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Array BioPharma Advances Its Lead MEK Inhibitor Into Cancer
Array BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) announced the filing of an investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in cancer patients with its most advanced wholly owned MEK inhibitor, ARRY-162. Recent research confirms that the MEK pathway acts as a central axis in the proliferation of different tumors including melanoma, non-small cell lung, head/neck and pancreatic cancers. Array plans to simultaneously develop ARRY-162 for the treatment of both cancer and inflammatory disease. Array is currently completing a worldwide Phase 2, double-blinded clinical trial with ARRY-162 in 200 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

Rutgers Research Discovery Sets Direction For Decoding Large-Scale Structure Of Brain
It is widely known that the brain perceives information before it reaches a person"s awareness. But until now, there was little way to determine what specific mental tasks were taking place prior to the point of conscious awareness.
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Prostate Cancer Screening Has Yet To Prove Its Worth
The recent release of two large randomized trials suggests that if there is a benefit of screening, it is, at best, small, says a new report in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Authored by Otis W. Brawley, M.D. of the American Cancer Society and Donna Ankerst, Ph.D. and Ian M. Thompson, M.D. of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the review says because prostate cancer is virtually ubiquitous in men as they age, it is clear that a goal of "finding more cancers" is not acceptable. Instead, public health principles demand that screening must reduce the risk of death from prostate cancer, reduce the suffering from prostate cancer, or reduce health care costs when compared with a non-screening scenario. The authors suggest prostate cancer screening has yet to reach one of these standards to date.
Sexual Health

Chagas Disease Not Addressed By World Health Assembly

The World Health Organization (WHO) has cut short its annual health ministers meeting because of influenza A (H1N1) preparations and has postponed discussions about Chagas disease. Much needed progress in diagnosing and treating people for this neglected disease must not be further delayed, warned the international medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Mç©decins Sans Frontiç¨res (MSF) today. This week"s World Health Assembly (WHA), the annual gathering of health ministers in Geneva, was an opportunity for countries to commit collectively to stepping up the fight against Chagas, a largely neglected tropical disease endemic in many Latin American countries, which affects an estimated 14 million people and kills about 15,000 people every year. "At the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Chagas we had expected that the WHA would adopt a resolution where all affected countries agree to integrate care of acute and chronic Chagas patients into their primary healthcare systems, and to invest more in research," said Roger Teck, MSF director of operations. "People affected by this neglected disease are once again neglected. However, even though Chagas is now off the WHA agenda, this should not be used as an excuse for inaction. Governments of endemic countries should step up through developing and implementing better national and international protocols to fight against Chagas." Chagas programs have traditionally focused on preventing the disease by controlling the "kissing bugs," the blood-sucking insects that transmit the disease. But MSF"s experience in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Bolivia since 1999 has shown that prevention is far from enough. "The focus on prevention ignores the needs of those who are already infected and are suffering in silence. In endemic countries, governments should actively screen, diagnose, and treat many more patients," said Gemma Ortiz, senior advocacy officer for Chagas at MSF. "Access to diagnostics and treatment must be made a priority." MSF also urges WHO member states to review a range of alternative financing mechanisms, such as prize funds, to stimulate research and development for better tools to diagnose and treat Chagas patients in all stages of the disease. The lack of commercial incentives to invest in research and development has meant that Chagas has been neglected for decades. Chagas is an infectious disease caused by the trypanosoma cruzi parasite. Originating in Latin America, more and more cases are being reported in the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Japan as a result of migration and mobility. In its chronic form, Chagas causes heart and gastrointestinal tract disease, leading to disability and death. Since 1999, MSF has implemented Chagas projects in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Bolivia. Currently, MSF is working in three suburban districts in Cochabamba in Bolivia, the country with the highest recorded Chagas prevalence. MSF works with the Bolivian Ministry of Health in five primary healthcare centers, where children and adults up to 50 years of age are diagnosed and treated. A new Chagas project will open in the rural area of Cochabamba this year. MSF has continuously advocated for scaled up access to diagnosis and treatment and their integration into primary healthcare. Doctors Without Borders/Mç©decins Sans Frontiç¨res


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