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Sunshine Heart Provides C-Pulse U.S. Clinical Update
Sunshine Heart (ASX: SHC), a global medical device company focused on innovative heart assist technologies, announced that the first two patients implanted with the C-Pulse device in April 2009 at The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio have successfully completed their 3 month follow-up evaluation.

N.D. Judge Vows To Act Quickly On Challenge To State Ultrasound Law
North Dakota Judge Douglas Herman failed to issue a temporary injunction on Thursday to prevent a state law from going into effect that requires abortion clinics to offer women the chance to view ultrasound images 24 hours prior to obtaining an abortion, the AP/Bismarck Tribune reports. Judge Herman promised to issue an opinion "as soon as possible" on the constitutional challenge to the state law, which is set to take effect on Aug. 1. The Center for Reproductive Rights filed the challenge, arguing that it creates an unnecessary burden on a woman"s right to an abortion.The group also said that a provision in the law is confusing and that the state"s only abortion provider is unsure how to comply. According to the AP/Tribune, the provision in question reads: "The auscultation of the fetal heart tone must be of a quality consistent with standard medical practice in the community." Suzanne Stolz, an attorney for CRR, said the bill"s language could require the Red River Women"s Clinic -- the only abortion clinic in the state -- to offer women the chance to hear audio of the fetal heartbeat in addition to the ultrasound image. She added that the clinic "cannot afford to guess what the law means and hope that it is right."Assistant Attorney General Douglas Bahr said that the law requires the clinic only to offer the option of an ultrasound, not provide one. He added that most people understand that an ultrasound includes both images and audio and that he does not "know why the clinic doesn"t feel it can offer this to the patient." Cass County state"s attorney Birch Burdick, a co-counsel with Bahr, said that although some of the language in the law is "a little confusing," he would not prosecute clinic officials if they make an attempt to apply the law until the judge rules.Tammi Kromenaker, the director of the clinic, said, "We"re disappointed that we did not get an injunction today but we felt that some of our questions were answered," adding that the clinics had offered women the option of viewing an ultrasound for the last 18 months (Kolpack, AP/Bismarck Tribune, 7/31).
News of the day
House Approves Bill To End Delay In Veteran Care
The House approved a bill Tuesday that seeks to end waits for federal financing of veterans" health care programs, The New York Times reports.
Oncology

Nile Therapeutics CD-NP Clinical Program For Acute Heart Failure Released From Clinical Hold By FDA

Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NLTX), a company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for heart failure patients, received notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the agency has released the Company"s CD-NP development program from clinical hold. As the next step, the Company will submit to the FDA the finalized protocol for the Company"s planned 30-patient single-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study designed to provide additional information on the safety and tolerability of CD-NP when infused for up to 72 hours in patients with acute heart failure and renal insufficiency. The dosing of the study is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. About CD-NP CD-NP is a novel chimeric natriuretic peptide in clinical development for the treatment of acute heart failure. CD-NP was designed to reduce symptoms of dyspnea in heart failure patients through both a reduction in intracardiac pressure and an improvement in renal function. The Company believes that the current preclinical and clinical data supports the pharmacological hypothesis at doses that have been safely tolerated by patients, and provides CD-NP with the potential for favorable differentiation from other acute heart failure therapies. In addition to an initial indication for acute heart failure, CD-NP may have utility in other indications, which include preservation of cardiac function subsequent to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and prevention of renal damage subsequent to cardiac surgery. About Nile Therapeutics Nile Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops innovative products for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and other areas of unmet medical needs. Nile is initially focusing its efforts on developing its lead compound, CD-NP, a novel rationally designed chimeric peptide in clinical studies for the treatment of heart failure, and CU-NP, a novel, rationally designed natriuretic peptide. A key component of the company"s strategy is to acquire the global rights to additional compounds to expand its portfolio. Safe Harbor Paragraph for Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the timing, progress and anticipated results of the clinical development, regulatory processes, clinical trial timelines, anticipated benefits of CD-NP, Nile"s strategy, future operations, outlook, milestones, the timing and success of Nile"s product development, future financial position, future financial results, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Nile may not actually achieve these plans, intentions or expectations and Nile cautions investors not to place undue reliance on Nile"s forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements Nile makes. Various important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements that Nile makes include Nile"s need to raise additional capital to fund its product development programs to completion, Nile"s reliance on third-party researchers to develop its product candidates, and its lack of experience in developing and commercializing pharmaceutical products. Additional risks are described in greater detail in the reports Nile files with Securities and Exchange Commission, including those described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2009 and amended on April 23, 2009. Nile is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Nile Therapeutics, Inc


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