Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. has presented results from the FLEXX Trial of Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee at the Osteoarthritis Research Society International 2008 World Congress in Rome, Italy. The results show that EUFLEXXA(R), a highly pure non-avian high molecular weight form of intra-articular hyaluronic acid, is superior to intra-articular saline for pain relief in knee OA at the end of six months. The double-blind study had enrolled 586 patients. EUFLEXXA is the first hyaluronic acid derived from non-avian that has been approved in the U.S. for knee OA pain.

A meta-analysis carried out by Carsten Moser of the Grönemeyer Institute for Microtherapy and Peter Wehling of the Molecular Medicine Foundation has found out that most of the therapies for knee osteoarthritis (OA) are ineffective, some of them being even risky. Another finding was that often, prescribed anti-rheumatic drugs do no good and have side effects. Not even a single standard treatment was found for the disorder. The researchers emphasize the need for a plan that focuses on individual treatment based on a comprehensive diagnosis of symptoms of each patient.

Researchers at the University of Texas have developed a polymer-based delivery system which could lead to vaccines that would be more effective and specific to the infectious disease. The engineers have used ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules for the purpose. The two year long study used the new system on mice, delivering a DNA-based hepatitis B vaccine. The immune response was found to be much stronger as compared to the conventional system.

SensiGen LLC has made an announcement about a new program to make the company’s AttoSense™ HPV assay available to head and neck cancer researchers worldwide. The declaration has followed the announcement of results of recent studies conducted at the University of Michigan. These conclude that the success of various treatment options is determined by the viral load of HPV in tissue samples from patients. With the AttoSense™ HPV test, selecting the most effective therapy for a particular patient will be easier. The diagnostic assay can accurately identify minute quantities of the biomarkers that indicate the beginning of major diseases or their causing pathogens.

A research conducted by the University of Texas Medical School has discovered some antibodies that have the potential to prevent an HIV-positive person from progressing to AIDS. This study could be used to develop a vaccine or microbicides to prevent people who are not infected with HIV from getting in contact with it. Catalytic antibodies attack on HIV’s outer shell where the virus binds to immune system cells, preventing the entry of virus into the cells. According to the researchers, the antibodies are present in lupus patients whose immune systems, generally, malfunction and produce a number of unusual antibodies.

A research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has combined futuristic nanotechnology with an old drug to treat atherosclerotic plaques. The scientists have found that drug-laced nano-particles in collaboration with a statin can curb the growth of blood vessels that lead to arterial plaques. The findings suggest that this treatment also prevents these tiny vessels from resuming their growth. The test on rabbits, if successful in human patients with atherosclerosis, can prove to be a boon.

A research conducted by the University of Western Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute has concluded that a knee surgery does not relieve osteoarthritis patients from joint pain and provide for no improvement in knee functioning. A minimally invasive surgical procedure, arthroscopic surgery, adds no therapeutic value to medication and physical therapy for patients suffering from moderate osteoarthritis. The authors of the study have suggested that the resources which are currently allotted to arthroscopy for osteoarthritis could be utilized in a better way if directed elsewhere.

A research at the School of Naturopathic Medicine at BastyrUniversity in Kenmore, Washington has revealed that St. John’s wort is not an effective treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) funded the study. Most herbal supplements like the St. John’s wort, tend to interact with other medications. Therefore, these should not be taken unless advised by the doctor. The researchers did not find any significant differences between the groups of children given St. John’s wort against those given placebo.

One-fifth of Ayurvedic medicines made in the United States and India ordered from 25 websites by a team from Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center were found to have metallic poisons such as lead, mercury or arsenic. About 21 percent of 193 Ayurvedic medicines tested had some or more of the metals. Moreover, half of those exceeded established standards for exposure levels. Some of these herbs are very promising treatments for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol, but the researchers suggested that strictly enforced, government-mandated daily dose limits for toxic metals in all dietary supplements were necessary to ensure safety. They also suggest that all manufacturers should demonstrate compliance through independent third-party testing.

New tests of HepaLife Technologies Inc.’s bioartificial liver device demonstrated that the company’s bioreactor system and patented PICM-19 cells inside the device remain functional over prolonged periods time, far exceeding the number of treatment hours referenced in published research studies of human liver failure patients undergoing conventional liver support therapies. During the tests, HepaLife’s bioartificial liver device system was able to successfully retain the highest levels of liver-specific metabolic activity, mimicking the most important functions of the human liver, for 14 days. With these test results, the company has progressively moved towards the commercialization of the technology.