Descubrimientos médicos divertidos.

Tanta conmoción por el colisionador de hadrones revela, entre otras cosas, que no estamos informados de los avances gigantescos de la ciencia y la tecnología. En la primera mitad de este año, sin exagerar, se han realizado más descubrimientos científicos que en los últimos varios siglos. Para ponernos un poco al tanto, veremos este resumen sobre los inventos y descubrimientos más significativos del año...

(de toda la lista me quedo con los descubrimientos médicos mas divertidos. n.d.r.)

1: masturbarse diariamente reduce el riesgo de desarrollar cáncer de próstata.

2: los anticonceptivos reducen el instinto femenino.

3: la belleza del prójimo es directamente proporcional a los tragos que nos tomamos.

4: los gemidos y gritos durante el sexo combaten la eyaculación precoz.

5: lo que come una futura mamá determina el sexo de su bebé.

6: la menstruación puede curar afecciones cardíacas.

7: el coito perfecto dura de 7 a 13 minutos.

Source: Cibermitaños

AMT Obtains License to Amgen's GDNF Gene to Develop Treatment for Parkinson's Disease with AMT's Proprietary Gene Therapy Platform

Press Release
Source: Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics B.V

Thursday September 18, 2:08 am ET

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, September 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (Euronext: AMT), a leader in the field of human gene therapy, today announced that it obtained a license from Amgen to use their GDNF gene for the development of a gene therapy treatment for Parkinson's disease. The combination of this gene with AMT's proprietary adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy platform could potentially allow the development of an effective, long-term treatment for this progressive and crippling disease.

Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. It usually affects people over 65 with an estimated total of 4.5 million patients worldwide. Due to increasing life expectancy of the general population, the number of patients with Parkinson's disease is expected to double to around 9 million patients between now and the year 2030.

Patients with Parkinson's disease slowly lose control of their muscles, resulting in tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, and lack of coordination and thus in a serious loss of quality of life. Parkinson's is caused by degeneration and death of nerve cells in a specific part of the brain. These cells produce dopamine, a substance necessary for communication between nerve cells involved in the coordination of movement. Current therapies are limited to treatment of symptoms. There are no therapies available that slow down or halt the progression of the disease.

A new way to deliver the GDNF gene

"This license from Amgen offers us a unique opportunity to combine our gene technology and know-how with the GDNF gene as a tool to create a potential breakthrough in the treatment for this common and severely debilitating disease," said Ronald Lorijn, CEO of AMT "We believe our gene therapy approach could be an effective way to deliver the gene to the regions of the brain affected by Parkinson's disease."

Protect and improve nerve cells with GDNF

The GDNF gene contains the information for a protein necessary for the development and survival of nerve cells. AMT will combine this gene with its own proprietary technology to develop a gene therapy treatment that aims to protect and enhance the function of the nerve cells that produce dopamine. The positive effect of GDNF on nerve cells has been shown in several animal studies, making it an attractive candidate for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.. AMT believes that its gene-delivery platform may potentially provide a solution for delivering GDNF to the brain.

About Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics

AMT has a unique gene therapy platform that to date appears to circumvent many if not all of the obstacles that have prevented gene therapy from becoming a mainstay of clinical medicine. Using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors as the delivery vehicle of choice for therapeutic genes, the company has been able to design and validate what is probably the first stable and scalable AAV production platform. As such, AMT's proprietary platform holds tremendous promise for thousands of rare (orphan) diseases, especially the ones that are caused by one faulty gene. AMT currently has a product pipeline with seven products at different stages of development.

About Amgen

Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe and effective medicines from lab, to manufacturing plant, to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and our vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.

Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" including those that refer to management's plans and expectations for future operations, prospects and financial condition. Words such as "strategy," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "will," "continues," "estimates," "intends," "projects," "goals," "targets" and other words of similar meaning are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics only. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and can be affected by factors that are beyond the control of AMT. Actual results could differ materially from current expectations due to a number of factors and uncertainties affecting AMT's business, including, but not limited to, the timely commencement and success of AMT's clinical trials and research endeavors, delays in receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory approvals (i.e. EMEA, Health Canada), market acceptance of AMT's products, effectiveness of AMT's marketing and sales efforts, development of competing therapies and/or technologies, the terms of any future strategic alliances, the need for additional capital, the inability to obtain, or meet, conditions imposed for required governmental and regulatory approvals and consents. AMT expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required by law. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting AMT, refer to the prospectus of AMT's initial public offering on June 20, 2007, and AMT's public announcements made from time to time.

http://www.amtbiopharma.com

---

Source: Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics B.V

CABASER(R) (Cabergoline) Product Information Update

Pfizer Australia is due to release new safety updates to the Cabaser® (cabergoline) Product Information which will come into effect on November 1, 2008.
Ongoing review of clinical studies suggests that fibrosis and valvulopathy are associated with ergot-derived dopamine agonists, including Cabaser (cabergoline) and could be linked to cumulative doses of the medicine.
Product Physician, Dr Louise Canny explained that as a result of these studies Pfizer Australia has decided to reduce the maximum daily dose of Cabaser (cabergoline) from 6mg per day to 3 mg per day. "It is anticipated that the reduction in the recommended maximum daily dose of Cabaser along with the current recommendations for assessment of patients prior to commencing therapy and during maintenance therapy included in the Cabaser Product Information, should help reduce the risk of fibrotic reactions," explained Dr Canny.
These changes do not affect the availability of Cabaser 1mg and 2mg tablets which will continue to be available through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) but the 4mg tablet will be deleted from the available dosage presentations and existing stock will no longer be PBS reimbursed as of November 1 2008.
Healthcare professionals and Parkinson's Australia have been sent a letter outlining the new update to the Product Information.
Cabaser remains an important treatment option for patients with Parkinson's disease and Pfizer Australia is committed to patient safety.

Nuevas claves en el abordaje del Parkinson y el Alzheimer

Un equipo de investigadores estadounidenses de la Universidad de California y del Supercomputer Center de San Diego (SDSC) ha desvelado cómo las proteínas involucradas en el desarrollo de enfermedades neurodegenerativas como el Alzheimer y el Parkinson interactúan entre ellas hasta formar complejos únicos que propician la aparición de enfermedades neurodegenerativas asociadas. Este hallazgo explicaría por qué los pacientes con Alzheimer tienen riesgo de padecer Parkinson, y viceversa.

M. R. 08/09/2008

Los científicos realizaron estudios celulares y tisulares tanto de cerebros humanos como murinos, y usaron microscopía por electrones.
Según comenta Eliezer Masliah, autora principal del estudio, que se publica en el último número de Public Library of Science (PLoS), la alta tecnología utilizada permitió comprobar cómo la proteína a-synuclein (a-syn, involucrada en la enfermedad de Parkinson) y la beta amiloide (AB, que conduce a la formación de placas asociadas con la enfermedad de Alzheimer) interactúan y forman complejos híbridos únicos. Estas interacciones entre proteínas, explica la experta, resultan en enfermedades neurodegenerativas asociadas.
Un viejo reto
Según Masliah, los mecanismos a través de los cuales las interacciones entre AB y a-syn guiarían a una neurodegeneración adicional han sido objeto de intensa investigación científica. Las nuevas estructuras moleculares procedentes de esa interacción, que han sido halladas mediante modelos de simulación computacional, podrían ahora usarse para modelizar y desarrollar nuevos fármacos para estas devastadoras enfermedades neurológicas.
"Clínicamente sabíamos que teniendo una enfermedad neurológica, como el Alzheimer, se corría el riesgo de sufrir otra patología neurológica, como Parkinson o demencia frontotemporal. Pero no se sabía cómo ocurría esto", comenta Masliah. A través de modelos computacionales, vieron que AB y a-syn interactúan de tal forma que forman una nueva proteína híbrida con un pequeño agujero llamado nanoporo que altera la actividad neuronal.

Fuente: Correo Farmaceutico

Research and Markets: Out Now - CNS Drug Discoveries: Parkinson's Disease Chapter

Un articulo interesante que pone de manifiesto las relaciones entre investigación y negocio.

Un caso flagrante de conflicto de intereses.

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9a0ef4/cns_drug_discoveri) has announced the addition of the "CNS Drug Discoveries: Parkinson's Disease Chapter" report to their offering.

This chapter of CNS Drug Discoveries focuses on the Parkinson’s disease market.

In 2007, approximately US$3.6 billion was spent on the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although this neurodegenerative disease affects approximately 1% of the population its prevalence increases with age, thus it is likely to become more commonplace due to patient demographics and become a greater burden to healthcare payers.

PD patients are treated with a cocktail of drugs which are adapted to the patients' needs as the disease progresses. There is no cure and current therapies are relatively effective at treating the symptoms in the early stages but less so in advanced PD, and there remain significant side effects.

Whilst generic levodopa remains the cornerstone of treatment and is widely available relatively cheaply, its chronic use is not necessarily limited by budget, but by its long-term effectiveness. Hence, the more costly dopamine agonists have gained utility in the treatment of the early stage of the disease helping to spare levodopa treatment.

However, over the next six years many of the leading dopamine agonists face patent expiration, enabling generics to become more freely available. Meanwhile some companies have new improved dopamine agonists in their pipelines such as Solvay’s pardoprunox or more potent monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as Merck KGaA/Newron's safinamide.

Some companies have picked up the gauntlet and run to develop new disease-modifying agents which could revolutionise the way advanced PD is treated. For example, Bayer's high-risk, high-reward approach to developing spheramine is a novel cell therapy that may halt the progression of PD.

Key PD questions answered include:

• What percentage of the treatable population for PD has been diagnosed in Europe, US and Japan?
• Which PD products will face generic challenges by 2014?
• What are the commercial prospects for Bayer’s revolutionary disease-modifying agent spheramine?
• By 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim and GSK will have lost considerable PD market share – to whom and what products will make the difference?

Key Products Analysed and Forecast:

• Apokyn - Britannia/Ipsen
• Azilect - Lundbeck/Teva Pharmaceuticals
• Comtan franchise - Novartis/Orion
• Istradefylline - Kyowa Hakko
• Mirapex - Boehringer Ingelheim
• Neupro - UCB
• Pardoprunox - Solvay
• Requip - GlaxoSmithKline

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9a0ef4/cns_drug_discoveri

Source: Espicom Business Intelligence Ltd

Contact:

Research and Markets
Laura Wood
Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716

---

Source: Research and Markets Ltd.