Suven Life Sciences gets three patents

Suven Life has received three product patents in Canada, China and India for its new chemical entities for treatment of disorders associated with neuro-degenerative diseases.

The granted claims of the patents include the class of selective 5-HT compounds discovered by Suven and these patents are valid through 2025. It may be noted here that the new chemical entities are being developed as therapeutic agents and are useful in treatment of cognitive impairment associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Huntington's disease, Parkinson and Schizophrenia.

With these new patents, the company now has a total of 14 granted patents from Canada, 12 from China and 17 from India.

The company also said in a statement that products out of these inventions can be out-licensed at various phases of clinical development.

Researchers develop laser-based meningitis test

Several different types of bacteria can cause bacterial meningitis - the onset of which can be rapid and severe - and as each is sensitive to different antibiotics their speedy identification is crucial.

The researchers found that using a spectroscopic imaging technique known as SERS (surface enhanced Raman scattering) - which basically involves firing a laser into a sample that has been exposed to silver particles - is able to identify more than one bacterium at a time, and thereby paves the way for faster and more targeted treatment.

Combining the SERS technique with chemometrics – data-driven extraction of information from chemical systems – allows for the amount of bacteria in a sample to be measured while simultaneously identifying the bacteria.

The test would be particularly useful "where co-infection of multiple species is common and identifying the dominant pathogen present would allow targeted treatment".

Sun Pharma secures DGCI approval for breast cancer drug

Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company has received the approval from Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) for its medicine to be used for the treatment of breast cancer. The company‘s medicine, Paclitaxel Injection Concentrate for Nano dispersion (PICN), was found to be equally effective and safe when compared to Abraxane in a clinical study. 

The drug has been approved by the regulator both in the 260mg/m2 and 95mg/m2 doses to be administered every 3 weeks. This medicine offers the convenience of a quick and easy one-step dilution and infusion preparation for healthcare professionals. It can be administered in a short 30 minute infusion and unlike conventional Paclitaxel formulations it does not require pre-medication with steroids and anti-histamines. Also, this drug doesn’t lead to any significant hypersensitivity reaction in patients.

FDA approves Hetlioz for sleep-wake disorder in blind individuals

 

The FDA approved Hetlioz (tasimelteon), a melatonin receptor agonist, to treat non-24- hour sleep-wake disorder (non-24) in totally blind individuals. Non-24 is a chronic circadian rhythm (body clock) disorder in the blind that causes problems with the timing of sleep. This is the first FDA approval of a treatment for the disorder. 

Non-24 occurs in persons who are completely blind. Light does not enter their eyes and they cannot synchronize their body clock to the 24-hour light-dark cycle. Those with the disorder may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and may wake up groggy or feeling as if they need more rest. People with non-24 may find their sleep patterns reversed—needing to sleep during the day and to be awake at night.

Pfizer and Merck to collaborate on innovative anti-cancer combination studies

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) has agreed with Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada ("Merck"), through two Merck subsidiaries, to explore the therapeutic potential of Merck's investigational anti-PD-1 therapy, MK-3475, in combination with two Pfizer oncology assets. A Phase I/II clinical study will evaluate the safety and anti-cancer efficacy of MK-3475 combined with Pfizer's axitinib (INLYTA®) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Batch-19 students of ACRI, participated  in Group Discussion. 

Today's Group Discussion topic is "Legal and ethical issues in clinical research field in India''.

Atherosclerosis may be predicted by high blood pressure in early adulthood

Atherosclerosis is when plaque - made up of fat, cholesterol and calcium, among other things - builds up inside a person's arteries. These plaque build-ups can limit the flow of blood, leading to serious and potentially fatal problems, such as disease of the heart or arteries.

Because atherosclerosis does not usually cause symptoms until it blocks an artery, many people do not know they have this condition until it causes a medical emergency.

People who have escalating levels of high blood pressure in early adulthood are more likely to develop atherosclerosis and associated heart problems in later life.