Geron says its cancer vaccine met safety, tolerability goals in study.
Geron Corp.correspondent reports that its developing cancer treatment GRNVAC1 met safety and tolerability goals in a midstage study." The study of the "developing vaccine, aimed at prompting the immune system to fight tumor cells," involved "patients with acute myelogenous leukemia." Further, 14 of the study's 20 patients in remission from AML remain in complete clinical remission and the median duration of clinical remission is 12 months.
Voreloxin may improve survival for patients with AML.
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s "drug candidate voreloxin improved survival for patients with treatment-resistant leukemia in clinical testing," according to the company. Sunesis reported "results from two mid-stage trials of voreloxin as a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia," and said it will advance the drug into more testing. The company also "said patients who were dosed with the drugs once a week for three weeks had median survival of 8.7 months, and half of those who took the drugs for two weeks survived for more than 5.8 months."
Arixtra may reduce SVT complications.
According to researchers at the American Hematology Society's annual meeting, "Pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and other potentially fatal complications of superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) were less frequent in patients treated with fondaparinux (Arixtra) in a pioneering trial. The placebo-controlled study of more than 3,000 patients in 17 European countries found that "fondaparinux slashed rates of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis by about 80% over a 45-day treatment period." One of the researchers also "said the data finally established that a low molecular weight heparin is effective in reducing SVT complications, although such drugs have long been used empirically to treat the condition."
One-fifth of dialysis patients undergoing PCI may be given contraindicated antithrombotics. More than one-fifth of patients on dialysis who undergo angioplasty are given blood thinners they should not be given, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The investigators looked at data on "22,778 dialysis patients who underwent PCI." Altogether, "5,084 patients (22.3%) received a contraindicated antithrombotic." The investigators found that "patients who received the antiplatelet agent eptifibatide or the anticoagulant enoxaparin, which are renally cleared and therefore not recommended for dialysis patients, had higher unadjusted rates of inhospital bleeding...than patients who received recommended antithrombotics."
Depressed patients on paroxetine may experience personality changes.
According to a study published in the J. Archives of General Psychiatry, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) "antidepressants effect profound and rapid personality changes in those who respond to them. Compared to a group of depressed patients doing talk therapy and another taking a placebo drug," study participants "who took the SSRI paroxetine (marketed as Paxil) and reported some depression relief had more dramatic personality changes, becoming less negative and emotional, less easily discouraged or embarrassed, and more self-confident and assertive."
In the study of "240 adults with a major depressive disorder" divided into groups receiving paroxetine, cognitive therapy, and a placebo,participants taking paroxetine became less neurotic and more extraverted than those receiving cognitive therapy or placebo. Extraversion, which is associated with positive emotions, is believed to help protect from depression, while neuroticism, the tendency to experience negative emotions and emotional instability, is thought to contribute to depression, psychologist and lead author Tony Tang, PhD, of Northwestern University, explained, adding that "becoming more extraverted and less neurotic may" also "help prevent a relapse of depression."
Claude Robert Cloninger, MD, "a professor of psychiatry, genetics, and psychology at Washington University in St. Louis," who was not involved in the study, who told "WebMD that the conclusions of the new study 'confirm earlier work showing that particular personality traits are indicators of vulnerability to depression.' He added, 'What this work does well is show' that depression is 'not just a matter of mood,' and that SSRIs 'are not specific just for depression’.
Cetrorelix does not meet main goal in late-stage study.
AEterna Zentaris Inc. said Monday its enlarged prostate drug cetrorelix did not meet its main goal in a late-stage clinical study.The company "said there were no clear differences in effectiveness between the drug and placebo," and it also "said it will shift its focus to several cancer drugs," such as perifosine. The company announced similar results from its North American studies, which is prompting doubts regarding regulatory approval.
Geron Corp.correspondent reports that its developing cancer treatment GRNVAC1 met safety and tolerability goals in a midstage study." The study of the "developing vaccine, aimed at prompting the immune system to fight tumor cells," involved "patients with acute myelogenous leukemia." Further, 14 of the study's 20 patients in remission from AML remain in complete clinical remission and the median duration of clinical remission is 12 months.
Voreloxin may improve survival for patients with AML.
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s "drug candidate voreloxin improved survival for patients with treatment-resistant leukemia in clinical testing," according to the company. Sunesis reported "results from two mid-stage trials of voreloxin as a treatment for acute myeloid leukemia," and said it will advance the drug into more testing. The company also "said patients who were dosed with the drugs once a week for three weeks had median survival of 8.7 months, and half of those who took the drugs for two weeks survived for more than 5.8 months."
Arixtra may reduce SVT complications.
According to researchers at the American Hematology Society's annual meeting, "Pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and other potentially fatal complications of superficial vein thrombosis (SVT) were less frequent in patients treated with fondaparinux (Arixtra) in a pioneering trial. The placebo-controlled study of more than 3,000 patients in 17 European countries found that "fondaparinux slashed rates of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis by about 80% over a 45-day treatment period." One of the researchers also "said the data finally established that a low molecular weight heparin is effective in reducing SVT complications, although such drugs have long been used empirically to treat the condition."
One-fifth of dialysis patients undergoing PCI may be given contraindicated antithrombotics. More than one-fifth of patients on dialysis who undergo angioplasty are given blood thinners they should not be given, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The investigators looked at data on "22,778 dialysis patients who underwent PCI." Altogether, "5,084 patients (22.3%) received a contraindicated antithrombotic." The investigators found that "patients who received the antiplatelet agent eptifibatide or the anticoagulant enoxaparin, which are renally cleared and therefore not recommended for dialysis patients, had higher unadjusted rates of inhospital bleeding...than patients who received recommended antithrombotics."
Depressed patients on paroxetine may experience personality changes.
According to a study published in the J. Archives of General Psychiatry, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) "antidepressants effect profound and rapid personality changes in those who respond to them. Compared to a group of depressed patients doing talk therapy and another taking a placebo drug," study participants "who took the SSRI paroxetine (marketed as Paxil) and reported some depression relief had more dramatic personality changes, becoming less negative and emotional, less easily discouraged or embarrassed, and more self-confident and assertive."
In the study of "240 adults with a major depressive disorder" divided into groups receiving paroxetine, cognitive therapy, and a placebo,participants taking paroxetine became less neurotic and more extraverted than those receiving cognitive therapy or placebo. Extraversion, which is associated with positive emotions, is believed to help protect from depression, while neuroticism, the tendency to experience negative emotions and emotional instability, is thought to contribute to depression, psychologist and lead author Tony Tang, PhD, of Northwestern University, explained, adding that "becoming more extraverted and less neurotic may" also "help prevent a relapse of depression."
Claude Robert Cloninger, MD, "a professor of psychiatry, genetics, and psychology at Washington University in St. Louis," who was not involved in the study, who told "WebMD that the conclusions of the new study 'confirm earlier work showing that particular personality traits are indicators of vulnerability to depression.' He added, 'What this work does well is show' that depression is 'not just a matter of mood,' and that SSRIs 'are not specific just for depression’.
Cetrorelix does not meet main goal in late-stage study.
AEterna Zentaris Inc. said Monday its enlarged prostate drug cetrorelix did not meet its main goal in a late-stage clinical study.The company "said there were no clear differences in effectiveness between the drug and placebo," and it also "said it will shift its focus to several cancer drugs," such as perifosine. The company announced similar results from its North American studies, which is prompting doubts regarding regulatory approval.
