ImmunoGen, Inc. Announces Encouraging Trastuzumab-DM1 Phase II Clinical Findings Presented At ASCO

ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN), a biopharmaceutical company that develops targeted anticancer therapeutics, announced the presentation of encouraging trastuzumab-DM1 (T-DM1) clinical data at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) taking place in Orlando, Florida.

T-DM1, an antibody-drug conjugate, consists of ImmunoGen’s DM1 cancer-cell killing agent linked to the HER2-targeted antibody, trastuzumab, developed by Genentech, Inc. (a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group). Genentech (US) and Roche (ex-US) are conducting a broad clinical program with T-DM1 in HER2-positive breast cancer.

London Professor Wins Clinical Psychology Award, UK

Professor Til Wykes is to receive the 2009 M.B. Shapiro Award from the British Psychological Society’s Division of Clinical Psychology. It is the Division’s premier award and is made each year to a clinical psychologist who has achieved eminence in the profession.

Professor Wykes will give her Award Lecture at the Division of Clinical Psychology’s Annual Conference, to be held at the Congress Centre, 28 Great Russell Street, London WC1, on 9-11 December 2009. Further information about the Conference can be found at http://www.dcpconference.co.uk.

Zetiq Reports Success In Clinical Trial Aimed For Early Identification Of Cervical Cancer

Zetiq, a subsidiary of Bio-Light Ltd. (TASE:BOLT), reports the successful completion of a clinical trial to validate feasibility of early identification of cervical cancer.

The trial was conducted on cervical smears collected from 74 subjects at Meir MC and Macabbi health services in Israel. The collected samples were processed with the advanced liquid based cytology method, and examined using 3 methods: staining with the traditional widely used Pap method, testing to identify the presence of the HPV virus that causes the disease, and staining with the Zetiq method. The analysis of the specimens was conducted by the company’s team as well as by an independent professional.

Medimix International To Exhibit At American Society of Clinical Oncology AGM

Medimix International, a leader in global healthcare marketing research for life sciences industry, announced that it will be exhibiting at the 45th AGM of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which will take place in Orlando, Florida from May 29-June 2, 2009. The annual ASCO meeting is considered to be the premier educational and scientific event in the oncology community, a forum for cutting-edge scientific and educational developments in oncology with a focus on personalizing cancer care.

Emergency Physicians Don’t Follow Established Clinical Guidelines For Diagnosing Patients With Possible Pulmonary Emboli

The number of MDCT examinations for suspected pulmonary emboli (PE) is rapidly increasing amongst ER patients, with a decrease in the number of positive studies. This may be due to a failure to adhere to established clinical guidelines for evaluating patients with suspected PE, according to a study performed at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI.

Current accepted clinical practice indicates that patients with a low clinical suspicion for PE should undergo D-dimer testing, then MDCT if positive. A total of 5,344 patients were reviewed. “42% of patients had a positive D-dimer exam and did not have a CT scan. Current protocols suggest that those patients should have had a scan,” said Michael T. Corwin, MD, lead author of the study. “MDCT was performed in 7% of patients with negative D-dimer results, and the same protocols suggest that those patients should not have undergone a scan,” said Dr. Corwin

NEVO Sirolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent Yields Superior Results To Taxus(R) Liberte(R) Stent In Pivotal Clinical Trial

At six months, the NEVO™ Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent, incorporating RES Technology™, was superior to the Taxus Liberte Stent in reducing tissue growth within the stent that can potentially lead to repeat procedures, in new clinical study results released . In addition, no reports of stent thrombosis were reported in patients treated with NEVO™ through six months.

The results of the NEVO RES I study comparing these two drug-eluting stents were presented during Late Breaking Clinical Trials at EuroPCR, the leading medical conference in Europe for physicians specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine.

Pixantrone Phase 3 Data To Be Presented At The 2009 American Society Of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) (Nasdaq and MTA: CTIC) announced that data from CTI’s pivotal phase III EXTEND (PIX301) trial of pixantrone in patients with advanced, relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) will be presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which will be held from May 29 to June 2, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.

Ruth Pettengell, M.D. of St. George’s Hospital, University of London, an investigator on the study, is scheduled to present the data on Monday, June 1, 2009 during the Lymphoma and Plasma Cell Disorders session that will be held from 2:00 PM-6:00 PM Eastern Time. The presentation, abstract #8523, is titled, “Randomized Phase III trial of pixantrone compared with other chemotherapeutic agents for third-line single-agent treatment of relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.”

Clinical Trial Exploring Use Of Cardiac Device In New Groups Of Heart Failure Patients Completes Enrollment Phase

Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announces completion of the enrollment phase of 1,800 patients in the RAFT clinical trial (Resynchronization/Defibrillation for Ambulatory Heart Failure Trial), which is studying the impact of cardiac resynchronization therapy in mildly symptomatic heart failure patients, or those at risk of worsening heart failure, but not currently indicated under medical guidelines to receive treatment with the device.

“This study is important to guide therapy for heart failure patients with milder heart failure symptoms who have a dilated heart and poor heart function. These patients have a tendency to develop worsening symptoms, to require hospitalization, and they may die prematurely. This study will determine if cardiac resynchronization therapy, when used earlier in the disease, can delay or prevent the progression of heart failure,” said Anthony Tang, M.D., RAFT Nominated Principal Investigator and Adjunct Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa.

CyDex Pharmaceuticals Announces Successful Completion Of Phase II Clinical Trial For Budesonide/Azelastine Combination Solution Nasal Spray

CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has successfully completed an early proof-of-concept phase II clinical trial of its Captisol-Enabled budesonide/azelastine nasal spray for seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). CyDex has an international PCT patent application pending for this combination nasal spray product.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Three-Way Cross-Over Study was conducted in 108 SAR patients to Compare the Relative Efficacy of Captisol-Enabled Budesonide + Azelastine Nasal Spray (Single Solution) and Rhinocort Aqua (Suspension) + Astelin Nasal Spray (Solution) against Placebo Nasal Spray Solution in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis in an Environmental Exposure Chamber (EEC).

Gout: Clues To Clinical Diagnosis

Risk factors for gout include family history, older age, renal insufficiency, use of medications that reduce urate excretion, high intake of foods that increase urate production (beer, seafood, red meat, high-fructose beverages), and comorbidities such as obesity and metabolic syndrome.

About 90% of acute gout attacks are monoarticular; 50% occur in the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Pain, redness, and swelling peak in 1 day. Polyarticular involvement may suggest another condition. Sodium urate tophi typify chronic gout; they usually develop on the Achilles tendon, prepatellar bursa, olecranon bursa, or helix of the ear.