U.K. researchers have reportedly demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the artificial pancreas in Type II diabetes patients in a general hospital ward. The team’s work was published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. The closed-loop insulin delivery system can monitor blood sugar levels and change the insulin delivery rate accordingly, without the need for skin-pricks and […]
Research & Development
Restoring blood vessels to tumor cells aids delivery of chemotherapy
Researchers from the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology in Belgium say they have found a way to repair dysfunctional blood vessels which allow cancer cells to escape from the blood stream and reach other organs, and which play a vital role in cancer metastasis. In a study published in Cancer Cell, researchers describe how they manipulated the blood […]
Athenex, Lilly ink clinical collaboration for 1st oral formulation of paclitaxel
Athenex said today that it inked a clinical collaboration deal to conduct a phase Ib study for its oral form of paclitaxel, Oraxol, with Eli Lilly‘s (NYSE:LLY) vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor 2 antagonist, Cyramza. Patients with advanced gastric and esophageal cancer will be enrolled in 2017 at sites in the U.S. and Asia, where […]
Report: Apple looks at iPhone for monitoring Parkinson’s patients
Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) is reportedly conducting internal research into whether its iPhone and Apple Watch could be used to monitor drug dosage and wellness data for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The company hopes to show the effectiveness of mobile monitoring, sources told Fast Company. Patients who suffer from Parkinson’s disease may only visit their doctor at 6-month intervals, which […]
New drug capsule delivers medicine for weeks after swallowing
Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spurred by a challenge from Bill Gates, developed a star-shaped drug capsule that can gradually release medication and stay in the stomach for to 2 weeks after being swallowed. The study, published yesterday in Science Translational Medicine, described the team’s work using the capsule to deliver an anti-parasitic drug, invermectin, which […]
Adherium touts Smartinhaler asthma study
Adherium (ASK:ADR) touted data from an independent study of its Smartinhaler respiratory disease management tool in children with poorly controlled asthma. The STAAR study was conducted at Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the UK and the results were published this month in Thorax. The New Zealand-based company found that in children with poorly controlled asthma, introducing its […]
Nanoparticle “barcodes” help track cancer drug efficacy
Researchers from Technion Institute of Technology in Israel reported on a method of tagging cancer drugs with “barcodes” to monitor tumor growth. The team detailed their methods in a study published in the November issue of Nature Communications. The nanoparticle drug delivery system are tagged with synthetic DNA, which act as barcodes used to track the tumor’s response […]
Handheld breathalyzer as noninvasive blood glucose monitor in development
Researchers from the Western New England University developed a device the size of a small book that diabetes patients can use to monitor their blood glucose levels. Unlike traditional finger-stick testing, this minimally invasive breathalyzer uses acetone levels in patients’ breath to determine blood glucose levels. The team, led by Ronny Priefer and Michael Rust, presented […]
Injectable Regeneron biologic therapy reduces triglycerides, cholesterol
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania presented preliminary data from a trial evaluating Regeneron Pharmaceutical‘s (NSDQ:REGN) injectable biologic drug therapy for reducing triglyceride levels. The team, led by Dr. Richard Dunbar, presented their work at the annual meeting of the American Heart Assn. The Phase I, placebo-controlled, double-blind study tested the safety and efficacy of Evinacumab, an […]
Acoustic waves used to move fluid through nanoscale channels
Researchers from the University of California San Diego used acoustic waves to move fluids through small channels, marking the 1st time that surface acoustic waves have been used at the nanoscale. The team’s work was published this week in Advanced Functional Materials. The findings are an important step towards manufacturing small, portable devices for drug discovery […]