FDA Drug Approvals low in 2008

At the end of June, only nine drugs had been approved by the FDA. According to this article at CNN Money, this slow pace could result in the lowest drug approval year since 2003. Some of this has to do with the FDA’s harsher rules that have the safety of the public in mind. The FDA cites faltering research as a reason for fewer approvals. However there have been 18 molecular entities approved that have not yet been used in an FDA approved drug.

Prescription drugs increasing in price

According to this article at the USA Today, drug companies are quietly but dramatically increasing the price of certain prescription drugs. Hikes have been seen anywhere from 100% to 1000% over the past year on a small number of prescription drugs. The number of drugs that have increased in price by 100% has nearly doubled this year. The majority of drugs affected by the price increase are typically older drugs that treat rare conditions. An example of this is Acthar, which treats spasms in babies. One bottle used to cost $1,650, but how has risen to the cost of $23,000 per bottle. Consumers are indirectly affected by the dramatic increase. Hospitals, the majority using these drugs to treat patients, pass of the cost to the insurers, which in turn increase insurance premiums for their customers.

Alzheimer’s Breakthrough

TauRX recently announced data on their drug remberTM has shown that in 81% of users, there is been a slow down in the cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s. As Fierce Biotech reported this disease has been especially difficult for researchers to find a cure. Professor Claude Wischik offers some hope saying that

"This is an unprecedented result in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. We have demonstrated for the first time that it may be possible to arrest progression of the disease by targeting the tangles which are highly correlated with the disease."

This news comes on the heels of the announcement from Myriad Genetics who announced that they are abandoning their over $60 million effort on Flurizan which had failed in late stage trials.

Broccoli Reduces Heart Damage Caused by Diabetes

BBC News reports that a study conducted by the University of Warwick suggests that a compound found in broccoli called sulforaphane encourages production of enzymes which protect the blood vessel. People with diabetes are five times as likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks, and both of these are directly linked to damaged blood vessels.

The team at Warwick tested the effects of sulforaphane on damaged blood vessels and they recorded a 73% reduction Reactive Oxygen Series (SOS), which can damage human cells. Researchers also noted that sulforaphane activated a protein called nfr2, which protects cells and tissue from damages.

New Study: Men over 75 shouldn’t be tested for Prostate Cancer

According to a recent study by the US Preventative Task Force, detailed here at the WSJ Health Blog, says it’s not healthy for men over the age of 75 to be tested for prostate cancer. Unless the man is showing signs that he is suffering from the disease, it’s not necessary to test for the disease due to the risks and stress that the test can cause. It’s far more likely at that point that the men will die of a non-prostate cancer related cause.

Getting Healthy While at Work

Dr. Jim Levine had conducted a study two years ago where the results shocked him. He found that 90% of overweight individuals were sitting 2.5 hours longer per day than individuals who were not considered obese. ABC Health reports that after seeing these results

“It was so staggering that Levine hasn't stopped walking since and even does his work while walking at a low speed on a treadmill.”

The concept behind this, is to introduce low intensity activity into an individuals everyday activities in order to help combat activity. In Levine’s own words

"I spend my entire work day at one mile an hour," he said. "I work at my computer at one mile an hour. I have my meetings at one mile an hour."

This past September he started on a 6 month study to determine if a “treadmill desks at work” would help with obesity. He used the SALO office as his lab, and the office staff who were interested as his subjects. His results show that “low-level activity is crucial to fighting chronic obesity.” Over the course of the 6 months, the staff lost a combined total of over 200 pounds. Levine says that individuals who have the highest success rate are those

“making a commitment to a lot of small adjustments. It's almost a matter of saying, I'm going to change my chair-based life to a dynamic and sort of more exciting life."

The “Exercise” Pill

According to this article in the NY Times researchers at the Salk Institute in San Diego reported that they have engineered two pills that trick the muscles into thinking that they have been working out furiously. For now, testing has been only done on lab mice. These drugs have shown up to 75% increase in endurance in mice, and the results will likely apply to people as well since muscle tone from human and mice are similar.

Dr. Ronald M. Evans, leader of the Salk group, mentions:

“It’s a little bit like a free lunch without the calories.”

The pills should be able to help people who are too frail to exercise, and those who suffer from diabetes and obesity. Diet and exercise are crucial to the treatment of diabetic patients, so there is a possibility that this drug could become widely used if it passes FDA guidelines. More testing and research is still needed in order to finalize the drug before it reaches consumers.