By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...Potentially, neuronal osteopontin secretion could modulate inflammation and demyelination and could influence the clinical severity of the disease.” It proposes that osteopontin “may offer a potential target in blocking development of progressive MS.” It Takes Shards From Host T Cell As Well As Orts Of Target Antigen To Spark Immune Response T lymphocytes are the

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...Offspring Of Mice Sans New Gene Expressed Genes Not Normally Encoded By Mom’s Copy Many a clinical gene therapist has tried to treat a cancer by delivering healthy genes into tumor tissue of the patient – only to find out that those genes were asleep

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...To make this therapy safe for human clinical trials, we must continue to perfect the viral delivery for safe, large-scale production...An experienced clinical neurologist can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with 90 percent accuracy, telling it apart from the many other senile dementias for which – unlike AD – therapies are available

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...Clinical signs include progressive loss of muscle coordination due to disorders of the cerebellum, muscle spasticity and optic atrophy, but without loss of mental abilities

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...The Nature paper concluded: “Because not all NSAIDs lower Ab42 levels, this Ab42 activity may be an important criterion to consider in clinical trials of NSAIDs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.” An accompanying editorial commented: “If the findings can be extended to people, these drugs could join the Ivy League of potential treatments for the devastating

clinical sites. • Celgene Corp., of Warren, N.J., presented data on a preclinical study of novel small-molecule IkB kinase-2 (IKK-2) inhibitor CDC 839/AS602868...In previous clinical trials, LJP 394 was shown to specifically reduce antibodies to double-stranded DNA and appeared to be well tolerated. • Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Tarrytown, N.Y., released preliminary results from a Phase I trial of its Interleukin-l Cytokine Trap...Based on the results, Regeneron plans to begin Phase II

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...But their model predicts an average incubation period for the disease, if millions are indeed affected, that is well beyond the human life span, so it appears likely there will be at most only a few thousand clinical cases in the future

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...gondii infection strikes pregnant women, organ transplant recipients and people with advanced AIDS, causing clinical effects from transient flu-like symptoms to lethality

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...The gene might also aid development of a clinical PJS predictive test. “The first thing that the Lkb1-minus mouse told us,” Henkemeyer said, “is that it is an essential gene...All participants and clinical staff were kept unaware of the double-blinded study’s purpose

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...The Journal of Clinical Investigation for August 2001 reports their feat under the title: “Human embryonic stem cells can differentiate into myocytes with structural and functional properties of cardiomyocytes.” The paper’s 10 co-authors are cardiovascular, obstetrical and anatomy researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa...They make a

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...Its title: “Guanylyl cyclase C agonists regulate progression through the cell cycle of human colon carcinoma cells.” Its authors are clinical pharmacologists at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia...The Invader assay should be useful,” the article concluded, “in any area requiring RNA quantitation, such as high-throughput screening in drug discovery research

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...clinical trials

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...An article in the journal Blood, dated June 1, 2001, reports the study under the title: “Clinical and biologic activity of the farnesyltransferase inhibitor R115777 in adults with refractory and relapsed acute leukemias: a phase I clinical laboratory correlative trial

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...The Spanish findings, says a commentary accompanying their article, “support this hypothesis by demonstrating that VIP treatment dramatically suppresses clinical joint diseases in murine CIA.” Congenital Neurodegenerative Muscle-Wasting Disease Improves With Nutritional Enrichment Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic killer of children under the age

ImClone Systems Inc., of New York, disclosed the early achievement of a clinical development milestone under its agreement with Merck KgaA, of Darmstadt, Germany...Terms of the proposed offering were not disclosed.

s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published biotechnology-relevant research...the first clinical application of pharmacogenetics in cardiovascular disease...a clinical trial of heart-disease patients harboring a gene variant of ACE

EU Clinical Trials Rules Formalized The EU rules on clinical trials for new medicines have at last been formalized - some four months after the EU institutions agreed on the final details...The final version of the directive, which lays down good clinical practice rules for conducting clinical trials on human subjects, and provides for an early start to most clinical trials, still insists in its final form that: "Written authorization shall be required before commencing clinical trials involving

BioWorld International Correspondent BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union rules on clinical trials for new medicines - with their additional constraints on biotechnology products - have at last been formalized, some four months after European Union ministers and parliamentarians agreed on the final details...The results of the conference will be presented to the G-8 Summit of Heads of State and Government in Genoa, Italy, in July to support their discussions on biotechnology, and will feed into

By David N. Leff Science Editor Editor’s note: Science Scan is a roundup of recently published, biotechnology-relevant research...In contrast, the untreated control canine did not display avoidance behavior in any direction.” Bennett made the point that “a logical question leading from our results is whether sub-retinal injection of AAV-RPE65 would also correct the functional defects found in humans with LCA due to RPE65 mutations. “There are a number of important steps that must be taken