Bioscience

A special May 10, 2010 issue of Nature Biotechnology (NBT) includes ten scientific publications from Critical Path Institute's (C-Path) Predictive Safety Testing Consortium's (PSTC) evaluation of seven kidney biomarkers for use in drug safety assessment. The seven urinary proteins (KIM-1, Albumin, Total Protein, B2-microglobulin, Cystatin C, Clusterin, Trefoil Factor-3) were evaluated for their utility to outperform current tests to detect drug-induced kidney injury, i.e., BUN and serum creatinine. PSTC submitted the data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Japanese Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) for evaluation. The FDA and EMA reached the formal conclusion that the biomarkers are considered qualified for use in regulatory decision-making for drug safety to detect acute drug-induced kidney injury in preclinical studies and, on a case by case basis after discussion with agencies, in early clinical studies in combination with standard biomarkers. A final conclusion from the PMDA is expected imminently. The biomarkers are now being used successfully to more efficiently advance or terminate drug development programs. The scientific details of the studies and analyses, as well as a description of the evolution of the qualification process at the regulatory agencies, will be reported publicly for the first time in this issue of Nature Biotechnology.

Bioscience

Small technology companies now have a way to get cash back for their research and development tax credits after Gov. Jan Brewer signed the measure late Tuesday.

Senate Bill 1254 was designed to help businesses with less than 150 full-time employees get money back from the state’s R&D tax credit. The meausure gives the businesses 75 cents for every dollar of tax credit they claim in seeking a way to help businesses that likely won’t have taxable income in their startup phases.

Bioscience

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by chronic pain and tenderness. The pain is typically widespread, varying in intensity and can’t be linked to any other cause. Often the symptoms are described as deep, stabbing, throbbing, burning or aching. Sometimes the touch of clothing can set off pain.

Fatigue is another common symptom of fibromyalgia. The fatigue can be severe and debilitating, limiting the ability of patients to complete daily tasks or hold a job. Pain and fatigue often cause sleep problems, especially interfering with the quality of sleep. Some other common signs of fibromyalgia include: frequent headaches, trouble with concentration or memory, irritable bowel, bladder problems, depression, anxiety, dry eyes and mouth, dizziness, vision problems, and ringing in the ears.

According to the National Fibromyalgia Association, the condition affects about 10 million people in the U.S. Women are affected about seven times more often than men. Although fibromyalgia is most commonly diagnosed during middle age, it can occur in children.

Bioscience

A drug company spun off by University of Arizona researchers has been awarded $3 million by the National Institutes of Health to continue development of a cure for valley fever, which sickens 150,000 people yearly, two-thirds of them in Arizona.

Valley Fever Solutions Inc. is an outgrowth of the UA's Valley Fever Center for Excellence. It was created in 2008, in part to gain regulatory approval for nikkomycin Z, or Nik Z, a promising cure for the ailment.

Dr. John Galgiani, director of the center and chief medical officer for the company, said the money will be used over the next year to begin producing the drug with a new process that should make it more economical.

Bioscience

Arizona Revised Statute §25-804 allows a parent to institute a paternity proceeding during a pregnancy. It also requires that child support proceedings must be started before a child’s 18th birthday, except in unique circumstances.

A birth certificate with a father’s name on it is evidence of paternity in Arizona in a court of law, but is little more. In order to prove beyond a doubt the identity of the father, an Order of Paternity may be sought by the presiding court.

Bioscience

Arizona Revised Statute §25-804 allows a parent to institute a paternity proceeding during a pregnancy. It also requires that child support proceedings must be started before a child’s 18th birthday, except in unique circumstances.

A birth certificate with a father’s name on it is evidence of paternity in Arizona in a court of law, but is little more. In order to prove beyond a doubt the identity of the father, an Order of Paternity may be sought by the presiding court.

Bioscience

For at least a decade, anyone following the life sciences industry has noticed two naked truths.

One is that the biggest pharmaceutical companies are struggling to replenish research development pipelines as their billion-dollar blockbuster drugs go off patent and in-house programs falter, all despite having spent billions on research and development.

The other is that biotechnology companies often have the best ideas for new drugs but are constantly short of cash.

Bioscience

University of Arizona’s Peter Ellsworth is among the best entomologists around. He is leading the way with research in the IPM field, creating more sustainable and viable solutions for Arizona farmers. Check out the great article below.

Pink bollworm. Silverleaf whiteflies. Lygus bugs.

These three pervasive pests devastated cotton and other crops in Arizona and beyond.

Then the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension program, in partnership with the industry, pest managers and growers, introduced three high-tech solutions that specifically targeted these insects and changed the way Arizona cotton farmers manage their crops. Annual insecticide usage has decreased by more than 1.6 million pounds.

Bioscience

An Arizona State University graduate student, Jinglin Fu, in collaboration with Biodesign Institute researchers Neal Woodbury and Stephen Albert Johnston, has pioneered a technique that improves on scientists' ability to harness and modulate enzyme activity.

The new approach, reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (published recently online), could have wide applicability for designing a range of industrial catalysts, health care diagnostics and therapies centered on understanding the control of enzymatic activity.

Bioscience

A small business grant will help an Arizona-based company develop a drug for Valley Fever.

Valley Fever Solutions Inc (VFS) has been awarded $3 million from the National Institutes for Health (NIH) to continue the commercialization of nikkomycin Z (NikZ), a potentially curative therapy for Valley Fever.

Starting this week, the funds will be administered over the next three-years by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities, one of the institutes and centers of the NIH.