Page 295 - Health Medical Pharma
'New vaccine offers hope for cancer patients'
A newly developed vaccine to treat patients with metastatic HER2-positive cancers has been found to be effective and safe, scientists say. HER2-positive cancer tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells. Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells to new areas of the body. Among 11 evaluable patients who received more than the lowest dose of the vaccine, six (54 per cent) had clinical benefit, said researchers from the National Cancer Institute in the US. One patient with ovarian cancer had a complete response that lasted 89 weeks, one patient with gastroesophageal cancer had a partial response that lasted 16 weeks, and four patients (two with colon cancer, one with prostate cancer, and one with ovarian cancer) had stable disease. "Immunotherapy marshals the exquisite specificity of the immune system to destroy cancer, and some types may have potentially fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy," .
Ambulance driver suspended for dereliction of duty in J-K
An ambulance driver was suspended for alleged dereliction of duty in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, officials said Monday. Giving details of the incident, the official said a truck loaded with apples skidded off the road and turned turtle near Siot area, leaving three people injured. Subsequently, the injured persons were rushed to the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Sunderbani, where doctors gave them first aid and referred all the three people to the Government Medical College (GMC) hospital here for advanced treatment. The administration of the health facility provided an ambulance to the injured persons to reach the GMC hospital, but the driver of the vehicle demanded Rs 1,800 as referral transport charges from the patients, the officials said. District Development Commissioner (DDC) (Rajouri) Mohammad Aijaz Asad directed the chief medical officer to conduct a detailed probe into the matter, they said. The CMO later submitted the report, finding the driver guilty, the officials .
'Yo-yoing' weight, BP may raise heart attack, stroke risk: Study
Fluctuations in weight, blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar levels in otherwise healthy people may be associated with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and early death, a study has warned. The study, published in the journal Circulation, suggests that a high variability of these risk factors has a negative impact on relatively healthy people. During an average 5.5 year follow-up period, those with the highest amount of variability on all measurements were 127 per cent more likely to die, 43 per cent more likely to have a heart attack and 41 per cent more likely to have a stroke. Researchers from the Catholic University of Korea in South Korea examined data on 6,748,773 people who had no previous heart attacks and were free of diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol at the beginning of the study. All participants had at least three health examinations between 2005 and 2012. Records of the exams documented body weight, fasting blood sugar, systolic (top number) ...
Zydus receives USFDA final approval for Desoximetasone Cream USP
Desoximetasone is a strong corticosteroid, used to treat a variety of skin conditions (e.g., eczema, dermatitis, allergies and rash). It reduces the swelling, itching and redness that can occur in these types of conditions.
AI decodes why children struggle at school
A novel machine learning technology can help identify clusters of learning difficulties that children struggle with at school with health conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism or dyslexia.
OPPI re-elects A Vaidheesh as President
The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) Monday said it has re-elected A Vaidheesh as President for the second consecutive year. Vaidheesh is working as Vice President, South Asia & Managing Director, in GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. "OPPI will continue to partner with all the stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem and work towards building ethical, innovative and progressive pharmaceutical ecosystem in India," Vaidheesh said. OPPI continues to collaborate with the government on access to quality medicines and to establish the value of innovative medicine in the country, he added. "We look forward to his (Vaidheesh's) guidance in leading us as we advocate for policies that promote scientific temperament and innovative mindset for a progressive India where Health Meets Hope," OPPI Director General Kanchana TK said. Established in 1965, OPPI represents the research-based pharmaceutical companies in India.
Zydus Cadila gets USFDA nod for skin cream generic
Drug firm Zydus Cadila Monday said it has received final nod from the US health regulator to market generic Desoximetasone cream used for the treatment of various skin conditions. The approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) is to market Desoximetasone cream USP 0.25 per cent in America, Zydus Cadila said in a statement. The product will be manufactured at the group's topical manufacturing facility at Ahmedabad, it added. "Desoximetasone is a strong corticosteroid, used to treat a variety of skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, allergies and rash," it said. It reduces the swelling, itching and redness that can occur in these types of conditions, it added. The group now has 219 approvals and has so far filed over 330 abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs). Shares of Cadila Healthcare, the listed entity of the group, were trading at Rs 383.10 per scrip on the BSE, down 0.88 per cent from its previous close.
New finding may lead to more successful corneal transplants
A team led by an Indian-origin scientist has made a novel discovery that could help improve the success of corneal transplants for patients whose sight has been affected by disease. The research, published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, has shed light on a characteristic of a thin membrane called the Descemets membrane which can cause difficulties for surgeons performing the intricate Descemets membrane transplant procedure. The study was led by Harminder Dua, a professor at the University of Nottingham in the UK, whose team was the first to discover a new layer of the cornea Pre-Descemets layer, also known as the Dua's layer. "This work has demonstrated a clear structural uniqueness of the pre-Descemets layer (Dua's layer) and has also answered a puzzling surgical question on the reason why the Descemets membrane rolls in one direction, when peeled off the donor eye," said Dua. "This understanding will pave the way to develop strategies to unroll it during transplantation,
Researchers build first-ever brain-to-brain network for thought exchange
Reading one's mind may scientifically be true after all. Researchers have built a system called BrainNet which allows an actual exchange of thoughts between the brains.The precursor to BrainNet was a gear that University of Washington researchers used in 2015 to connect two people through a brain-to-brain interface. In its modern avatar, BrainNet allows three people to join a conversation using brain-to-brain network, Engadget reported.Using BrainNet, the participant group is able to play a collaborative Tetris-like game. The network uses a combination of electroencephalograms to record electrical activity and transcranial magnetic stimulation to send info.What differentiates it from telepathy is that BrainNet requires external intervention. It can only send one bit of data at a time. However, with advancements, it can be scaled up to transmit more complex thoughts across groups.
'AI may help predict why children struggle at school'
Using machine learning - a type of artificial intelligence (AI) - could help develop better predictions of why children struggle at school, scientists say. The researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK used AI and data from hundreds of children who struggle at school to identify clusters of learning difficulties which did not match the previous diagnosis the children had been given. The finding, published in the journal Developmental Science, reinforces the need for children to receive detailed assessments of their cognitive skills to identify the best type of support. The researchers recruited 550 children who were referred to a clinic because they were struggling at school. Much of the previous research into learning difficulties has focussed on children who had already been given a particular diagnosis, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an autism spectrum disorder, or dyslexia, they said. By including children with all difficulties regardless of .
Dr Reddy's Labs terminates Armis Biopharma's licence for its investigational antibacterial product
Dr Reddy's Laboratories Monday announced the termination of the licence granted to Armis Biopharma Inc for its investigational antibacterial product DFA-02, used for the treatment of surgical site infections (SSls). "As a result of the termination, Dr Reddy's Labs has regained worldwide rights to DFA-02, and is currently evaluating its options to take the programme forward," the company said in a BSE filing. DFA-02 is a combination, broad spectrum antibacterial product. DFA-02 has been studied in several phase 1 and 2 clinical studies, and has demonstrated clinical efficacy in several key segments of patients who were at high risk for SSls. In a separate regulatory filing, Dr Reddy's Labs announced the closure of the sale of its antibiotic manufacturing facility and related assets in Bristol, Tennessee to Neopharma Inc. Neopharma Inc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the UAE's largest pharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Under the terms of the agreement, Dr Reddy's ...
High-velocity neck manipulation may result in stress on eyes
Turns out, while adjusting the neck by a chiropractor one needs to be careful as high-velocity neck manipulation has been shown to result in stress on the eye and lead to spotty vision.Researchers from the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center states that the energetic thrusts and rotations sometimes performed in high-velocity neck manipulation have been linked to damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Resulting abnormal bleeding inside the eye may also cause vision loss.This was the case for a 59-year-old woman who experienced a "tadpole" shaped spot in her vision while driving home from a chiropractor visit - with her sight worsening the next day. She had just received cervical spine manipulation using the high-velocity technique to help with her headaches.The woman's vision returned to normal in about two weeks without treatment. Because the cells of the retina are so sensitive, even small injuries to the blood vessels can translate to vision problems.Cardiovascular experts
Dr Reddy's sells manufacturing facility in US
Pharma major Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd on Monday announced the sale of its antibiotic manufacturing facility and related assets in Tennessee, US, for an undisclosed sum.
Discovery to improve the success of corneal transplants
Eye specialists from The University of Nottingham have made a discovery that could help to improve the success of corneal transplants for patients whose sight has been affected by the disease.The research has shed light on a characteristic of a thin membrane called the Descemet's membrane which can cause difficulties for surgeons performing the intricate Descemet's membrane transplant procedure.The study was led by Harminder Dua, Professor of Ophthalmology, and colleagues in the University's Division of Clinical Neuroscience.Professor Dua said, "This work has demonstrated a clear structural uniqueness of the pre-Descemet's layer (Dua's layer) and has also answered a puzzling surgical question on the reason why the Descemet's membrane rolls in one direction when peeled off the donor's eye. This understanding will pave the way to develop strategies to unroll it during transplantation, with minimal damage to the cells it supports."The Descemet membrane, named after the French doctor who .
Google celebrates renowned opthalmologist Govindappa Venkataswamy
The Google Doodle on Monday celebrated the centenary of renowned opthalmologist Govindappa Venkataswamy, known as 'Dr V' among his patients, who flocked to the Aravind Eye Hospital that he founded in Madurai.
'Men at 3-fold higher risk of secondary fractures'
According to researchers, men have a three-fold higher risk of sustaining a secondary fracture within one year of a first fracture compared to those who did not.For women, however, the risk was only 1.8 times higher compared to women without a prior fracture.The large and long-term study looked at the risk of subsequent fractures at the hip, spine, forearm and the upper arm in 17,721 men and 57, 783 women over 50 years of age in Canada over a period of 25 years.Suzanne Morin of McGill University and her colleagues found that while the risk of secondary fracture was elevated in both men and women during that time period, it was highest in the first three years following a prior fracture."These results underscore the importance of timely recognition of fracture events especially in men, a population in whom secondary prevention is under-implemented, "said Morin. "This tells us we should be focusing on anti-fracture strategies early after the fracture event."Another study presented by ...
Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, lack of sleep key factors for diabetes: Experts
Sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, dietary habits and lack of sleep are among the key factors contributing to the prevalence of diabetes, health experts said. The remarks were made during the 17th conference of Uttar Pradesh Diabetes Association (UPDACON), 2018, held in Noida on Saturday and Sunday and attended by over 500 doctors and academics from all over the National Capital Region (NCR) and UP. "Over the last few years there has been a considerable increase in number of patients with diabetes and India is now tagged as the diabetes capital of the world," Dr Amit Gupta, the organising chairman of the conference, said. One of the important reasons for this increase in prevalence of diabetes is sedentary lifestyle, obesity, stress, lack of sleep and dietary habits, Gupta was quoted as saying in a statement. Eminent doctors, including R R Singh and Amitesh Aggarwal, also expressed their views on diabetes -- a condition caused by the body's inability to regulate insulin levels that
3rd edition of 'Distinguished Gentleman's Ride' begins in Hyderabad
In a bid to raise awareness about prostate cancer in men, the third edition of the"Distinguished Gentleman's Ride" was kicked off from Hyderabad's Bikerni club here on Sunday.The awareness ride, which is being held in 580 cities in 95 countries across the globe, saw 300 men and women riders dressed in complete formals participate in it. The 20 kilometre-long ride started from the Begumpet area and concluded at the iconic Taramati Baradari.Lauding the organisers for hosting the event, which was successful in raising awareness for prostate cancer, Deputy British High Commissioner Andrew Fleming said efforts like this are needed to defeat a critical disease like prostate cancer in its early stages."October is the month for the importance of health that comes to the world and it has come to Hyderabad. There has been pink ribbon walk for breast cancer, now we have the gentlemen's bike ride raising awareness for prostate cancer. Both are potentially huge killers. If detained in the early ...
Assam tea industry facing stiff challenge in world market: CM
The Assam tea industry is facing stiff challenge in the world market, due to entry of new tea-producing countries, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Sunday. "New countries have entered the tea production centre and this has led to immense challenges to the Assam tea industry," he said, while laying the foundation of a Tea Tourism Centre at Tocklai Tea Research Institute in Jorhat. The centre is to be built under the 'Uttaran Scheme' of the Assam government. He said the state's tea industry would have to upgrade the quality of production to tide over the threat. Researchers and scientists of the Tea Research Institute must come forward with new inventions so that Assam tea can recapture the world market, Sonowal added.
Two die of swine flu in Jabalpur
Two people have died of swine flu in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur since last Friday, medical authorities said Sunday. While an elderly woman died of HIN1 virus Friday, a man the next day, said Dr Dipak Barkade of the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Government Medical College and Hospital. "Two people have succumbed to H1N1 virus in our hospital," Dr Barkade said. He said three more patients of swine flu are being treated in the hospital.