Category: Pharmaceuticals
Alzheimer’s drug shows positive outcomes in genetic variant-based trial
When US-based biotechnology company Biogen introduced an experimental drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it was expected to become the first drug to successfully slow the disease’s progression, and would mark a great achievement in the medical world. Unfortunately, Biogen suspended those drug trials early this year after a “futility analysis” indicated patients on the […]
Robust antimicrobial resistance surveillance needed in SEA
A particular resistance to two kinds of drugs, namely carbapenems and polymyxins, in Southeast Asia (SEA) has prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate their clinical risks to the masses before it becomes a widespread threat. Carbapenems and polymyxins can potentially spread “mobile genetic […]
UK scientists id shape-shifting bacteria behind antibiotic resistance
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified antibiotic resistance as one of the biggest, fatal threats affecting people in many regions around the globe. Antibiotics typically target bacterial cell walls as part of its healing mechanism, but scientists from Newcastle University in UK have, for the first time, seen that bacteria can change form to […]
New multi-drug delivery method introduced for HIV treatment
Patients who have to take multiple pills daily can be assured of an injectable multi-drug implant soon as scientists from the University of North Carolina (UNC), US, have designed a device that combines multiple drugs and is long-acting –specifically for HIV treatment and prevention. UNC’s injectable implant is comprised of an organic solvent, a polymer, […]
US team finds drug that could isolate, treat brain cancer glioblastoma
Glioblastoma (GBM), a fatal type of brain cancer, presents in web-like tumours that are hard to remove. According to the National American Foundation for Cancer Research, more than half of newly-diagnosed GBM patients are likely to die within the first 15 months. Researchers from the University of Georgia (UGA) have recently found a way to […]
MSD introduces new drug treatment for lung cancer in Malaysia
Lung cancer is responsible for about 1.76 million deaths globally and is the third most common cancer in Malaysia, from 2007 to 2011. There are two major types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) – the former accounts for more lung cancer cases than the latter. As […]
Lack of racial diversity a bane in cancer drug trials
Drugs can aid recovery and treatment in many circumstances, notably in cancer therapy, but there has been an underlying concern about their effectiveness in some patients due to insufficient testing. New research by several American institutions, including the University of Texas, once again highlights the lack of racial/ethnic diversity in clinical trials for cancer drugs […]
Experimental drug boosts blood system’s recovery after chemo/radiation
Chemotherapy and radiation are known to suppress the activity of blood stem cells, which gives rise to all of the body’s blood and immune cells. Although it typically takes several weeks or months for the blood and immune systems to recover after exposure to radiation, scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have […]
Breakthrough Ebola trial drug increases survival rates by up to 90%
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR-Congo), which has already killed over 1,800 people, may soon be safely treatable and preventable, thanks to two new drugs. Ebola’s symptoms start with a viral fever, a sore throat, intense weakness, and muscle pain. It gradually progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea and internal/external bleeding. Most of […]
Indian herb-in-capsule shows anti-diabetic properties in mice
Plant-based medicines, including medicinal teas, have newfound popularity thanks to organic lifestyle changes. Although these “natural” sources can be used to aid chronic illnesses, the therapies/treatment must be first tested for their efficacy, dose-related toxicity, active compound delivery, as well as interactions with other drugs. In this vein, specially encapsulated Indian herbal extracts have been […]
