Depression cumulatively affects a rather large swath of the population, with lifetime chances of being struck at least once around 15 percent. And a respectable part of the risk for depression is genetic: "The heritability of major depression is not very high, but . . . there is a clear genetic contribution," Martin Kohli told BioWorld Today – on the order of 30 to 40 percent. Read More
Not yet a year old, Beijing-based start-up BeiGene Ltd. entered an agreement with Merck & Co. Inc., which will provide unspecified debt and equity financing to help support BeiGene's preclinical discovery, cancer biomarker research and clinical-stage oncology candidate development. Read More
Labopharm Inc., of Laval, Quebec, updated its strategic review process and, with the aim of preserving capital, entered discussions for restructuring its joint venture agreement with Gruppo Angelini SpA, of Rome, for commercializing depression drug Oleptro (trazodone hydrochloride extended-release tablets) in the U.S. Labopharm also is reviewing Oleptro for all territories outside the U.S. Read More
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., of Novato, Calif., reported first quarter 2011 product revenues of $109.1 million, beating analyst estimates of $104 million and representing a 29.7 percent increase over the first quarter of 2010. Read More
Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of New York, disclosed the final dataset from its Phase III short-term trial of Zerenex (ferric citrate) in hyperphosphatemia in end-stage renal disease patients on dialysis, with data showing changes in mean serum phosphorus of -2.0 mg/dL for the 6-g dose group and -2.2 mg/dL for the 8-g group, both with a "p" value of less than 0.0001. Additional data showed a dose response in serum bicarbonate, suggesting the potential to address metabolic acidosis, and a statistically significant dose response reduction in calcium x phosphorus product. Read More
Leprosy probably brings to mind biblical times, Third World countries, or both. But the disease exists in the modern-day U.S., and researchers from Louisiana State University have suggested that a third of all new cases are contracted directly from animals – specifically, armadillos, which are infected with the bacterium at rates of up to 20 percent in the Southern U.S. Read More
WASHINGTON – In a split decision, a federal appellate court lifted a preliminary injunction Friday intended to keep the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from funding research involving human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Read More
Physicians, patients and analysts had new questions following the release of first-year results from a two-year National Institutes of Health study that found Avastin (bevacizumab), an FDA-approved cancer drug commonly used off-label, as effective as FDA-approved Lucentis (ranibizumab) in treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Read More
