Author Archives: Fredricko

An Inflammation Marker Correlates Well With Mortality Rates

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Here is one of many clear signs to show that chronic inflammation is something to be avoided: "Inflammation, oxidative damage, and platelet activation are hypothesized biological mechanisms driving the disablement process. The aim of the present study is to assess whether biomarkers representing these mechanisms predicted major adverse health-related events in older persons. ... Data are from 2,234 community-dwelling nondisabled older persons enrolled in the Health Aging and Body Composition study. Biomarkers of lipid peroxidation, platelet activation, and inflammation (serum concentrations of interleukin-6) were considered as independent variables of interest and tested in Cox proportional hazard models as predictors of (severe) mobility disability and overall mortality. ... The sample's (women 48.0%, whites 64.3%) mean age was 74.6 (SD 2.9) years. During the follow-up (median 11.4 years), 792 (35.5%), 269 (12.0%), and 942 (42.2%) events of mobility disability, severe mobility disability, and mortality occurred, respectively. ... Only interleukin-6 showed significant independent associations with the onset of all the study outcomes. ... The inflammatory marker interleukin-6 is confirmed to be a robust predictor for the onset of negative health-related events."

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22389462

Source:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter/latest_rss_feed.cfm

Symposium on Cryonics and Brain-Threatening Disorders

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The Institute for Evidence Based Cryonics is hosting a symposium in Portland in July:

On Saturday July 7, 2012, the Institute for Evidence Based Cryonics and Cryonics Northwest will organize a symposium on cryonics and brain-threatening disorders in Portland, Oregon. The symposium will start at 09:00 am at the offices of Kaos Softwear. Entrance to the event is free.

Some background is provided in another post at the Institute website:

Conventional wisdom in life extension circles is that making cryonics arrangements allows one to benefit from rejuvenation technologies that are not available during one's existing lifespan. Aside from the risk of high-impact accidents or getting lost at sea, there is one challenge that some cryonicists will face when they grow older; the debilitating consequences of brain-threatening disorders.

One of the unfortunate effects of the increase in human lifespan is a corresponding increase in late-onset identity-destroying brain disorders. We know that some patients at the existing cryonics organizations were cryopreserved after advanced Alzheimer's disease. Some cryonics organization members who developed Alzheimer's disease were not preserved at all, due to lapsed insurance and/or cryopreservation arrangements.

The main challenges and risks associated with low-temperature preservation of the brain after death relate to (a) overbearing regulation that prevents sensible end of life decisions and increases risk of a poor preservation, and (b) your removal from the scene as a willful actor, capable of defending your own interests. Neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's are a special case of point (b) - you are still alive, but become incapable of monitoring affairs to ensure that the course of action you desire is carried out.

All the data of your mind may still be largely intact, as appears to be the case for Alzheimer's until late in its progression, or it may be progressively and irrevocably destroyed by a disease that will have largely consumed you by the time it kills your body. Either way, a lot of entirely disreputable things happen behind closed doors when family members are close to death and cannot look out for themselves - I'm sure we can all recall a tale or two. Which is all fine and well if it's just an inheritance fight, but when it means the difference between your brain and the data of your mind preserved well at Alcor or rotting away to guaranteed oblivion ... well, that's a much bigger deal.

These are challenges, given that the best we can do today is to try change the laws that prevent voluntary euthanasia, support research into biotechnologies that can repair the brain, and live an exceedingly healthy life. Many of these issues relating to the brain and cryopreservation could be dealt with if Western governments didn't force people to live to the bitter end, no matter the personal cost. On the general health side of things, it is true that fit older folk don't tend to suffer Alzheimer's, which appears to be just as much a lifestyle disease as type 2 diabetes for most people. There are still any number of other degenerations, however, and even the best kept body and brain deteriorate progressively until death.

So, as people tend to point out, support of cryonics is not a complete alternative to support of medical biotechnology - people who will not live to see the advent of true rejuvenation biotechnologies should still be very interested in medical progress in regenerative medicine and other fields likely to support therapies and methods of preventation for the degeneration of the brain with aging.

Source:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter/latest_rss_feed.cfm

Coriander oil (cilantro) can be used to treat food poisoning and drug-resistant infections

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By Jonathan Benson

Food-borne illness outbreaks and the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" are two very serious societal problems for which researchers say they are actively looking for viable solutions. But one such solution found right in nature is coriander oil, which has been found to kill a number of different bacterial strains, as well as aid in digestion and treat the symptoms of food poisoning.

Dr. Fernanda Domingues and her colleagues from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal tested the effects of coriander oil, an essential oil extracted from the seeds of the coriander plant, also known as cilantro, on twelve different bacterial strains, including Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella enterica, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the infamous hospital superbug. Read more...

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

Source:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/integratedmedicine

The importance of Life Insurance

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Everyone should have some kind of life insurance. This will protect the family after you pass away. The last thing a family should be doing is cleaning up your financial situation. The amount of the insurance policy should be enough to cover any outstanding debt, pay off utility bills, pay off the home and to bury or cremate the body. It’s hard to swallow pride and go back to work right after losing someone so important to them.

There should be a little extra left over as a thoughtful gift of love and kindness. It should be enough to cover wages for them so they can take time off to grieve over the loss of you. The family will have time to heal knowing that the insurance took care of everything.

No one knows when their final day on earth will be. Having a backup plan just in case things don’t go as planned is a great idea. Life insurance is that backup plan. This will get the family over the rough patch of missing you in their lives. It’s already a stressful time and life insurance will help the family focus on the next unknown chapter of their lives.

Source:
http://www.biotechblog.org/rss.xml

International Stem Cell Corporation to Present at the Roth Conference on March 14, 2012

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International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO) today announced that Co-Chairman Kenneth Aldrich and President and Chief Operating Officer Kurt May will be presenting at the 24th Annual Roth Conference on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time. The conference is being held March 11-14 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Dana Point, California.
About International Stem Cell Corporation
International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). hpSCs avoid ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology, and cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care. More information is available at http://www.internationalstemcell.com.
To subscribe to receive ongoing corporate communications, please click on the following link: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0.
International Stem Cell Corporation
Kenneth C. Aldrich, Co-Chairman
760-940-6383

Source:
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Discover New Treatments For Parkinson's Disease

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Nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's Disease. Although there is no cure, there are medications and surgical options that can help manage symptoms optimally.

Winthrop-University Hospital's Perspectives in Health series will offer a free seminar for the public, "Discover New Treatments for Parkinson's Disease," on Tuesday,

March 20, at 7:00 PM. The program will be held at Winthrop's Community Outreach Center, located at 101 Mineola Boulevard at the corner of Second Street in Mineola. The speakers, who are two leading experts in the field of Parkinson's, will provide information about the most advanced treatment options and will explain the evaluation process for treating the disease.

Nora L. Chan, MD, Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Winthrop, will discuss how to optimize the medical management of the disease, and address the nonmovement related issues of Parkinson's, such as problems with cognition, depression, fatigue, and sleep.

Brian Synder, MD, will explain surgical techniques, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), an innovative, sophisticated technology that targets regions deep within the brain to control motor symptoms. A question and answer period will be included in the program.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 PM for registration. Parking and the entrance are available in the rear of the building. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To reserve a space, please call (516) 663-8300.

For information on other programs at the Hospital, please call 1-866-WINTHROP, or visit http://www.winthrop.org/communityprograms.

Original post:
Discover New Treatments For Parkinson's Disease

Discover New Treatments For Parkinson’s Disease

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Nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's Disease. Although there is no cure, there are medications and surgical options that can help manage symptoms optimally.

Winthrop-University Hospital's Perspectives in Health series will offer a free seminar for the public, "Discover New Treatments for Parkinson's Disease," on Tuesday,

March 20, at 7:00 PM. The program will be held at Winthrop's Community Outreach Center, located at 101 Mineola Boulevard at the corner of Second Street in Mineola. The speakers, who are two leading experts in the field of Parkinson's, will provide information about the most advanced treatment options and will explain the evaluation process for treating the disease.

Nora L. Chan, MD, Director of the Movement Disorders Program at Winthrop, will discuss how to optimize the medical management of the disease, and address the nonmovement related issues of Parkinson's, such as problems with cognition, depression, fatigue, and sleep.

Brian Synder, MD, will explain surgical techniques, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), an innovative, sophisticated technology that targets regions deep within the brain to control motor symptoms. A question and answer period will be included in the program.

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 PM for registration. Parking and the entrance are available in the rear of the building. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To reserve a space, please call (516) 663-8300.

For information on other programs at the Hospital, please call 1-866-WINTHROP, or visit http://www.winthrop.org/communityprograms.

Original post:
Discover New Treatments For Parkinson's Disease

QR Pharma Awarded Funding By Michael J. Fox Foundation To Test Posiphen As A Treatment For Parkinson's Disease

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BERWYN, PA.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

QR Pharma, Inc. (QR) a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company committed to developing therapeutics with novel approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders, announced today that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) awarded the company $468,000 to conduct research for the development of Posiphen to treat PD. QR will collaborate with Robert Nussbaum, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine and Chief, Division of Medical Genetics at the University of California, San Francisco and Jack T. Rogers, PhD, Associate Professor Psychiatry (Neuroscience) at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Genetics and Aging Research Unit.

Mutations and overexpression of alpha-synuclein (a-SYN) have been shown to cause familial PD while genetic association studies indicate a-SYN is a key risk factor in sporadic PD. Evidence suggests that therapies that can reduce a-SYN expression may block its pathogenic actions and therefore be useful in treating PD. In vitro studies conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrate that Posiphen lowers a-SYN levels by inhibiting a-SYN translation.

To establish efficacy in PD, Posiphen will be tested in transgenic mice engineered by Dr. Nussbaum's group at UCSF that express mutant human a-SYN. These mice exhibit early gastrointestinal dysfunction at three-months and motor abnormalities later in life, mimicking what is found in PD patients. Studies will be conducted to test, among other things, Posiphen's ability to reverse these abnormalities to establish pre-clinical efficacy as a basis for future testing in humans.

"Our animal model is based on the initial work we did 15 years ago identifying alpha-synuclein as the first human gene which, when mutated, causes Parkinson disease," said Dr. Robert Nussbaum. "Our model recapitulates the early signs of the disease and is well suited to test therapies directed toward regulating alpha-synuclein expression either on the gene or on the protein level."

"Alpha-synuclein is a high-priority target for our Foundation, as there is evidence that it plays an important role in both genetic and idiopathic cases of PD," said Kuldip Dave, PhD, associate director of research programs at MJFF. "QR Pharma's drug Posiphen has been shown to block the synthesis of alpha-synuclein. By decreasing alpha-synuclein levels in the brain, Posiphen could potentially be a novel treatment for PD."

"We are pleased that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research sees the potential of Posiphen in the treatment of Parkinson's disease," said Maria Maccecchini, Chief Executive Officer of QR. "We look forward to working with the excellent research teams led by Dr. Nussbaum and Dr. Rogers."

About Posiphen . QR's lead Posiphen is a small orally active compound with high blood brain barrier permeability, which lowers levels of toxic protein aggregates. It targets the mRNA of a number of proteins that are overexpressed in several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Down syndrome. It is in clinical development as an oral treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Posiphen reduces the rate of synthesis of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in cell cultures, normal, transgenic and trisomic mice as well as in humans. Posiphen also inhibits the synthesis of tau and alpha-synuclein in mice and humans. These neurotoxic aggregating proteins induce dysfunction, neuroinflammation and lead to cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.

About QR Pharma, Inc. Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, QR Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company committed to developing therapeutics with novel approaches for the treatment of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Down syndrome (DS). QR currently has three product development programs - Posiphen for early stage AD and PD and BNC for advanced AD. For more information on QR Pharma, please visit the company's website, http://www.qrpharma.com.

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. As the world's largest private funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $285 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Now through December 31, 2012, all new and increased giving to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as gifts from donors who have not given since 2010 or earlier, will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge, launched by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki.

Link:
QR Pharma Awarded Funding By Michael J. Fox Foundation To Test Posiphen As A Treatment For Parkinson's Disease

QR Pharma Awarded Funding By Michael J. Fox Foundation To Test Posiphen As A Treatment For Parkinson’s Disease

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BERWYN, PA.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

QR Pharma, Inc. (QR) a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company committed to developing therapeutics with novel approaches for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders, announced today that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) awarded the company $468,000 to conduct research for the development of Posiphen to treat PD. QR will collaborate with Robert Nussbaum, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine and Chief, Division of Medical Genetics at the University of California, San Francisco and Jack T. Rogers, PhD, Associate Professor Psychiatry (Neuroscience) at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Genetics and Aging Research Unit.

Mutations and overexpression of alpha-synuclein (a-SYN) have been shown to cause familial PD while genetic association studies indicate a-SYN is a key risk factor in sporadic PD. Evidence suggests that therapies that can reduce a-SYN expression may block its pathogenic actions and therefore be useful in treating PD. In vitro studies conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital demonstrate that Posiphen lowers a-SYN levels by inhibiting a-SYN translation.

To establish efficacy in PD, Posiphen will be tested in transgenic mice engineered by Dr. Nussbaum's group at UCSF that express mutant human a-SYN. These mice exhibit early gastrointestinal dysfunction at three-months and motor abnormalities later in life, mimicking what is found in PD patients. Studies will be conducted to test, among other things, Posiphen's ability to reverse these abnormalities to establish pre-clinical efficacy as a basis for future testing in humans.

"Our animal model is based on the initial work we did 15 years ago identifying alpha-synuclein as the first human gene which, when mutated, causes Parkinson disease," said Dr. Robert Nussbaum. "Our model recapitulates the early signs of the disease and is well suited to test therapies directed toward regulating alpha-synuclein expression either on the gene or on the protein level."

"Alpha-synuclein is a high-priority target for our Foundation, as there is evidence that it plays an important role in both genetic and idiopathic cases of PD," said Kuldip Dave, PhD, associate director of research programs at MJFF. "QR Pharma's drug Posiphen has been shown to block the synthesis of alpha-synuclein. By decreasing alpha-synuclein levels in the brain, Posiphen could potentially be a novel treatment for PD."

"We are pleased that The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research sees the potential of Posiphen in the treatment of Parkinson's disease," said Maria Maccecchini, Chief Executive Officer of QR. "We look forward to working with the excellent research teams led by Dr. Nussbaum and Dr. Rogers."

About Posiphen . QR's lead Posiphen is a small orally active compound with high blood brain barrier permeability, which lowers levels of toxic protein aggregates. It targets the mRNA of a number of proteins that are overexpressed in several neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Down syndrome. It is in clinical development as an oral treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Posiphen reduces the rate of synthesis of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in cell cultures, normal, transgenic and trisomic mice as well as in humans. Posiphen also inhibits the synthesis of tau and alpha-synuclein in mice and humans. These neurotoxic aggregating proteins induce dysfunction, neuroinflammation and lead to cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration.

About QR Pharma, Inc. Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, QR Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company committed to developing therapeutics with novel approaches for the treatment of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Down syndrome (DS). QR currently has three product development programs - Posiphen for early stage AD and PD and BNC for advanced AD. For more information on QR Pharma, please visit the company's website, http://www.qrpharma.com.

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. As the world's largest private funder of Parkinson's research, The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to accelerating a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today. The Foundation pursues its goals through an aggressively funded, highly targeted research program coupled with active global engagement of scientists, Parkinson's patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and volunteers. In addition to funding more than $285 million in research to date, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. Operating at the hub of worldwide Parkinson's research, the Foundation forges groundbreaking collaborations with industry leaders, academic scientists and government research funders; increases the flow of participants into Parkinson's disease clinical trials with its online tool, Fox Trial Finder; promotes Parkinson's awareness through high-profile advocacy, events and outreach; and coordinates the grassroots involvement of thousands of Team Fox members around the world. Now through December 31, 2012, all new and increased giving to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, as well as gifts from donors who have not given since 2010 or earlier, will be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with the $50-million Brin Wojcicki Challenge, launched by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki.

Link:
QR Pharma Awarded Funding By Michael J. Fox Foundation To Test Posiphen As A Treatment For Parkinson's Disease

OPKO Health and The Scripps Research Institute Announce Global License Agreement for a Novel Compound That Blocks …

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MIAMI & JUPITER, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

OPKO Health, Inc. (NYSE: OPK - News) and The Scripps Research Institute today announced a global agreement for the development and commercialization of SR 3306, a novel compound discovered by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute that blocks the destruction of brains cells in animal models of Parkinsons disease. Under the terms of the agreement, The Scripps Research Institute has granted to OPKO Health exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize SR 3306 and related compounds that inhibit a class of enzymes called jun-N-terminal kinsases (JNK) that play an important role in neuron survival. The new compound, a small molecule known as SR-3306, would potentially be the first to protect the brain from the ravages of Parkinson's disease.

This licensing agreement will help insure that the development of this promising compound keeps moving forward, said Scripps Research Professor Philip LoGrasso, whose laboratory has led the research on the compound to date. This is one of the best opportunities we have for the development of an effective neuroprotective treatment for Parkinsons patients.

We are excited to be working with Dr. LoGrasso and The Scripps Research Institute to develop this important compound which could prevent the progression of Parkinsons disease and not just treat the symptoms of the disease, said Phillip Frost, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OPKO. Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological disorder that reduces the brain's ability to produce dopamine, affects about one million Americans. Currently prescribed drugs for Parkinsons disease including levodopa and so-called MAO-B inhibitors can counteract symptoms of the disease but not stop its progression.

SR-3306 was described in a pair of studies led by Dr. LoGrasso and published in February 2011 in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. Over the past decades, Scripps Research has developed a lengthy track record of major contributions to science and health, including laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. The institute employs about 3,000 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists including three Nobel laureates work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu.

About OPKO Health, Inc.

OPKO is a multi-national biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company that seeks to establish industry-leading positions in large and rapidly growing medical markets by leveraging its discovery, development and commercialization expertise and novel and proprietary technologies.

Forward Looking Statements:

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OPKO Health and The Scripps Research Institute Announce Global License Agreement for a Novel Compound That Blocks ...

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Awarded Patent for Technology to Assess Parkinson's Disease

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VALLEY VIEW, Ohio, March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today that they have received allowance of claims from the U.S. Patent Office for an application covering their Movement Disorder Monitoring System and Method for quantitative assessment of motor symptoms associated with movement disorders. The claims cover a system and method of wireless patient-worn motion sensors that assess tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and dyskinesias associated with diseases like Parkinson's and essential tremor. This innovative medical technology has applications for both in-clinic and home-based patient care, optimizing programming for deep brain stimulation, and providing quantitative endpoints to determine efficacy of clinical trials. When used in telemedicine applications, physicians utilize a web interface to track symptom responses and fluctuations.

To address the growing market need for standardized and ambulatory assessment of movement disorders, Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies has been committed to the commercialization of the Kinesia and Kinesia HomeView medical technology platforms since 2003. "The allowance of our patent claims continues a successful commercialization path for our Parkinson's assessment systems intended to help physicians maximize therapeutic benefits and ultimately improve patient quality of life," says Joseph P. Giuffrida, PhD, President. "Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is uniquely positioned in the movement disorders market as a world leader in medical device development and manufacture of technologies to standardize, automate, and remotely capture patient assessments. This heightened intellectual property position builds on and protects our previous commercialization efforts and continued market growth." Dr. Giuffrida also thanked the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging for their continued support of these technologies.

The company is committed to building its intellectual property portfolio which will cover new applications arising from several on-going clinical studies. "We have a broad range of patent applications in the pipeline and expect this to be the first of many to cover our innovative product base of movement disorder technologies," says Brian Kolkowski, PhD, Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "In addition, this patent represents a first step as wecontinue with international filings to protect our technology portfolio to support our growth into international markets."

About Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is committed to pioneering innovative biomedical technologies to serve research, education, and medical communities, improving access to medical technology for diverse populations and positively impacting quality of life for people worldwide.

Media Contact Amelia Earhart, Marketing Manager - 216-446-2413 - aaearhart@GLNeuroTech.com

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Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Awarded Patent for Technology to Assess Parkinson's Disease

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Awarded Patent for Technology to Assess Parkinson’s Disease

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VALLEY VIEW, Ohio, March 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today that they have received allowance of claims from the U.S. Patent Office for an application covering their Movement Disorder Monitoring System and Method for quantitative assessment of motor symptoms associated with movement disorders. The claims cover a system and method of wireless patient-worn motion sensors that assess tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, and dyskinesias associated with diseases like Parkinson's and essential tremor. This innovative medical technology has applications for both in-clinic and home-based patient care, optimizing programming for deep brain stimulation, and providing quantitative endpoints to determine efficacy of clinical trials. When used in telemedicine applications, physicians utilize a web interface to track symptom responses and fluctuations.

To address the growing market need for standardized and ambulatory assessment of movement disorders, Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies has been committed to the commercialization of the Kinesia and Kinesia HomeView medical technology platforms since 2003. "The allowance of our patent claims continues a successful commercialization path for our Parkinson's assessment systems intended to help physicians maximize therapeutic benefits and ultimately improve patient quality of life," says Joseph P. Giuffrida, PhD, President. "Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is uniquely positioned in the movement disorders market as a world leader in medical device development and manufacture of technologies to standardize, automate, and remotely capture patient assessments. This heightened intellectual property position builds on and protects our previous commercialization efforts and continued market growth." Dr. Giuffrida also thanked the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National Institute on Aging for their continued support of these technologies.

The company is committed to building its intellectual property portfolio which will cover new applications arising from several on-going clinical studies. "We have a broad range of patent applications in the pipeline and expect this to be the first of many to cover our innovative product base of movement disorder technologies," says Brian Kolkowski, PhD, Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "In addition, this patent represents a first step as wecontinue with international filings to protect our technology portfolio to support our growth into international markets."

About Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies is committed to pioneering innovative biomedical technologies to serve research, education, and medical communities, improving access to medical technology for diverse populations and positively impacting quality of life for people worldwide.

Media Contact Amelia Earhart, Marketing Manager - 216-446-2413 - aaearhart@GLNeuroTech.com

Continue reading here:
Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies Awarded Patent for Technology to Assess Parkinson's Disease

Past Pregnancies May Protect Against MS

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Study: Multiple Sclerosis Risk May Drop by 50% After First Pregnancy

By Brenda Goodman, MA WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

March 7, 2012 -- Pregnancy appears to play a strong role in whether or not a woman may develop the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study.

The study involved more than 800 women between the ages of 18 and 60. Nearly 300 of them had experienced a first episode of MS symptoms. The other women were healthy and were included for comparison.

Women in the study with at least one child had about half the risk of early MS symptoms compared to women without children. And that risk appeared to drop with each additional child. Women with three children had a 75% lower risk of early MS symptoms compared to women without children. In women with five or more children, risk of early symptoms was slashed by 94%.

Those benefits remained even after researchers accounted for other factors associated with the likelihood of developing MS, like level of education, smoking, skin damage and sun exposure, and certain susceptibility genes.

Researchers say they're pretty sure that it is something about pregnancy -- rather than being a parent or raising children -- that's protective, because they saw no difference in men.

The study is published in the journal Neurology.

Although it is already known that a woman with MS may see a decrease in her symptoms while pregnant, other large studies have not seen an association between pregnancies and MS. But researchers think that may have something to do with when women were included in the studies.

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Past Pregnancies May Protect Against MS

Pregnancy May Protect Against MS, Study Says

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WEDNESDAY, March 7 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that pregnancy may decrease women's risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

"Even one pregnancy was associated with nearly a halving of risk [of developing MS symptoms]," said study author Anne-Louise Ponsonby, head of the environmental and genetic epidemiology and research group at Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. The team also found that women who were pregnant two or more times had only one-quarter of the risk of developing MS symptoms as those who were never pregnant.

The study was published online March 7 in the journal Neurology.

Previous research has found that pregnancy in women who already have MS -- an autoimmune disorder -- is linked with lower rates of relapse.

Ponsonby's team found an association between pregnancy and a lower risk of MS symptoms, not a direct cause-and-effect link. They say, however, that this association may help explain why the incidence of MS in women has inched up over the past few decades, as more women delay pregnancy or have fewer babies or none at all.

The researchers evaluated information on 282 Australian men and women, aged 18 to 59, who had MS symptoms -- which can include fatigue, numbness, balance or walking problems -- but had not been diagnosed with the disease. The researchers looked at both the number of live births and pregnancies lasting at least 20 weeks in the women. They also recorded the number of children born to men. They compared those statistics to 542 men and women without MS symptoms.

No link was found between the number of children men had and their risk of MS symptoms. There was an association with women, however: the risk of developing MS symptoms decreased as the number of pregnancies increased.

The researchers couldn't say exactly why pregnancy may lower MS risk, but they speculated it could be the increase in estrogen during pregnancy or the effect pregnancy has on inflammatory genes involved in MS.

The study was funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and other organizations.

Women are more likely than men to develop MS. Having a close relative with MS also increases your risk. About 400,000 people in the United States have MS, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

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Pregnancy May Protect Against MS, Study Says

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week activities in Sanger

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Contributed

The City of Sanger is coordinating with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to recognize March 12 18 as MS Awareness Week.

The local MS chapter and volunteers will decorate downtown Sanger with orange colored ribbons on March 11 and will take them down on March 19.

If you would like to get involved contact Ana Hernandez at 439-2154 or seintern@nmss.org.

Symptoms may be mild (numbness in the limbs) or severe (paralysis, loss of vision). The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. Today, new treatments and advances in research are giving hope to people affected by the disease. For more information about MS visit http://www.nationalMSsociety.org/cal.

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Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week activities in Sanger

Pregnancy seems to protect against multiple sclerosis

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Women who have been pregnant two or more times had a reduced risk of developing the disease, study finds. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press)

March 7, 2012, 1:17 p.m.

Pregnancy is known to cause a remission in symptoms of multiple sclerosis in women who have MS prior to becoming pregnant. Now a study has found that multiple pregnancies may help prevent MS from ever developing.

The study, published online Wednesday in the journal Neurology, reviewed information on 282 men and women who received a diagnosis of central nervous demyelination. That's a condition that reflects early symptoms of MS but falls short of an actual MS diagnosis. The researchers compared those people to 542 healthy men and women.

They found that women who have been pregnant two or more times had a reduced risk of developing the disease. Women who had five or more pregnancies had one-twentieth the risk of developing MS compared with women who were never pregnant. There was no effect on men regarding their number of offspring and onset of the disease.

Rates of MS have increased over the last several decades. This increase could reflect the fact that women are having fewer children, said the lead author of the study, Anne-Louise Ponsonby of Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia. It's not clear what it is about pregnancy that protects against MS or causes its temporary remission. It's likely that hormones play a role, and studies are underway looking at estrogen as a treatment for the illness. It's also possible that immune changes that take place during pregnancy alter symptoms of the disease as well as the risk of developing it.

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Pregnancy seems to protect against multiple sclerosis

Donepezil And Memantine, Key Dementia Drugs, Should Be Used More: Study

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By Kate Kelland

LONDON, March 7 (Reuters) - Pfizer's dementia drug Aricept, already commonly used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, can also help patients with severe disease and should be used more widely and for longer, according to research published on Wednesday.

British scientists who studied the possible longer-term benefits of giving Aricept suggested that extending treatment could help twice as many Alzheimer's sufferers worldwide.

The study also looked at another commonly used dementia drug called memantine, which is sold in the United States under the brand Namenda by Forest Laboratories and Germany's Merz, and in Britain under the brand Ebixa by Danish group Lundbeck .

It found that keeping patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's on Aricept, or donepezil as it is known generically, or starting them on memantine treatment, meant they had significantly better cognitive and function abilities than patients taking a placebo or dummy pill.

An estimated 18 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia. It is fatal brain disease that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to handle daily activities and is placing an increasingly heavy burden on societies and economies across the world.

According to the World Health Organisation, some 35 million people worldwide have dementia, and Alzheimer's Disease International predicts that as populations age, dementia cases will almost double every 20 years to around 66 million in 2030 and 115 million in 2050.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved 295 Alzheimer's patients in Britain who were assigned to one of four separate groups - one continuing to take donepezil, one stopping donepezil and getting a placebo, one stopping donepezil and starting memantine, and a fourth taking both drugs together.

Robert Howard, a professor at King's College London who led the trial, said it was the first to show the value of continued drug treatment for patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's.

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Donepezil And Memantine, Key Dementia Drugs, Should Be Used More: Study

Commonly used dementia drugs can help more patients with Alzheimer's

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Public release date: 7-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Katherine Barnes katherine.barnes@kcl.ac.uk 44-207-848-3076 King's College London

The dementia drug donepezil (Aricept), already widely used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, can also help in moderate to severe patients, according to a report funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Alzheimer's Society. The study suggests that extending treatment to this group could help treat twice as many sufferers worldwide. Encouragingly, the drug has greater positive benefits for patients more severely affected than for those in the earlier stages of dementia.

It is estimated that 18 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia. According to the World Health Organization, of the 35 million people currently living with dementia globally, 58% live in low- and middle-income countries and by 2050 this figure is projected to reach 71% of the total.

The multi-centre UK study, led by Professor Robert Howard at King's College London, is the first trial to demonstrate the value of continued drug intervention for those patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease who have deteriorated beyond the point where donepezil is currently recommended.

The study, to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looked at two drugs: donepezil and memantine. Donepezil is the most commonly prescribed of the dementia drugs and is recommended for patients at the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. Doctors are currently advised to stop prescribing donepezil when the disease progresses to become moderate to severe and until now there has been no clear evidence that continuing treatment is of benefit to patients.

Over the course of the trial, patients who continued to take donepezil showed considerably less decline in cognition memory, orientation, language function and function (retained ability to carry out simple daily tasks and self-care) than those taking a placebo drug. The benefits seen with continued treatment were clinically important and were greater than those previously seen in patients with less severe Alzheimer's disease. Whilst the effect was slightly smaller, starting memantine treatment also resulted in significantly better cognitive and functional abilities compared with those taking a placebo.

Professor Robert Howard, lead author from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's says: "As patients progress to more severe forms of Alzheimer's disease, clinicians are faced with a difficult decision as to whether to continue or not with dementia drugs and, until now, there has been little evidence to guide that decision. For the first time, we have robust and compelling evidence that treatment with these drugs can continue to help patients at the later, more severe stages of the disease. We observed that patients who continued taking donepezil were better able to remember, understand, communicate and perform daily tasks for at least a year longer than those who stopped taking the drugs. These improvements were noticeable to patients, their caregivers and doctors. Both donepezil and memantine will soon be off patent and available in very cheap generic preparations. These findings will greatly increase the numbers of patients in the developed and developing world that we are able to treat."

Professor Nick Fox, MRC Senior Clinical Fellow at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, says: "The number of people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia is reaching critical levels. It has never been more important to invest in research which will enable doctors to make informed decisions based on the best evidence possible when deciding what treatments to give patients. The MRC has an ongoing commitment to the development of effective, safe treatments that will improve the quality of life for people with Alzheimer's disease and their care givers."

Professor Clive Ballard, Director of Research at Alzheimer's Society, says: "Thanks to the Alzheimer's drug donepezil, tens of thousands of people in the early to moderate stages of the condition are able to recognise their family for longer, play with their grandchildren and make vital plans for the future. This major new trial now shows that there could also be significant benefits on continuing the treatment into the later stages too. There are 750,000 people with dementia in the UK yet currently prescription levels of Alzheimer's drugs are still low. If this is to change we have to improve the shocking diagnosis rates and ensure everyone is given the opportunity to try treatments."

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Commonly used dementia drugs can help more patients with Alzheimer's

Commonly used dementia drugs can help more patients with Alzheimer’s

Posted on by

Public release date: 7-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Katherine Barnes katherine.barnes@kcl.ac.uk 44-207-848-3076 King's College London

The dementia drug donepezil (Aricept), already widely used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, can also help in moderate to severe patients, according to a report funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Alzheimer's Society. The study suggests that extending treatment to this group could help treat twice as many sufferers worldwide. Encouragingly, the drug has greater positive benefits for patients more severely affected than for those in the earlier stages of dementia.

It is estimated that 18 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common cause of dementia. According to the World Health Organization, of the 35 million people currently living with dementia globally, 58% live in low- and middle-income countries and by 2050 this figure is projected to reach 71% of the total.

The multi-centre UK study, led by Professor Robert Howard at King's College London, is the first trial to demonstrate the value of continued drug intervention for those patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease who have deteriorated beyond the point where donepezil is currently recommended.

The study, to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine, looked at two drugs: donepezil and memantine. Donepezil is the most commonly prescribed of the dementia drugs and is recommended for patients at the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. Doctors are currently advised to stop prescribing donepezil when the disease progresses to become moderate to severe and until now there has been no clear evidence that continuing treatment is of benefit to patients.

Over the course of the trial, patients who continued to take donepezil showed considerably less decline in cognition memory, orientation, language function and function (retained ability to carry out simple daily tasks and self-care) than those taking a placebo drug. The benefits seen with continued treatment were clinically important and were greater than those previously seen in patients with less severe Alzheimer's disease. Whilst the effect was slightly smaller, starting memantine treatment also resulted in significantly better cognitive and functional abilities compared with those taking a placebo.

Professor Robert Howard, lead author from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's says: "As patients progress to more severe forms of Alzheimer's disease, clinicians are faced with a difficult decision as to whether to continue or not with dementia drugs and, until now, there has been little evidence to guide that decision. For the first time, we have robust and compelling evidence that treatment with these drugs can continue to help patients at the later, more severe stages of the disease. We observed that patients who continued taking donepezil were better able to remember, understand, communicate and perform daily tasks for at least a year longer than those who stopped taking the drugs. These improvements were noticeable to patients, their caregivers and doctors. Both donepezil and memantine will soon be off patent and available in very cheap generic preparations. These findings will greatly increase the numbers of patients in the developed and developing world that we are able to treat."

Professor Nick Fox, MRC Senior Clinical Fellow at the Institute of Neurology, University College London, says: "The number of people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia is reaching critical levels. It has never been more important to invest in research which will enable doctors to make informed decisions based on the best evidence possible when deciding what treatments to give patients. The MRC has an ongoing commitment to the development of effective, safe treatments that will improve the quality of life for people with Alzheimer's disease and their care givers."

Professor Clive Ballard, Director of Research at Alzheimer's Society, says: "Thanks to the Alzheimer's drug donepezil, tens of thousands of people in the early to moderate stages of the condition are able to recognise their family for longer, play with their grandchildren and make vital plans for the future. This major new trial now shows that there could also be significant benefits on continuing the treatment into the later stages too. There are 750,000 people with dementia in the UK yet currently prescription levels of Alzheimer's drugs are still low. If this is to change we have to improve the shocking diagnosis rates and ensure everyone is given the opportunity to try treatments."

See the article here:
Commonly used dementia drugs can help more patients with Alzheimer's