More than 50% of Americans have been prescribed narcotic painkillers, according to a Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health poll, and more than one third of respondents were concerned about painkillers’ addiction risk, effectiveness and side effects. The concern towards prescription painkillers differed between those who have been prescribed narcotic pain-relievers and those who have not. Just over […]
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Researchers develop micropump for patients with glaucoma
Researchers from the University of Southern California’s Roski Eye Institute developed a micropump that can be implanted directly into the eye and deliver a predetermined dose of the diabetic macular edema drug ranibizumab. Current treatments for glaucoma are traditionally delivered using eye drops. But studies show that some patients stop taking their prescription glaucoma eye […]
Valerion develops antibody delivery method for Pompe disease therapy
Valerion Therapeutics said today that the company developed a fusion protein, VAL-1221, that combines its antibody delivery system with recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase (rhGAA) to better deliver rhGAA into affected tissues of patients with Pompe disease. Patients who suffer from Pompe disease have a deficient supply of the lysosomal enzyme, GAA, which causes glycogen to […]
DoD taps BD’s Pyxis for $100m medication dispensing contract
Becton Dickinson & Co. (NYSE:BDX) said today that it won a $100 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for its Pyxis ES system. According to the contract, Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based BD will provide its medication dispensing technology to 115 military inpatient health facilities and military inpatient pharmacies. Get the full story at our sister […]
Research shows stem cell treatment could improve irregular heartbeat
A study published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine showed that treating heart patients with mesenchymal stem cells does not increase their risk for irregular heart beat and instead improved the patients’ cardiac conditions. Previous studies have shown that stem cells have the potential to repair the damage caused by heart disease, but there was speculation that some […]
EnGeneIC wins orphan drug designation for targeted nanocells
EnGeneIC said today that the FDA granted orphan drug designation to the company’s targeted EDV nanocells for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. The clinical stage biopharmaceutical company is developing bacterially-derived EDV nanocells as a nanoparticle, siRNA and miRNA delivery platform designed to target and kill tumor cells, while triggering the immune system’s natural anti-tumor response. […]
Cydar lands Roche exec for 3D imaging software play
Cydar EV, a medical software start-up, said this week that it hired several new directors, including Roche’s recently-retired chairman Franz Humer. The U.K.-based company is developing cloud-based software to produce 3D images of a patient’s blood vessels in X-ray guided endovascular surgery. Cydar said Humer will bring a “wealth of commercialization” and key developmental insights […]
Glenmark, Evestra ink deal to develop generic NuvaRing
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and Evestra said today that the companies inked a development, license and commercialization deal for a generic version of Merck’s NuvaRing. Development of the etonogestrel/ethinyl estradiol contraceptive is under way, according to the companies, and they plan to file an Abbreviated New Drug Application in fiscal 2019. “This is an important U.S.-based strategic partnership […]
Tandem claims 1st remote software update for insulin pump
Tandem Diabetes Care (NSDQ:TNDM) said today that it released a software update using the company’s Tandem Device Updater tool for its t:slim insulin pumps purchased before April 2015. It marks the 1st time an insulin pump manufacturer has provided a software update that employs customers’ personal computers. The Mac and PC-compatible tool remotely overhauls Tandem’s insulin pump software, […]
Study: Patient error cuts dose in half for inhalers
Researchers from Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine have identified patient errors that cause inhaler users to get about half as much medicine as they should from each dose. The team said that clinicians have known for years that patients don’t use their inhalers as prescribed, but inhaler-dosing studies tend to focus on the rare cases […]