New Drug, Bedaquiline to Tackle Resistant TB

Johnson & Johnson said that it is seeking U.S. approval for the first new type of medicine to fight deadly tuberculosis in more than four decades.

The experimental drug, called bedaquiline (discovered by Koen Andries, see structure), also would be the first medicine specifically for treating multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis. That's an increasingly common form in which at least two of the four primary TB drugs don't work.

Mode of action : Bedaquiline affects the proton pump for ATP synthase, which is unlike the quinolones, whose target is DNA gyrase

Tuberculosis, caused by bacterial infection of the lungs and other body areas, is the world's No. 2 killer of adults among infectious diseases.

J&J's Janssen Research & Development unit created the drug, which was tested in several hundred patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in two mid-stage studies lasting for six months. Some patients were studied for about 1 1/2 years.

The company this fall is to begin late-stage testing that will compare bedaquiline to dummy pills over nine months in about 600 patients; each will also take six other drugs that are the standard treatments for tuberculosis. That study is aimed at seeing whether treatment for resistant tuberculosis can be reduced to nine months from the current 18 to 24 months recommended by the World Health Organization.

Roughly one-third of the world's population is estimated to be infected with the bacteria causing tuberculosis. It remains latent in most people for many years but can be activated by another infection or serious health problem.

TB is rare in the U.S. but kills about 1.4 million people a year worldwide, with about 150,000 of those succumbing to the increasingly common multidrug-resistant forms.

Janssen's head of infectious diseases, Dr. Wim Pays, said the company will also apply for approval of bedaquiline in other countries where TB is very common.

The disease is a serious problem in developing countries because it takes so long to cure and many patients stop taking their pills once they begin to feel better. That helps bacteria still alive in the patient to develop resistance to the medicines already taken, making future treatment much more difficult.

Ref : http://www.inpharm.com/news/173302/janssen-submits-tuberculosis-pill-fda

Strawberry extracts actively stimulate proteins that offer protection against cardiovascular disease

In continuation of my update on benefits of strawberries...

Professor Paul Thornalley from Warwick Medical School heads the team that discovered extracts from strawberries positively activate a protein in our bodies called 'Nrf2' which is shown to increase antioxidant and other protective activities. This protein works to decrease blood lipids and cholesterol, the very things which can lead to cardiovascular problems.

Eating strawberries has previously been found to counter post-meal blood glucose and low density lipoprotein, or 'bad' cholesterol and therefore decrease risk of diabetes and heart disease, but this is the first time that strawberry extracts have been proved to actively stimulate proteins that offer us protection against disease.

Professor Thornalley explained:

"We've discovered the science behind how strawberries work to increase our in-built defences to keep cells, organs and blood vessels healthy and which can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

"So don't feel guilty about serving up strawberries and cream … although I'd suggest more strawberries and less or even no cream!"

Screening and mathematical modelling techniques developed at the University of Warwick can now take this research further to help identify the best varieties of strawberries, how they are served or processed and how many strawberries should be eaten for optimum health benefit.

Game, set and match to strawberries

Arena Pharmaceuticals and Eisai Announce FDA Approval of BELVIQ® (lorcaserin HCl) for Chronic Weight Management in Adults who are Overweight with a Comorbidity or Obese (NASDAQ:ARNA)

In continuation of my update on lorcaserin

Arena Pharmaceuticals and Eisai Announce FDA Approval of BELVIQ® (lorcaserin HCl) for Chronic Weight Management in Adults who are Overweight with a Comorbidity or Obese (NASDAQ:ARNA)

Enoxaparin prevents PVT in advanced cirrhosis

In continuation of my update on Enoxaparin

Enoxaparin (see structure) significantly reduces portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and increases overall survival in patients with advanced cirrhosis, the results of an Italian study show. The authors also found additional benefits beyond the drug's established effect on PVT.

The study included 70 cirrhosis patients with a Child-Pugh score of 7-10, aged 18-75 years who received enoxaparin 4000 IU/day for 48 weeks or no treatment. Patients were followed up for a mean of 58 weeks in the control group and 89 weeks in the enoxaparin group, with ultrasound evaluation of the portal vein system every 3 months.

As reported by the authors, patients receiving enoxaparin were 90% less likely to experience PVT than those who did not. Overall, 8.8% of enoxaparin-treated patients developed PVT compared with 27.7% in the control group, and no cases developed in the enoxaparin group within the first 2 years.

While decompensation occurred at an equal rate in both groups during the follow-up period, significantly fewer patients experienced progression during active treatment (11.7 vs 59.4%).

 Enoxaparin prevents PVT in advanced cirrhosis

FDA Approves Myrbetriq...

“Myrbetriq (see below structure) is the first oral OAB treatment with a distinct mechanism of action since the launch of anticholinergic agents 30 years ago,” said Steven Ryder, MD, president, Astellas Pharma Global Development. “The approval of Myrbetriq represents an important milestone in OAB treatment and in our ongoing commitment to advancing urological health.”....

FDA_Approval_Press_Release_FINAL 6.28.12.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Lexicon announces results from two initial trials of LX4211 for type 2 diabetes

Thirty-six patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were randomized 1:1:1 to receive a once-daily oral dose of placebo or 150 or 300 mg of the dual SGLT1/SGLT2 inhibitor LX4211 for 28 days. Relative to placebo, LX4211 (see structure) enhanced urinary glucose excretion by

inhibiting SGLT2-mediated renal glucose reabsorption; markedly and significantly improved multiple measures of glycemic control, including fasting plasma glucose, oral glucose tolerance, and HbA1c; and significantly lowered serum triglycerides. LX4211 also mediated trends for lower weight, lower blood pressure, and higher glucagon-like peptide-1 levels. In a follow-up single-dose study in 12 patients with T2DM, LX4211 (300 mg) significantly increased glucagon-like peptide-1 and peptide YY levels relative to pretreatment values, probably by delaying SGLT1-mediated intestinal glucose absorption. In both studies, LX4211 was well tolerated without evidence of increased gastrointestinal side effects. These data support further study of LX4211-mediated dual SGLT1/SGLT2 inhibition as a novel mechanism of action in the treatment of T2DM.

SGLT1/SGLT2 inhibition

Lxicon announces results from two initial trials of LX4211 for type 2 diabetes: Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the publication of results from two initial trials of LX4211 in patients with type 2 diabetes in the online edition of the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Provectus Pharmaceuticals - ASCO 2010

 We know that,

Rose Bengal (4,5,6,7-tetrachloro-2',4',5',7'-tetraiodofluorescein) is a stain. Its sodium salt is commonly used in eye drops to stain damaged conjunctival and corneal cells and thereby identify damage to the eye. The stain is also used in the preparation of Foraminifera for microscopic analysis, allowing the distinction between forms that were alive or dead at the time of collection.

A form of Rose Bengal is also being studied as a treatment for certain cancers and skin conditions. The cancer formulation of the drug, known as PV-10, (see the structure) is currently undergoing clinical trials for melanoma and breast cancer. The company also has formulated a drug based on Rose Bengal for the treatment of eczema and psoriasis; this drug, PH-10, is currently in clinical trials as well.

 Top-line final data from Provectus’ PV-10 phase 2 trial on metastatic melanoma

Provectus Pharmaceuticals - ASCO 2010

Study links carcinogens to cancer stem cells – but spinach can help | News & Research Communications | Oregon State University

In continuation of my update on spinach

Study links carcinogens to cancer stem cells – but spinach can help | News & Research Communications | Oregon State University

Xalkori Helps Lung Cancer Patients | News | Drug Discovery and Development Magazine

In continuation of my update Crizotinib/Xalkori 

Pfizer Inc. said its lung cancer drug Xalkori helped lung cancer patients who had previously been treated for the disease.

Pfizer said Xalkori (see the structre)  worked better than two older cancer drugs in the late-stage clinical trial. All patients had a rare type of non-small cell lung cancer and had previously been treated. The Food and Drug Administration approved Xalkori in August for use in patients whose cancer had not been treated.

In the study, patients took Xalkori, Alimta, or Taxotere. Pfizer said patients who took Xalkori had greater progression-free survival, or time from the start of treatment until they died or experienced disease progression. Xalkori is a pill taken twice per day while Alimta and Taxotere are given intravenously.

Xalkori is approved for use against non-small cell lung cancer in patients who have an abnormal gene that causes tumor growth. Xalkori blocks that gene, which is found in 1 percent to 7 percent of non-small cell lung cancer. About 85 percent of lung cancers are the non-small cell variety...

More...

Xalkori Helps Lung Cancer Patients | News | Drug Discovery and Development Magazine

Anacardic acid can rescue some ALS phenotypes in vitro...

A research group at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Japan's Kyoto University has successfully recapitulated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated abnormalities in motor neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) obtained from patients with familial ALS, a late-onset, fatal disorder which is also known for Lou Gehrig's disease. In a drug screening assay using the disease model, the team further found that the chemical compound anacardic acid (see structure)  can rescue some ALS phenotypes in vitro. 

Ref : http://www.cira.kyoto-u.ac.jp/e/pressrelease/news/120801-195947.html

Green coffee beans show potential for losing weight..

In  a  study  presented,  at  the  American  Chemical  Society’s  spring     national meeting in San Diego, 16 over weight young adults took, by turns, a low dose of green coffee bean extract, a high  dose  of  the supplement, and a placebo. Though the study was small, the results were striking: Subjects lost an average of 17.5 pounds in 22 weeks and reduced their overall body weight by 10.5%.If green coffee extract were a medication seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration, these results would make it a viable candidate — more than 35% of subjects lost more than 5% of their body weight, and weight loss appeared to be greater while subjects were taking the pills than when they were on the placebo.

Joe Vinson, the University of Scranton chemist who conducted the pilot study, said the findings should pave the way for more rigorous research on coffee bean extract’s effects. A larger trial involving 60 people is being planned.Vinson, whose research focuses on plant polyphenols and their effects on human health, said it appears that green coffee bean extract may work by reducing the absorption of fat and glucose in the gut; it may also reduce insulin levels, which would improve metabolic function. There were no signs of ill effects on any subjects, Vinson reported.

The study used a “cross-over” design, which allowed each subject to serve as his or her own comparison group. For six weeks, volunteers swallowed capsules three times a day, ingesting either 700 or 1,050 milligrams of green coffee extract a day or taking a placebo. After a two-week break, they moved, round-robin style, to another arm of the trial.Subjects did not change their calorie intake over the course of the trial. But the more extract they consumed, the more weight and fat they lost. Altogether, they reduced their body fat by 16%, on average.Of the 16 volunteers, six wound up with a body mass index in the healthful range.One downside is that the extract is “extremely bitter.” It would be difficult to take without a lot of water, Vinson reported.....

Ref : Detailed article read at

I found the following link more informative...

 http://greencoffeebeanreviews.com/

‘Orphan drug’ used to treat sleep disorders may be a potent cancer-fighting agent used for many malignancies, study finds

An inexpensive "orphan drug" used to treat sleep disorders appears to be a potent inhibitor of cancer cells, according to a new study led by scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Their novel approach, using groundbreaking technology that allows rapid analysis of the genome, has broad implications for the development of safer, more-effective cancer therapies.  

A research team led by corresponding author Carla Grandori, M.D., Ph.D., an investigator in the Hutchinson Center's Human Biology Division, used a high-speed robotic technology called high-throughput screening and a powerful genetic technique called siRNA genesilencing to uncover fatal weaknesses in cancer cells driven by an oncogene known as "Myc," which is hyperactive in many cancers, including those of the brain, breast, lung, ovary and liver.

‘Orphan drug’ used to treat sleep disorders may be a potent cancer-fighting agent used for many malignancies, study finds

Exelixis reports data from cabozantinib phase 3 trial on MTC

Exelixis, Inc. reported data from the phase 3 pivotal trial of cabozantinib in patients with progressive, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The trial, known as EXAM, met its primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS), with patients in the cabozantinib (see structure) arm achieving a median PFS of 11.2 months compared with 4.0 months for patients in the placebo arm. Overall response rate (ORR), a secondary endpoint, was 28% in the cabozantinib arm and 0% in the placebo arm. Estimated PFS at one year was 47.3% with cabozantinib vs. only 7.2% with placebo. Data for overall survival (OS), another secondary endpoint, are not yet mature. Patients on the cabozantinib arm of the trial received a dose of 140 mg (free base equivalent). Adverse events were generally manageable allowing for treatment with cabozantinib for prolonged periods of time. Exelixis recently submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) for cabozantinib in MTC to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

More...

Exelixis reports data from cabozantinib phase 3 trial on MTC: Exelixis, Inc.  reported data from the phase 3 pivotal trial of cabozantinib in patients with progressive, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC).

Experimental drug tested against multi-drug resistant TB

"Researchers who tested a novel type of antibiotic against multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis [MDR-TB] are reporting that nearly half of patients who got the new drug cleared the bacteria from their lung fluid in two months," according to a study published  in the New England Journal of Medicine. Japanese pharmaceutical company Otsuka developed the experimental drug, delamanid (see structure), and "also designed and financed the clinical trial, which took place in 17 medical centers across nine countries." 

 "'We've invested a lot of time and money to develop this drug, but we are not seeking robust sales growth immediately,' Masuhiro Yoshitake, Otsuka's head of tuberculosis projects, said in an interview," Bloomberg Businessweek reports. "We want to begin selling to people who know how to use the drug," he added, the news service notes. "Doctors must balance the need to fight hard-to-treat cases against prolonging the medicine's potency,"

More : http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1112433

Experimental drug tested against multi-drug resistant TB

GSK and XenoPort receive FDA approval for Horizant® for postherpetic neuralgia

GlaxoSmithKline plc  and XenoPort, Inc. announced today that the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Horizant® (gabapentin enacarbil see structure below) Extended-Release Tablets for the management of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in adults. 

 The efficacy and safety of Horizant for the management of PHN was evaluated in a single 12-week principal efficacy trial, plus two supportive studies that all met their respective primary endpoints. The three clinical studies involved 574 adult patients from the US, Canada and Germany. 

The recommended dosage for the management of PHN in adults is 600 mg twice daily. Treatment should be initiated at a dose of 600 mg in the morning for three days followed by 600 mg twice daily (1,200 mg/day) beginning on day four. Doses must be adjusted in patients with impaired renal function. In the 12-week, controlled study in patients with PHN, somnolence and dizziness were the most frequently reported side effects. Somnolence was reported in 10% of patients treated with 1,200 mg of Horizant per day compared with 8% of patients receiving placebo. Dizziness was reported in 17% of patients receiving 1,200 mg of Horizant per day compared with 15% of patients receiving placebo.

GSK and XenoPort receive FDA approval for Horizant® for postherpetic neuralgia