Eliseo O. Salinas, MD, MSc Joins Elan as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer

July 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

DUBLIN–(Business Wire)–
Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) today announced that Eliseo Oreste Salinas,
MD, MSc, has joined the company as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical
Officer effective immediately, with responsibility for leading the company’s
global development, clinical and medical initiatives. Dr. Salinas will be based
at Elan`s South San Francisco campus, will be a member of the company`s
executive leadership team, and will report to Elan President Carlos Paya, MD,
PhD. As the company`s Chief Medical Officer, he will also retain specific
accountabilities to Elan CEO Kelly Martin relating to patient safety.

Commenting on Dr. Salinas` 20 years of experience in the industry, Lars Ekman,
MD, PhD, member of the Elan Board of Directors and chair of the Science and
Technology Committee said, “During his career, Dr. Salinas has overseen 8
successful New Drug Applications (NDAs), 7 approved Supplemental NDAs, and 4
approved European submissions. He has a proven track record in the US and
internationally and the leadership capability to advance Elan`s robust
biotechnology pipeline and clinical portfolio through development toward those
with unmet medical needs.”

Elan CEO Kelly Martin noted that the company’s hiring of Dr. Salinas reflects
Elan’s highest priority: to become a world-class leader in novel therapeutics
for patients who are afflicted with serious neurodegenerative diseases. “To do
so successfully, we need significant expertise in clinical, regulatory and
leadership development, along with a deep knowledge of CNS (central nervous
system) science. Dr. Salinas brings demonstrated strengths in all these areas.”

Dr. Paya added, “During his career, Dr. Salinas has provided scientific
oversight in therapeutic areas including CNS, Alzheimer`s disease, multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson`s disease, autoimmune and other diseases, overseeing
clinical trials in Eastern and Western Europe and North and South America. His
expertise in regulatory interactions includes the FDA, the European Medicines
Agency and authorities in Japan, Australia, North and South America. His
experience and strategic perspective precisely meet Elan`s needs today and
moving forward.”

Dr. Salinas joins the company from Adolor Corporation, where he was Senior Vice
President of Research and Development and Chief Medical Officer, responsible for
90 scientists and clinicians in discovery, clinical research and development,
pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs and medical affairs. Previously, he served
at Shire, Inc., as Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of
Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development, where he managed R&D strategy
and more than 400 employees, achieving six major drug submissions in four years.
Dr. Salinas spent 11 years at Wyeth-Ayerst in progressive leadership positions
including Head of Worldwide CNS, and as such is very familiar with Elan`s
discovery role and progress in Alzheimer`s immunotherapy. He also served as
International Project Leader, CNS at Synthelabo.

He is a member of the Society for Neuroscience, the American College of
Neuropsychopharmacology, the American Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians &
Investigators, the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics and other
professional and academic organizations; and, he has published and presented
extensively in academic journals and forums. Educated in Argentina and France,
Dr. Salinas practiced and served as a lecturer in clinical psychiatry in Paris.

Elan`s Chief Medical Officer and Head of Development, Menghis Bairu, MD, will
resume his primary responsibility as Executive Vice President and General
Manager of Tysabri, overseeing this critical part of Elan`s portfolio and
leading integration of medical affairs, commercial, regulatory, global markets,
clinical and safety assessment, life cycle and phase IV investments, as well as
partnering with Biogen Idec to maximize the potential of this therapy for the
benefit of patients globally.

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
and Irish Stock Exchanges. For additional information about the company, please
visit http://www.elan.com.

Elan
MEDIA:
Bob Purcell, 866-964-8256
Paul McSharry, 353-1-663-3600
or
INVESTORS:
Chris Burns, 800-252-3526
David Marshall, 353-1-709-4444

Copyright Business Wire 2010

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Universal Bioenergy Sponsors Major Event to Help Fund Multiple Sclerosis Research…

June 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Universal Bioenergy Sponsors Major Event to Help Fund Multiple Sclerosis
Research in Charlotte, NC

IRVINE, Calif., June 11, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Universal Bioenergy Inc. (Pink
Sheets:UBRG), an alternative energy company, and NDR Energy Group, announced
today that they are sponsoring a major charitable event to help raise funds for
the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The event is being held in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, June, 12,
2010, to help increase awareness of multiple sclerosis. The program is being
held in conjunction with Fervor United and the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Fervor United will also host a designer
fashion show and auction. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, to raise funds in support of research for a
cure for Multiple Sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis (or MS) is a chronic, often disabling autoimmune disease that
attacks the central nervous system. Currently, MS affects more than 400,000
people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide. The National Multiple Sclerosis
Society serves the needs of more than 400,000 individuals and their families
living with multiple sclerosis. The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National
Multiple Sclerosis Society, provides services and programs to 8,000 people in
Western North Carolina and South Carolina.

“Universal’s sponsorship of this event is one our community and diversity
program initiatives to work together with the local community to raise the level
of awareness on important social and cultural issues. I have several friends
who have MS; therefore, it underscores my personal interests along with
Universal’s commitment to these programs, and the communities in which we do
business,” says Universal’s CEO Vince M. Guest.

Universal encourages the Charlotte community to come, and support the cause for
Multiple Sclerosis. For more detailed information on the location and the time
of the event, contact Fervor United at 980-521-7019.

About The Company

Universal Bioenergy Inc. is an alternative energy company, and intends to market
natural and alternative energy sources including, Natural Gas, Solar, Biofuels,
Wind, Synthetic Fuels and related energy technology products. It plans to build
the company into a prominent player in alternative green energy. For inquiries
contact: Investor Relations at 888-263-2009

The Universal Bioenergy Inc. logo is available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6784

There are matters discussed in this media information that are forward looking
statements within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and
Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe
harbor created by those rules. Such statements are only forecasts and actual
events or results may differ materially from those discussed. For a discussion
of important factors which could cause actual results to differ from the forward
looking statements, refer to Universal Bioenergy Inc.’s most recent annual
report and accounts and other SEC filings. The company undertakes no obligation
to update publicly, or revise, forward looking statements, whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent legally
required.

CONTACT: Universal Bioenergy Inc.
Vince Guest
(888) 263-2009
Fax: (866) 377-2138

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Viracor-IBT Laboratories Expands Fungal Testing Services With Launch of Aspergillus PCR Panel

June 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

LEE’S SUMMIT, MO, Jun 09 (MARKET WIRE) —
Viracor-IBT Laboratories today announced the launch of the Aspergillus
PCR Panel, a collection of three new tests that will assist in detecting
and measuring Infiltrative Pulmonary Aspergillosis. The new testing
service offers 24-hour turnaround of results and unparalleled
sensitivity. It also expands Viracor-IBT’s comprehensive suite of fungal
testing services which includes Platelia(TM) Aspergillus Galactomannan
EIA and Fungitell(R) β-D Glucan.

Infiltrative Pulmonary Aspergillosis (IPA) is caused by Aspergillus, a
common fungus with more than 100 species. The infection occurs when
Aspergillus spores are inhaled and colonize in a person’s airways. The
disease primarily affects those with compromised immune systems,
including solid organ transplant, hematopoietic stem cell
transplantation, pelvic inflammatory disease and AIDS patients. It
typically progresses to pneumonia, but can also cause complications in
the central nervous system, kidneys, liver, and heart.

Fast diagnosis of IPA is critical. For patients who are diagnosed within
10 days of the onset of an infection, the disease is treatable and has a
mortality rate of 41 percent. For patients who are not diagnosed within
the first 10 days, the mortality rate climbs to 90 percent.

“Traditional diagnostic tools for IPA can be too slow or not sensitive
enough to help establish an accurate diagnosis,” said Steve Kleiboeker,
chief scientific officer for Viracor-IBT. “In many cases, doctors are
forced to treat patients based on incomplete information and can have to
administer toxic anti-fungal drug therapies as a preventative measure.
When used in conjunction with other diagnostic procedures, Viracor-IBT’s
Aspergillus PCR Panel can be useful in helping to diagnose IPA and
monitor patients with the infection. It has the potential to help improve
patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.”

Viracor-IBT’s Aspergillus PCR Panel includes three assays:
Pan-Aspergillus PCR, A. Fumigatus PCR and A. Terrus PCR. The
Pan-Aspergillus assay detects the presence of all Aspergillus species.
The A. Fumigatus and A. Terrus assays detect the species of Aspergillus
that cause most IPA infections. A. Fumigatus is the source of 50-80
percent of all IPA infections. A. Terrus causes 15 percent of infections.
A. Terrus is important to detect because the fungus is resistant to
Amphotericin B (AmB), a common anti-fungal drug therapy.

Viracor-IBT’s Aspergillus PCR Panel can be employed as a diagnostic aid
for IPA as well as used to monitor a patient’s response to therapy and
serve as a surveillance tool to determine illness before symptoms. The
extraction method used in the Aspergillus PCR Panel makes a distinction
between colonizing Aspergillus, which does not cause infection, and
invasive Aspergillus, which does. Past diagnostic options have not been
able to make this distinction, leading to some misdiagnosis and overuse
of anti-fungal therapies.

Viracor-IBT’s Aspergillus PCR Panel was created with seven years of
research and development. To verify the new panel of tests, Viracor-IBT
worked in partnership with collaborators including University of
Pittsburgh Medical Center, Duke University, University of Arkansas,
University of Texas Health Sciences, and the National Cancer Institute’s
Pediatric Oncology Group.

For more information about Viracor-IBT, the Aspergillus PCR Panel and
other tests available through the company, please visit
www.ViracorIBT.com.

About Viracor-IBT Laboratories

ViraCor Laboratories and IBT Laboratories merged in June 2009 to form a
unique specialty diagnostics laboratory. The combined company specializes
in cellular, immunology, and allergy testing services as well as
molecular assays that detect and monitor microbial pathogens. The company
serves more than 4,000 physicians, hospitals, commercial laboratories and
biopharmaceutical companies nationwide. www.ViracorIBT.com

Media Contact:
Amy D. Asper
615-327-7999
aasper@seigenthaler.com

Copyright 2010, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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Study shows ‘female Viagra’ works

May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 19 (ANI): A pill called Flibanserin can boost sex drive in women. It”s being called ‘female Viagra.’

A new paper from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists reports that after a 6-month treatment with the pill, women found improvement in their decreased sexual desire.

The FDA has not yet approved the drug, which was originally meant to be an anti depressant.

A survey conducted by a drug manufacturer, amongst 1,378 women who were suffering from a lack of sexual desire, revealed that the drug improved sex drive by 18 per cent, after a usage of 24 weeks.

Another study notched this number to four weeks.

Unlike the Viagra used by men, which increases bloody supply, this pill may affect a female”s mind and the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system, with minor side effects like dizziness, nausea, fatigue and insomnia.

For now Ashton suggests couples therapy and consulting a sexual therapist for these problems.

“You want to get at the root problem,” CBS News quoted her as saying.

“If it”s something like depression or a medication side-effect, deal with those things and hopefully you”ll see an improvement in your sex life.” (ANI)

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Cell transplants to cure cerebral palsy

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, April 20(ANI): Researchers have found that cell transplants may benefit children with cerebral palsy.

A unique cell type that supports and surrounds (ensheathes) neurons within the nose (olfactory system) known as olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), that can be used for transplantation, can apparently repair a number of lesions in the central nervous system (CNS).

Transplanted OECs, known to retain exceptional plasticity and promote olfactory blood vessel growth while offering neuroprotection, have been demonstrated to be potentially useful for a number of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and amyotrophc lateral sclerosis (ALS).

A team of Chinese researchers has hypothesized that OECs might also hold promise for treating cerebral palsy (CP), a neurological disorder appearing in infancy or early childhood and characterized by its permanent effects on muscle movement.

Corresponding author Dr. Hongyun Huang of the Beijing Rehabilitation Center said: “CP is a class of brain lesion in children with a wide variety of causes – from abnormal brain development to peri-natal injuries – and manifesting in progressive physical dysfunction.

“We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial with 33 volunteers, 14 of whom completed the six-month study, to determine if transplanted OECs were effective in treating children and adolescents with CP, given that CP shares many of the same features of other degenerative diseases.”

According to the researchers, 83 percent of the children with CP that they examined had abnormal radiological findings, with white matter damage being the most common abnormality. Tissue loss, inadequate or delayed myelination, glial scars and shrunken white matter of the brain were also encountered. The white matter is made up of nerve fibers communicating between brain areas.

The research team”s hypothesis and protocol was developed with prior knowledge of a key location in the brain”s frontal lobes (defined as the “Key Point for Neural network Restoration (KPNNR)” based on previous studies) for injecting OECs and that the injected OECs would produce Schwann cell-like myelin sheaths around demyelinated axons.

Results were measured by both the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) and the Caregiver Questionnaire Scale.

Huang added: “This trial, albeit small in sample size, indicates that OEC KPNNR transplantation may be effective for functional improvement in children and adolescents with CP.

“Our results showed that transplanting OECs into CP patients could improve the neurological function of the patients and did not cause significant side effects. The procedure may be a plausible method to treat this as yet incurable disorder.”

The study has been published in a recent issue of Cell Transplantation. (ANI)

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Two key brain regions work in tandem like integrated network

April 20, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr 20 (ANI): Two important areas in the central nervous system— basal ganglia and the cerebellum—are linked together to form an integrated functional network, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh.

Each subcortical structure houses a unique learning mechanism.

It is believed that the basal ganglia circuits are involved in reward-driven learning and the gradual formation of habits.

On the other hand, cerebellar circuits are thought to contribute to more rapid and plastic learning in response to errors in performance.

“The basal ganglia and the cerebellum are two major subcortical structures that receive input from and send output to the cerebral cortex to influence movement and cognition,” explained senior author Dr. Peter L. Strick, professor of neurobiology and co-director of the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pitt School of Medicine.

“In the past, these two learning mechanisms were viewed as entirely separate, and we wondered how signals from the two were integrated. Using a unique method for revealing chains of synaptically linked neurons, we have demonstrated that the cerebellum and basal ganglia are actually interconnected and communicate with each other,” said Strick.

The finding not only has important implications for the normal control of movement and cognition, but it also helps to explain some puzzling findings from patients with basal ganglia disorders.

“Our findings provide a neural basis for these findings. In essence, the pathways that we have discovered may enable abnormal signals from the basal ganglia to disrupt cerebellar function. The alterations in cerebellar function are likely to contribute to the disabling symptoms of basal ganglia disorders. Thus, a new approach for treating these symptoms might be to attempt to normalize cerebellar activity,” said Strick.

The findings are available online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (ANI)

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Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Issues Additional Comments and Clarifications on its Phase IIa Study Results of Serdaxin in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

April 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

ROCKVILLE, Md.–(Business Wire)–
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE Amex: RNN), a clinical stage pharmaceutical
company developing potential best in class oncology and central nervous system
(CNS) therapeutics, today offered additional commentary, clarifications and
insights on yesterday`s announcement of its Phase IIa clinical results of
Serdaxin® in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

“Based on the feedback and reaction from our shareholders, stakeholders and
other market participants, it is clear that neither the purpose of the Serdaxin
trial or its results were well understood,” said Dr. Chang Ahn, Chief Executive
Officer of Rexahn.

“The purpose of the Serdaxin Phase IIa trial was to establish as a proof of
concept that Serdaxin can work as an antidepressant drug for patients suffering
from Major Depressive Disorder. I am happy to say that this is exactly what the
study accomplished. The trial results unambiguously reach the conclusion that
patients, especially those suffering from severe depression, respond positively
to Serdaxin,” said Dr. Ahn.

The study showed that patients with severe MDD taking 5 mg of Serdaxin (55.6%)
had statistically significant improvement in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating
Scale (MADRS) scores after 8 weeks of treatment, compared to placebo (34.0%).

Dr. Ahn added, “Some market participants have asked us why our overall trial
results were not statistically significant. The answer is simply that the
Serdaxin study was never designed to achieve statistical significance as a
primary objective, but rather to establish a positive signal among treated
patients. This is exactly what the trial succeeded in accomplishing.”

“Overall we are extremely pleased with Serdaxin`s Phase IIa results, which
should be viewed as a success. As such, based on the strength of these results
we are now able to move forward with a 300 patient phase IIb clinical trial in
the second half of this year. We believe this study will further substantiate
Serdaxin as a viable treatment for depression,” Dr. Ahn concluded.

About Serdaxin®

Serdaxin® is a potential CNS neuroprotective agent and antidepressant. Rexahn is
currently investigating Serdaxin as a treatment for depression in Phase II
clinical trials. Serdaxin appears to exhibit therapeutic potential and appears
to have no serious side effects such as nausea, vomiting, insomnia, weight gain,
sexual dysfunction, cognitive deficit or motor impairment that are linked to
existing antidepressant drugs. Serdaxin has a well-established, human safety
profile. In preclinical studies, Serdaxin had onset of action in less than two
days. Based on its novel mechanism as a dual serotonin and dopamine enhancer, it
is a potential treatment for multiple CNS disorders where these
neurotransmitters are depleted or implicated in CNS-based illnesses, such as
Parkinson`s disease (PD). Serdaxin has the potential to address both non-motor
and motor events of PD by serving as a neuroprotective agent and addressing loss
of dopaminergic neurons that lead to loss of control of movements; and further,
enhancing serotonin and dopamine levels that are involved in depression and mood
disorders. Rexahn has multiple clinical programs planned for investigating
Serdaxin in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, Parkinson`s disease,
Alzheimer`s disease and neurodegenerative illnesses, and biodefense uses.

About Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to
developing best in class therapeutics for cancer, CNS disorders, and sexual
dysfunction. Rexahn currently has three drug candidates in Phase II clinical
trials, Archexin®, Serdaxin®, and Zoraxel – all potential best in class
therapeutics – and a pipeline of preclinical compounds for possible treatment of
cancers and CNS disorders. Rexahn also operates R&D programs of nano-medicines,
3D-GOLD, and TIMES drug discovery platforms. For more information, please visit
www.rexahn.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements
regarding the planned commencement of a Phase IIb trial in the second half of
2010. Rexahn’s actual results may differ materially from anticipated results,
and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements, as a result of
certain risks and uncertainties, including Rexahn’s lack of profitability, and
the need for additional capital to operate its business to develop its product
candidates; the risk that Rexahn’s development efforts relating to its product
candidates may not be successful; the possibility of being unable to obtain
regulatory approval of Rexahn’s product candidates; the risk that the results of
clinical trials may not be completed on time or support Rexahn’s claims; demand
for and market acceptance of Rexahn’s drug candidates; Rexahn’s reliance on
third-party researchers and manufacturers to develop its product candidates;
Rexahn’s ability to develop and obtain protection of its intellectual property;
and other risk factors set forth from time to time in the Company`s filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2009. Rexahn assumes no obligation to update
these forward-looking statements.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Investor Relations
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
Stephanie Ascher, 212-362-1200
stephanie@sternir.com
or
Base Pair Communications
Constantine Theodoropulos, 617-401-3116
constantine@basepaircomm.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

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Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Submits Zoraxel Phase IIb Protocol to FDARexahn Pharmaceuticals Submits Zoraxel Phase IIb Protocol to FDA

March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Company Forms Urology Scientific Advisory Board
ROCKVILLE, Md.–(Business Wire)–
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE Amex: RNN), a clinical stage pharmaceutical
company commercializing potential best in class oncology and CNS therapeutics,
today announced that it has submitted a Phase IIb protocol to the FDA for
ZoraxelTM for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).

“The progression of Zoraxel`s clinical program is very encouraging,” said Rexahn
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Chang Ahn. “We believe that the future of ED
treatment lies in compounds that act on the central nervous system and
effectively modify the condition, rather than targeting end organ erectile
function. Zoraxel has the potential to be the first drug capable of this action
and to establish a new standard of care for erectile dysfunction.”

The Phase IIb study will continue to assess Zoraxel`s efficacy in approximately
225 male subjects, ages 18 to 65, with ED. The double blind, randomized,
placebo-controlled, 12-week study will include the Sexual Encounter Profile
(SEP) survey, International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and quality of
life study endpoints and will be conducted at multiple sites in the U.S. Data
from the Phase IIa study completed in May 2009 reported that subjects treated
with Zoraxel demonstrated improved erectile function and significant improvement
in the quality of life measures. The study also found Zoraxel to be safe and
well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported.

Rexahn also announced the formation of a Urology Scientific Advisory Board
(SAB). The SAB is composed of key opinion leaders in the field of urology who
will advise Rexahn on the design and development of Zoraxel clinical trials. The
members of the SAB include Arthur L. Burnett, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., Patrick C.
Walsh Professor of Urology at The Johns Hopkins University; and Culley C. Carson
III, M.D., F.A.C.S., Rhodes Distinguished Professor and Chief of Urology at
University of North Carolina.

About Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to
commercializing first in class and market leading therapeutics for cancer, CNS
disorders, sexual dysfunction and other unmet medical needs. Rexahn currently
has three drug candidates in Phase II clinical trials, Archexin, Serdaxin®, and
Zoraxel – all potential best in class therapeutics – and a robust pipeline of
preclinical compounds to treat multiple cancers and CNS disorders. Rexahn also
operates key R&D programs of nano-medicines, 3D-GOLD, and TIMES drug discovery
platforms. For more information, please visit www.rexahn.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Rexahn’s actual results
may differ materially from anticipated results, and expectations expressed in
these forward-looking statements, as a result of certain risks and
uncertainties, including Rexahn’s lack of profitability, and the need for
additional capital to operate its business to develop its product candidates;
the risk that Rexahn’s development efforts relating to its product candidates
may not be successful; the possibility of being unable to obtain regulatory
approval of Rexahn’s product candidates; the risk that the results of clinical
trials may not be completed on time or support Rexahn’s claims; demand for and
market acceptance of Rexahn’s drug candidates; Rexahn’s reliance on third party
researchers and manufacturers to develop its product candidates; Rexahn’s
ability to develop and obtain protection of its intellectual property; and other
risk factors set forth from time to time in our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Rexahn assumes no obligation to update these
forward-looking statements.

Investor Relations
Stern Investor Relations, Inc.
Stephanie Ascher, 212-362-1200
stephanie@sternir.com
or
Base Pair Communications
Constantine Theodoropulos, 617-401-3116
constantine@basepaircomm.com

Copyright Business Wire 2010

Filed Under: International News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Scientists identify how meningitis bacteria invade the brain

August 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug 19 (ANI): Scientists in the U.S. have discovered that a specific protein on the surface of a common bacterial pathogen allows the bacteria to leave the bloodstream and enter the brain, initiating the deadly infection known as meningitis.

The new finding may lead to the development of improved vaccines to protect those most vulnerable, including young infants and the elderly.

“Streptococcus pneumoniae, commonly known as pneumococcus, is responsible for half the cases of bacterial meningitis in humans,” said the study’s senior author, Victor Nizet, MD, professor of paediatrics and pharmacy at the University of California, San Diego’s School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Meningitis develops when bacteria penetrate the “blood-brain barrier.”

The blood-brain barrier, comprised of a single layer of highly specialized microvascular endothelial cells, prevents most large molecules from entering into the cerebrospinal fluid, preserving an optimal biochemical environment for brain function.

The research team examined the functions of a protein known as NanA in order to discover how an entire bacterium can breech the blood-brain barrier and gain access to the central nervous system.

NanA is produced by all strains of pneumococcus and displayed prominently on the bacteria’s outer surface.

Through genetic manipulations, the researchers were able to remove the entire NanA protein, or just specific sections of the molecule, from the pathogen.

They found that while normal pneumococci were able to bind, enter and penetrate through human brain microvascular endothelial cells, mutant bacteria lacking the NanA protein -or those expressing only a truncated version of the protein – largely lost these abilities.

Conversely, when the full-length pneumococcal NanA protein was cloned and expressed on the surface of a nonpathogenic laboratory strain, the transformed bacteria gained the ability to bind and enter the same endothelial cells.

Satoshi Uchiyama, MD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Nizet Laboratory and lead author on the study, said: “Our tissue culture studies showed that the NanA protein was both necessary and sufficient for bacterial penetration of the blood brain barrier endothelial cells.”

“After infecting mice intravenously, we also found that far fewer NanA-deficient bacteria left the bloodstream and entered the brain, in comparison to mice infected with the normal pneumococcus,” Uchiyama added.

NanA is best known as an enzyme that cleaves and releases the sugar molecule known as sialic acid, which is present in abundance on the surface of all human cells.

While this enzymatic activity played a small part in promoting NanA-mediated blood-brain barrier interactions, a much stronger role was identified for the outer tip of the protein.

This tip seems to directly attach to the brain microvascular endothelial cells and then stimulate them to take in the pneumococcus.

According to Nizet, because NanA is expressed on the surface of all pneumococcal strains, it is an attractive candidate to include in a universal protein-based vaccine against pneumococcal infection.

The study is available online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. (ANI)

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Bird flu virus ‘linked’ to Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s

August 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Aug 13 (ANI): Some kinds of influenza viruses may set up people infected with them to be at higher risk of developing chronic neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s later in life, according to a new study.

Researchers from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis examined the impact of the H5N1 avian flu virus in the brains of mice.

During the study, Richard Smeyne and colleagues sprayed a solution containing a highly pathogenic subtype of H5N1 avian flu into the noses of 225 mice.

They found that the virus infected nerves in the gut, then entered the brain stem and finally reached the brain.

In the brain, it led to chronic activation of the immune system, even long after the viral infection had been cleared.

This immune system activity later led to protein aggregation and neuron loss in the brain, and to symptoms like tremor and loss of coordination – the hallmarks of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

“Infection with influenza virus might leave the brain vulnerable to damage from future infections with new influenza strains,” New Scientist quoted Smeyne as saying.

He said that this is more likely to happen in young children or during an flu pandemic.

Smeyne suspects that all flu viruses, including the current H1N1 swine flu pandemic, could cause symptoms of encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain.

However, he insists that there is currently no proof that flu viruses other than the H5N1 he worked with can enter the central nervous system.

The study has been described in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (ANI)

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Foetal short-term memory starts functioning at 30 weeks

July 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, July 16 (ANI): The short-term memory of a foetus begins functioning at 30 weeks, say researchers in the Netherlands.

The study, conducted by researchers at Maastricht University Medical Centre and the University Medical Centre St. Radboud, offers insights into foetal development and may help address and prevent abnormalities.

The researchers studied about 100 healthy pregnant Dutch women and their foetuses, measuring changes in how the foetus responds to repeated stimulation.

After receiving a number of stimuli, the foetus no longer responds to the stimulus as observed by ultrasonography and the stimulus is then accepted as “safe.” This change in response is called “habituation.”

In a second session, the foetus “remembers” the stimulus and the number of stimuli needed for the foetus to habituate is then much smaller.

Based on their research, the researchers found the presence of foetal short-term memory of 10 minutes at 30 weeks.

They determined this because a significantly lower number of stimuli was needed to reach habituation in a second session, which was performed 10 minutes after the first session.

They also found that 34-week-old foetuses could store information and retrieve it four weeks later.

Foetuses were tested at 30, 32, 34, and 36 weeks, and again at 38 weeks. The 34- and 36-week-old foetuses habituated much faster than the 38-week-old foetuses that had not been tested before.

This implies that these foetuses have a memory of at least 4 weeks-the interval between the test at 34 weeks and that at 38 weeks.

“A better understanding of the normal development of the foetal central nervous system will lead to more insight into abnormalities, allowing prevention or extra care in the first years of life and, as a consequence, fewer problems in later life,” the authors said.

The study has been published in the July/August 2009 issue of the journal Child Development. (ANI)

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Propofol – Propofol Infusion Syndrome – Propofol side effects – Diprivan side effect – Diprivan – Depravan drug – Diprovan drug – Diprivan Drip – Deprevan – Deprovera – Propofol – Diprivan Side effects – Diprivan Propofol – Depravan Propofol – Diprovan Propofol

July 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Propofol – Propofol Infusion Syndrome – Propofol side effects – Diprivan side effect – Diprivan -  Depravan drug – Diprovan drug – Diprivan Drip – Deprevan – Deprovera – Propofol – Diprivan Side effects – Diprivan Propofol – Depravan Propofol – Diprovan Propofol

Michael Jackson’s nutritionist now coming out and saying that the King of Pop desperate sedative called Diprivan.

Nurse / Nutritionist Cherilyn Lee has succeeded in treating Michael Jackson as a patient tells the media that in the last days Whacko Jacko was adamant to receive a powerful intravenous sedative called Diprivan or Propofol.

More questions arose Tuesday when a nurse Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who operates a Los Angeles-based nutritional counseling business,came forward to say that Jackson  was complaining of insomnia and requested  her to get him some Diprivan (propofol), a drug usually used to start or maintain anesthesia during surgeries.

But she  told Jackson “the medication is not safe.”

Four days before Jackson’s death, Lee said, a Jackson staffer called and said the pop star was complaining that one side of his body was hot and the other side was cold .

Nurse Cherilyn Lee, requested him to go to hospital and get treatment immediately.

She  said , “At that point, I knew that somebody had given him something that hit the central nervous system,”

she said, further, “He was in trouble Sunday and he was crying out.”

Jackson did not go to the hospital. He died June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest, his family said.

An injection of Diprivan can induce hypnosis within 40 seconds from the start of injection, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The drug’s product label says that propofol should only be administered by people “trained in the administration of general anesthesia.” Sedated patients should be continuously monitored, the product label says, and equipment to provide artificial ventilation, administration of oxygen and instituting CPR “must be immediately available.”

The product label warns that use of propofol for sedating adult and pediatric intensive care unit patients has  been associated with organ system failures that have resulted in death.

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Diprivan side effect – Diprivan – depravan drug – diprovan drug – diprivan drip – deprevan – deprovera – propofol – diprivan side effects – versed

July 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Diprivan side effect – Diprivan – depravan drug – diprovan drug – diprivan drip – deprevan – deprovera – propofol – diprivan side effects – versed

More questions arose Tuesday when a nurse Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who operates a Los Angeles-based nutritional counseling business,came forward to say that Jackson  was complaining of insomnia and requested  her to get him some Diprivan (propofol), a drug usually used to start or maintain anesthesia during surgeries.

But she  told Jackson “the medication is not safe.”

Four days before Jackson’s death, Lee said, a Jackson staffer called and said the pop star was complaining that one side of his body was hot and the other side was cold .

Nurse Cherilyn Lee, requested him to go to hospital and get treatment immediately.

She  said , “At that point, I knew that somebody had given him something that hit the central nervous system,”

she said, further, “He was in trouble Sunday and he was crying out.”

Jackson did not go to the hospital. He died June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest, his family said.

An injection of Diprivan can induce hypnosis within 40 seconds from the start of injection, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The drug’s product label says that propofol should only be administered by people “trained in the administration of general anesthesia.” Sedated patients should be continuously monitored, the product label says, and equipment to provide artificial ventilation, administration of oxygen and instituting CPR “must be immediately available.”

The product label warns that use of propofol for sedating adult and pediatric intensive care unit patients has  been associated with organ system failures that have resulted in death.

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Obesity is wired in the brain

June 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, June 26 (ANI): An international study has found that a variation in a gene that is active in the central nervous system is linked to higher risk for obesity.

The new study, conducted by Robert Kaplan, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology and population health and his U.S. and European colleagues, adds to evidence that genes influence appetite and that the brain plays a key role in obesity.

In the study, the researchers found that people who have inherited the gene variant NRXN3 have a 10-15 percent increased risk of being obese compared with people who do not have the variant.

The researchers examined data from eight studies involving genes and body weight.

These studies included more than 31,000 people of European origin, ages 45 to 76, representing a broad range of dietary habits and health behaviours.

After analyzing more than two million regions of the human genome, the researchers found that the NRXN3 gene variant – previously associated with alcohol dependence, cocaine addiction, and illegal substance abuse – also predicts the tendency to become obese.

Altogether, researchers found the gene variant in 20 percent of the people studied.

NRXN3 is the third obesity-associated gene to be identified. Dr. Kaplan says that the fact that all three genes are highly active in encoding brain proteins is significant.

“Considering how many factors are involved in obesity, it is interesting that research is increasingly pointing to the brain as being very important in its development,” he said.

According to researchers, identifying obesity genes could help in preventing the condition and lead to treatments for it.

“Someday we may be able to incorporate several obesity genes into a genetic test to identify people at risk of becoming obese and alert them to the need to watch their diet and to exercise. Also, we may eventually see drugs that target the molecular pathways through which obesity genes exert their influence,” Dr. Kaplan said.

The study has been published online in PLoS Genetics. (ANI)

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Cottonseed-based drug may help treat severe brain cancer

May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 29 (ANI): Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) say that an experimental drug derived from cottonseeds appears to be efficacious in treating the recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme, which is considered to be the most lethal brain cancer.

The researchers came to this conclusion following the results of a Phase II clinical trial of AT-101, a pill manufactured from a potent compound in cottonseeds that overcomes the abnormal growth patterns of tumour cells.

Glioblastomas are more common in adults, and are considered fast-growing brain tumours that are very difficult to treat.

Research leader Dr. John Fiveash, an associate professor in the UAB Department of Radiation Oncology, said that the cottonseed-based agent was found to halt the cancer’s progression in many of the 56 patients.

He revealed that despite undergoing other treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, the trial patients’ brain cancer had begun to grow again prior to starting AT-101 treatments.

The trial-monitored patients took only AT-101 daily for three out of four weeks.

“After getting this drug some of these patients went many months without any new growth in their tumours. We are able to do that with a well-tolerated oral medication, and that is a major benefit,” Fiveash said.

He believes that the drug would likely work best in combination with radiation and chemotherapy to boost the cancer-fighting properties of those treatments.

Fiveash and his colleagues are also trying to determine which patients are most likely to benefit from AT-101.

The initial results of the drug trial would be presented on May 30, during the poster discussion of central nervous system tumours at the American Society for Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. (ANI)

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High daily dosages of statins may have a negative impact on Multiple Sclerosis patients

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 27 (ANI): McGill University researchers in Canada say that a treatment with high daily dosages of statins, commonly prescribed drugs that effectively reduce blood cholesterol levels, may actually have a negative impact in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.

Experimenting on mice at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), the researchers found statin therapy to inhibit myelin repair or remyelination in the central nervous system.

The team say that their findings highlight the crucial need to monitor the effects of central nervous system-accessible immune therapies on the myelin repair processes in patients with MS and other progressive demyelinating diseases.

They point out that in the early stages of MS, following an immune system attack on myelin, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells or stem cells in the central nervous system (CNS) are recruited to the lesion. These cells mature and produce new myelin to repair the damage.

The researchers involved simvastatin, a statin in clinical trials, in their study.

“The results of our study indicate that simvastatin has in fact, a slightly deleterious effect on myelin under non-pathological conditions,” says Dr. Veronique Miron, post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Jack Antel’s lab at the MNI, and lead investigator in the study.

“During remyelination, there is a decrease not only in myelin production but also in oligodendrocyte number as a result of simvastatin treatment. The findings also suggest that simvastatin inhibits CNS remyelination by blocking oligodendrocyte progenitor cell differentiation or maturation into myelinating oligodendrocytes,” the researcher adds.

The researchers say that their study underscores the necessity of monitoring the long-terms effects of CNS accessible immune therapies, particularly those that can impact cell types that are postulated to be targeted in neurological disease processes and that are implicated in any brain tissue repair processes.

They believe that understanding the underlying mechanisms of these therapies will lead to improved and enhanced treatment strategies and ultimately improved quality of life for people who suffer from a variety of neurological diseases.

A research article on the study has been published in The American Journal of Pathology. (ANI)

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Why the right hand’s thumb grows on the left hand side, and vice versa

May 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 23 (ANI): Austrian scientists at the University of Innsbruck have explained an important developmental mechanism that makes the thumb of the right hand grow on the left hand side, and vice versa.

Lead researcher Pia Aanstad, a molecular biologist at the university, this process depends upon the concentration of a signalling molecule called Hedgehog.

The researcher points out that this molecule controls the development of the extremities, the central nervous system, the teeth, eyes, hair, lung and the gastrointestinal tract.

“What is most remarkable: The cells are told what to do not only because the molecule is present but also by the different concentrations of the molecules in the tissue. The concentration of Hedgehog makes the thumb of the right hand grow on the left hand side and the thumb of the left hand grow on the right hand side,” says Aanstad.

Considering the functions of Hedgehog, the scientists define it as a morphogen-a signal that is concentration-dependent and controls the pattern formation of an organism.

They say that a mutation in this signalling pathway induces dramatic and embryonically lethal malformations in the early developmental stage, such as the formation of just one central eye.

According to them, defects in the Hedgehog signalling pathway in humans are a cause for one of the most common birth defects-holoprosencephaly.

“Hedgehog genes are not new in evolution and the signaling pathway functions in the fly, mouse, fish and in humans similarly”, says Aanstad.

She focuses on the zebra danio or zebra fish for her research work because their short developmental cycle enables her to observe the development of the small tropic fish in fast motion.

“We want to better understand how the cells process the signals of the signalling molecules and how they react,” she said.

A research article on the current study has been published in the journal Current Biology. (ANI)

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Chinese mind-body training technique improves attention, reduces stress

May 20, 2009 By 1 Comment

Washington, May 20 (ANI): Just five days of practicing a newly emerging mind-body technique may produce effective changes in attention and stress reduction, say Chinese researchers.

Now undergraduates at the University of Oregon are being taught the practice-called integrative body-mind training (IBMT)-which was adapted from traditional Chinese medicine in the 1990s in China, where it is practiced by thousands of people.

In a 2007 study, the researchers had reported that doing IBMT prior to a mental math test led to low levels of the stress hormone cortisol among Chinese students, along with lower levels of anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue than students in a relaxation control group.

“The previous paper indicated that IBMT subjects showed a reduced response to stressWhy after five days did it work so fast?” said UO professor Yi-Yuan Tang.

He says that the new findings point to how IBMT alters blood flow and electrical activity in the brain, breathing quality and even skin conductance, allowing for “a state of ah, much like in the morning opening your eyes, looking outside the grass and sunshine, you feel relaxed, calm and refresh without any stress, this is the meditation state.”

Using several technologies, the researchers conducted two experiments involving 86 undergraduate students at Dalian University of Technology and analyzed the data collected.

“We were able to show that the training improved the connection between a central nervous system structure, the anterior cingulate, and the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system to help put a person into a more bodily state. The results seem to show integration-a connectivity of brain and body,” said UO psychologist Michael Posner.

In each experiment, participants who had not previously practiced relaxation or meditation received either IBMT or general relaxation instruction for 20 minutes a day for five days.

After conducting single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), the researchers found that both groups experienced some benefit from the training-those in IBMT showed dramatic differences based on brain-imaging and physiological testing.

Physiological tests also revealed that IBMT subjects had lower heart rates and skin conductance responses, increased belly breathing amplitude, and decreased chest respiration rates as compared with the relaxation group.

Finally, the researchers noted that IBMT subjects had more high-frequency heart-rate variability than their relaxation counterparts, indicating “successful inhibition of sympathetic tone and activation of parasympathetic tone (in the autonomic nervous system).”

IBMT avoids struggles to control thought, and instead relies on a state of restful alertness, allowing for a high degree of body-mind awareness while receiving instructions from a coach.

The study has been published online ahead of regular publication in PNAS. (ANI)

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Why thalidomide causes severe birth defects revealed

May 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, May 12 (ANI): Scot researchers claim to have unravelled the medical mystery that has left scientists scratching their heads for nearly 50 years: why thalidomide, a drug used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women, caused severe birth defects in the late Fifties and early Sixties.

Dr. Neil Vargesson, of Aberdeen University, accords the reason to a component of the drug that prevented the growth of new blood vessels, and subsequently caused limb defects in the developing embryo.

“We have put to rest a 50-year puzzle, in finally deducing how thalidomide triggers limb defects and why it appears to target limbs preferentially. This is an important discovery. Many models have been suggested as to how these defects were caused but now we know how it worked,” the Scotsman quoted the lecturer in Developmental Biology as saying.

“This is the first paper to conclusively show that it is the anti-angiogenic property of the drug – that element that inhibits new blood vessel formation – that is to blame for the defects. The drug prevented early blood vessels going into the limb,” Vargesson added.

But Martin Johnson, the director of the Thalidomide Trust cast a shadow of doubt on the claims, saying: “These findings are a puzzle to me. A number of people believe this mystery was solved ten years ago when the theory these people are following was comprehensively demolished.”

He added: “The theory that is now accepted, and has been for several years, is that the best explanation for thalidomide damage is that the developing nervous system within the embryo was poisoned at the stage the critical nerve endings start to emerge. The fact that this is a nerve poison explains all the known effects – not just limb damage but heart disease and massive central nervous system damage. There was not an organ in the body that could not be trashed by thalidomide.”

Ray Stokes, a professor of business history at Glasgow University who is researching the history of thalidomide, said: “I cannot comment on these latest findings, but clearly there does seem to e consensus that it has to do with damage to the neural crest at a particularly important time in the gestation of the child that was the problem. The damage that was done to babies was only part of the damage that was done by the drug.” (ANI)

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