Archive: April, 2009

• Product Overview – DIRUCOTIDE

  Product Overview – DIRUCOTIDE Dirucotide (formally named MBP8298) is a synthetic peptide that consists of 17 amino acids linked in a sequence identical to that of a [...]

  • Caroline says: Read more about BioMS Medical Corp's dirucotide for SPMS. It's high science, but interesting.
     
  
  

  • Dirucotide (BioMS) Phase III U.S. Trial Gets Positive Safety Review From Data Safety Monitoring Board

    Edmonton, Alberta, April 14, 2009 – BioMS Medical Corp. (TSX: MS), a leading developer in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), today announced that the independent Data [...]

    • Caroline says: Dirucotide is a synthetic peptide that consists of 17 amino acids linked in a sequence identical to that of a portion of human myelin basic protein (got that off BioMS website: www.biomsmedical.com). Dirucotide was developed specifically for people with secondary progressive MS.
       
    
    

    • 11 MS Drugs May Soon Be on Pharmacy Shelves (or Infusion Suites) Near YOU

      Several New MS Drugs Could Soon Be On the Market (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may soon have more treatment options for their disease. [...]

      • Caroline says: Out of the 11...at least 6 are orals.
         
      
      

      • MORE PROMISING: Stem Cell Breakthrough May Lead to MS Treatments

        THURSDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) — U.S. scientists say they’ve coaxed human embryonic stem cells into generating cells that might someday be used to repair nerves damaged [...]

        • Caroline says: Fresh and promising. Researchers have figured out how to make human embryonic stem cells into oligodendrocytes, which are the cells that produce myelin, the fatty sheath that surrounds your your nerve fibers. In MS, myelin breaks down and is replaced by scar tissue, resulting in disability. We'll see how this progresses...but I'm very hopeful.
           
        
        

        • PROMISING: Genetically Modified Stem Cells Treat Autoimmune Disease

          GM stem cells treat autoimmune disease Thursday, 9 April 2009 Wendy Zukerman ABC // Mice with a human equivalent of multiple sclerosis have been successfully treated using [...]

          • Caroline says: I had to read this article more than once to understand what the study was, but I think I've got it: Australian scientists gave mice EAE, the animal equivalent of MS, and then injected them with genetically modified stem cells, resulting in complete remission of their EAE. This is potentially very promising, but human clinical trials won't be possible for quite some time. Before the stem cells can be transplanted, it is necessary to wipe out the immune system of the subject, so the scientists are now looking at other ways to do this.
             
          
          

          • MS Patients Aren’t The Only Ones Who Get PML Because of Drugs

            UPDATE 2-Genentech withdraws Raptiva from U.S. market LOS ANGELES, April 8 (Reuters) – Genentech Inc, which was acquired by Roche Holding AG last month, announced on Wednesday [...]

            • Caroline says: Breaking Pharma news: Genentech has withdrawn their psoriasis drug, Raptiva due to 4 cases of PML in patients taking the drug.
               
            
            

            • Cat Got Your…Immune System?

              Cat Food-Linked Illness Yields Clues to MS FRIDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) — Cat food could be the unlikely inspiration for important insights into multiple sclerosis and [...]

              • Caroline says: I have to admit that I saw this data come out Friday and didn't give it a thought for msnewstoday.com, but then I KEPT seeing it in new places and I figured I should at least read it and see how cats could possibly hold the key to a cure for MS...basically, a group of pregnant cats were given a special diet which left them with MS-esque symptoms, including loss of myelin (or whatever the cat equivalent of myelin is). Once the cats were taken off the diet, their myelin repaired itself and the cats recovered. I'm not sure how this is clinically relevant to humans, but I am also not a scientist. I feel like for years myelin has been the buzz word in the MS world, but nothing has really been conclusive.
                 
              
              

              • Biogen Receives FDA Warning for Tysabri (re Internet Ads)

                FDA Warns Drug Firms Over Internet Ads WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration warned 14 major pharmaceutical companies about brief Internet ads that accompany searches on [...]

                • Caroline says: Tsk, tsk, Biogen. They got a letter from the FDA regarding internet ads for Tysabri and the fact that they do not discuss any of the risks of Tysabri.
                   
                
                
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