Articles By Marcus Johnson

  1. FDA Approves Takeda's Colitis And Crohn's Disease Drug 5/23/2014

    The FDA has approved Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ colitis and Crohn’s disease drug, Entyvio. Entyvio, known scientifically as vedolizumab, is administered via injection. The Entyvio drug is used on patients who have not responded to standard treatments, such as corticosteroids, immunomodulators, or tumor necrosis factor blocker medications.

  2. Oregon State University Researchers Study Rapamycin's Anti-Aging Properties 5/23/2014

    Researchers at Oregon State University are studying a drug that they believe can suppress both aging and susceptibility of disease. Researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State are studying rapamycin, which is an approved antibiotic and immunosuppressant that has been shown in animal studies to emulate the effects of dietary restriction.

  3. University Of Huddersfield Expands Laboratory With £1m Investment 5/22/2014

    The University of Huddersfield has announced that it has made a £1 million investment which will help make its lab more capable of improving drug research. The investment will be beneficial for the lab to make improvements in field of x-ray crystallography, which allows researchers to examine of the make-up of certain molecules. Being able to visually inspect molecules on a graphic level allows for more effective and efficient drug production, which is a goal of pharmaceutical companies.

  4. UCSD Researchers Use Cancer Avatars To Determine Best Treatment For Tumors 5/22/2014

    Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center are working on virtual cell models that can help drug companies and doctors figure out the best course of action to follow in the treatment of cancer patients.

  5. Pfizer Seeks Early FDA Approval For Breast Cancer Drug 5/22/2014

    Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is in the process of acquiring early FDA approval for the company’s experimental breast cancer drug palbociclib. Pfizer is reportedly going to file their application for FDA approval of their breast cancer drug in the third quarter of this year.

  6. Relypsa Enters Into Manufacturing Deal With DSM Fine Chemicals 5/22/2014

    Relypsa Inc. has announced that it has entered into a manufacturing contract with DSM Fine Chemicals. The multi-year commercial manufacturing and supply contract will be for the production of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, of patiromer, which will be used in the development of hyperkalemia treatment.

  7. New University Of Pittsburgh Breakthrough Could Improve Therapies For HIV/AIDS 5/21/2014

    Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research, or CVR, have found direct proof of a “long-suspected” cause of multiple HIV-related health complications. Researchers say that their findings indicate that complementary therapies to antiretroviral drugs will help to slow HIV progression in patients suffering from the virus. The CVR’s research is set to be published in the June issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

  8. Researchers Believe Existing Drugs May Be Effective Against MERS 5/21/2014
    With current reports of the MERS virus having entered the U.S., people are scrambling to remain safe from the sometimes-fatal virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that nearly one fourth of people who contract the virus will die. However, several new studies have uncovered potential drug treatments for the virus that can improve the survival rate of those who contract MERS.
  9. Australian Patients With Melanoma To Receive Skin Cancer “Wonder Drug” 5/21/2014
    A drug produced by Merck Sharp and Dohme will be given for free to Australian cancer patients who are out of treatment options, the International Business Times reports. The drug, MK-3475, has proven to be a more potent treatment than Yervoy, which is the drug most melanoma patients in Australia are currently receiving as treatment for advanced melanoma. More than 1,000 people living in Australia have advanced-stage melanoma.
  10. Shire Working To Submit FDA Application For Dry Eye Disease Drug 5/19/2014

    Shire, an Irish pharmaceutical company located in Massachusetts, has announced that the company is currently preparing to submit a new drug application to the FDA for its dry eye disease drug candidate. The drug is called lifitegrast, and Shire plans to submit the new drug application in early 2015. The company will be forming a business unit to work on the commercialization of its eye disease pipeline as the company makes the preparations to submit its drug application to the FDA.