MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'gleevec'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:01:46 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4853220&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F_HzGxgsWQUM%2F As countless researchers and marketers gear up for the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in early June to review breakthroughs and close calls, one issue may warrant further inspection - the cost of these cancer meds and how patients are reacting. Why? A new analysis shows that 10 percent of patients are abandoning prescriptions for their oral cancer drugs. The reasons: higher cost-sharing for insurance coverage, a larger number of overall prescriptions for different medications, Medicare coverage and incomes, according to Avalere Health, which reviewed pharmacy transaction data between 2007 and 2009, and will present its paper at ASCO next month. The study was published in the Journal of Oncology Practice and American Journal of Managed Care (here is the abstract). To be speci... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4853220 Mon, 23 May 2011 12:54:56 +0100 4853220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677112&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FRNHq-kkANQA%2F Two months ago, several non-governmental organizations urged Novartis to drop its “persistent legal actions” in India, where the drugmaker has spent five years waging a legal battle in hopes of securing a patent for its Gleevec med for treating chronic myeloid leukemia. Novartis made an appeal to the Supreme Court there two years ago and a hearing is scheduled for April 19. The groups argue the challenge is designed to influence the government to introduce laws and policies that would hinder access to medicines at a time when the issue is also the subject of trade negotiations (see here). Meanwhile, the groups charge that Novartis has tried to abuse the Indian patent sytem by continuing to file patent applications with, allgedly, minor chemical variations of the existing active... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677112 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:10:58 +0100 4677112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606052&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FFiK0SOKwv4Q%2F Where, oh where, did your health care budget go? A larger chunk apparently went to pay for brand-name* prescription meds which, on average, rose 6.9 percent last year. The increase nudged past the 6.8 percent average advance registered in 2008, which was the largest annual jump since Barclays Capital began tracking price hikes, The Wall Street Journal reports. Some of the biggest: the Benicar blood pressure pill sold by Daiichi Sankyo rose 29.3 percent; the Gleevec cancer treatment marketed by Novartis jumped 20.9 percent; Johnson & Johnson’s Concerta pill for ADD moved up 19.7 percent; Pfizer’s Lipitor cholesterol blockbuster popped 12.4 percent, and the Plavix bloodthinner sold by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis rose 13.2 percent. Obviously, drugmakers are &#8220... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606052 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:15:48 +0100 4606052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522291&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FEacgP4fZABY%2F And so another work week is about to draw to a close. And this means daydreaming about the weekend. Our agenda includes visiting with a favorite aunt and uncle, taking the short people to assorted sports activities and tackling our overwhelming to-do list. What about you? Will you make time to exercise? Catch a movie? You can always prepare your taxes (and perhaps your payments could narrow the deficit). Whatever you do, be safe and have a wonderful time. See you soon… Samsung And Quintiles Partner To Make Biologics (Bloomberg News) Elan And Celgene Settle Patent Lawsuit Over Abraxane (Reuters) Plague Kills Scientist In First Lab Case In 50 Years (Bloomberg News) UK Gang Jailed For Counterfeit Mecidines Plot (Securing Pharma) FDA Rejects Pfizer And Protalix Med For Gaucher’s (B... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522291 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:04:10 +0100 4522291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4300552&cid=t_112490_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-war-against-cancer-a-new-perspective%2F2010.12.30 Myths and misconceptions about cancer abound. Oncologists are frequently criticized for torturing patients by burning, cutting and poisoning without making any real progress in the war against cancer. Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist and cancer researcher, tries to set the record straight with his new book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.   It is a unique combination of insightful history, cutting edge science reporting, and vivid stories about the individuals involved: The scientists, the activists, the doctors, and the patients. It is also the story of science itself: How the scientific method works and how it developed, how we learned to randomize, do controlled trials, get informed consent, use statistics appropriately, and how science can go wrong. It is so bea... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4300552 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:00:43 +0100 4300552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175920&cid=t_112490_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F16%2Fdana-farber-researchers-oncomap-the-way-to-personalized-treatment-for-ovarian-cancer%2F Researchers have shown that point mutations – mis-spellings in a single letter of genetic code – that drive the onset and growth of cancer cells can be detected successfully in advanced ovarian cancer using a technique called OncoMap. The finding opens the way for personalized medicine in which every patient could have their tumor screened, [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175920 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:24:47 +0100 4175920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097937&cid=t_112490_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-grassroots-leukemia-mission%2F2010.10.23 I am just back from Phoenix where I spent the weekend with people living with CML, chronic myelogenous leukemia. The operative words are “living with” because it wasn’t very long ago when people did not live long with this disease. However, medical science and dedicated researchers like Dr. Brian Druker at OHSU in Portland, Oregon have brought us what first appear to be “miracle” pills (Gleevec, Sprycel, and Tasigna) that can keep patients alive and doing well. My weekend was spent with several people, all taking one of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs, as they were planning next steps for a new advocacy organization, The National CML Society. The Society is the creation of Greg Stephens of Birmingham, Alabama, a business consultant who lost his mother to CML. Now he has devot... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097937 Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:00:06 +0100 4097937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907785&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FnOh-g8JZPUg%2F A sunny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the mascots are happily frollicking among the weeds. As for us, we are brewing the mandatory cup of stimulation. What about you? Heading off toward your own campus? Prepping for those meetings and deadlines? Whatever you encounter, we hope your day goes well. One housekeeping note: we will break early today to shuffle one of the short people off to an institution of higher learning. See you soon… Advanced Melanoma Treatment Shrinks Tumors: Study (Reuters) Cephalon CEO Takes A Medical Leave Of Absence (Bloomberg News) Drugmakers Experiment With Design (The Financial Times) Celgene Has Been Plotting Revlimid Challenge (The Wall Street Journal) CVS/Caremark Closes Mail-Order Facility And Cuts 400 Jobs (The Birmingham... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907785 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:32:58 +0100 3907785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3806026&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fg72jSWkDSpc%2F Hello, everyone, and top of the morning to you. ‘Tis a shiny day here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we look forward to a relaxing weekend of reading, walking our official Pharmalot mascots and frolicking with the shortest of short people. What about you? Any special plans? An afternoon at the beach? A night out with someone special? How about a good movie? Whatever you do, have a great time. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. Stay in touch and see you soon… Charles River Abandons Plan To Buy WuXi (Outsourcing Pharma) Sanofi’s Viehbacher Tries To Cope (Associated Press) Obese Patients Lose Weight On Orexigen Drug (Reuters) Merck’s Dutch Employees Go To Court Over Job Cuts (Dow Jones) Test Designed To Screen Resistance To Gleevec (Reuters) FDA Finds Problems... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3806026 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:57:04 +0100 3806026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3534105&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLwhnA_uUGwM%2F Reading the April 21 warning letter from the FDA to Novartis is a bit like reading a primer on how not to promote one’s drug on the Internet. Where to begin? Well, Novartis was tagged by the FDA after its DDMAC division reviewed two web sites - gistalliance.com and cmlalliance.com - which were sponsored by the drugmaker, but are now out of commission. The problem? The web sites don’t mention the Gleevec cancer drug by name, but come close enough to ruffle the FDA. In effect, these disease awareness sites came off as so-called product branded sites. And so the agency writes these were “false and misleading because they promote the drug for an unapproved use, fail to disclose the risks associated with the use of Gleevec and make unsubstantiated dosing claims, (which) can pu... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3534105 Tue, 04 May 2010 20:05:08 +0100 3534105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254722&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZ8O21d4mzQ8%2F The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellent declined to recommend two expensive cancer drugs from Novartis and another from Bristol-Myers Squibb from being used within the state-run health service, Reuters writes. NICE rebuffed Afinitor as a second-line treatment for kidney cancer, adding there was limited data about how long it could extend life. And the agency declined to recommend Tasigna and Bristol’s Sprycel for chronic myeloid leukaemia in patients who are intolerant to Gleevec - an older drug from Novartis - because effectiveness evidence was “very poor” and their cost was “extremely high”. “It would be heartening to hear that the pharmaceutical company manufacturers are prepared to share some of the very high cost of the drugs with ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254722 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:36:48 +0100 3254722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2985035&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FvtQoz7Em2jw%2F Frustrated with patent challenges, Novartis has put its R&D activities in India on the back burner, The Economic Times reports. Chief executive Dan Vasella, who was in Mumbai to attend a Pepsico board meeting, tells the paper that intellectual property protection in India is not what it ought to be. “In principle you can discover in India, you can do research. There has been some progress on the protection of intellectual property but its not up to the standard that I would expect to make an investment into discovery led research,” Vasella tells the paper. He adds that India’s recent decision to invest $1 billion in China and not India was not driven by its bad experience with its Gleevec cancer drug in India but a friendler investment environment in China. Novartis, you m... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2985035 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:26:51 +0100 2985035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245499&cid=t_112490_136_f&fid=35285&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.glamour.com%2Fhealth-fitness%2Fblogs%2Flife-with-cancer%2F2009%2F05%2Fdo-you-have-allergies-are-they.html Last night I was awake for 45 minutes sneezing. I'm not exaggerating. Nick actually woke up and said, "I'm sorry babe" because he knew I was in agony. This was a vast improvement over "can you be quiet?" which is what he was saying a few weeks ago when all of this started. Here's the thing... (Source: Life with Cancer) Life with Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245499 Wed, 27 May 2009 14:30:46 +0100 4245499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442728&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F25%2Fallosterism-a-diatribe%2F So just what is an allosteric kinase inhibitor? Google’s I’m feelin lucky hit ? (āl’ō-stěr’ĭz’əm) A change in the activity and conformation of an enzyme resulting from the binding of a compound at a site on the enzyme other than the active binding site. Wikipedia? Nothing special. Etymology of the word? The word comes to us via a conjunction of the Greek Allos:”another, else, latter, other, alias, another” & the chemical adjective Steric: “Of or relating to the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule;” Further along this theme the chemist will be familiar with the use of the term ’steric’ and recognize that a ’steric interaction’ is one where two atoms or moeities simply cannot occupy the same... KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442728 Mon, 25 May 2009 04:28:33 +0100 2442728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390387&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F05%2Fimatinib-gleevec-sti-571%2F View Poll well? Posted in gleevec (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390387 Tue, 05 May 2009 06:02:29 +0100 2390387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300948&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F03%2Fmasitinib%2F aka: Masivet, Kinavet & AB-1010 quietly joined the Phase iii club when it went Ph3 back in December. WO/2008/98949 Posted in c-Kit, gleevec, PDGFR, Phase III (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300948 Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:26:45 +0100 2300948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300954&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F28%2Fthe-history-of-gleevec%2F chemistry @ 22:30 It’d be great if someone were to crystallize the first hit with Abl or Kit and compare this with 1IEP.  I suspect this would put the paradigm of structure based design in perspective. Posted in gleevec (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300954 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:47:43 +0100 2300954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1968992&cid=t_112490_134_f&fid=35193&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannetics.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F11%2Fresearch-news-flash-gleevec-and-sutent.html Thanks to Peter Nerothin and Kerri Morrone Sparling for the tip-off. An article published in the December 2, 2008 PNAS journal (with early release today) showed that 2 leukemia drugs--imatinib (Gleevec) and sunitinib (Sutent)--had potent effects in preventing and reversing new-onset diabetes in NOD mice. Of course it hasn't been shown to work in people yet, but this does seem like a very exciting development, in particular because Gleevec and Sutent are already FDA-approved drugs. Another exciting finding was that one course of treatment (albeit a 10-week course) had long-lasting effects, suggesting that the drugs had a modulatory effect on the immune system--not just a more temporary, suppressive one.I went to an informative talk today on the cell/molecular biology of diabetes and routes ... Annetics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1968992 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 04:57:00 +0100 1968992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1924713&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F436874506%2F Dan Vasella may have used harsh words last year when he lost a patent battle in India, but the country holds so much potential, it appears the Novartis ceo is now trying to find a way to make nice. And so the drugmaker is sponsoring a camp to groom young biotech talent in the country. Last year, you may recall, Dan vowed to switch hundreds of millions of dollars in planned investments from India to other locations, such as China, in response to an Indian court ruling over a patent for the Gleevec cancer drug, which he argued would weaken intellectual property rights on new meds (back story). “This (ruling) is not an invitation to invest in Indian research and development, which we would have done,” he said at the time. “We will invest more in countries where we have prot... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924713 Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:30:43 +0100 1924713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1727796&cid=t_112490_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F08%2F21%2Fimatinib-docetaxel-produce-modest-response-against-recurrent-platinum-resistantrefractory-ovarian-cancer%2F A combination of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec®) and docetaxel (Taxotere®) produced only a modest response in patients with recurrent, platinum-resistant or refractory ovarian cancer, according to the results of a Phase II clinical trial conducted by the Hoosier Oncology Group at Indiana University Cancer Center. Background A combination of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec®) and docetaxel (Taxotere®) produced only a [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1727796 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:58:19 +0100 1727796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1516778&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F311295270%2F Such a pleasant, shiny day here in the nation’s medicine chest. And what better way to celebrate than with a graduation? And so we will. One of our short people is about to ascend to greater things and, while we have blogged from hospital operating rooms, speeding trains, Little League baseball games and city streets, this time we will take a brief interlude to attend the ceremony before rejoining you in a little while… AstraZeneca Inks Two Outsourcing Deals (The Wilmington News-Journal) Novartis Says Gleevec Misses Main Study Endpoint (Yahoo/Reuters) Medicare Contractors Suspend Sepracor Price Cuts (Yahoo/Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516778 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:41:47 +0100 1516778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1516498&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fnovartis-gleevec-more-aint-better.html Novartis has failed in an effort to prove in a clinical trial that its cancer drug Glivec is more effective in higher doses than are now generally prescribed, the company announced Friday.Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia showed no statistically significant improvement when treated with an 800 milligram dose of Glivec than those who received the standard 400 milligram dose.Glivec — known as Gleevec in the United States — is the second best-selling drug for Novartis after blood pressure medication Diovan. (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516498 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:49:00 +0100 1516498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1451978&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F293403237%2F The tension between big pharma and developing nations over intellectual property and affordable meds is palpable, particularly in India, where Novartis is challenging the denial of a patent for its Gleevec cancer drug. India Knowledge@Wharton spoke with Ranjit Shahani, who heads the drugmaker’s operations in India about IP rights and access to meds. This is an excerpt… IKW: The idea of there being a homogenous patent regime for all countries is like saying that the health care capabilities, priorities and infrastructure of the American people are on par with those of developing countries such as India. What are your views on this? Shahani: You cannot compare a developing country to the US on any score, be it patents, growth or equity…Protecting innovation is the best prot... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1451978 Mon, 19 May 2008 10:52:10 +0100 1451978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1283636&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F246734607%2F The sun is streaming across the Pharmalot corporate campus this morning, which is an invigorating site. Before we make another cup of favorite stimulant, however, we want to make you aware of the latest developments. So catch up on events as you gear up for those deadlines and meetings. And good luck as you set out to conquer the world… Gleevec May Impair Female Fertility (Forbes/HealthDay) Pfizer Nigeria Case To Proceed April 28 (AllAfrica.com) Arena Obesity Drug Expected To Pass Safety Review (San Diego Union-Tribune) Amgen To Pay $520 Million For Experimental Cancer Drug (Bloomberg News) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1283636 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 12:35:56 +0100 1283636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1191567&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F226766710%2F As a result, Thailand’s public health minister, Mongkol na Songkhla, cancelled a compulsory license for the leukemia drug. Novartis made a last minute offer agreeing to a government condition to provide Gleevec free to all patients under universal healthcare as a trade-off for not seeing its patent overriden, The Bangkok Post reports. Novartis had previously insisted Gleevec would be provided for free only for patients who earn less than $9,600 a year. Mongkol had turned down the offer because health statistics showed that 10 million of the 48 million people under the state healthcare scheme would not be eligible, according to Vichai Chokewiwat, who chairs Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization. An estimated 900 poor patients under the scheme, who have chronic myelo... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1191567 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:25:34 +0100 1191567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1093198&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F200007629%2F This study highlights potential concerns with agents that are ‘multi-targeted,’ meaning they inhibit multiple factors involved in cancer progression,” says Thomas Force, one of the co-authors, who also led the study of Gleevec patients published in Nature Medicine last year. “Some of these factors may also play important roles in maintenance of proper heart function, and their inhibition by cancer drugs could have adverse effects on the heart.” This is the study. (more…) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1093198 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:18:17 +0100 1093198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1088870&cid=t_112490_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F199095375%2F The targeted cancer pill – Gleevec - has been approved for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, pediatric CML, as well as five additional rare cancers. While it has been reported to have saved more than 100,000 lives, Gleevec is now saving more children with a dire leukemia (Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) ), as well as preventing disease progression with long term use in adults with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Such were the data reported by Oregon Health & Science University (OSHU) at the recent annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology: “Data at this weekend’s meeting continues to show how much Gleevec has completely changed the outlook for so many, many patients facing cancer. Researchers delivered news that G... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1088870 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:31:10 +0100 1088870 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1073279&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F196045996%2F A collection of public health groups is beginning a campaign to dissuade Indian doctors from prescribing drugs sold by a local unit of Novartis AG until the drugmaker withdraws its appeal against a patent rejection on its blockbuster cancer drug Gleevec, Live Mint reports. In a nationwide campaign, which is seen as the first such targeted attack on a single drugmaker, the groups want to mount pressure on the multinational corporation to retreat rather than keep “doggedly pursing their patent,” because they believe the patent will increase treatment costs and stifle competition from cheaper substitutes made by Indian drugmakers. A patent application for Gleevec was rejected by the Chennai Patent Office in January 2006, a decision that Novartis appealed and is fighting at a patent ap... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1073279 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 13:12:14 +0100 1073279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1072508&cid=t_112490_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F195558509%2F The powerful anti-cancer drug imatinib (Gleevec™) has been re-engineered by researchers at Rice University and the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Developed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Gleevec is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), Philadelphia-chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia and GIST. The drug targets two proteins that have been linked with cancer. One of its targets is the C-Kit kinase, a protein that has been tied to gastrointestinal cancer, and another is Bcr-Abl kinase, a key protein controlling CML. Not just for kicks, mind you, but to more specifically target one type of cancer while potentially curbing a rare life-threatening cardiotoxic side effect. In a new study, it has been ... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1072508 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:13:58 +0100 1072508 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1071120&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F12%2F05%2Fre-engineering-gleevec%2F Alex Fernandez thinks he has a dehydron in action with Gleevec & c-Kit: The interest of this goes way beyond this particular drug and this particular side effect. The idea is we could demonstrate for the first time that you can take a drug with side effects and re-engineer it to curb those side effects, Fernandez said in a telephone interview. (Reuters) Adding a methyl group alpha to the the pyridine will make the activity of most kinases go away given a steric clash with the neighboring carbonyl. It’s interesting that the c-Kit activity stays behind, but the evidence given for the dehydron effect is through molecular dynamics and while as a rule I’ll try not to hold that against them, I don’t believe that the authors give a satisfactory answer as to why this new met... KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1071120 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 13:38:26 +0100 1071120 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1070371&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F12%2F04%2Fbottoms-up%2F Using a new bottom-up approach for rational drug design, researchers at Rice University and the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have reengineered the powerful anticancer drug imatinib — best known by its brand name Gleevec™ — to more specifically target one type of cancer while potentially curbing a rare life-threatening cardiotoxic side effect. “For the first time you can take a drug with side effects and re-engineer it to curb those side effects.” J Clin Invest, Dec 2007; 117: 4044 - 4054.   (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1070371 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:49:19 +0100 1070371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1070259&cid=t_112490_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F195194154%2Fredesigned_gleeveac_curbs_heart_related_complications.html Novartis AG's cancer drug, Gleevec, has been reworked to avoid a rare heart related side effect and to more specifically target a type of stomach cancer according to researchers at Rice University in Houston and University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.Researchers believe their work is important because it shows that relatively minor changes can be engineered into drug to eliminate potentially dangerous side effects yet still leaving them effective against disease. Gleevec has been on the market since 2001 and is used to treat some forms of leukemia and treat a rare stomach cancer called gastrointestinal stromal tumor. The re-designed drug curbs the life threatening side effect in which the drug can be toxic to the heart, potentially causing heart failure yet remains effective i... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1070259 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 22:00:17 +0100 1070259 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068796&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F194968048%2F A redesigned version of the Novartis cancer med may avoid a rare heart-related side effect while more specifically targeting a type of stomach cancer, Reuters reports. And researchers, who say they tested the redesigned drug in mice, in human cancer cells in laboratory dishes and in computer models without help from Novartis, believe their work shows that extremely minor changes can be engineered to eliminate potentially dangerous side effects, while leaving them effective against disease. One can only imagine the discussion over patent possibilities. The once-a-day pill, which is the drug maker’s second-biggest seller, with sales of $2.6 billion last year, which has been on the market since 2001 and is used to treat some forms of leukemia, cancer that arises in the white blood cells... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068796 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:32:05 +0100 1068796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1054974&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F191493000%2F The answer, of course, is it depends who you ask. An Indian drugmaker has filed a patent challenge with the FDA against the best-selling cancer med. And already, some patent experts and generic drugmakers are predicting this development will cause problems for Novartis in India, where the company is fighting a rejection of its Gleevec patent application. Novartis already lost one battle in which a court ruled its Gleevec patent lacks innovation. India’s Sun Pharmaceuticals has filed a so-called Paragraph IV challenge with the FDA in which a generic maker seeks to invalidating a patent, prove there’s nothing novel about the med, or propose to introduce a version without infringing on the patent, as LiveMint reminds us. A Novartis spokesman confirms the Sun challenge, and vows th... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1054974 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:54:02 +0100 1054974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=991869&cid=t_112490_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F177201169%2Fnovartis_ag_gets_fda_approval_1.html Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for Tasigna.Tasigna is indicated for use in chronic myeloid leukemia for patients that no longer respond to Glivec(Gleevec in the US). It was developed as a next-generation targeted therapy for adult patients with chronic or accelerated phase Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with intolerance and/or resistance to Gleevec.Both Tasigna and Gleevec were designed to inhibit the production of cells containing the Philadelphia chromosome by inhibiting the Bcr-Abl protein which is recognized as the key cause of the proliferation of white blood cells that characterizes Ph+CML."These exciting data demonstrate that Tasigna has the potential to offer a compelling new treatment ... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=991869 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:15:12 +0100 991869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=989947&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F10%2F30%2Ftasigna-approved%2F aka nilotinib, AMN-107 is a Novartis’ follow-on to Gleevecnow approved for CML. wiki; clinic; WO/2002/022597 (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=989947 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:52:27 +0100 989947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=971521&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F173770484%2F Another day beckons. And so we begin by capturing some interesting items. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy. Those meetings and projects await you… Doctor Groups Revise Guidelines On Amgen, J&J Anemia Meds (Yahoo/Reuters) Pfizer Has No Regrets About Trovan Tests (AllAfrica.com) EU Backs Bayer, Genzyme Leukemia Drug (Yahoo/Reuters) Court Ruling On Gleevec Case In India Expected Today (The Hindu Business) Chugai Reports Third Quarter Profit Gains (Bloomberg News) Share / E-mail (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=971521 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:43:02 +0100 971521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=937219&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F167446362%2F A balmy morning today in the nation’s medicine chest. Meanwhile, the leaves are turning colors. After gazing out the window, here are a few items to capture your attention… After four weeks of testimony and a full day of closing arguments, jurors will begin deliberating this morning to decide whether Wyeth is responsible for the breast cancer suffered by three Northern Nevada women who took Prempro, the drugmaker’s hormone replacement drugs, The Reno Gazette-Journal reports. Novartis has received a consolation prize in its battle over Gleevec in India. A court granted a Novartis appeal and will consider removing a member of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board who was responsible for the original rejection of the Gleevec patent in India, according to Sify.com. Novart... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=937219 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 12:38:47 +0100 937219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=934136&cid=t_112490_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F166739483%2F The drug imatinib has been found to drive cancer into remission in people with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). But CML often returns when treatment is stopped. Now, according to a new research by a team from UC-Irvine, imatinib could cure CML under certain circumstances if it is taken over a long enough period of time. According to mathematician Natalia Komarova and biologist Dominik Wodarz (respectively): “There is evidence that a complete cure is possible. Several patients have been reported to have no symptoms after two months without therapy, which is thought to suggest a complete cure. This evidence supports our theory. Basically, one has to be on therapy long enough for all of the stem cells to wake up and be killed by the drug. The model requires the number of cancer cells tha... Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=934136 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 01:45:14 +0100 934136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=923806&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F164672835%2F Let us count the ways. The fight beween the drugmaker and New Delhi over its Gleevec patent was a cause celebre this year. But an analysis in IP Law & Business points out that Novartis flubbed it. And it’s a lesson for others… 1 - A crucial mistake made by the drugmaker’s lawyers was to challenge the legitimacy of Indian patent laws, which don’t recognize incremental innovation and but require a poorly defined notion of effectiveness. As IPL&B suggests, “had Novartis simply pursued a discreet, technical appeal to the Indian patent office, asking for clarification of ‘effectiveness’ rather than challenging the constitutionality and the validity of India’s patent laws before the WTO, it would have had a better chance to get the Glivec... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=923806 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:16:19 +0100 923806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510412&cid=t_112490_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F09%2F13%2Fheart-failure-rare-in-leukemia-patients-on-gleevec%2F Filed under: LeukemiaAccording to researchers at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, congestive heart failure rarely occurs among leukemia patients who take Gleevec (imatinib). The study was led by Dr. Jorge Cortes who said that there is no need for routine cardio-specific monitoring of all patients taking imatinib, although those with cardiac history should be close monitored. In a separate paper lasat year, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania reported that imatinib may be cardio-toxic in humans.Imatinib targets two members of the tyrosine kinase class of enzymes and a hybrid tyrosine kinase known to cause chronic myologenous leukemia (CML) and Ph-postive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Before imatinib, only about half of CML patients survived five years. No... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510412 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:00:00 +0100 2510412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=853126&cid=t_112490_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F09%2F09%2Fst-jude-finds-factors-that-indicate-resistance-in-acute-lymphob%2F Filed under: LeukemiaResults of a study at St. Jude show why imatinib (Gleevec) is unable to prevent the relapse of an aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Imatinib has improved the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) dramatically. CML and an aggressive form of ALL share the same mutation, the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph). Ph-postiive cells produce a growth-promoting enzyme BCR-ABL. However, in some aggressive cases of ALL, Ph-positive cells lack a tumor suppressor gene called Arf, which is present in CML cells, say the researchers. The paper's first author, Richard T. Williams, says that doctors might be able to identify those people with ALL who lack Arf.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Cancer ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=853126 Sun, 09 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 853126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=840782&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F152228822%2F Last month, a court in India dismissed a contentious and widely followed lawsuit brought against the government by Novartis, which hoped to secure certain patent rights for its Gleevec cancer med. Novartis lost and has since threatened to move operations out of India. Some advocates say patients in poorer countries were big winners. Nature spoke with Jamie Love, director of the nonprofit organization Knowledge Ecology International, who explains the global impact. This is a brief excerpt… Nature: Nearly half a million people signed a petition, floated by Doctors Without Borders, calling on Novartis to drop this case. Why? What was at stake in the outcome? Love: India has the most important patent law in the world, in terms of global health. India is also the primary supplier of cheap... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=840782 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:35:58 +0100 840782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=839136&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F152012452%2F Interestingly, Dave Brennan makes this assertion while speaking in China, where the drugmaker announced the opening of its first clinical pharmacology unit in that country. But the ceo insists there are no plans to shift operations out of India in response to the recent patent ruling against Novartis. That decision, which involved patent protection for the Gleevec cancer med, prompted Novartis ceo Dan Vasella to say investment in India would be slashed, although he insisted the move wasn’t punishment. “I think that will set some tone for how people operate, but it hasn’t caused us to go back and take a major shift of our operations there,” Brennan tells Reuters. “I think over time that they’ll continue to get challenged on it a bit, but it hasn’t c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=839136 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:14:06 +0100 839136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=815355&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F146880166%2F The Novartis ceo says he will switch hundreds of millions of dollars in planned investments from India to other locations, primarily, China, in the next few years in response to an Indian court ruling that he says weakens intellectual property rights on new meds. In an interview with The Financial Times following the rejection this month of his bid to protect the patent on the Gleevec cancer med, Vasella says “concrete plans” for investments in research in India stalled during the trial and Novartis will now go elsewhere. The decision comes at a sensitive time for drugmakers in Asia, with many hesitating between India and China as an investment location against a backdrop of patent uncertainties, the Times notes. “This (ruling) is not an invitation to invest in Indian res... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=815355 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 11:40:45 +0100 815355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=804513&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F08%2F16%2Fdont-abuse-inventorship-scientist%2F So a guy named Brian Druker wrote this piece on how Gleevec is overpriced, eh? Who is he? Well he appears to have written his own byline in case you hadn’t heard: THE? A quick googlification suggests he has plenty of nice things to say about Brian Druker and his role in Gleevec’s discovery… To his credit he does list Jürg Zimmermann (the named inventor on a series of patents starting with EP564409) as one of the ‘unsung heroes‘ in a history of Gleevec essay. According to Zimmermann the discovery went something like this: etc. ht: spicy ip, via pharmalot (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=804513 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 02:50:32 +0100 804513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=802389&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F144775243%2F Brian Druker, chair of Leukemia research and professor of medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University Cancer Institute, was the key researcher behind the discovery of Novartis’ imatinib, or Gleevec. But in an essay on LiveMint.com, he chastises the drugmaker for pricing that causes him “considerable discomfort.” Here is an excerpt (thanks to Shamnad Basheer at SpicyIP for bringing this to our attention)….. “In the recent debates on patents, pharmaceutical prices and access to essential medicines, the critical role of scientists and resources of the public sector and academic institutions involved in medical research have often been overlooked. As one of the scientists behind the development of imatinib, which has allowed the effective control of a dev... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=802389 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:32:37 +0100 802389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=786019&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F141764745%2F How’s that? Well, most of the 150 patent filings in India made by local units of foreign-owned drugmakers, such as Pfizer, Merck and AstraZeneca, among others, will likely be affected by the Monday court ruling that struck down the challenge by Novartis over a key clause in India’s patent law, according to LiveMint.com. The applications are opposed by local drugmakers and patient groups. Prominent among these 150 “pre-grant” oppositions are some that involve an AstraZeneca’s lung cancer drug and a cholesterol-lowering med; a Pfizer treatment for fungal infections; Roche’s Tamiflu bird flu med, and Eli Lilly’s erectile dysfunction drug. Pre-grant opposition allows a company or individual to oppose claims in a patent application before its granted. Lawyers Collectiv... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=786019 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 21:17:11 +0100 786019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=786022&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F141641464%2F The drugmaker won’t get a lift from Bern. The Swiss government apparently has decided not to pursue the allegation that India’s patent law isn’t compatible with the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement to the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement board, according to The Business Standard. “The Swiss government never gets involved in any judicial pronouncements of other countries. We accept any case which is settled in India. It is a normal litigation in which one party happens to be a company while other is a country,” Doris Leuthard, Federal Councilor, Department of Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation tells the paper. “We must have a reliable TRIPS system, and the one in India is good enough,&#822... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=786022 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:46:27 +0100 786022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=781705&cid=t_112490_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F141178720%2F Novartis suffered a big setback in India with its Gleevec cancer med, as a court rejected its challenge to a law that denies patents for minor improvements to existing drugs. The drugmaker says it unlikely to appeal, according to a statement by Ranjit Shahani, vice chair and managing director of Novartis India. Earlier this year, Novartis challenged India’s rejection of protection for an ingredient in the medicine, after the Indian government denied the application, saying the drug was insufficiently innovative. India allows patent officials to exclude products that are based on “incremental innovation.” The patent rejection meant that generic companies could manufacture and market their drug. Novartis argued strong patent laws would strengthen research in India. But Indi... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=781705 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:10:15 +0100 781705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=734014&cid=t_112490_149_f&fid=35786&url=http%3A%2F%2Fkinasepro.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F07%2F13%2Fa-gleevec-cartoon%2F Bangup Job (Source: KinasePro) KinasePro blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=734014 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 08:51:44 +0100 734014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=713248&cid=t_112490_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F07%2Fwhich-came-first-cancer-or-its.html Every now and again I like to throw out the old paradigms and put in some new. Geneticists love this......The So Called "Paradigm Shift"Back in 2005 this was done with Marfan's disease. It is an example I use to teach my students that what they may have learned is wrong. It is wrong because medical teaching is only built on science that has a very limited set of knowns and an immense set of unknowns.This paradigm shift is already in the making. The classical model of how a cancer develops is called the "two-hit" hypothesis. It states that in order to have uncontrolled growth of cells i.e. cancer, you need two hits to genes. Mostly you have to have at least 2 mutations. Sometimes you activate a gene by mutation and other times you may silence the genes. For the last 30 years the view of can... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=713248 Wed, 04 Jul 2007 01:20:00 +0100 713248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=554680&cid=t_112490_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F110371556%2Finteresting_finds_pharmarelate_4.html Last week, I got a new 3G cellphone. It has been 24 hours since my connectivity at home has reached decent speed (and reception) enough to publish an entry to this blog. [In all my blogs, Pharmagazette’s MT platform is one of the most difficult to load (and i don't mean that in a bad way!) and works best on a good broadband speed.] So, just for kicks, let’s see if I’ll be able to publish this post without me losing my temper. He he. Anyway, here’s some stuff I got from the blogosphere that I thought you might find interesting. Allergizer: What’s Your Favorite Antihistamine? Cancer Commentary: Cancer Drug Gleevec® Decreases Recurrence in Primary Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) Patients Flu Patrol: Anti-viral Drug Found Effective for CFS/ME Suffer... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=554680 Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:00:16 +0100 554680