Rheumatoid arthritis one of many focuses of new drug innovation projects
New patient treatments for rheumatoid arthritis as well as cancer and infectious diseases, will be developed through eight new projects funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership between the European Union and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). These eight new projects are the second wave of major investments made by the IMI in a Joint Technology Initiative funded under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). This brings the number of up-and-running projects to 23.
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Researchers call for routine testing of blood glucose in elderly
Researchers have discovered a strong link between high, undiagnosed blood glucose in non-diabetic patients and increased hospital death rates in a study of patients in Spain and Italy. Presented in the International Journal of Clinical Practice (IJCP), the findings suggest that blood glucose levels in hospitalised elderly patients should be tested routinely. Routine testing would allow high-risk patients to be identified and given intensive therapy to reduce their risk of death.
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New potential drug targets discovered for preventing prostate cancer cell growth
Researchers from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the University of Turku have discovered four metabolic enzymes regulating prostate cancer cell growth. Inhibition of these enzymes prevents prostate cancer cell growth in cultured cells. This knowledge can be used to identify different subtypes of prostate cancer and for designing targeted therapies for prostate cancer.
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Renewed Commitment of Stakeholders to Combat Overweight and Obesity-Related Health Issues
Over half the EU adult population is now overweight or obese according to the "Health at a Glance: Europe 2010" report published by the European Commission and the OECD on 7 December. Yesterday, the European-level umbrella organisations, ranging from the food industry, health organisations and other civil society NGOs, who are members of the European Commission's Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health agreed to step up action to tackle the growing problem of overweight and obesity related health problems.
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Study finds link between blood-clotting protein and cancer
Groundbreaking research from Germany shows how stressed cells increase the production of thrombin, an important clot performer. Presented in the journal Molecular Cell, the study provides new insight into how cancer cells may be profiting from this process. Researchers could use this information to develop novel ways to treat various disorders.
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EU project to improve follow-up care after childhood cancer
Childhood cancer survivors, though being 'cured' of cancer, often experience late physical and psychological effects secondary to their cancer or its treatment. To accelerate the search for new successful treatments and improve the quality of life after cancer, 16 research institutes from 11 European countries have decided to join forces and launch a groundbreaking study funded by the EU.
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Software releases researchers from microscope
EU-funded scientists have developed a system that releases researchers from the chore of spending hours hunched over a microscope looking for cells of interest in large samples. The system is described in the journal Nature Methods by a team led by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Germany.
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