викинг

САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГ, 8 января. Знаменитому рок-музыканту Борису Гребенщикову (БГ) накануне в одной из берлинских клиник была сделана операция на сердце. Операцию провел доктор Евгений Потапенко, сообщает NEWSmusic.ru. Деньги на операцию, около 35 тысяч евро, помогли собрать друзья. О необходимости шунтирования БГ узнал в Вене, где проходил обследование. После консультаций с врачами Москвы и Петербурга был выбран Берлин, где шунтирование давно поставлено на поток. До этого планы у Бориса Гребенщикова были другими — поездка в Китай и Индию. Теперь БГ придется подождать с путешествиями и концертами. Напомним, что 27 ноября 2008 года Гребенщикову исполнилось 55 лет. Юбилей музыкант отметил концертами в Москве и Санкт-Петербурге, на которых представил проект Aquarium International. Также в начале декабря вышел в свет новый альбом «Аквариума» «Лошадь белая». Росбалт 3 часа назад

привет о Катана

Неизъяснимо

"Слово Паисия Пчельника"

В общем, и ты, Аврам, прав и ты, Сара, права = и ты прав Еugen!

19 September 2008 TYSABRI® Demonstrates Sustained Improvement in Functional Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis Patients According to New Post-Hoc Analysis TYSABRI is the Only Marketed MS Treatment to Show Both Significant Slowing in Disability Progression and Sustained Improvement in Physical Disability MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 19, 2008--Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) announced that a post-hoc analysis showed TYSABRI® (natalizumab) treatment increases the probability of achieving sustained improvement in physical disability over two years when compared to placebo. This post-hoc analysis provides the first evidence that TYSABRI is associated with a significant improvement in functional outcome, rather than only slowing or preventing progression of disability, in those living with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). These findings were derived from a subset analysis of the Phase III AFFIRM trial and were presented today as a poster presentation at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in Montreal, Canada. This is the first joint meeting of the Americas Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) and its counterparts in Europe and Latin America: ECTRIMS and LACTRIMS. "These results show that TYSABRI treated patients are significantly more likely to experience a sustained improvement in disability compared to placebo patients. This finding from a post-hoc analysis of the pivotal AFFIRM trial supports both the earlier findings from the AFFIRM trial that TYSABRI is associated with an improvement in quality of life as well as anecdotal evidence of recovery of function in some patients." said Frederick E. Munschauer, MD, Smith Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo. "While, like TYSABRI, other therapies have shown a slowing of progression in disability, this analysis represents the first evidence supporting a sustained improvement in function associated with an approved disease modifying therapy." Post-hoc Disability Analysis of Phase III AFFIRM Study The proportion of patients exhibiting sustained improvements in physical disability in the AFFIRM study was determined based upon the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) over two years in patients with relapsing MS. EDSS is one of the oldest and most widely utilized methods of quantifying disability in MS. Post-hoc analysis of AFFIRM patients assessed sustained improvement in disability among patients with a baseline EDSS score > or = 2.0. Improvement in disability was defined as a one-point decrease in EDSS score sustained for 12 weeks. The cumulative probabilities of 12-week sustained improvement in disability at two years were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Treatment effects were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for baseline EDSS score. The distribution of sustained improvement by baseline EDSS score for each treatment group was also examined. TYSABRI produced significant results on the cumulative probability of sustained improvement in disability in those treated over two years compared with placebo. In patients with a baseline EDSS score > or = 2.0, the probability of achieving sustained improvement was 29.6% with TYSABRI (n=417) compared with 18.7% with placebo (n=203) (p=0.006). In patients with an EDSS score > or = 2.0 and highly active disease at baseline, the difference between groups was even greater, 35.5% for TYSABRI (n=103) and 15.4% for placebo (n=40) (p=0.045). The submitted abstract for this study, entitled "Natalizumab significantly increases the cumulative probability of sustained improvement in physical disability" (ID #P474), is available on the World Congress' website. About TYSABRI TYSABRI is a treatment approved for relapsing forms of MS in the US and relapsing-remitting MS in the European Union. According to data that have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, after two years, TYSABRI treatment led to a 68% relative reduction (p<0.001) in the annualized relapse rate compared to placebo and reduced the relative risk of disability progression by 42-54% (p<0.001). TYSABRI was approved in early 2008 to induce and maintain clinical response and remission in adult patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD) with evidence of inflammation who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, conventional CD therapies and inhibitors of TNF-alpha. According to the US full prescribing information, among patients who responded to TYSABRI, 54% sustain their response through every visit for one year compared to 20% of patients receiving placebo (p<0.001), for a treatment difference of 34%. TYSABRI increases the risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), an opportunistic viral infection of the brain that usually leads to death or severe disability. Cases of PML have been reported in patients taking TYSABRI who were recently or concomitantly treated with immunomodulators or immunosuppressants, as well as in patients receiving TYSABRI as monotherapy. Other serious adverse events that have occurred in TYSABRI-treated patients included hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis) and infections. Serious opportunistic and other atypical infections have been observed in TYSABRI-treated patients, some of whom were receiving concurrent immunosuppressants. Herpes infections were slightly more common in patients treated with TYSABRI. In MS and CD clinical trials, the incidence and rate of other serious adverse events, including serious infections, were similar in patients receiving TYSABRI and those receiving placebo. Common adverse events reported in TYSABRI-treated MS patients include headache, fatigue, infusion reactions, urinary tract infections, joint and limb pain and rash. Other common adverse events reported in TYSABRI-treated CD patients include respiratory tract infections and nausea. Clinically significant liver injury has been reported in patients treated with TYSABRI in the post-marketing setting. TYSABRI is approved in more than 35 countries. At the end of June 2008, more than 31,800 patients were on commercial and clinical TYSABRI therapy worldwide. Patients on TYSABRI therapy have continued to increase. An update will be provided in October in conjunction with Biogen Idec's third quarter earnings release. For more information about TYSABRI please visit www.tysabri.com, www.biogenidec.com or www.elan.com or call 1-800-456-2255. About Elan Elan Corporation, plc is a neuroscience-based biotechnology company committed to making a difference in the lives of patients and their families by dedicating itself to bringing innovations in science to fill significant unmet medical needs that continue to exist around the world. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin Stock Exchanges. For additional information about the company, please visit www.elan.com. About Biogen Idec Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients in more than 90 countries benefit from Biogen Idec's significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit www.biogenidec.com. CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACTS: Biogen Idec Shannon Altimari, 617-914-6524 Elan Jonathan Birt, 212-850-5664 +44 20 7269 7205 Niamh

и много диких обезьян

Oct 16, 2008 Teams Funded by the National MS Society Report on Key Enzymes Related to MS Progression and Nervous System Repair Two teams of researchers funded by the National MS Society have reported findings on nerve tissue injury and repair that add important information needed to stop MS progression and develop nervous system repair strategies. Isobel Scarisbrick, PhD (Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN) and colleagues have found two enzymes that may serve as markers of progressive MS and nerve fiber injury. Patrizia Casaccia, MD, PhD (Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York) and colleagues reported that another enzyme is essential for replenishing myelin-making cells that have been depleted by MS. Both teams are continuing these lines of research in hopes of identifying targets for the development of new therapies for MS. Dr. Scarisbrick reported her team’s findings related to MS progression at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association (Abstract T-99). Dr. Casaccia’s report on the enzyme critical for repair appeared in Nature Neuroscience (early online publication, August 24, 2008). Progressive MS and KLK enzymes (Dr. Scarisbrick’s team): Understanding the processes that lead to tissue damage in MS is crucial to feed parallel efforts to protect and repair the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Scarisbrick previously found elevated levels of “KLK6” (a newly identified member of the kallikrein enzyme family) in areas of damage found in tissue samples from people with MS. Now, in a follow-up study, the group has studied the levels of KLK6 and other kallikreins in blood samples taken from 35 people with different clinical courses of MS and 62 controls without MS. The results show that KLK1 and KLK6 were elevated in people with MS, with the highest levels appearing in people with secondary-progressive MS (a course of MS that initially is relapsing-remitting and then becomes progressive, with or without occasional relapses and minor remissions). The team also exposed nerve cells isolated from mice to KLK1 or KLK6 in the laboratory, and found that the enzymes promoted nerve cell loss. Dr. Scarisbrick is continuing to study the role of these enzymes in nerve fiber injury and hopes to find a way to target them with therapeutic strategies for people with progressive MS. Repair and HDAC enzymes (Dr. Casaccia’s team): MS involves immune attacks against brain and spinal cord tissues, primarily myelin, the insulation that surrounds and protects nerve fibers. Several studies have indicated that, early in the disease, immature myelin-making cells – called, “oligodendrocyte progenitors” – are recruited to generate new myelin. A sufficient number of these cells is needed so that progenitors can migrate to the site of myelin damage and develop into myelin-making cells. Then, genes that instruct the formation of myelin components are activated and myelin is formed. In MS, this process fails. Dr. Casaccia is studying whether some molecules may inhibit the activation of the genes that promote myelin formation. In this study, Dr. Casaccia’s team observed the gene activity during oligodendrocyte development in mice with damaged myelin. They found that enzymes called histone deacetylases (HDACs) were crucial to this process, particularly HDAC1 and HDAC2. Deleting these two enzymes impaired the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitors, that is, the process by which these cells develop a more specialized form or function. The team is studying how these findings might be translated into therapeutic strategies.

[ Acorda presents additional data from second Phase III multiple sclerosis study 22nd September 2008 By Staff Writer Acorda Therapeutics has announced additional data from its second Phase III clinical trial of Fampridine-SR on walking ability in people with multiple sclerosis. Previously, the company announced the trial met its primary endpoint with a significantly greater proportion of people taking Fampridine-SR having a consistent improvement in walking speed compared to people taking placebo (42.9% versus. 9.3%), as measured by the Timed 25-Foot Walk (p<0.001). The study also met its secondary outcome measure, leg strength, showing a statistically significant increase in the Fampridine-SR Timed Walk responders compared to placebo (p=0.028). The response rate for Fampridine-SR treated patients was higher than placebo across all multiple sclerosis (MS) subtypes. Response rates for the four major MS subtypes in the study were - relapsing-remitting: 37.2%; secondary-progressive: 45.9%; primary-progressive: 50%; and progressive-remitting: 40%. Response rates were similar between study participants who were being treated with immunomodulators and those who were not. The Fampridine-SR treated group showed improvement in the Ashworth Score (a physician-reported measure of spasticity), which was significant in an unplanned analysis. Baseline demographic and disease characteristics of study participants were also presented, including the percentage of Fampridine-SR treated patients with each subtype of MS (relapsing-remitting: 35.8%; primary-progressive: 8.3%; secondary-progressive: 51.7%; and progressive-relapsing: 4.2%) and the mean duration of disease in Fampridine-SR treatment patients (14.43 years). Andrew Goodman, director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the University of Rochester, said: "People with MS often cite walking disability as one of the most challenging aspects of their disease, and there are no therapies currently indicated for improving walking in MS. The results of this study, which were consistent with the first Phase III Fampridine-SR trial, show that Fampridine-SR may provide benefit to people with walking difficulties."

]Teva reports encouraging data from multiple sclerosis study 19th September 2008 By Staff Writer Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has announced new positive data from the longest prospective study of treatment to relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, which proves robust efficacy and safety of Copaxone. Findings demonstrated that more than 80% of patients were able to walk unassisted following 15 years of treatment and average disease duration of 22 years. The majority of the 100 patients in the study experienced either stable or improved disability rates over the duration of the study, as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale, as well as a 78% reduction in annualized relapse rate from baseline. These data further confirm the benefits of long-term, daily use of Copaxone in treating the relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, while reinforcing the already established safety profile of the therapy, the company said. Based on the positive results of these data, patients will continue to be followed to 20 years of treatment. Corey Ford, primary investigator of the study, said: "These data are of value to the multiple sclerosis community, as they reassure the ability of Copaxone to effectively slow the natural progression of this disease using daily treatment. Until we find a cure for multiple sclerosis, patients and physicians need a treatment that can safely provide a clinical benefit over the long-term."

[sep 11, 2008 FDA Agrees to Fast Review for Drug Being Tested for MS It was announced by the drug maker BioMS Medical Corp. (Edmonton, Alberta) that dirucotide (also known as MBP8298) has been designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a “Fast Track Product.” This designation should expedite its future review by the FDA after the sponsor submits results of current trials now underway. Dirucotide is a synthetic fragment of myelin basic protein (MBP, a component of myelin), which reduces the production of spinal fluid antibodies that react against MBP during the immune attack on the brain and spinal cord that occurs in MS. The drug, which is delivered intravenously, is currently under study in two studies in secondary-progressive MS (510 people in the U.S., and 611 people in Europe) and one study in 218 people with relapsing-remitting MS. All studies are fully enrolled.

BIOMS MEDICAL’S LEAD DRUG, DIRUCOTIDE (MBP8298) FOR THE TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, RECEIVES FAST TRACK DESIGNATION FROM FDA Edmonton, Alberta, September 4, 2008 – BioMS Medical Corp. (TSX: MS), a leading developer in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), today announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States has granted fast track designation for the Company’s lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298), for the treatment of secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Dirucotide (MBP8298) is currently being evaluated in a U.S. pivotal phase III trial, named MAESTRO-03, at 68 sites with approximately 510 patients. Fast track designation is an FDA status reserved for products that are intended to treat a serious or life-threatening condition and that demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs for that condition. Fast track designation can potentially facilitate development and expedite the review process. “Our receipt of fast track designation for dirucotide in the U.S. is a significant milestone for both BioMS Medical and the MS community," said Kevin Giese, President and CEO of BioMS Medical. “Based on previous clinical results, we believe dirucotide is well-positioned to become a first-in-class treatment for secondary progressive MS patients, a large patient population with very limited treatment options.” About MAESTRO-03 The MAESTRO-03 U.S. pivotal phase III clinical trial is a randomized, double-blind study that has completed recruitment of approximately 510 patients at 68 clinical sites who will be administered either dirucotide (MBP8298) or placebo intravenously every six months for a period of two years. The primary clinical endpoint for the trial is defined as a statistically and clinically significant increase in the time to progression of the disease as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), in patients with HLA-DR2 and/or HLA-DR4 immune response genes (up to 75% of all MS patients are HLA-DR2 and/or HLA-DR4 positive). About Dirucotide (MBP8298) Dirucotide (MBP8298) is a synthetic peptide that consists of 17 amino acids having a sequence identical to that of a portion of human myelin basic protein (MBP). Dirucotide is being developed for the potential treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease caused by immune attack against normal components of the central nervous system. The sequence of dirucotide is associated with the autoimmune process in MS patients with certain immune response genes (HLA types DR2 and/or DR4); MS patients having these genes represent 65 to 75 percent of all MS patients. The drug’s apparent mechanism of action is the induction or restoration of immunological tolerance with respect to ongoing immune attack as a result of high doses of peptide periodically delivered intravenously. The potential benefit of the drug for any individual patient is therefore expected to be related to the role this peptide plays in that patient’s immune system. The degree of immunomodulation achieved will depend on the relationship among the peptide, HLA molecules and T cells. The results of phase II and long-term follow-up treatment of MS patients with MBP8298 (dirucotide), published in 2006 in the European Journal of Neurology (EJN), showed that MBP8298 (dirucotide) safely delayed median time to disease progression for five years (versus placebo) in progressive MS patients with HLA types DR2 and/or DR4. Thus, dirucotide (MBP8298), if approved, has the potential to be used as a tailored therapy for patients genetically determined to express the appropriate HLA molecules. Dirucotide (MBP8298) is being studied in four late-stage clinical trials: • MAESTRO-01: A pivotal phase II/III trial for secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients in Canada and Europe. • MAESTRO-02: An open-label safety extension study to MAESTRO-01. • MAESTRO-03: A pivotal phase III trial for SPMS patients in the United States. • MINDSET-01: A phase II trial for relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients in Europe. About BioMS Medical Corp. BioMS Medical is a biotechnology company engaged in the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic technologies. BioMS Medical’s lead technology, dirucotide (MBP8298), is for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and is being evaluated in two pivotal phase III clinical trials for secondary progressive MS patients, MAESTRO-01 in Canada and Europe and MAESTRO-03 in the United States. It additionally is being evaluated for relapsing remitting MS patients in a Phase II trial in Europe entitled MINDSET-01. In December 2007, BioMS entered into a licensing and development agreement granting Eli Lilly and Company exclusive worldwide rights to dirucotide (MBP8298), in exchange for an $87 million upfront payment, milestone payments and escalating royalties on sales. For further information please visit our website at www.biomsmedical.com. This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which reflect the Corporation’s current expectation regarding future events. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changing market conditions, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the establishment of corporate alliances, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process and other risks detailed from time to time in the Corporation’s ongoing quarterly and annual reporting. Certain of the assumptions made in preparing forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the following: that dirucotide (MBP8298) will continue to demonstrate a satisfactory safety profile in ongoing and future clinical trials; and that BioMS Medical Corp. will complete the respective clinical trials within the timelines communicated in this release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise

Это и есть Campath. Тигр его принимал.

Юль, это подтверждение того, что кооп ториозит прогрессирование!!

CONTACTS: Ellen Beth Levitt University of Maryland Medical Center 410/328-8919 eblevitt@umms001.ab.umd.edu New study provides more evidence that copaxone an slow progression of multiple sclerosis and reduces attacks A study published today in the March issue of the journal Neurology provides more evidence that the medication Copaxone, the only non-interferon treatment for multiple sclerosis, reduces the number of relapses and slows the progression of disability. The study is a one-year extension of research at 11 medical centers in the United States. ìWe find that the longer patients take Copaxone, the better the results, compared to a placebo,î says Kenneth Johnson, M.D., professor and chairman of Neurology at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, and principal investigator of the multicenter study. ìWith a follow-up of up to 35 months, we found that patients who took Copaxone had 32 percent fewer relapses compared to those taking a placebo,î Dr. Johnson says. ìAfter the first 24 months of the study, patients in the Copaxone group had 29 percent fewer relapses. ìEach relapse can damage the nervous system and increase the likelihood of disability. Using a scientific measure of disability, we found that patients in the placebo group were 50 percent more likely to have increased disability than those taking Copaxone,î Dr. Johnson adds. The study included 251 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. After approximately 33 months, all of the patients, including those taking the placebo, were offered Copaxone, 190 chose to take it and 170 patients are still on medication. Many have taken it for more than six years. ìMultiple sclerosis therapy is a long-term, possibly life-long proposition, so the medication needs to be well-tolerated with few side effects,î says Dr. Johnson. Copaxone, which was approved by the FDA in December 1996, is taken as a daily injection under the skin. Its generic name is glatiramer acetate for injection. The most common side effects are redness, pain, inflammation, itching or a lump at the site of the injection. Rare side effects are temporary episodes of flushing, chest pain, anxiety and shortness of breath, all of which disappear without any permanent damage. The new results, showing that the longer people were on Copaxone, the better they did in terms of relapses and disability, were good news to Melissa Hawkins-Holt. Hawkins-Holt always dreamed of being a doctor. Five years ago, during college, she suffered several mysterious attacks of numbness and blurred vision. It finally became so bad that she went to the hospital. A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis followed, leaving her wondering if her dream was out of reach. Today she is completing her first year of residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center. She joined the original trial of Copaxone to halt the progression of the disease, and she has now been on the drug for three years. ìI havenít had a significant relapse since I have been taking Copaxone. It makes me feel like I am doing something to give myself the best chance of remaining relapse-free as long as possible,î said Dr. Hawkins-Holt. Hawkins-Holt says taking Copaxone has become part of her life along with eating a healthy diet, exercising daily and trying to fit rest into her busy schedule. One day, she and her husband would like to have a family. She is able to sometimes even forget that she has multiple sclerosis as she focuses on reaching her goals. ìThe additional data gathered in this study reinforces that Copaxone is a first-line therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis because it is well-tolerated, reduces the number of relapses and slows the progression of disability.î said Dr. Johnson. ìUnlike the interferon therapies, Copaxone does not produce flu-like side effects, occasional severe skin reactions or fatigue.î The studies showed no evidence of neutralizing antibodies that may reduce the effectiveness of other multiple sclerosis therapies. ìPeople with multiple sclerosis donít want their disease to run their lives. They want the same things you and I do,î said Dr. Johnson. ìThis study shows increasing evidence that people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis can lead lives with reduced relapses and slowed progression of disability.î

Study Highlights Link Between Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis Libraries Medical News Keywords VITAMIN D MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AUTOIMMUNE CANCER Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Description Vitamin D, the principal regulator of calcium in the body, may prevent the production of malignant cells such as breast and prostate cancer cells and protect against specific autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis. Newswise — Vitamin D, the principal regulator of calcium in the body, may prevent the production of malignant cells such as breast and prostate cancer cells and protect against specific autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS) according to an article by Sylvia Christakos, PhD, of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. In the article, Christakos reports that research shows that the incidence of MS decreases as the amount of vitamin D available to the body increases, either through sunlight exposure or diet. The article notes that MS is “for the most part, unknown in equatorial regions” and that the prevalence of the disease is lower in areas where fish consumption is high. The study is available online in the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. “Since vitamin D is produced in the skin through solar or UV irradiation and high serum levels have been shown to correlate with a reduced risk of MS, this suggests that vitamin D may regulate the immune response and may promote a host’s reaction to a pathogen,” Christakos said. Christakos’ report focuses on the immunosuppressive actions of the active form of vitamin D, which may inhibit the induction of MS, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a sufficient vitamin D level. “Evidence has shown that the maintenance of an adequate vitamin D level may have a protective effect in individuals predisposed to MS,” Christakos said. “One device of vitamin D action may be to preserve balance in the T-cell reaction and thus avoid autoimmunity.” Despite the significant evidence of the benefits of vitamin D relative to MS and other autoimmune diseases, Christakos cautions that further studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D alone or combined with other treatments is effective in individuals with active MS. The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is the nation's largest free-standing public health sciences university with more than 5,500 students attending the state's three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and its only school of public health, on five campuses. Last year, there were more than two million patient visits to UMDNJ facilities and faculty at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a mental health and addiction services network.http://www.newswise.com/libraries/latest/?offset=0

Рона http://www.biomsmedical.com/

Дима, Рона и Лена! Спасибо! Буду продолжать!

если большинству не нравится, то больше писать здесь ничего не буду!

валера ты здесь не один!

BioMS Medical announces positive interim analysis on Phase III dirucotide trial 14th August 2008 By Staff Writer BioMS Medical has announced that the independent drug safety monitoring board for the Maestro-01 trial has conducted the scheduled interim analysis of efficacy and safety and has recommended that the trial continue to completion. Maestro-01 is the pivotal Phase II/III Canadian and European study of dirucotide in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. The interim analysis included patients from the first 200 to complete Maestro-01 and assessed the likelihood of the study reaching its primary endpoint at the end of the trial in multiple sclerosis patients with the target HLA-DR2 and/or HLA-DR4 immune response genes. The drug safety monitoring board (DSMB) analysis also included a scheduled review of safety information. Based on the DSMB decision, Eli Lilly and Company has agreed to provide the $10 million milestone payment to BioMS as part of the terms of the licensing and collaboration agreement. Kevin Giese, president and CEO of BioMS Medical, said: "We are very encouraged by the safety board's recommendation. This positive review is an important milestone for BioMS and our partner, Eli Lilly and Company, and moves us one step closer to our goal of bringing this important therapy to multiple sclerosis patients."

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"HiCy" Drug Regimen Reverses MS Symptoms In Selected Patients Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience; Clinical Trials / Drug Trials MS treatment A short-term, very-high dose regimen of the immune-suppressing drug cyclophosphamide seems to slow progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) in most of a small group of patients studied and may even restore neurological function lost to the disease, Johns Hopkins researchers report. The findings in nine people, most of whom had failed all other treatments, suggest new ways to treat a disease that tends to progress relentlessly. "We didn't expect such a dramatic return of function," says Douglas Kerr, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Although we're very early in the game, we think this approach could be the linchpin of a significant advance for MS treatment." Researchers have used the so called HiCy treatments with some success at Johns Hopkins for a variety of other immune system disorders, including aplastic anemia, lupus and myasthenia gravis. Cyclophosphamide kills immune-system cells but spares the bone marrow stem cells that make them. The usual method of delivering it in pulsed, small doses, however, can cause the drug to build up to toxic concentrations in patients' bodies, causing a variety of side effects, including a greatly increased risk of infection. Seeking an alternative way to use the drug, Kerr and his colleagues reasoned that HiCy might clear out the majority of a patient's immune system in one fell swoop, then allow it to "reboot," giving nerve cells a fresh start and an opportunity to repair themselves. In the current study, nine MS patients got a total single infusion of 200 milligrams per kilogram of cyclophosphamide intravenously over four days, a dose several times higher than that given in pulsed regimens but significantly lower than the total amount usually given patients over time. Before treatment, Kerr says, the study participants were "the worst of the worst" among MS patients. Eight of the nine patients had failed conventional MS treatments, and several of them were wheelchair-bound. Reporting in the June 9 Archives of Neurology, the Johns Hopkins team said the disease appeared to reverse course for seven of the nine patients over two years following treatments. Overall, the patients, men and women ranging in age from 20 to 47 at the beginning of the study, experienced a 40 percent reduction in scores of a standard test that measures disability. They also had an overall 87 percent improvement in scores on a composite test that measures physical and mental function. MS, which affects approximately 400,000 people - predominantly women - in the United States, is believed to occur when the body's immune system attacks the insulating sheath that coats nerve cells, causing it to degenerate. Consequently, electrical signals that the cells use to communicate with the rest of the body become progressively weaker, leading to symptoms that include numbness, tingling, cognitive problems and sometimes paralysis. Researchers have identified four different subtypes of MS, and each is thought to be caused by a different autoimmune process. As a result, developing a treatment that effectively targets all types of MS has been challenging, says Kerr. Kerr cautions that the "reboot" phenomenon didn't work in all the patients. Two years after treatment, MRI images showed that the disease had reactivated in about half the study participants, suggesting that their renewed ability may not be permanent. Kerr's colleague Adam Kaplin, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, is leading efforts to improve HiCy therapy with a blood test in development that could predict which patients would benefit the most from HiCy treatment. Also, since immune cells that regrow after HiCy treatment may contain the same defect that leads to MS, Kaplin and his colleagues are working on a way to regrow only healthy immune cells. Other Hopkins researchers who participated in this study include Chitra Krishnan, M.H.S., Robert A. Brodsky, M.D., Daniel B. Drachman, M.D., Richard J. Jones, M.D., Dzung L. Pham, Ph.D., Nancy D. Richert, M.D., Ph.D., Carlos A. Pardo, M.D., David M. Yousem, M.D., M.B.A., Edward Hammond, M.D., M.P.H., Megan Quigg, B.A., Carrilin Trecker, B.A., Justin C. McArthur, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., Avindra Nath, M.D., Benjamin M. Greenberg, M.D., M.H.S., and Peter A. Calabresi, M.D. This research was supported by the General Clinical Research Center of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, a National Multiple Sclerosis Society grant, philanthropic support from Mr. Alvin Myerbrg, and the Johns Hopkins Project RESTORE. Johns Hopkins Medicine 901 S. Bond St., Ste 550 Baltimore, MD 21231 United States http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org