Drug Research and Technology update :

Here are some updates on drug research and technology from my reading-

Stedesa may help lower seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy :

Proceeding published from American Neurological Association reported, "Eslicarbazepine acetate (Stedesa), a European anti-epileptic drug not yet licensed in the US, reduced seizure frequency and was well tolerated as an add-on treatment in patients with refractory partial-onset seizures in a trial reported". The "placebo-controlled trial randomized 395 patients at 46 centers in 13 countries in Europe, South America, and Africa" and found that relative "reduction in seizure frequency was as great as 33% for the highest dose of the drug. The median relative reduction in seizure frequency during the maintenance period was 5% for placebo, 21% for 400 mg of Stedesa, 33% for 800 mg, and 33% for 1,200 mg."

Nortriptyline may be associated with increase in suicidal thoughts in men ?

There are press reports that state "the largest clinical trial to date comparing" nortriptyline, "an older, tricyclic antidepressant, with" escitalopram, "a newer antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class, find that the emergence of suicidal thinking was almost 10 times more common in men taking the older" medicine "than in those taking the newer medication."

In the study published in the British journal BMC Medicine, researchers from King's College London "gauged the responses to antidepressants of 811 persons ranging from 18 to 72 with depression”. This finding is "of particular concern, as it shows that there is little reason for either intensive monitoring over the first weeks, or for complacency later in the course of treatment, which could be an interpretation of current clinical guidelines," the authors concluded.

Infliximab may be associated with lower colectomy rates in UC patients.

According to a research paper published in J.Gastroenterology, "Infliximab treatment is linked to lower colectomy rates in patients with moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis”. The researchers observed that trend after looking at data on 728 UC patients who were randomly assigned to "placebo or infliximab (5 or 10 mg/kg) intravenously at weeks zero, two, and six, then every eight weeks through week 46 or week 22." Eventually, the drug "reduced the need for colectomy by 41 percent compared to patients treated with placebo." In fact, those "treated with infliximab also fared better vs. those receiving placebo in that they had fewer ulcerative colitis-related hospitalizations (40 vs. 20) and fewer surgeries or procedures (34 vs. 21) per 100 patient-years of treatment."

Cystic Fibrosis patients appear to be taking wide variety of medication ?

Cystic fibrosis, a killer disease, like drowning on the inside ! Lead author Dr. Frank J. Accurso from University of Colorado researchers has found that "patients with cystic fibrosis are taking a wide variety of medication." The "most commonly used classes of medications were short-acting beta agonists (83 percent), mucolytics (77 percent), and inhaled and intranasal corticosteroids (51 and 52 percent, respectively)." Even those "with mild lung disease was on roughly four to five medications in different classes," which surprised, researchers "because some of these medications are not well supported (for cystic fibrosis patients) in clinical trials."

Disclaimer : The above information has been cited from literature in public domain. This is for research purpose/ dissemination of knowledge only and should not be construed as medical advise.