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WHO Approves Second HPV Vaccine
The WHO announced Thursday it had approved a second cervical cancer vaccine, opening "U.N. agencies and partners [to] now officially buy millions of doses of the vaccine for poor countries worldwide," where an estimated 80 percent of the 280,000 annual deaths from cervical cancer occur each year, the AP/Google.com reports (7/9).

Depuy Mitek Launches Small Joint Anchors Now Pre-Loaded With Orthocord(R) - Small, Strong And Secure Solutions For Soft Tissue Fixation
DePuy Mitek, Inc., a leading orthopaedics sports medicine company, announced that all of its QUICKANCHOR® Plus suture anchors for small joint repair are now available pre-loaded with ORTHOCORD®. ORTHOCORD is the only high-strength, partially absorbable orthopedic suture on the market designed to provide a supple solution for soft tissue fixation while maintaining strength and knot security. The QUICKANCHOR Plus small joint suture anchors with ORTHOCORD include the MINI, MINILOK™, MICRO and MICROFIX™ product families.
News of the day
South African Health Minister To Launch PMTCT Plan
South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi within the next two weeks is expected to launch a plan to address mother-to-child HIV transmission in an effort to reduce infant mortality in the country, The Times reports. The MTCT plan is part of a new health program adopted by President Jacob Zuma"s administration, according to The Times."This is one of the most urgent things I want to (deal with) as the new minister," Motsoaledi said. According to Motsoaledi, a child dies every eight minutes in South Africa, and about 40% of child deaths are related to HIV/AIDS. The plan was developed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa at a July meeting of government and health sector stakeholders. Participants at the meeting also examined maternal deaths and the decrease in life expectancy among young adults because of HIV/AIDS. According to Motsoaledi, these and other issues have been identified as priorities for the Zuma administration if South Africa is to meet targets in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. They also have been consolidated into a 10-point plan to help the Department of Health focus on urgent issues through 2015."Health and education are the biggest challenges for (the government) and we ought to be doing something drastic," Motsoaledi said, adding, "These are very serious issues in society." The health department"s plan also calls for the revival of the National AIDS Council and says that the government should improve regulation of the private health sector. It also calls for the establishment of a national tuberculosis reference laboratory, a focus on infection rates among women ages 17 to 21 and the improvement of HIV prevention among commercial sex workers (Molele, The Times, 5/25).
Medical Devices

UCB And Biogen Idec Discontinue Phase II Clinical Trial Of CDP323

UCB and Biogen Idec announced the discontinuation of the Phase II clinical trial of CDP323 for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Preliminary interim efficacy analysis showed that patients enrolled in this clinical trial did not benefit as expected from CDP323 compared to placebo after a six month treatment period. No cases of PML (progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy) were noted. CDP323 is an oral small molecule alpha4 integrin inhibitor that was being developed by UCB and Biogen Idec for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. For UCB, results of this interim analysis trigger a re-valuation of the intangible asset "CDP323". UCB expects a non-cash, non-recurring impairment of a high double-digit million pre-tax euro amount. This will be more than compensated by cash, non-recurring capital gains, which resulted from the divestitures UCB made earlier this year. More information on the financial impacts of both the impairment and the capital gains will be included in the Half Year Report 2009 of UCB, due July 31, 2009. About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects an estimated 1.1 - 2.5 million people worldwide. Although the exact cause is unknown, MS occurs as a result of loss of the protective outer coating on nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Deterioration in the way that messages are transmitted around the body leads to loss of movement and other body functions. Symptoms of MS can include vision problems, loss of balance, numbness, difficulty walking and paralysis. About Biogen Idec Biogen Idec creates new standards of care in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs. Founded in 1978, Biogen Idec is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies. Patients in more than 90 countries benefit from Biogen Idec"s significant products that address diseases such as lymphoma, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. For product labeling, press releases and additional information about the company, please visit http://www.biogenidec.com. UCB


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