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HPV Infection May Be Linked To Poor Head And Neck Cancer Survival In African Americans
A groundbreaking study in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, suggests that having the human papillomavirus (HPV) improves survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Furthermore, African Americans had far less HPV infection than whites, which led to worse survival.
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Individual Bacterial Cells Are Capable Of Quorum Sensing When Confined In Small Volumes
Infections of wounds, pneumonia, etc. in hospitals in particular are often caused by bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Once they reach a certain density, colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce virulence factors and can enter into a slimy state, a biofilm, which prevents antibiotics from penetrating. The process of quorum sensing, which cells use to "sense" cell density, is triggered when the concentration of certain signaling compounds generated by the bacteria reaches a threshold level. A team working with Rustem F. Ismagilov at the University of Chicago has now demonstrated that the absolute number of cells is irrelevant; only the number of bacteria in a given volume plays a role. As the researchers report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, they were even able to trigger quorum-sensing processes in single cells when these were confined in extremely small volumes.
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Access Pharmaceuticals Provides Update On ProLindac(TM) Phase 2 Ovarian Cancer Trial And Clinical Development Plan
ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.(OTC Bulletin Board: ACCP), provided an update on the progress in the Company"s clinical development plan for ProLindac, a novel DACH platinum drug that has shown to be active in many solid tumor types in human clinical studies. Access recently announced positive safety and efficacy results from its Phase 2 monotherapy clinical study of ProLindac(TM) in late-stage, heavily pretreated ovarian cancer patients. In this study, 66% of patients who received the highest dose achieved clinically meaningful disease stabilization according to RECIST criteria. No patient in any dose group exhibited any signs of acute neurotoxicity, which is a major adverse side-effect of the approved DACH platinum, Eloxatin, and ProLindac was well tolerated overall. The Company has scaled up manufacturing in order to begin the next phase of clinical development. Access plans to conduct several combination trials in different solid tumor types both as Company-sponsored trials and in conjunction with its two previously announced co-development partners.
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Use Of The MitraClip(R) Therapy Continues To Expand In Europe, First 100 Patients Treated

Evalve, Inc., the leader in the development of devices for the percutaneous repair of cardiac valves, announced today that the first 100 patients have been treated with the MitraClip(R) system in Europe. Clinical results to date underscore the acute clinical benefit for patients, demonstrate the potential for reduced hospital stays and improved quality-of-life for patients. Of the procedures performed to date, 93% resulted in an implant and the vast majority resulted in a satisfactory reduction of mitral regurgitation, as described by the physician at the time of the procedure. The MitraClip(R) system is the only medical device commercially available in the European Union which provides a non-surgical mitral valve repair option for patients suffering from the effects of functional or degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). MR is the most common type of heart valve insufficiency in Europe and the United States, affecting millions of people worldwide. Significant MR affects more than eight million people in the US and Europe, the majority of which have FMR. There are more than 600,000 new diagnoses of significant MR each year in Europe and the US; however only 20 percent of these patients undergo surgery each year. Many higher risk surgical patients and non-surgical patients continue to be affected by the chronic volume overload caused by MR, which requires the heart to work harder, and may ultimately lead to heart failure. "We have seen that the MitraClip(R) therapy provides a valuable alternative for patients who are considered high risk or otherwise not good candidates for surgery," said Olaf Franzen, M.D., interventionalist for adult structural and congenital heart disease at the University Heart Center in Hamburg, Germany, the institution having treated the most patients to date in Europe. "With the MitraClip(R) therapy, because we have observed a strong safety profile, we are able to improve the quality of life for many patients suffering from MR who otherwise would not have been able to receive treatment for their condition." "The MitraClip(R) therapy has not only played a key role for patients considered too high-risk for surgery, but has also been shown to be effective in selected surgical candidates," added Francesco Maisano, M.D., cardiovascular surgeon at Hospital San Rafaelle, Milan, Italy. "As a cardiac surgeon, I believe that this technology has expanded the options available to physicians to the benefit of the patient suffering from MR." As of today, patients have been treated with the MitraClip(R) system at fourteen institutions throughout Europe including the University Heart Center, Hamburg, Germany; Cardiovascular Center Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany; University Hospital Aachen, Aachen, Germany; University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; University Medicine Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany; Bernau Hospital and Heart Center, Brandenburg, Germany; Ferrarotto Hospital, Univeristy of Catania, Sicily, Italy ; Hospital San Rafaelle, Milan, Italy; St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, Utrecht, Netherlands; Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland; University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland; Castle Hill Hospital, Hull, UK; Imperial College Hospital, London, UK; and the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands. "The successful treatment of the 100th patient in Europe with the MitraClip(R) system is an important milestone for Evalve," said Ferolyn Powell, president and chief executive officer of Evalve. "We have been pleased with expansion in the number of customers, the acceleration of the implant rate and the very positive response from physicians with regards to their ability to quickly learn and successfully perform the procedure. This, combined with their strong belief in the value of the therapy for their patients, and the potential health economic benefits are driving expansion and increasing the adoption of the MitraClip(R) therapy in Europe." Evalve initiated commercial sales of the MitraClip(R) system in Europe under the CE Mark in September 2008. The company is employing a direct sales strategy and is taking a disciplined and measured approach to the initial commercial roll out. The company has worked closely with hospitals to deliver high quality training programs in preparation for the first series of implants. About the MitraClip(R) Procedure Percutaneous mitral repair with Evalve"s MitraClip(R) device is performed by physicians in the catheterization laboratory. The heart beats normally during the procedure, and therefore does not require a heart-lung bypass machine. In addition to improving blood flow through the heart, the procedure may also relieve symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath that often affect patients with significant MR. After treatment, patients generally recover quickly. The MitraClip(R) device may improve quality of life and may help MR patients avoid or delay surgery, having preserved surgical options (valve repair or replacement) should surgery become necessary. Evalve, Inc.


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