A pill designed to zero in on abnormal genes that drive specific cancers has produced encouraging early results in children with an uncommon but aggressive type of lymphoma, as well as in children with a rare form of neuroblastoma.
A phase 1 clinical trial of the drug crizotinib achieved remissions, with minimal side effects, for 10 of the children participating in a clinical study carried out by the multicenter Children’s Oncology Group (COG). The results were “an exciting proof-of-principle” for the targeted treatment, said the study leader, Yaël P. Mossé, M.D., a pediatric oncologist at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“We are entering a new era of cancer therapy, in which we use knowledge of basic biology to design very specific drugs that target cancer cells with potentially less side effects on healthy tissue,” said Mossé. “In addition, as we concentrate on targets in molecular pathways, we move away from an exclusive focus on one form of cancer to customizing treatments according to biological activity. Abnormal ALK activity occurs in subtypes of neuroblastoma and subtypes of lymphoma, so identifying ALK activity in individual patients may enable us to provide the most effective care.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/50776-childrens-hospital-philadelphia-lymphoma-neuroblastoma-oncology-gene-trial
Express Scripts clinical innovations saved its clients $45 billion in 2018 and delivered a 25-year record low drug trend of just 0.4 percent across employer-sponsored plans, according to data released today in its annual Drug Trend Report, an authoritative analysis of drug spending in the U.S.
Express Scripts’ solutions for driving lower drug prices and fostering the use of lower-net-cost treatments are making medication more accessible for beneficiaries. Unit drug costs decreased in 2018 for employer-sponsored and Medicare plans, while utilization of medications rose.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8478051-express-scripts-2018-drug-trend-report/
Meijer announced today it is launching its new Consumer Drug Take-Back Program by installing secure in-store kiosks designed to help customers safely and properly dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs at no cost. Customers can find the easily identifiable kiosks in the pharmacy area in all 241 Meijer supercenters across the Midwest.
“Meijer is thrilled to be one of the first in our industry to provide a secure and convenient prescription drug take-back program at all stores in the communities we serve,” said Jason Beauch, Vice President of Meijer Pharmacy. “The Meijer Drug Take-Back Program allows our customers to remove the risk of an unforeseen accident occurring with expired or unused medications, while enabling them to properly dispose prescription drugs and reducing the possibility of creating a public health hazard.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8497051-meijer-consumer-drug-take-back-program/
Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPTR) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company’s antibacterial drug DIFICID™ (fidaxomicin) tablets for the treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) in adults 18 years of age and older. CDAD is a significant medical problem in hospitals and long-term care facilities, and is beginning to emerge in the community among people previously at low risk for the disease. In the largest Phase 3 clinical studies ever conducted in CDAD, DIFICID had clinical response rates at the end of treatment that were non-inferior to oral vancomycin. DIFICID was superior to vancomycin in sustaining clinical response through 25 days beyond the end of treatment. DIFICID is the only FDA-approved antibacterial drug proven to be superior to vancomycin in sustained clinical response for CDAD.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/optimerpharma/50177/
As the rate of teen prescription drug abuse continues to rise in the United States, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today joined with addiction expert Dr. Drew Pinsky,* to launch a new tool kit intended to help America’s schools educate teens and their parents about the risks and consequences of abusing prescription medication.
The Schools Get Smart, Schools Take Action Tool Kit is part of Smart Moves, Smart Choices, a national initiative of NASN and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., designed to inform parents, teens and educators about this growing problem of teen prescription drug abuse, and what they can do to combat it.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/smartmovessmartchoices/51444/
According to a recent national survey, 17.1 percent of Americans lack health insurance, and more than nine million of the nation’s uninsured rely on federally qualified health centers (FQHC), non-profit community clinics and free clinics each year for primary care. While these clinics serve the critical health care needs of the uninsured, patients oftentimes cannot afford the medications prescribed by the clinic’s physicians, or navigate a fragmented system that only offers partial solutions. This is a particularly growing problem for America’s working poor.
Today, Medco Foundation and Dispensary of Hope (DOH), a not-for-profit pharmacy-focused social venture for the uninsured, introduced a new, national initiative to substantially improve the supply, delivery and management of critical prescription drugs to thousands of uninsured Americans who are managing a chronic illness.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/54424-medco-dispensary-of-hope-prescription-drug-program-clinics-uninsured
Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX) today announced that the Light Study, a long-term research study of Contrave® (naltrexone SR/bupropion SR), a new, investigational drug being evaluated for weight loss, has begun enrolling patients at clinical sites throughout the United States. The Light Study is designed to assess the cardiovascular health outcomes of Contrave.
Nearly 93 million Americans are affected by obesity, and that number is predicted to increase to 120 million Americans within the next five years. More than one-third of adults in the United States are affected by obesity. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, sleep apnea, and a variety of other conditions. Medical research suggests that losing just five percent of your body weight can significantly improve your health and reduce the risk of complications from type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56480-lightstudy
Researchers studying the genetic roots of the most common malignant childhood brain tumor have discovered missteps in three of the four subtypes of the cancer that involve genes already targeted for drug development.
Accelrys, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACCL), a leading provider of scientific innovation lifecycle management software, has announced the launch of ScienceCloud, a new SaaS-based information management and collaboration workspace. ScienceCloud advances collaborative drug discovery with a new generation of integrated applications built on a scalable, cloud-based scientific platform. With no software to manage and no hardware to maintain, ScienceCloud improves operational excellence in globally networked research, significantly reducing IT cost and effort.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/65595-sciencecloud-software-by-accelrys-advances-collaborative-drug-discovery
Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the SYNERGY™ Bioabsorbable Polymer Drug-Eluting Stent System (BP-DES) for the treatment of coronary artery disease.
With this FDA approval, Boston Scientific will commence commercialization of the first and only BP-DES in the U.S. Notably, both the drug coating and the polymer – which modulates drug release – are fully absorbed shortly after drug elution is complete at three months.
The SYNERGY Stent provides synchronized drug and polymer absorption. It is designed to enable more rapid and complete arterial healing, and to thereby reduce the risk of complications associated with long-term polymer exposure compared to currently-used drug-eluting stents (DES) with permanent polymers.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7223456-boston-scientific-fda-approval-synergy/
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing substance abuse among adolescents, today launched a new multimedia campaign for teens that illustrates some of the pressures they face, including peer pressure to drink and use drugs, issues with body image and bullying, among others. The “Who Controls You” campaign breaks this month and was created pro-bono by advertising agency, Hill Holliday and award-winning, social media influencer, Maris Jones, as part of the Partnership’s Above the Influence (ATI) teen program.
“We are incredibly proud of this work. We struck gold when Hill Holliday collaborated with Adolescent Media and Maris Jones to bring this campaign to life,” said Chief Marketing Officer for the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, Kristi Rowe. “Partnering with a young, talented social media influencer like Maris lent such a unique and authentic voice to this effort. Combining the extraordinary insight and passion of the Hill Holliday team with Maris’ distinct artistry brought an unexpected style to the campaign that makes this creative truly break through.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7103751-drug-free-partnership-who-controls-you/
