February 2016

Offering a target for developing new therapies to address sleep disorders, researchers have identified a gene that when overactivated causes severe insomnia.

A new non-surgical, painless medical procedure which reduces fat from the body within a day or two was launched day.

Tobacco products were cheaper than essential food items in India, says a new study."The current excise and Value Added Tax (VAT) rates are insufficient to increase the prices of tobacco products, therefore making these products easily affordable," said the study conducted by the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID) and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

The union cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for an agreement to be signed between the AYUSH ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for collaborative activities.

Results of a recent clinical study have shown that an anti-cancer drug that triggers cell death in various tumour types, may have clinical potential for some blood cancers including mantel cell lymphoma (MCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Biota Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to its antiviral compound, BTA585, for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in infants, young children and adults.

As a safety measure against the emerging Zika virus outbreak, today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a new guidance recommending the deferral of individuals from donating blood if they have been to areas with active Zika virus transmission, potentially have been exposed to the virus, or have had a confirmed Zika virus infection.

Remedy Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held, Phase 3-ready pharmaceutical company focused on bringing life saving hospital-based treatment to people affected by central nervous system (CNS) related edema, announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has granted orphan drug designation to its lead drug, CIRARA™, for both the treatment of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage and acute spinal cord injury.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved additional indications for Harvoni® (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) for use in chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced liver disease.