Copyright 2009 Medical News Today Latest Liver Disease / Hepatitis News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/liver_disease/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171598.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171598.php Scientists in China are reporting discovery of unusual liver proteins, found only in males, that may help explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus (HBV) sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women. Their study has been published online in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171603.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171603.php Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: DVAX) announced today that enrollment has been completed for the first of three cohorts of patients receiving DV-601 hepatitis B therapy in a Phase 1b clinical trial. The safety profile of patients in the first cohort met pre-specified criteria for dose escalation and the second cohort has been opened for enrollment. Dynavax expects to report top-line data from this trial in the second half of 2010. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171589.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171589.php Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced new pre-clinical data from its ALN-VSP program presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics International conference being held November 15 - 19, 2009 in Boston, Mass. ALN-VSP is an RNAi therapeutic currently in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of liver cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other solid tumors with liver involvement. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171549.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171549.php Scientists in China are reporting discovery of unusual liver proteins, found only in males, that may help explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus (HBV) sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women. Their study has been published online in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171517.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171517.php Colorectal carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in the world. Approximately one in four of these patients have metastases at diagnosis, liver being the most common site involved. Although historically it was considered that liver metastases meant a very poor prognosis, today, due to improved systemic therapy, many patients will be candidates for local hepatic treatments such as surgery or less aggressive radiofrequency ablation. Colorectal Cancer Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171527.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171527.php Several studies have shown that lipid peroxidation stimulates collagen production in fibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells (HSC), and plays an important role in the development of liver fibrosis. Hepatoprotective effects of green tea against carbon tetrachloride, cholestasis and alcohol induced liver fibrosis were reported in many studies. However, the hepatoprotective effect of green tea in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced models has not been studied. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171530.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171530.php Embryonic stem (ES) cells, known for their capacity to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into almost all types of cells including hepatocytes, have raised the hope of cellular replacement therapy for liver failure. There have been several protocols available for hepatic fate specification from ES cells, however, most of the protocols currently used result in low yield or purity of functional hepatocytes. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171360.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171360.php Following the increasing impact of the GAVI Alliance on the vaccine market, the price of one of the major combination vaccines, the pentavalent, is falling considerably, enabling GAVI's partners to vaccinate millions of more children in the developing world. Immune System / Vaccines Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171351.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171351.php A well-known Eastern medicine supplement may help avoid the most common cause of liver transplantation, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding came as a surprise to the scientists, who used a number of advanced genetic and genomic techniques in mice to identify a molecular pathway that counters acetaminophen toxicity, which leads to liver failure. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171284.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171284.php InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN) announced that the on-going Phase 2b study conducted by Roche of ITMN-191 (RG7227) combined with standard of care (SOC) PEGASYS® (peginterferon alfa-2a) and COPEGUS® (ribavirin) in HCV treatment-naive patients has been modified. The Phase 2b study has four dosage cohorts: SOC; 300mg q8h plus SOC; 600mg q12h plus SOC and 900mg q12h plus SOC. To date, approximately 175 patients have been enrolled in the study. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171044.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/171044.php Screening for Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among pregnant women on methadone maintenance treatment and their infants is inadequate, according to the authors of a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Ralph Nanan, Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Sydney, and his co-authors undertook a retrospective review of medical records from two major hospitals in Sydney and a hospital in rural NSW. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170894.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170894.php The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine is not always beneficial for human health, it may even be harmful according to a work done by the University of Granada and University of León. Scientists have demonstrated that transplantation of human mononuclear cells isolated from umbilical cord blood exerted a deleterious effect in rats with liver cirrhosis. Stem Cell Research Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170654.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170654.php Scientists at a group of 11 research centers in China are reporting for the first time assembly of the largest-ever collection of data about the proteins produced by genes in a single human organ. Their focus was the liver, and their massive database in both protein and transcript levels could become a roadmap for finding possible new biomarkers and treatments for liver disease. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170334.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170334.php A new study by Mount Sinai researchers has for the first time found that patients with more difficult to treat forms of hepatitis C are half as likely to initiate treatment for the disease, when compared to patients with hepatitis C that is easier to treat. Marital status also affected whether patients chose treatment, as did whether or not they had other diseases. The study is published in the November 1 issue of Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169949.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169949.php Coronary Risk Factors Increase After Liver Transplantation (#7991) Patients who have undergone a liver transplant may have a significantly increased risk for developing cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers from New York Medical College assessed the incidence of new coronary risk factors and coronary artery disease in 200 patients (mean age, 58 years) after liver transplantation. All patients received prednisone for the first 3 months after transplantation. Cardiovascular / Cardiology Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169969.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169969.php Due to the increasing complexities of treating digestive diseases, allowing gastroenterological (GI) trainee physicians the opportunity to develop enhanced abilities and experiences in specific disease areas or procedures will be a great benefit to patients, according to a "Report of the Multisociety Task Force on GI Training." Additionally, GI training programs need to measure the achievements of trainees based on specific defined competencies rather than the duration of training alone. GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169855.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169855.php Drug discovery company SCYNEXIS, Inc. presented positive data from an in vitro study evaluating the antiviral activity of SCY-635 in combination with approved and investigational non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors, nucleoside polymerase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, ribavirin and interferon alpha 2b. SCY-635 exhibited additive to synergistic antiviral activity when combined with each of the six compounds tested and all combinations exhibited greater-than-anticipated antiviral activity. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169835.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169835.php Tibotec announced results of a new study (VX950-C208), which showed that sustained virologic response (SVR) was achieved in more than 80 percent of treatment-naïve patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV) who took telaprevir, administered either every 8 hours or every 12 hours, in combination with standard of care. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169872.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169872.php The nucleoside analogue entecavir (Baraclude, Bristol-Myers Squibb) achieves a high response rate and progressive decline in liver stiffness in patients with chronic hepatitis B, according to results from the first study in 'real-life' clinical practice reported at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (31 October - 3 November, 2009). Liver Disease / Hepatitis Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169731.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169731.php Enzo Biochem Inc. (NYSE:ENZ) announced today that favorable results of the Company's clinical trial for treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169630.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169630.php Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and ZymoGenetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZGEN) today presented final results from a Phase 1b clinical trial of PEG-Interferon lambda administered with ribavirin in relapsed and treatment-naïve hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. The poster included data on 56 patients in the study. Antiviral activity was observed at all dose levels tested. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169633.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169633.php Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced 48-week data from an ongoing study (ETV-048) of chronic hepatitis B patients with decompensated cirrhosis, in which BARACLUDE demonstrated greater viral suppression compared to adefovir. The new BARACLUDE data were presented today at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169564.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169564.php Ocera Therapeutics, Inc. announced that AST-120 (spherical carbon adsorbent) was shown to reduce the severity of pruritus (itching) in patients with chronic liver disease. The data were presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases in a presentation titled, "Oral AST-120 (Spherical Carbon Adsorbent) Improves Pruritus and Lowers Serum Bile Acids in Patients with Cirrhosis of Various Etiologies. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169566.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169566.php A methacetin breath test (MBT) that can be performed quickly and noninvasively has been proven to accurately predict survival in patients with viral hepatitis and may be used as an adjunctive tool to MELD. "The breath test has to be validated on a large cohort of patients," said Gadi Lalazar, MD, principal investigator on this study "but if it is validated, this non invasive liver function test will be able to identify liver impairment at all stages of liver disease - both acute and chronic. Liver Disease / Hepatitis Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:00:00 PST http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169552.php http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169552.php Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) reported that interim results from an ongoing Phase IIa study of narlaprevir (SCH 900518), its investigational, once-daily protease inhibitor, demonstrated potent antiviral activity in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1. Liver Disease / Hepatitis