Archive for the 'Cardiovascular' Category
February 2nd, 2010 by admin
As pharmaceutical companies looked to wrap up 2009, there were a number of interesting deals being made. In particular, Novartis has agreed to buy Corthera, a San Mateo, CA based company for $120 million. This purchase gives them control of a promising new heart drug called Relaxin. Novartis has also committed to spending up to $500 million to continue development of Relaxin. As may be expected, the funding for this drug will be divided into milestones that must be achieved before Relaxin becomes available for consumer use.
Continue reading ‘Novartis Pays 120M to Buyout Corthera’
October 8th, 2009 by admin
In a new study, scientists have found that heart cells are capable of regenerating themselves. This negates the conventional wisdom that the human body is not able to replace damaged heart cells. This study on heart cell regeneration has been hailed as important for allowing for the prevention and treatment of heart diseases. Read more about Heart Failure – When Drugs Do Not Work: Stakeholder Opinions
Continue reading ‘Heart Cells Automatically Regenerated at 1% Annually’
September 17th, 2009 by admin
Accessory signaling molecules modulate cell-cell interaction by transmission of activation signals and by stimulation of the release of cytokines and chemokines. By these effects, accessory signaling molecules may induce or propagate an inflammatory response. Read more about Transforming Drug Discovery through Genomics and Proteomics
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May 28th, 2009 by admin
In response to the United States Supreme Court ruling in Riegel v. Medtronic, representative, Frank Pallone (D. New Jersey) introduced the Medical Device Safety Act of 2009. If enacted, the Act would roll back federal preemption by overturning the Court’s ruling in Riegel.
Continue reading ‘The Medical Device Safety Act of 2009′
May 7th, 2009 by admin
Coumadin (Warfarin) is a widely used anticoagulant that has been under much scrutiny for its serious potential to cause fatal internal bleeding in patients. A review of these increased risks has required US health officials to have the drug maker, Bristol-Myers Squibb add a black box warning to the drug’s label. The warning comes after the agency identified that the most potentially fatal bleeding risks have shown to be potentiated with the concomitant use of the drug in patients that are more susceptible as a result of their increased age (65 and older) or, gastrointestinal bleeding, hypertension or heart disease risks.
Continue reading ‘Warfarin Black Box Warning, Causes Many To Weigh the Drug’s Risks Over It’s Benefits’
May 6th, 2009 by admin
The pharmaceutical industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing drugs, medicines and related products for human or animal use. Establishments in this industry may undertake one or more of several processes, including basic processes, such as chemical synthesis; fermentation; distillation and solvent extraction; grading, grinding and milling; and packaging in forms suitable for internal and external use, such as tablets, vials, ampoules and ointments.
Continue reading ‘Rise of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry’
April 20th, 2009 by admin
Plaque rupture is a dangerous condition in which a formation of plaque within an artery ruptures, releasing fatty particles and other non-soluble material into the bloodstream. There are several dangerous situations that may result from this event. After the rupture, the site of the rupture could seal over with an overlying clot, causing a potentially larger blockage in the artery. Also, the fatty particles may become lodged (as embolisms) further downstream in the artery. In either case, the result may be a heart attack or stroke.
Continue reading ‘Plaque Rupture and Thrombus Formation’
April 11th, 2009 by admin
Most of you probably do not know the meaning of myocardial infarction, or chances are you have never even heard of the word. Myocardial infarction is generally referred to as a “heart attack”. In most cases, a heart attack is a life threatening situation which takes place when sufficient oxygen is not supplied to the muscle of the heart. This causes permanent damage to the heart resulting in the death of the tissue. According to the National Library of Medicine (www.nlm.nih.gov) “one out of every five deaths is due to myocardial infarction, which is a major cause of sudden death in adults.”
Continue reading ‘Myocardial Infarction’
April 1st, 2009 by admin
Inflammation is a manifestation of the body’s response to tissue damage and infection. The discovery of the detailed processes of inflammation has revealed a close relationship between inflammation and the immune response. In some diseases, however, the body’s defense system (immune system) triggers an inflammatory response when there are no foreign substances to fight off. In these diseases, called autoimmune diseases, the body’s normally protective immune system causes damage to its own tissues. The body responds as if normal tissues are infected or somehow abnormal.
Continue reading ‘Looking at Inflammatory Diseases’
March 31st, 2009 by admin
Coronary artery disease and indeed all inflammatory vascular diseases are initiated and perpetuated by the interaction of immune cells with cells of the affected vessel wall. This is directed by a network of chemical messengers, which, in a state of vascular health, exist as balanced but opposing forces. The detection of vascular inflammation and monitoring of this activity have long been attempted in systemic vasculitis, and, more recently, in atherosclerosis. Markers of vascular inflammation used thus far have been of limited value; few provide both adequate sensitivity and specificity for any particular disease. New insights into the pathophysiology of vascular inflammation have identified other potential markers that may improve detection and monitoring of these conditions, including coronary thrombosis.
Continue reading ‘Cellular Adhesion Molecules and Selectins’
