Briefs
Industry news tidbits from around the world.
- More than 60 investigators from India gathered at the Mumbai Hyatt Hotel for a meeting hosted by Criterium (Saratoga Springs, NY) and The Thrombosis Research Institute (London, UK) meant to jump start a two-year, Phase IIB oncology study examining the incidence of symptomatic venous thrombo-embolism events in gastric cancer patients. Criterium is responsible for both providing regulatory expertise and choosing India-based investigative sites to conduct the study, which will enroll 740 patients.
- In an agreement with Richard Atkinson, MD—whose titles include president of Obetech (Richmond, VA), editor of the International Journal of Obesity, and president and co-founder of the American Obesity Association (Silver Spring, MD)—Scandinavian Clinical Nutrition (SCN; Stockholm, Sweden) obtained the patent rights to adenovirus 36 (AD36), which is thought to be a major factor in the onset of obesity. The company will continue research on AD36 with the help of Atkinson and Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden). Additionally, SCN formed a subsidiary, Scandivir, which was established to develop diagnostic tests to screen for AD36 in humans, as well as to explore treatments.
- Brazil will be freely distributing a new malaria treatment: a low-cost, single, fixed-dose artemisinin-based combination therapy made from artesunate and mefloquine and known as ASMQ. Brazilian company Farmanguinhos and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (Geneva, Switzerland) have been working cooperatively to bring the drug to markets at a desired price of $2.50 per adult dose. ASMQ is expected to hit Latin America and Southeast Asia between now and 2009, with India-based Cipla likely to supply Asian markets with the malaria treatment.
- New Zealand looks to improve patient care as the country's Best Practice Advocacy Centre will integrate patient medical records from New Zealand's 4000 general practitioners (GPs) with InferMed's (London, UK) Arezzo, a clinical decision support software platform. Arezzo will enable GPs to view patients' electronic medical records (EMRs) in the format of their own systems: a major benefit as New Zealand currently utilizes five disparate EMR systems.
Including Women of Childbearing Age in Clinical Research
March 26th 2024In recognition of International Women's Month, we're featuring this recent talk between Associate Editor Miranda Schmalfuhs and Marie Teil, Global Head of UCB’s Women of Childbearing Age Program. They speak about the specific challenges women with chronic illnesses face when accessing appropriate treatment and participating in clinical trials, UCB's Women of Childbearing Age Program and it’s most successful strategies, and much more.
Improving Engagement While Maintaining Data Integrity & Validity
March 19th 2024In recognition of Women's Health Month, we're featuring this recent talk between Associate Editor Miranda Schmalfuhs and uMotif's Chief Product Officer, Julia Lakeland, discuss new technologies improving patient engagement and reducing the emotional and logistical burdens of participation, ethical considerations that should be addressed when implementing those technologies, while ensuring patient privacy, and much more.
