Novartis Launches New Triaminic™ Fever Reducer Pain Reliever Liquid for Children as Safe Over-the-Counter Treatment Option

PARSIPPANY, N.Y., July 27 /PRNewswire/ — Novartis announces the introduction of Triaminic™ Fever Reducer Pain Reliever, the only branded over-the-counter children’s liquid acetaminophen product currently available nationwide in the US. Triaminic® now offers parents a product that combines the pain relieving and fever-reducing power of acetaminophen with the brand that has been trusted by pediatricians and parents for more than 50 years.

“Given the lack of availability of some over-the-counter children’s analgesic products, parents and caregivers have been confused and concerned about what to give their children to temporarily reduce a fever or relieve headaches and minor sore throat pain,” said Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, practicing pediatrician and chief pediatric officer of www.RealAge.com. “It is important that parents know there are safe and effective treatment options now available from brands they know and trust. If parents have any questions about which over-the-counter options are most appropriate for their kids, they should ask their doctor or pharmacist.”

To help parents restock their medicine cabinets with a reliable option, Novartis is giving away up to 250,000 bottles of Triaminic™ Fever Reducer Pain Reliever in the US, valued at USD 1.5 million. Between August 2 – 8, 2010, parents can purchase a bottle of Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever and submit the original receipt and proof of purchase, along with a rebate form that can be obtained by registering at www.triaminicgiveaway.com(1) to receive a refund for the purchase price of the product(2). For full details, go to www.triaminicgiveaway.com.

“Triaminic® is the leading children’s cough and cold brand(3) and children’s health has been the brand’s sole focus for more than 50 years. We feel it is important to now offer parents a dependable fever reducer and pain reliever product for their children,” said Charlie Hough, OTC North America Region Head, Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. “By giving away up to 250,000 bottles of Triaminic™ Fever Reducer Pain Reliever, we will make it even easier for parents to have access to the only children’s liquid acetaminophen product now available nationally from a trusted brand name.”

Focus on Kids’ Health and Appropriate Use of Children’s Medicines

Children’s health and wellness is the number one priority of the Triaminic® brand. In addition to the free product offer, www.triaminic.com also provides helpful tips and information for parents from Dr. Trachtenberg about keeping children healthy and ensuring the safe and appropriate use of children’s medicines.

* Know the active ingredients: It’s important to carefully read the labels on all children’s medications and understand the active ingredients, especially if you are giving them multiple medications. Knowing what’s in your child’s medicine will help you determine if it’s the right course of treatment to best ensure your child is on the road to recovery.
* Consider a little TLC: In addition to an over-the-counter fever reducer and pain reliever, Dr. Trachtenberg always recommends her version of TLC: Time, Love and a Couch. Take time to sit with your sick child in a comfortable, quiet place, like the living room couch, put a cool compress on her head and gently rub her temples until the fever and pain subside. If your child’s symptoms continue, call your pediatrician.

Triaminic™ Fever Reducer Pain Reliever and all Triaminic® products meet rigorous Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards, as defined by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Novartis adheres to these guidelines at its manufacturing sites to ensure that Triaminic® products are safe, effective and meet these strict quality and purity standards.

Triaminic™ Fever Reducer Pain Reliever temporarily reduces fever and relieves minor aches and pains due to the common cold, flu, headache, minor sore throat, and toothache. The product is intended for children ages 2 -11 and is available in grape and bubble gum flavors. Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever is available at drug stores, grocery stores and retail stores nationwide. For more information, go to www.triaminic.com.

About Triaminic®

Triaminic products are safe and effective when used as directed, and have been relieving children’s cough and cold symptoms for more than 50 years. Trusted by parents and caregivers, the Triaminic brand has a full line of children’s cough, cold, allergy and analgesic products that meets a variety of children’s – and parents – needs. For more information, please visit www.triaminic.com.

Disclaimer

The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as “will,” or similar expressions, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential future revenues from Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever will achieve any particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular, management’s expectations regarding Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever could be affected by, among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or government regulation generally; competition in general; industry and general public pricing pressures; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the Novartis Group’s assets and liabilities as recorded in the Group’s consolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG’s current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in these areas. In 2009, the Group’s continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 44.3 billion, while approximately USD 7.5 billion was invested in R&D activities throughout the Group. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 102,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

References

(1) While supplies last. 250,000 rebate forms will be available at www.triaminicgiveaway.com

(2) Up to $6.99

(3) Based on IRI FDMx latest 4 weeks ending June 6, 2010

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Novartis’s Afinitor keeps NET cancer at bay longer

July 1 (Reuters) – Novartis AG’s (NOVN.VX) cancer drug Afinitor more than doubles the time patients with a certain type of pancreatic cancer live without tumour growth, the Swiss drugmaker said on Thursday.

Novartis has already said it plans worldwide regulatory filings this year for the potential billion-dollar seller after the drug met its primary goal in a Phase III study by significantly extending progression-free survival in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (NET). [ID:nZAT010885]

Pancreatic NET can grow aggressively and at the time of diagnosis nearly 60 percent of all patients have advanced disease, meaning the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and is more difficult to treat, Novartis said.

Although considered a rare cancer, cases of NET are increasing rapidly and have quadrupled in the past 30 years, Novartis said. The median overall survival rate for patients with pancreatic NET is 24 months and at present surgery and chemotherapy are the only available treatment options for patients with the disease, the group said. (Reporting by Katie Reid; Editing by Dan Lalor)

Scientists find genes linked to testicular cancer

(Reuters) – British scientists have found three new genetic risk factors for testicular cancer, the most common form of the disease in young men, and say their findings should aid efforts for better treatments and earlier diagnosis.

Health

A research team led by the Institute of Cancer Research scanned the gene maps of almost 6,000 men, some with and some without testicular cancer, and found genetic variants in three genetic regions were significantly more common in the cancer patients.

“The genes located in these regions give us clues to the mechanisms by which testicular cancer develops,” said Nazneen Rahman, an ICR professor who worked on the study. “In time this may allow us to develop new treatment options.”

The team confirmed their findings by analyzing another 670 testicular cancer patients and 3,500 men without the disease.

The results, published in the journal Nature on Sunday, take the number of genetic regions associated with testicular cancer risk to six, after earlier studies identified others.

“This study represents further, important progress toward identifying men who are at increased genetic risk of testicular cancer,” said Clare Turnbull, who led the study.

“Finding those men at highest risk may allow early detection or prevention of the disease.”

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 45 years. It is considered one of the most treatable cancers because it usually responds well to chemotherapy, but survivors often have fertility problems after treatment.

The disease has a strong genetic component and men who have a brother affected by testicular cancer have an eight- to tenfold increased risk of developing the disease than men with no family history. These inheritance risks are much higher than in other cancer types, which are generally only two-fold.

The three genes identified by the British team are called TERT, ATF7IP and DMRT1.

Turnbull and colleagues explained in their study that TERT and ATF7IP were important in maintaining the correct length of the ends of chromosomes, which are called telomeres.

Shortened telomeres are known to occur in many cancers and genetic variants in TERT have already been linked to other cancers, including lung, bladder, cervical, pancreatic, skin and prostate cancer.

The third gene found in this study, DMRT1, plays an important role in sex determination and has been implicated in the development of testicular cancer in mice.

Sex infection gonorrhoea becoming “superbug”

Washington, March 30 (ANI): Gonorrhoea-causing bacteria develops resistance to antibiotics quite quickly and if new treatment is not considered soon the sexually transmitted infection may become extremely difficult to treat, an expert has warned.

Addressing the Society for General Microbiology”s spring meeting in Edinburgh, professor Catherine Ison said it was quite possible that strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistant to all current treatment options could emerge in the near future.

Prof Ison, from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in London, explained how some strains of the gonococcal bacteria that cause the disease are now demonstrating decreased sensitivity to the current antibiotics used to treat them – ceftriaxone and cefixime.

Gonorrhoea is a common bacterial sexually-transmitted infection and if left untreated can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women.

Current treatment consists of a single dose of antibiotic given in the clinic when prescribed, by mouth for cefixime and by injection for ceftriaxone.

Prof Ison said: “Choosing an effective antibiotic can be a challenge because the organism that causes gonorrhoea is very versatile and develops resistance to antibiotics very quickly.

“Penicillin was used for many years until it was no longer effective and a number of other agents have been used since. The current drugs of choice, ceftriaxone and cefixime, are still very effective but there are signs that resistance particularly to cefixime is emerging and soon these drugs may not be a good choice.”

Bacteria isolated from patients diagnosed with gonorrhoea are tested for their susceptibility to various antibiotics to monitor patterns of resistance at a local and national level.

Ongoing monitoring of antimicrobial resistance is critical to ensure that first-line treatments for gonorrhoea remain effective.

Professor Ison said: “There are few new drugs available and so it is probable that the current use of a single dose may soon need to be revised and treatment over several days or with more than one antibiotic will need to be considered.”

“If this problem isn”t addressed then there is a real possibility that gonorrhoea will become a very difficult infection to treat,” she added. (ANI)

What makes us cough

London, July 9 (ANI): Scientists at the University of Hull have identified a new group of molecules on the surface of nerve cells that make people cough when they are irritated.

According to the researchers, the findings could lead to new drugs to treat coughing.

“Cough is the commonest symptom for which medical advice is sought and accounts for over half of new patient consultations to a GP,” the Scotsman quoted Professor Alyn Morice, a clinical pharmacologist at the University of Hull, as saying.

“Chronic cough can be socially isolating and disabling, and people come from all over Europe to my cough clinic because the cough is ruining their lives. Yet treatment options are limited, with remedies little better than honey and lemon,” Morice added.

Morice and his colleagues have identified a group of protein molecules called receptors that sit on the surface of nerve cells and allow signals to be passed inside nerve cells.

They have shown the “very cold” receptor (TRPA1) on nerve cells is stimulated by a cinnamon extract in normal volunteers, leading them to cough.

The researchers have also successfully cloned the TRPA1 receptor to allow them to investigate the nerve endings.

The researchers have just begun a large-scale patient study that will try to identify existing blocking agents, although the ultimate goal of research is to restore the cough reflex to normal levels, rather than stop it.

The study has been presented at the British Pharmacological Society’s Summer Meeting in Edinburgh this week. (ANI)

Bal Thackeray undergoes angiography

Bal Thackeray undergoes angiography

Mumbai, July 7 (IANS) Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray underwent an angiography on Tuesday morning and is likely to operated upon, a party insider said.

Thackeray, 83, was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here Monday following breathing problems.

After the angiography and the medical panel’s expert advice, Thackeray may undergo a surgery later Tuesday, a party insider said, requesting anonymity.

The Lilavati Hospital had set up a five-member panel to treat him – Jaleel Parker, who has been regularly treating him; J.J. Dalal, Samuel Mathew, Ajit Menon and Prakash Jindani, who examined the senior leader to determine the course of treatment Monday.

Concerned about his advanced age and frail health, the medicos have discussed the treatment options available with Thackeray’s family.

Son Udhav has cut short his trip to the US and is expected return to Mumbai later Tuesday to be with his father, who underwent a heart surgery a few years ago.

Thackeray’s estranged nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, senior party leaders like Manohar Joshi, party MPs, legislators and senior leaders of the ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been thronging the hospital to inquire after his health.

Thackeray had been admitted to the same hospital June 18 for treating similar respiratory problems, causing concern among family and party members. He was discharged after six days in hospital.

Earlier, in March this year, Thackeray had spent 11 days in Lilavati Hospital for similar health complaints.

New pill to replace painful multiple sclerosis jabs

Washington, Apr 30 (ANI): A new pill may soon replace the painful injections for multiple sclerosis treatment, say researchers.

The research team led by Professor Gavin Giovannoni of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry has shown that cladribine tablets just a few times a year can reduce the chances of a relapse by well over 50 per cent.

Cladribine tablets work by suppressing the immune system, reducing the risk of further damage to a patient’s nervous system.

In the new study, the researchers followed over 1,300 MS patients for nearly two years.

They were given either two or four treatment courses of cladribine tablets per year, or a placebo.

Each course consists of a single tablet per day for four or five days, adding up to just eight to 20 days of treatment each year.

The study showed that the patients who were taking a placebo, those taking cladribine tablets were over 55 per cent less likely to suffer a relapse and 30 per cent less likely to suffer worsening in their disability due to MS.

“These results are really exciting. MS can be a very debilitating illness and at the moment treatment options remain limited. Having an effective oral therapy will have a major impact for people with MS,” said Professor Giovannoni.

“Our study shows that cladribine tablets prevent relapses and slow down the progression of the disease making patients feel better.

“Importantly, it does so without the need for constant injections that are associated with unpleasant side effects.

“We will continue to follow the patients in the trial to see how they fare in the long-term,” Giovannoni added.

The findings were presented at Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Seattle. (ANI)

Antibiotic arsenal running out of options in fight against ‘super bugs’

London, Jan 29 (ANI): People are dying from “super bugs” because our antibiotic arsenal is running out of options to fight ever-changing bacteria, warn researchers.

The research team led by Barbara E. Murray, M.D., and Cesar Arias, M.D., Ph.D. claimed that people are also taking antibiotics without prescriptions or not following the prescription as directed.

It is those practices that allow the antibiotics to be exposed to a wide-range of bacteria in the body, both good and bad, which makes it resistant to drugs.

The bacteria can evade antibiotics by destroying the medication by producing an enzyme that devours the drug, creating a barrier to the drug pumping out any antibiotic that reaches the bacterial cell and modifying the target of the antibiotic so the drug can’t bind to it.

“We have run out of options,” New England Medical Journal quoted Murray as saying.

“The promise of genomics has not panned out. Gene sequencing has not helped us find a better way to fight these bugs.

“Most of the public has heard of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) because it produces the most cases each year.

“However, they have not heard of other super bugs that can be far worse. The Gram-negative bacteria are the most antibiotic-resistant with fewer treatment options in life-threatening diseases, such as certain forms of pneumonia, bloodstream infections, gastroenteritis and even meningitis,” she added.

According to the researchers, delay in diagnosis is also an issue. Murray said even with advancements, it takes about 48 hours or more from the time a culture is taken to determine what a person may have contracted and to determine what antibiotics are likely to be effective.

“It may not sound like a lot of time, but with some of these bugs you have to move quickly to save a patient. You don’t want the bacteria to spread. Research needs to include finding new testing methods,” she said.

“Academics can’t do it all. Pharmaceutical companies can’t do it all. Everyone needs to work together to address this potential worldwide public health crisis,” said Arias, co-author of the perspective and assistant professor in infectious diseases at the medical school.

The researchers now aims to investigate the clinical and molecular aspects of antibiotic resistance, attempting to understand the complex mechanisms by which bugs become resistant to antibiotics and then designing new strategies to combat them.

“We are struggling, really struggling to treat patients around the world. If something isn’t done soon, more and more bugs are going to gain the upper-hand,” said Murray.

“There are simply not enough new drugs to keep pace with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. We are sounding the alarm, and hopefully the world will hear it,” she added. (ANI)