsible for damage and death of the brain cells and the outcome of the disease. As a difference from the existing treatments already (ex: Aricept), which could menage dementia symptoms, but not stop brain cells to die, it seems that Solanezumab is able to keep the brain cells alive, apart from dealing with dementia side-effects.

Dr. Maria Carrillo, Chief Science Officer of the Alzheimer’s Association declared: “It’s exciting to see significant advances in therapies for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s also important to see innovation in the management of behavioral symptoms”.

Solanezumab may be beneficial to patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, by cutting the progression rate by 34%, as cognition scores tests shown.

“The data from these new analyses present exciting possibilities and we look forward to the results of future studies in these experimental drugs,” says Carrillo. “Treatment advances that support family care giving and enable people to stay home longer can have a tremendous emotional and economic impact.”

It is also important that patients get the drug earlier in the stages of disease development, for better outcome.

Source: http://www.news-medical.net/news/20150723/New-drug-shows-promise-in-slowing-Alzheimere28099s-disease.aspx

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New hope for HIV patients

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Encouraging results of Adapt Study offer a new perspective and new hopes for people infected with HIV virus all over the world

The latest HIV treatment preliminary Phase 2 study, called Adapt, had unexpected results for about 500 participants in three countries. One of many released at the International AIDS Society conference this month in Vancouver, British Columbia, the study showed that most people daily taking Truvada drug were protected against HIV infection, even ones having regular unsafe sex.

Young women and men from Cape Town, Bangkok and Harlem have participated in the study, and they were all high-risk groups, highly vulnerable to viral exposure. Participants had regular blood tests. To make sure that they were taking the medicine, researchers used pill bottles that sent an electronic signal to monitors each time they were opened.

The results of the Adapt study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, were encouraging, according to Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as 76% of the African women taking the drug were shielded against HIV. Nevertheless, it remains crucial to treat H.I.V. patients as soon as possible after infection, to minimize the risk of health complications and also to prevent infecting others.

Nowadays, 15 million people are following anti-viral medication, but an additional two million get infected each year. As stated by the United Nations AIDS-fighting agency additional $12 billion is annually needed to control the epidemic.

At the same conference, researchers from the Pasteur Institute in Paris discussed about a teenager born with H.I.V. and on drugs from birth to age 6, when her parents stopped giving her the medicine. Off drugs for 12 years, her virus has not rebounded, although trace amounts persist. Although the signs are encouraging, experts said, this does not guarantee that without any treatment viral relapse will not occur again in the future.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/us/daily-hiv-drug-regimen-is-effective-in-african-women-study-says.html?ref=health