March 22, 2018 In August 2017, for the first time we cleared an expanded indication for a home hemodialysis machine so it could be used without a care partner being present, a decision based in part on asking kidney patients about their tolerance for risk. Home dialysis may improve a patient’s quality of life, allowing … Read more
March 21, 2018 In MS, the immune system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. Its cause is still unknown, however, researchers think it stems from self-reactive effector T cells that target myelin. Current treatments for MS focus on reducing the number of relapses — … Read more
March 15, 2018 Now that same team has released a study that delves into the process by which the virus fights malignancy. It appears to do so by activating an inflammatory process, the researchers believe. That inflammation interferes with the ability of cancer cells to escape immune attack, according to a press release. The research … Read more
March 13, 2018 The retail giant has stayed quiet about its pharma ambitions; however, a Goldman Sachs analyst in August 2017 outlined some potential pharmaceutical strategies the company might use. Now, Leerink Partners has published a report saying the category-killer is in talks with mid-size Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) “in an effort to get into various … Read more
March 08, 2018 Lymphatic vessels have the ability to wrap around tumors and weave through them, thereby allowing cancer cells to leave the primary site and spread throughout the body. However, in patients being treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors like Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Yervoy and Opdivo, those same vessels enhance the power of cancer-killing T cells, … Read more
March 06, 2018 The Massachusetts Eye and Ear team studied metabolites, or small molecules in the blood of patients with early, intermediate and late-stage AMD, as well as from individuals without AMD. “The metabolome — the set of metabolites present in an individual — is thought to closely represent the true functional state of complex diseases,” … Read more
March 01, 2018 Like humans, monotremes — platypus and echidnas — produce GLP-1 in their gut. The hormone triggers insulin secretion, which lowers blood glucose levels; however, in people, it breaks down in less than two minutes, making it of little use for controlling blood sugar in patients with Type 2 diabetes. The researchers, from the … Read more
February 27, 2018 Some antiplatelet drugs, such as aspirin, work by blocking platelets’ production of thromboxane, a chemical that causes them to stick together, forming a clot. Another type of antiplatelet drug targets glycoproteins IIb/IIIa and is based on a different protein present in snake venom. While these drugs can be lifesaving for patients at … Read more
February 22, 2018 The main toxic ingredients in fire ant venom are called solenopsins. Structurally, these chemicals closely resemble ceramides, which are molecules that help maintain the skin’s barrier against foreign invaders. Ceramides are used in some skin products; however, they are not always beneficial, said Jack Arbiser, a Professor at the Emory School of … Read more
February 20, 2018 The incident occurred when the company’s pharmacy benefits management arm, CVS Caremark, mailed pharmacy benefit information to approximately 4,000 members of one of its clients, Ohio’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program, according to a statement from CVS Health. The mailings included a reference code for the assistance program — PM 6402 HIV — … Read more