Category Archives: Pharmaceuticals

Biotech, Diseases, Drugs, Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Jenken Biosciences Granted Key Patent for Compounds To Treat Chronic Liver and Kidney Diseases

Jenken Biosciences, Inc., an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent on Jenken’s compounds for the treatment of diseases associated with kidney diseases and chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis and fatty liver disease.

Jenken’s patented compounds are developed by “repurposing” FDA-approved off-patent drugs for new, first-in-class therapeutic uses.

The patent, US 7501433, “Opioid and opioid-like compounds and uses thereof,” with an anticipated term through 2022, will provide broad protection for the Company’s repurposed drugs’ new indications targeted at treating organ damage associated with chronic liver or kidney diseases.

The Company’s leading drug candidate has been approved by the FDA for a Phase II clinical study targeted at treating liver damage in Hepatitis patients. The endpoint of the study will be to restore normal liver function by reducing inflammation in Hepatitis C patients who do not respond to current interferon/anti-viral therapies.

Jenken’s second clinical candidate has exhibited efficacy in preclinical trials as an anti-fibrotic for treating fatty liver disease.

“The validation by the USPTO of the potential utility of our compounds is a significant step in making totally new therapeutic options available to the millions of patients around the world who suffer from chronic liver diseases, such as hepatic fibrosis, steatohepatitis (NASH) or fatty liver disease,” said Barry Buzogany, Jenken’s President and CEO.

“In the U.S. alone, approximately 25 million people are afflicted with some form of chronic liver disorder,” Buzogany explained. “Of these, there are about four million people infected with the Hepatitis C virus and another 12 million with fatty liver disease. Currently there are no therapies available to treat liver damage associated with either hepatitis or with fatty liver disease.”

According to Dr. Edwin Wu, Jenken’s Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, “Jenken’s proprietary technology for cytokine modulation, a specific therapy for diseases associated with chronic inflammation, offers the potential to restore normal liver or kidney function regardless of the cause of the damage or disease.”

Via EPR Network
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Health Products, Healthcare, Healthcare Products, Medicine, Online, Pharmaceuticals

Lloydspharmacy Has Become The First Major Healthcare Brand To Offer Women The ‘Morning After Pill’ In Advance Of Need

The online service is aimed at women who are concerned that they may not be able to access the treatment, also known as Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC), when they need it, such as whilst travelling or during weekends and bank holidays. The new service is also ideal for women who may be anxious about visiting a pharmacy or their local GP for this type of medication.

The service is available through Lloydspharmacy as part of an online partnership between the pharmacy and the Healthcare Commission regulated online health expert DrThom.

“With the emergency pill, time is of the essence,” said Clare Kerr, Head of Clinical Services at Lloydspharmacy, “The treatment is up to 95 per cent effective when taken 24 hours after sex but that reduces to 85 per cent in the following 24 hours and dips to 58 per cent in the next 24 hours.”

“Most women know that the morning after pill can be taken up to three days after sex,” she said, “but our pharmacists tell us that many women are unaware of the fact that effectiveness reduces during that period.”

The Lloydspharmacy online service is explicitly not aimed at women who have just had unprotected sex. They are advised to visit their pharmacist or GP straight away. There is a 72 hour delay in despatching treatments to discourage women from using the service in this way.

The online pharmacy service will not knowingly be made available to patients under the age of 18 and treatments will only be despatched to the person whose name is on the credit or debit card used to make the payment online.

Women must fill in a comprehensive online medical questionnaire which is reviewed by DrThom before treatment can be prescribed and dispensed by post. Women are able to access advice from a DrThom GP using their confidential online patient record.

“Unplanned pregnancy is an issue that can affect all sexually active women, including those in long term relationships,” said Clare Kerr. According to the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, one in three women in the UK will have an abortion by the time they are 45 and about 30 per cent of all pregnancies are unplanned.

“We hope that our new service will go some way to reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies and will help alleviate some of the anxiety women feel after they’ve had unprotected sex or a condom has split,” Claire concluded.

 

About Lloydspharmacy
Lloydspharmacy has around 1700 pharmacies across the UK. These are based predominantly in community and health centre locations. The company employs over 16,000 staff and dispenses over 145 million prescription items annually.

Lloydspharmacy is the trading name of Lloydspharmacy Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celesio AG based in Stuttgart. Celesio is the leading pharmaceutical distribution company in Europe and is represented in 16 countries. With its three divisions, Celesio Wholesale, Celesio Pharmacies and Celesio Solutions, the group covers the entire scope of pharmaceutical trade and pharmaceutical-related services.

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Biotech, Business of Medicine, Healthcare, Medicine, Pharmaceuticals

Catalent Analytical Team Member to be Published in Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Catalent Pharma Solutions, a worldwide leading provider of advanced technologies for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer health companies, will be featured in the upcoming April edition of Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. Stephen P. Mayock, a member of Catalent’s analytical team, was a major contributor to the article that conveys the present challenges and future relevance of the science of USP 1 and 2 dissolution.

The article begins with the scientific origins of the dissolution test and discusses the roles of dissolution in product development, consistent batch manufacture and stability testing. It also reviews the ultimate role of dissolution testing where the end results correlate to in vivo results. Other topics that are covered in the article include the mechanical calibration versus performance testing, variability and hydrodynamics of USP Apparatus 1 and 2 and new initiatives in the industry such as quality by design, process analytical technology and design of experiment.

Mayock is the senior manager in Catalent’s Stability and Analytical Services Group. Catalent’s analytical team is part of its Respiratory, Analytical and Biotechnology group, with sites in the Research Triangle Park, N.C., San Diego C.A., and Middleton, W.I. Mayock joins fellow authors Vivian Gray, Gregg Kelly, Min Xia, Chris Butler and Saji Thomas. The article has been available online to subscribers since Jan. 25, 2009, and the print version will be available in the April edition.

About the Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Pharmaceutical Research, an official journal of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, presents papers that describe innovative research spanning the entire spectrum of drug discovery, development, evaluation, and regulatory approval. Small drug molecules, biotechnology products including genes, peptides, proteins and vaccines, and genetically engineered cells are an integral part of papers published.

About Catalent
Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Catalent is one of the leading providers of advanced dose form and packaging technologies, and development, manufacturing and packaging services for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and consumer health companies in nearly 100 countries. Catalent applies its local market expertise and technical creativity to advance treatments, change markets and enhance patient outcomes. Catalent employs approximately 9,500 at more than 30 facilities worldwide and generates more than $1.8 billion of annual revenue. For more information, visit www.catalent.com.

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Health Products, Healthcare, Healthcare Services, Pharmaceuticals, Society

Pharmaceutical companies are actively involved in the improvement of public health, all over the world, through their various access to medicine programs

Pharmaceutical companies ratchet up access to medicine programs in poor countries

Pharmaceutical companies are actively involved in the improvement of public health, all over the world, through their various access to medicine programs.

France-based pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis, which also has offices in U.S., runs Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a program that it says bring together pharmaceutical companies, doctors, community groups, doctors, and patient advocacy organizations to ensure vulnerable populations have access to medicine.

Norvatis, while acknowledging the issue of access to medicine is complex, partners with the World Health Organization (WHO) and nongovernmental organizations in access to medicines programs it runs in developing countries.

Johnson & Johnson runs a website (Access2wellness.com) and a call center for middle income families in the U.S. who might be in need of their access to medicine programs. The company also runs access to medicine programs in developing countries where it has operations.

GlaxoSmithKline says it’s one of the few pharmaceutical companies researching and developing drugs and vaccines for three diseases the World Health Organization feels receive less or no attention from the pharmaceutical industry: HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. “We look for innovative ways to increase access to medicines,” says the company on its website.

“A few widespread and life-threatening diseases lack effective treatments, while for many others (such as malaria) existing treatments are becoming less effective due to drug resistance,” Adds the company.

 

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Anti-aging, Business of Medicine, Cosmetics, Dermatology, Healthcare, Healthcare Services, Medicine, Online, Pharmaceuticals, Public Health, Skincare, Society

It is necessary for the public to be replete with information about the dominating cosmetics, anti ageing, and facial beauty products sold in the market today

The numbers of beauty products sold in the market have mushroomed and will continue to grow in unison with the latest discoveries of ingredients and ways of reverting the skin’s ageing.

“These products are created to be beneficial for us, but if not properly chosen and used, these can cause detrimental effects on a person’s physical appearance, emotional responses, and social interaction.”

Since BeautifulReview.com was established, it has provided product reviews including companiesmarketing beauty products, beauty services, and top selling cosmetic and anti ageing items sold to the public either online or through local stores.

The following are latest reviews conducted by the company:

Restylane: Restylane is labeled to contain hyaluronic acid, a component normally found in many tissues such as the skin and cartillage. It is recommended to prevent and cure severe skin damages and could be administered to the patient through injection therapy. A doctor’s prescription is needed before anyone will be allowed to purchase Restylane.

Precaution Against Imitation: Packing of the finished product does not contain any complete ingredients label as a precautionary measure to prevent any prospective consumer from procuring these ingredients individually, thereby assuring that no unauthorized production or imitation is undertaken by anybody or any entity.

Indication: Side effects of Restylane may include red or swollen skin that normally last up to seven (7) days.

StriVectin-SD: Strivectin-SD, manufactured by Klein-Becker, prevents skin wrinkles and lessens stretch marks caused by pregnancy. Klein-Becker strongly recommends a patch test before applying the product for regular use. Among the products manufactured by Klein-Becker are StriVectin Eye Cream and other age-defying medications for both men and women.

Packing and Label: StriVectin-SD products are packed and shipped without any label and complete list of ingredients to prevent any imitation or unauthorized production. On the manufacturer’s website, the product is said to have passed clinical tests, however no actual test results are presented on the website.

Thermage: Thermage is a reputable company marketing skin-care techniques for women. The procedure is said to trigger “heat” to the Collagen Strands causing it to tighten. A skin treatment session can last from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the area of concentration.

Indications: The company strongly recommends the procedure to be done only on women aging 35 to 60 years old. It is known to be costly and the company does not offer a money back guarantee.

Youthful Essence: Youthful Essence is a home microdermabrasion system marketed by Guthy-Renker. The package contains a Vitamin-Enriched Resurfacing Cream, two sponge applicators, and a watertight resurfacing tool. It is advertised to be applicable for you for facial and body treatments.

Side Effects: The company does not provide free trial products to interested individuals. In addition, the abrasive crystals produced after the application may irritate sensitive skins.

Youthology: Youthology is a product brand used in various skin care and anti-ageing products. Among the company’s products are the Nighttime Nourisher and Daytime Nourisher effective to moisturize skin and prevent it from ageing.

Disadvantage: Most of the company’s products do not contain Matrixyl 3000®, a combination of Palmitoyl Oligopeptide and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide – 7, as compared to other skin care products.

About the Company:
Beautiful Review is an independent company committed to providing the public with unbiased reviews about general cosmetics widely sold in the market today and their manufacturers. Reviews are written by hand and products are tested and examined by human editors. The company can be reached through their website at http://www.beautifulreview.com/.

Via EPR Network
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Cardiology, Consultations, Healthcare, Healthcare Services, Pharmaceuticals, Society

Lloydspharmacy Campaign Against The Threat Of Coronary Heart Disease Joined By Royle Family Star Ricky Tomlinson

Actor Ricky Tomlinson has warned British men against the threat of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) as part of a new campaign for Lloydspharmacy. Ricky freely admits that he did not take his heart health seriously in the past and paid the price in 2007 when he was diagnosed with heart disease after his wife insisted that he went to the doctor for a check-up.

A quadruple bypass and a significant amount of weight loss later, Ricky says he is a new man. He admits that if his wife hadn’t mentioned to his doctor that he had been a little breathless, he would probably be either very ill now, or worse.

Tomlinson’s campaign, ‘Ten Years Longer’, is designed to encourage men who are at risk of CHD to get their hearts checked out. “Men think illness is the same as weakness and it’s not very manly to be ill,” said Ricky. “The trouble with that is that if you ignore your health then you are more likely to get very ill indeed.”

He continued, “If women will go on a TV show to look ten years younger, then men can go to a pharmacy to live ten years longer.”

According to a new study by Lloydspharmacy, CHD will rob British men of more than 16.5 million years of life, although early detection of cardiovascular problems could lead to 4.3 million of those years being saved. That’s an average of 4 years per at-risk individual, but for some the number of additional years could be much greater.

Andy Murdock, Pharmacy Director for Lloydspharmacy said: “Most men can manage to keep the appointments that they think are important. They get their cars serviced, get to meetings on time and remember to file their tax returns. The one appointment they can’t seem to make is for a health check up.”

Lloydspharmacy offers cholesterol and heart checks at 625 of its pharmacies across the UK. The Lloydspharmacy cholesterol and heart check removes many of the excuses men typically give for not getting themselves checked out. No appointment is necessary so they can just walk into the chemist off the street at a time which is convenient.

Dr David Grainger, a heart disease researcher at Cambridge University and British Heart Foundation Senior Fellow, who compiled the Lloydspharmacy study, said, “When my father died suddenly from a heart attack at the age of 55, he had no idea there was any problem with his heart. But this study emphasises that despite improvements over the last decade, heart disease still has a huge impact on the health of the UK population, and men in particular. The first step to avoiding a heart attack is being aware of the risks.”

About The Lloydspharmacy Heart Healthcheck
The 15 minute Lloydspharmacy Heart Healthcheck checks cholesterol, blood pressure, blood glucose and body mass index as well as giving a full lifestyle assessment. Based on these results a percentage risk score of developing heart disease over the next ten years is estimated. Everyone who uses the free service will receive a personal action plan and summary of the test results. For high-risk customers a support pack is supplied and referral to the GP is recommended.

The Heart Healthcheck was trialled in 122 Lloydspharmacy outlets across the country last year and results show approximately 40% of those who had a check were referred to their GP.

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