Biotech News and Comments
19 Feb 2009
A number of drugs have proven to cause PML in a very small percentage of patients. However, most of these drugs are approved for severe life-threatening and disabling diseases, including neurological diseases and cancer. In the case of Raptiva, the drug’s effects and benefits are not unique and the disease it treats is not worth the risk.
Denosumab is filed to treat two conditions: Postmenopausal osteoporosis and bone loss in patients undergoing hormone ablation therapy for prostate or breast cancer. Denosumab icould also delay or prevent bone metastasis of the two cancers. What do we think about this drug. Read prohostbiotech upcoming Letter that will be posted on Tuesday February 24, 2009.
Using Sequenom’s high-throughput MassARRAY® genotyping system the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute and the University of Minnesota were able to improve treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
DCVax®-Brain, a dendritic cell-based vaccine developed by the biotech firm Northwestern Biotherapeutics has promising results.
MDRNA (MRNA), Whose stock is trading below $0.50 has has entered into an agreement with Roche, offering the Swiss giant a non-exclusive license to a portion of its technology platform for the development of RNAi-based therapeutics.
Osiris adult stem product Prochymal has positive results on heart failure
After three months suspension of patients enrollment in trials with Amgen's motesanib combination, the DMC recommended the trials to be re-opened for non-squamous NSCLC.
Yesterday, between the news about Tysabri's efficacy and about the firm's financial results and expectations, we believe it is a happy tale maliciously labeled as tragedy.
09 Feb 2009
Elan (ELN) and Biogen Idec) announced results of trials, proving that after two years on Tysabri, patients remain symptom free compared to 7% on placebo. No other treatment has shown such a robust effect.
An agreement with GlaxoSmithKline points to that a blockbuster, or blockbusters might emerge from Idenix' HIV program. This is good news.
