Life Sciences News Brief
Vol. 5 no. 49 - March 1, 2006s
　

Researchers discover a natural defence mechanism for Alzheimer's Disease

A team from the Faculty of Medicine at Université Laval and the research centre at CHUQ (Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec) has discovered a natural defence mechanism that the body deploys to combat nerve cell degeneration observed in persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Investigators Alain R. Simard, Denis Soulet, Genevieve Gowing, Jean-Pierre Julien and Serge Rivest describe this major discovery in the February 16th issue of the scientific journal Neuron. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid proteins in the brain. These proteins form plaques around which microglia, the central nervous system's immune cells, aggregate. These microglia appear to be incapable of eliminating the plaques, and this has led some researchers to postulate that microglial action produces an inflammation causing neuronal death. The fact that Alzheimer's patients are prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs results from this concept of the disease. For Serge Rivest and his team, whose research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), microglia are not part of the problem, but of its solution. These investigators have observed that, although the brain's resident microglia do appear to be poorly equipped for combating amyloid plaques, an entirely different case prevails for another type of microglia: those derived from bone marrow stem cells. Using tests conducted with transgenic mouse models of AD, the investigators have demonstrated that bone marrow-derived microglia infiltrate amyloid plaques and succeed in destroying them most efficiently. These newly-recruited immune cells are specifically attracted by the amyloid proteins that are the most toxic to nerve cells. www.cihr.ca

Transition Therapeutics Granted US Patent

Transition Therapeutics Inc. (Toronto), announced the US Patent and Trademark office issued US Patent No. 6,992,060 to the Company. The claims in this patent cover methods of treating diabetes patients using Transition's lead diabetes regenerative product, E1- I.N.T.(TM). This patent issuance demonstrates Transition's on-going strategy to aggressively pursue the broad intellectual property protection of islet cell regenerative factors and their use in the treatment of diabetes. Transition's patent portfolio of diabetes regenerative therapies now expands to 7 issued patents with an extensive portfolio of patent applications pending in multiple jurisdictions throughout the world. www.transitiontherapeutics.com

Cipher receives Health Canada approval of CIP-Fenofibrate

MDX Begins NIRS Urodynamics Clinical Study

MDX Medical Inc. (Vancouver) announced that it has commenced a human clinical study of its non-invasive near infra-red spectrophotometry (NIRS) urodynamics technology licensed from The University of British Columbia. The technology is a breakthrough in bladder care providing non-invasive monitoring and diagnosis of bladder dysfunction including urinary incontinence. The study, supported by a grant from The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), consists of a series of human clinical experiments to support the commercialization of NIRS. This research will establish baseline factors of NIRS for the bladder as well as establishing characteristic NIRS tracings for each of the major bladder conditions. These tracing patterns will enable the diagnostic capabilities of urodynamics spectrograms, similar to the way EKG reference patterns characterize cardiac function. www.mdxmedical.com

Axcan announces outcome of ITAX International Phase III clinical trial

Axcan Pharma Inc. (Mont Saint Hilaire) announced that results of the ITAX (Itopride) International Phase III clinical trial showed that Itopride, a drug developed for the treatment of Functional Dyspepsia, did not meet its primary endpoint and, as such, the results did not confirm the efficacy observed in other studies, including the Phase II clinical trial. The Company will continue to analyze the efficacy data from this Phase III trial, and this analysis, together with the results of the North American Phase III study, should provide a better understanding of the outcome. These findings will enable the Company to decide on the continuation of the ITAX Functional Dyspepsia program. The Company will continue the development of this compound in other areas such as Diabetic Gastropathy. www.axcan.com

Cancer Center to investigate Chemokine's lead chemokine antagonist

Chemokine Therapeutics Corp. (Vancouver), a biotechnology company developing chemokine-based therapies to treat cancer, blood disorders, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, announced that it has entered into an agreement with The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center of Houston, Texas to study the Company's lead anti-cancer compound, CTCE-9908, a chemokine CXCR4 antagonist. Oncologists at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center will study the benefits of CTCE-9908 in studies investigating the drug's ability to inhibit the metastasis of a human breast cancer in preclinical models. In previous experimental studies, CTCE-9908 has been shown to reduce cancer metastases by a considerable 50-70%. www.chemokine.net

Neurochem receives fourth safety recommendation

ChondroGene reports on blood-based colon cancer test development

ChondroGene Limited (Toronto) reported on the progress of its Colon Sentry(TM) blood-based colon cancer detection test. The Colon Sentry test is able to detect colon cancer and certain pre-cancerous colon pathologies from a simple blood sample. The test was developed using the Company's proprietary Sentinel Principle(TM) technology which is capable of readily identifying blood biomarkers for virtually any disease or medical condition. In one study, ChondroGene identified a 5 gene biomarker set for identifying patients with colon cancer that has a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 79%. The Company has also selected a biomarker set of 7 genes in another study to identify patients with advanced adenomas and high risk polyps, the type of colon polyps at high risk for developing into colon cancer. The sensitivity and specificity of this 7 gene biomarker set for detecting patients with advanced adenomas and high risk polyps is 90% and 81%, respectively. The Company is continuing to optimize these biomarker sets and is accruing additional blood samples from patients with colon cancer and advanced adenomas. The continued accruals will enable the Company to further validate these initial biomarker sets with blinded studies prior to formal development of molecular diagnostic kits later this year. www.chondrogene.com

VSM awarded $350,000 by Canadian Government for brain imaging system

VSM MedTech Ltd. (Vancouver), world leader in the emerging clinical market for magnetoencephalography (MEG) functional brain imaging systems, will receive a contribution of $350,000 from the Canadian Government. The funding will offset part of the cost of a $1.5 million electronics redesign initiative planned for the next generation of CTF MEG(TM) systems. The support will be provided on a cost-incurred basis during 2006. The objective of the initiative is to substantially reduce the cost of manufacturing CTF MEG systems by the end of 2006, without sacrificing performance. www.vsmmedtech.com

Amorfix and the Ontario Genomics Institute announce partnership

• ConjuChem Inc. (Montreal) announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 1211417 Alberta Inc, an investor group led by Sheldon Reid, a co-founder of Capitol Energy Resources Ltd to recapitalize and reorganize the Company's business, providing ConjuChem with a non-dilutive capital injection of $6.4 million. www.conjuchem.com
• Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Vancouver), announced that it intends to appeal a UK trial court decision to revoke Angiotech's UK designation of its European Patent No. 0,706,376. The UK trial court ruled today that Angiotech's UK Patent lacked inventive step in light of certain prior art in a challenge brought by Conor MedSystems (Conor) filed in February 2005. This Patent, which applies to the UK only, is only one of a number in Angiotech's portfolio of patents protecting its pioneering paclitaxel stent technology, which cover the Boston Scientific TAXUS(TM) stent. www.angiotech.com
• Isotechnika Inc. (Edmonton) announced the appointment of Franklin M. Berger, CFA, to its Board of Directors. Mr. Berger, who is an independent biotechnology research analyst, currently serves as a Director of several biotechnology companies including VaxGen Inc., Seattle Genetics Inc. and ViroChem Pharma Inc. www.isotechnika.com
• AEterna Zentaris Inc. (Quebec) announced that, as of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2005, it will report its financial results and financial position in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, all of the Company's assets and liabilities outside the United States will be translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date. www.aeternazentaris.com
• Celmed BioSciences Inc. (Montreal) announced the retirement of André de Villers, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer, and the appointment of Mark Kaufmann, formerly Chief Operating Officer and Vice President Corporate Development, to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. de Villers will remain on Celmed's Board of Directors. The changes are effective February 21, 2006. www.celmedbio.com
• AnorMED Inc. (Vancouver) announced that Michael Abrams, President and CEO, is the recipient of the Society of Chemical Industry's (SCI) 2006 Julia Levy Award recognizing successful innovation in Canada in the field of bio-medical science and engineering. www.anormed.com
• Vasogen Inc. (Toronto), a leader in the research and commercial development of technologies targeting chronic inflammation underlying cardiovascular and neurological disease, announced that Terrance H. Gregg will succeed William R. Grant as Chairman of its Board of Directors at the Company's upcoming annual meeting on March 22nd. www.vasogen.com
• AnorMED Inc. (Vancouver) provides shareholders with additional information regarding a filing of a further amendment to a Schedule 13D filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission by Felix J. Baker and Julian C. Baker. Mr. David Scott, Chairman of the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of AnorMED Inc., has responded to Mr. Baker, in a letter which can be found on the Company's website. www.anormed.com
• Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. (Vancouver) announced it has agreed to sell its interest in Phyto-Source LP, the Company's 50-50 sterol manufacturing joint venture, for US$25 million to Chusei Oil Co. Ltd., the Japanese parent company of the Company's joint venture partner, Chusei (U.S.A.) Inc. Simultaneously, Phyto-Source and Forbes Medi-Tech signed a supply agreement which will assure Forbes Medi-Tech of a supply of Reducol(TM) and other wood sterols for a period of 5 years. Forbes has agreed to buy all of its sterol requirements exclusively from Phyto-Source for the first year. www.forbesmedi.com
• Isotechnika Inc. (Edmonton) announced that Dr. Randall Yatscoff, Isotechnika's President and Chief Executive Officer has resigned his position on the Board of Directors to enhance Board independence. www.isotechnika.com

本文章對你有幫助嗎？ 歡迎來信指教
For the further information, please contact Vanessa Chen (Commercial Officer)
Tel: 02-2544-3553, Fax: 02-2544-3595, e-mail: Vanessa.Chen@international.gc.ca

生醫推動小組業界資訊合作廣宣