BioTech News Headlines - Yahoo! News

Discovery of Gene May Lead to New Male Contraceptive

Thu, 24 May 2012 23:53:51 -0400

THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- The discovery of a key gene involved in sperm development could eventually lead to the creation of a new type of non-hormonal birth control for men, a study involving mice suggests.

New CEO takes the helm at biotech giant Amgen

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:31:12 -0400

Biotech drugmaker Amgen Inc. introduced new CEO Bob Bradway to shareholders Wednesday at the company's annual meeting, with retiring CEO Kevin Sharer stepping down after a decade running the world's largest biotech company.

Scientists deploy genetics in search for bigfoot

Tue, 22 May 2012 10:02:29 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists are turning to genetic testing to see if they can prove the existence of the elusive hairy humanoid known across the world as bigfoot, yeti and sasquatch. A joint project between Oxford University and Switzerland's Lausanne Museum of Zoology will examine organic remains that some say belong to the creature that has been spotted in remote areas for decades. "It's an area that any serious academic ventures into with a deal of trepidation ... It's full of eccentric and downright misleading reports," said Bryan Sykes at Oxford's Wolfson College. ...

Gene Tests May Not Drive Patients to More Medical Care

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:50:08 -0400

FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Personal genetic testing does not lead to an increased use of health services, a new study finds.

Osiris shares climb on stem-cell therapy approval

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:50:16 -0400

Shares of Osiris Therapeutics traded higher Friday, a day after Canadian regulators approved the company's first-of-a-kind stem cell therapy Prochymal, a treatment for a deadly side effect of bone marrow transplants.

Canada OKs Osiris drug; first stem cell therapy

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:57:22 -0400

BOSTON (Reuters) - Osiris Therapeutics Inc said on Thursday that Canadian health regulators have approved its treatment for acute graft-versus host disease in children, making it the first stem cell drug to be approved for a systemic disease anywhere in the world. Osiris shares rose 14 percent to $6.00 in extended trading after the news was announced. Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is a potentially deadly complication from a bone marrow transplant, when newly implanted cells attack the patient's body. ...

Canada OKs Osiris drug; first stem cell therapy

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:08:55 -0400

Osiris stem cell therapy approved in Canada

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:22:40 -0400

Osiris Therapeutics Inc. said Thursday that Canadian regulators approved its stem cell therapy Prochymal, which is intended to treat a deadly side effect of bone marrow transplants.

Study unpicks gene changes behind breast cancer

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:12:35 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have mapped the complete genetic codes of 21 breast cancers and created a catalogue of the mutations that accumulate in breast cells, raising hopes that the disease may be able to be spotted earlier and treated more effectively in future. The research, the first of its kind, untangles the genetic history of how cancer evolves, allowing scientists to identify mutational patterns that fuel the growth of breast tumors, and start to work out the processes behind them. ...

B.C.'s organic growers browned off by bid to wipe browning gene from apples

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:08:40 -0400

KELOWNA, B.C. - Orchardists in B.C.'s Okanagan region worry that the introduction of genetically modified trees could take a bite out of fruit sales.

Genetic Test May Spot Raised Autism Risk

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:52:06 -0400

WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report that a new DNA test may be able to spot an increased risk of autism in children as young as 6 months old.

Stem Cell Study Shows Promising Results Against Heart Failure

Thu, 10 May 2012 23:52:09 -0400

THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- A new treatment that involves spinning bone marrow stem cells to enhance their healing potential may help people with advanced heart failure feel and function better, a small study suggests.

Onetime "King of Biotech" runs afoul of law again

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:50:37 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters) - David Blech, an investor who was known as the "King of Biotech" before he admitted to criminal charges of stock manipulation in 1998, has run into trouble with the law again over illegal trades in stocks of two biopharmaceutical companies. Blech told a federal judge in New York on Wednesday that in 2007 and 2008 he bought and sold stocks of Pluristem Therapeutics Inc and Intellect Neurosciences Inc in quick succession to try and conceal his own sales that might have reduced the stock's value. ...

Genetic study pins horse domestication to steppes

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:33:23 -0400

A genetic study of horses across Eastern Europe and Central Asia has traced the domestication of one of man's most powerful animal allies to wide-open grasslands shared by Ukraine, southwest Russia and Kazakhstan, researchers said Monday.

NY medical schools chart progress with stem cells

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:52:51 -0400

Almost halfway through a $600 million state program supporting stem cell research, eight medical schools around New York are reporting progress on projects such as replicating liver cells and eradicating leukemia cells.

Researchers Rejuvenate Blood-Forming Stem Cells in Mice

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:01:06 -0400

THURSDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers who found a way to rejuvenate aged blood-forming cells in mice say their achievement offers clues about how it may be possible to combat health problems associated with old age.

Even at higher genetic heart risk, lifestyle helps

Thu, 03 May 2012 16:24:36 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - It's no secret that healthy habits do your heart good. But a new study helps confirm that lifestyle also matters for people who have a genetically increased risk of heart problems. The study, reported in the American Journal of Cardiology, focused on men who had at least one parent who'd had a heart attack before the age of 55. That's considered "premature" heart disease, and people whose mom or dad had it are also at higher-than-average risk themselves. That means increased odds of both heart attack and heart failure. ...

Study: Gene Therapy for HIV Safe, But Effectiveness Still Unclear

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:52:08 -0400

WEDNESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- New research shows that gene therapy can have long-lasting effects on the immune cells of HIV patients -- a promising sign -- even though the specific treatment being studied did not eradicate the virus.

Biotech targets fight back as Big Pharma circles

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:16:24 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - Biotech companies are fighting back in an unequal battle with Big Pharma, helped by a small but powerful cohort of investors who dominate the companies' share registers. A Reuters analysis of 10 likely biotech takeover targets shows the extent to which a few large investors, including Fidelity Investments, Capital Research Global Investors, Wellington Management and T. Rowe Price Associates hold the keys to the kingdom when it comes to negotiating a deal. From Amylin Pharmaceuticals to Onyx Pharmaceuticals and Human Genome Sciences , these U.S. ...

Scientists find gene that inhibits pancreas cancer spread

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:37:12 -0400

Scientists have identified a gene that slows the spread of pancreatic cancer tumours, paving the way for targeted treatment of one of the deadliest forms of the disease, said a paper published Sunday.

Research Gets Closer to Genetic Roots of Glaucoma

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:54:01 -0400

FRIDAY, April 27 (HealthDay News) -- Two genetic variations are linked to a common form of glaucoma, known as primary open-angle glaucoma, according to new research.

Sunflower gene spliced into soybean to boost yield

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:54:45 -0400

Researchers in Argentina have isolated a drought-resistant sunflower gene and spliced it into soy, bolstering hopes for improved yields as the South American agricultural powerhouse grapples with global warming.

Scientists Identify Gene Behind Pygmies' Short Stature

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:52:09 -0400

THURSDAY, April 26 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have identified genes linked to the small stature of Western African Pygmies in Cameroon.

AstraZeneca fuels biotech M&A with $1.3 billion Ardea buy

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:13:27 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - AstraZeneca is to buy U.S. company Ardea Biosciences for $1.26 billion, giving it a new gout drug to bolster a weak pipeline in a deal that feeds a wave of M&A in the biotechnology sector. The $32 per share acquisition - a 54 percent premium to Ardea's closing price on Friday - is worth $1 billion after deducting cash held by Ardea, the companies said on Monday. The planned purchase shows Britain's second-biggest drug maker delivering on a promise to step up deal-making to fix its drug pipeline. ...

Gene Behind Psoriasis Identified, Researchers Say

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:53:11 -0400

THURSDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists say they've identified the first gene directly linked to the most common form of psoriasis, known as plaque psoriasis.