Bio Product Guide » Protein Biochemistry

FDA approves Talecris Biotherapeutics PROLASTIN-C

Jim Marino — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:08:26 +0000

Talecris Biotherapeutics has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for PROLASTIN®-C (Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor [Human]), a more concentrated version of PROLASTIN® produced using advances in manufacturing technology. PROLASTIN-C is indicated for the treatment of alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, a genetic condition in which low levels of this essential protein can result in emphysema. The active protein in PROLASTIN-C increases or “augments” protein levels in AAT-deficient patients at risk for developing emphysema.

Researchers find how greens protect the heart

Jim Marino — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:18:35 +0000

A new research, the details of which have appeared in Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, has indicated a possible reason for green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower being good for the heart. The research conducted by a team from Imperial College London indicated that vegetables contain a chemical that can boost the body’s natural defense mechanism that protects arteries from disease. The team hopes this research could lead to new dietary treatments to prevent heart problems.

Mutant protein may enable advanced heart disease cure

Jim Marino — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:09:05 +0000

According to Michael Blaber, a researcher at the Florida State University College of Medicine, mutant forms of human protein may help restore blood flow to the damaged areas of the heart. Blaber hopes that these mutant proteins may be used in new treatment methods for those patients with advanced heart disease who had no other options earlier.

Scientists close to developing antidote to the most lethal biological weapon

Jim Marino — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:11:15 +0000

Scientists are on their way to developing an effective antidote for botulinum toxin – one of the world’s most feared biological weapons. The researchers have developed a protein that blocks the effects of the toxin by tricking it into not attacking cells in the body. The protein acts on the most powerful of these seven toxins produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium, for which there is no medical treatment. The developed protein behaves as a decoy to proteins in the nerve cells, which means that the toxin chooses not to attach itself to the nerve cells when it enters the body, preventing paralysis.

Saliva and nano-bio-chip for early diagnose heart attack

Jim Marino — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:35:55 +0000

A multi-institutional team, led by John T. McDevitt, reported at a recent meeting of the American Association for Dental Research that it may be possible to diagnose a heart attack in the early stages by using only a few drops of saliva and a new nano-bio-chip. The nano-bio-chip assay could some day be used to analyze a patient’s saliva on board an ambulance, at the dentist’s office or at a neighborhood drugstore, helping save lives and prevent damage from cardiac disease. The tests performed by the device, which is the size of a credit card, promise to dramatically improve the accuracy and speed of cardiac diagnosis.

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