Drug- Clinical research updates-

JAK inhibitor shows promise for patients with myelofibrosis.
According to data from the largest-ever trial of patients with the incurable bone marrow disease, "Half of patients with myelofibrosis had major clinical responses to an investigational inhibitor of Janus activated kinase (JAK). A Houston oncologist also said during a press briefing at the American Society of Hematology meeting that after "follow-up for at least a year, 48% of 155 patients had greater than a 50% reduction in splenomegaly." The oncologist added, "More than 75% of the patients are still on the study after an average of 16 months, meaning the patients benefit and the drug is safe."

New approach to treating hepatitis C said to look promising.
An experimental antiviral drug that works by a different mechanism than existing drugs has been shown to suppress hepatitis C in chimpanzees," according to a paper in Science. In fact, "preliminary tests suggest that the drug, called SPC3649, has no toxic side effects, does not allow development of resistance -- which plagues other hepatitis drugs -- and has lasting effects after treatment has stopped." Apparently, "the new drug outwits the virus by targeting not the virus itself, but a short piece of RNA in cells" -- miR-122 -- "that is crucial to" replication.

The "standard treatment is a two-drug cocktail of interferon...and ribavirin, an antiviral, which cures about half of those infected." The side effects, however, "can be grueling," and for "those who don't respond to the two-drug cocktail, there are few options."

The group "studied four chimps chronically infected with HCV genotype 1 and noted two chimps got a low dose of SPC3649, and two got a high dose, given once a week for 12 weeks. The higher-dose treatment was remarkably effective in suppressing HCV." Specifically, "HCV levels drop 350-fold in chimps treated with SPC3649." The team also pointed out that the "lower dose showed a strong but lesser effect in one chimp, but not in the other." Treatment also "made the virus much more sensitive to the antiviral effects of interferon."

The study further reported, "also showed the technology could prove useful in the treatment of other diseases, including HIV, cancer, and inflammatory diseases." As for its current applications, the treatment, developed by Santaris Pharma A/S, is "undergoing 'human clinical trials and is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical studies in healthy volunteers."

Postmenopausal women taking antidepressants may be at higher stroke, death risk.
According to a study published in the J.Archives of Internal Medicine, "postmenopausal women who take anti-depressants face a small -- but statistically significant -- increased risk of a stroke." In a study "based on" data from the Women's Health Initiative Study on "136,293 women aged 50 to 79, who were followed for an average of six years," Harvard Medical School researchers found that "antidepressant users were 45% more likely to have a stroke than women not taking the" medications.

Further, "women taking antidepressants also had a 32% higher risk of death from all causes." While "the absolute risk of stroke was very small -- 0.43% a year versus 0.3% for women not on antidepressants," the fact that "so many people take the pills" may "have a significant impact at the population level, said the scientists." Moreover, "no difference in stroke risk was found between the two major classes of antidepressant, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)...and tricyclic antidepressants." SSRIs, however, "were more associated with bleeding in the brain."

The investigators, admitted they could not rule out the possibility of underlying depression contributing to stroke risk. Study lead author and psychiatrist Jordan Smoller, MD, stated, "While this study did find an association between antidepressants and cardiovascular events, additional research needs to be done to determine exactly what it signifies." Dr. Smoller added, "Older women taking antidepressants, like everyone else, should also work on modifying their other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol levels and blood pressure."

The finding underscores what women have come to learn from a wide range of studies, including several that have emerged from the Women's Health Initiative: It's important to know whether you are at high or low risk of something like stroke before allowing a study like this to sway a decision to take medication for depression, and that's a conversation to be had with a physician who knows your medical history."

FDA approves longer-lasting version of Zyprexa.
Eli Lilly & Co. said regulators have approved a longer-lasting version of its top-selling drug, the anti-psychotic Zyprexa [olanzapine]." The FDA "approved Zyprexa Relprevv, an injection that can last up to four weeks, for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults." Lilly spokeswoman Janell Smith said for the new version, patients "will visit their doctors every two or four weeks -- depending on their dosage -- to receive the injection."

The approval "could bring some much-needed profit to Lilly" because the drugmaker "will lose most of the $4.7 billion a year Zyprexa now generates in revenue when cheaper generic versions of the drug hit the market two years from now." In addition, despite some initial concerns from the FDA, Lilly worked with the agency "to develop a mandatory patient care program, which restricts distribution of Zyprexa Realprevv to medical professionals or patients enrolled in the program."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug research updates-

Eye drops containing tamarind seed extract may help fight dry-eye syndrome.
Tamarind fruit extract could help millions combat dry-eye syndrome." The new "seed extract mimics the behaviour of natural tears, helping to keep the eye surface lubricated and repair damage from dehydration." The eye drops are a combination of "hyaluronic acid, which can restore and maintain hydration by reducing fluid loss from the eye, and tamarind seed polysaccharide," both of which work together to "repair the...watery surface layer of the eye."

Australian study suggests children, infants only need one H1N1 vaccine dose.
A study by Australian researchers found children and infants only need one does of H1N1 vaccine for effective immunity to the disease. If confirmed, the results "could help damp the spread of the virus by reducing the logistical complications associated with the currently recommended regimen of two doses." However, US health authorities "will not change their recommendations for children." In an editorial accompanying the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, they note "that the Australian study used twice the dosage of viral antigen found in US vaccines" and the study directly contradicts previous research.

Dr. Anthony Fiore, at the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, wrote in the editorial, "Until you can show that a single dose is as effective as two, it's probably too soon to pull away from the two-dose recommendation."

Cephalon's Treanda may delay cancer growth better than CHOP cocktail.
Cephalon, Inc.'s cancer drug Treanda [bendamustine] worked better than a standard chemotherapy regimen when paired with Roche Holding AG's Rituxan [rituximab] to slow the progression of certain lymphomas," according to findings reported at the American Society of Hematology meeting. The standard cocktail, known as CHOP, "includes four medicines: the chemotherapies cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and the steroid prednisone." Researchers found that in patients with "cancers known as follicular, indolent, or mantle-cell lymphomas," Treanda "delayed cancer growth for 55 months, compared with 35 months for those taking the regimen known as CHOP."

Bendamustine (Treanda) could replace the so-called CHOP regimen as the optimal partner with rituximab (Rituxan) as the standard first-line treatment for indolent and mantle cell lymphomas, researchers said." In fact, "the combination of bendamustine and rituximab showed substantially lower toxicity and better complete response rates in a randomized Phase III trial," according to a German researcher. The researcher also said the bendamustine-rituximab combination "'has the potential to become the new standard of care' for follicular lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, and other indolent forms of lymphoma."

Pradaxa may be as safe, effective as warfarin.
Blood-thinning pill Pradaxa [dabigatran] may provide a more convenient alternative to" warfarin, "the standard therapy for potentially deadly clots," according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Society of Hematology conference. Pradaxa "'is a far more convenient drug,' since levels in the body don't react with foods and other medicines the way warfarin does, researchers...wrote in the study." The investigators found that "Pradaxa reduced the risk of bleeding by 29 percent compared with warfarin." There were no significant differences in safety outcomes, including bleeding events, acute coronary syndrome, and abnormal liver function tests," according to the researchers.


Defibrotide may prevent VOD in children, adolescents undergoing stem cell transplants.
The investigational drug defibrotide helped prevent hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) in children and adolescents undergoing stem cell transplants for leukemia, researchers said" at the American Society of Hematology's meeting. Selim Corbacioglu, MD, of Germany's University of Ulm, said "VOD developed in 12% of young patients receiving the drug prophylactically, compared with 20% of a placebo group in a randomized, 360-patient trial." Corbacioglu also said that overall, "VOD at day 30 post-transplant was seen in 23% of infants, 14% of children, and 13% of adolescents," and "defibrotide was significantly more effective than placebo in several secondary endpoints."

Omapro confirms results in study of patients with CML.
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Ltd., an unprofitable Australian drugmaker, said its experimental leukemia drug," called Omapro (omacetaxine mepesuccinate), "cleared the disease in 86 percent of patients, confirming results under review by US and European regulators." The study of 81 patients with "chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML," showed that the drug "also eradicated the disease from bone marrow in 18 percent of patients with an early stage of the blood cancer, potentially allowing them to receive marrow transplants and be cured of the disease." The drug also "is the first to treat the five percent of CML patients who have a gene mutation that makes them resistant to Novartis AG's Gleevec" [imatinib], and ChemGenex "has said it expects FDA approval by mid-2010."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug research updates-

Experimental psoriasis drug meets key midstage clinical trial goals.
Celgene Corp. announced Dec. 15 that "its experimental psoriasis treatment, apremilast, met key goals in a midstage clinical trial." Specifically, the drug "reduced the severity of moderate-to-severe psoriasis" in "41 percent of patients receiving the 30-milligram dose...compared with only six percent taking placebo." The company may "advance the drug candidate to late-stage development in 2010. It reported that if apremilast is successful, it will compete against the injectable TNF-inhibitor Enbrel (etanercept). Enbrel is manufactured by Amgen, Inc.

Gilead's hypertension treatment candidate fails to meet main trial goal.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. said that its high blood pressure treatment candidate, darusentan, failed to meet the main goal of a late-stage clinical trial when compared to a placebo." Company executives found the result "disappointing, and...think it would be challenging to define an expedient path forward”.

Bevacizumab plus chemotherapy may modestly improve survival in metastatic breast cancer.
According to findings from two trials reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer, Bevacizumab (Avastin) only modestly improves progression-free survival for metastatic breast cancer when added to chemotherapy. In both trials, researchers found that "the gain was statistically significant, but averaged only one to two months compared with chemotherapy alone." Furthermore, "neither trial showed a significant survival advantage with the addition of the biologic agent." The researchers noted that "given the drug's expense -- roughly $30,000 to $40,000 a month," bevacizumab is "definitely not a home run."

Tarenflurbil appears to have no effect on cognition, activities of daily living in early Alzheimer's.
According to a study published Dec. 16 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, "tarenflurbil (Flurizan, Myriad Genetics), a gamma-secretase modulator, has no effect on cognition or activities of daily living (ADL)...in patients with mild" Alzheimer's disease. In a "large phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial" of 1,684 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, Boston University School of Medicine researchers found "virtually no difference between patients receiving active therapy vs. placebo controls at 18 months in either coprimary endpoints of cognition or ADL." They also found "no differences between the two treatment groups on secondary outcome measures."

FDA approves olanzapine for adolescents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder.
Eli Lilly & Co. the FDA approved "its best-selling medication Zyprexa [olanzapine] for adolescents with schizophrenia and" bipolar disorder. Specifically, the agency "approved the drug for adolescents aged 13 to 17 years old, but cautioned that the" medicine "can cause weight gain and high blood sugar in younger patients."

FDA however supposedly recommended doctors consider prescribing it after other medicines because of its side effects," because olanzapine "has been linked to weight gain and metabolic changes in adolescents." In June, "outside advisers to the FDA ruled...that Zyprexa was 'acceptably safe' for teens who don't improve with other treatments."

FDA extends review of Nuvigil for jet lag by three months.
FDA extended its review of Cephalon Inc.'s drug Nuvigil [armodafinil] as a treatment for jet lag by three months. According to Cephalon, after it submitted new information about Nuvigil, "the agency decided it needed more time to review its application." A decision is expected by March 29, 2010.

Shionogi to stick with velneperit despite failed study.
Japanese drugmaker Shionogi & Co. "plans to stick with velneperit, an experimental obesity drug, after one of two key studies failed and Merck & Co., Johnson & Johnson and GlaxoSmithKline Plc abandoned similar treatments." In one clinical test, the company found that "35 percent of patients on a restricted diet who took velneperit for 54 weeks lost more than five percent of their weight, almost three times the proportion for those who were given a dummy pill." But, "in the other test, there was little weight-loss difference between patients taking the drug and those on placebo." The drugmaker said "it is sticking with velneperit because the treatment shows more promise than Merck's MK-0557."

Vitamin E extract may shrink tumors within 24 hours.A vitamin jab that shrinks tumors in a day is being hailed as a powerful new treatment for cancer.

Researchers at the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde found that "injecting an extract of vitamin E," called tocotrienol, "into the bloodstream" shrank tumors "within 24 hours...and after ten days they had almost completely disappeared." The study targeted skin cancers by disguising tocotrienol "inside thousands of microscopic bubbles made from fat," which travelled "through the body without damaging healthy cells."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug research updates-

Merck begins late-stage study of potential lung cancer vaccine.
Oncothyreon Inc. Reported that its partner Merck KGaA started a late-stage study on Stimuvax as a potential lung cancer treatment." Oncothyreon "said the study is expected to enroll 420 patients with inoperable, stage 3 lung cancer in China, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan," and the "key goal is overall patient survival." Stimuvax "is also currently being studied as a potential breast cancer treatment." Additionally, Stimuvax is a vaccine, and the trial aims to target patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

High dose of fulvestrant may reduce risk of breast cancer progression.
A high dose of its drug Faslodex [fulvestrant] reduced the risk of breast cancer progressing by 20 percent in patients during a late-stage study reports a study from Astra Zeneca. The study "compared a 500-milligram dose versus a currently approved 250-milligram dose in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer" and found that the "higher dose pushed back to 6.5 months from 5.5 months the amount of time it took for breast cancer to progress in patients."

Denosumab may cut risk of skeletal related events in patients with advanced breast cancer.
According to results of phase III trials presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Amgen, Inc.'s bone drug denosumab cut the risk of multiple skeletal related events, such as fracture, radiation, and surgery on bones, or spinal cord compression, in patients with advanced breast cancer by 23 percent compared to Novartis AG's Zometa (zoledronic acid). Researchers also found that the drug delayed the first occurrence of these events. The FDA delayed approval of denosumab for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, seeking additional safety data.

Varicella vaccine may offer shingles protection.
According to data in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, Investigators at the Kaiser Permanente Department of Research "Children who are vaccinated against chicken pox may also have increased protection against shingles based on health records of 172,163 children in southern California who were vaccinated with the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine between 2002 and 2008." They noted that "over an average of 2.5 years after receiving the chicken pox vaccine, only 122 cases of shingles (Herpes zoster) occurred among the children, an estimated incidence of one case per 3,700 children per year."

A lower rate than that previously recorded, as prior to vaccination becoming readily available, the incidence of H. zoster infection in children aged five to nine years and in those aged 14 years or younger was reported to be 30 and 46 cases per 100,000 person years, respectively." And, "of the children with H. zoster, 0.7%, 11.1%, 8.3%, and 2.1% had lymphoid leukemia, had asthma with three or more acute exacerbations, had developmental disorders, or had psychological or mental disorders, respectively," leading the authors to conclude that "despite the small numbers, the roles of delayed vaccination, severe asthma, and development disorders warrant further investigation."

FDA approves extended release quetiapine as add-on treatment for MDD.
Astra Zeneca PLC announced that the FDA approved its schizophrenia medication Seroquel XR [quetiapine] "as an add-on treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD)." But, the drugmaker said that the FDA "has asked for more information before allowing the drug's use as a single agent to treat [MDD]." The AP noted that "Seroquel XR is an extended-release version of AstraZeneca's schizophrenia medication Seroquel," which "is already approved for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia."

Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic whose side effects include tardive dyskinesia and weight gain. AstraZeneca said that the FDA approved adding Seroquel XR to current depression treatment in patients only if that treatment is not working properly. The pharmaceutical company did not disclose, however, what further information the agency is looking for with regard to Seroquel XR as a primary treatment for depression.

Novel form of trastuzumab may improve outcomes in metastatic breast cancer.
According to research presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, "a new targeted cancer drug has been shown to shrink tumors in women with metastatic breast cancer after an average of seven other drugs, including Herceptin [trastuzumab], failed." The experimental drug, T-DM1, "combines Herceptin with a potent chemotherapy drug" that allows Herceptin to bind to and block "the HER2 receptor that appears on the surface of some breast cancer cells." This mechanism delivers "the cancer-killing agent directly" to the cancer cells.

In a study of "110 women assigned to open-label treatment with single agent trastuzumab-DM1," researchers found that "median progression-free survival was 7.3 months" with T-DM1. Meanwhile, "the objective response rate was 32.7 percent in women whose tumors had progressed after treatment with an anthracycline, taxane, capecitabine (Xeloda), trastuzumab, and lapatinib (Tykerb)."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug research updates-

Carfilzomib may benefit patients with relapsed, refractory multiple myeloma.
According to findings reported at the American Society of Hematology meeting, "An investigational proteasome inhibitor led to major responses in about half of patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma," In an ongoing trial of 59 patients, researchers found that "treatment with carfilzomib led to objective response in 25 of 54 (46 percent) evaluable patients, including one complete response and five very good partial responses." The study showed "a disease control rate of 83 percent," with "median response duration" at "8.8 months in patients who had a minor response or better result," and "8.4 months in those who achieved at least a partial response."

Ofatumumab not viable option for patients with follicular lymphoma who failed rituximab.
According to research reported at the American Society of Hematology meeting, "Ofatumumab (Arzerra) monotherapy is not a viable treatment option in patients with follicular lymphoma that doesn't respond to rituximab (Rituxan)". Researchers found that "in 116 patients who failed to achieve at least a partial response to rituximab -- either alone or with chemotherapy -- objective responses occurred in only 11 percent of those taking ofatumumab." Notably, "the response was higher -- 22 percent -- in a subgroup of patients who had failed rituximab monotherapy," which "opens the possibility that ofatumumab might still be helpful in a combination regimen," the researchers noted. Meanwhile, "patients who had failed rituximab in combination with chemotherapy -- either as maintenance or as part of an induction regimen -- had much worse responses."

Drug combo elicits responses in patients with relapsed, refractory mantle-cell lymphoma.
A researcher from Mayo Clinic reported, "Half of patients with relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma achieved major responses when treated with the investigational agent temsirolimus and rituximab (Rituxan), data from an ongoing clinical study showed".Responses persisted for almost 10 months and demonstrated durability in rituximab-refractory patients," according to MedPage. Ansell added, "We observed complete responses in about 20% of patients, and complete responses are uncommon after transplant failure or in patients who have received multiple regimens."

Once-daily dose of enoxaparin may be feasible for children at high risk of VTE.
The study presented at the American Society of Hematology reported, "Researchers said it is feasible to provide once daily dosing of the low molecular weight heparin enoxaparin (Lovenox) to children at high risk of venous thromboembolism”.Pharmacokinetic modeling and data from 126 children -- including neonates, infants and children -- who were administered enoxaparin off-label" to perform "pharmacokinetic analyses." The lead researcher said, "According to these results...a once-daily enoxaparin dosing regimen seems to be feasible for at least 50% of this population."

Bisphosphonates may cut breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.
A new study that shows a drug a lot of older women already take to protect against bone loss, might also help protect against breast cancer." NBC (Bazell) added, "At a major meeting of breast cancer researchers in San Antonio, the scientists today released the study of the records of 154,000 women" taking "the class of drugs called bisphosphonates, including Actonel [risedronate], Boniva [ibandronate sodium], and Fosamax [alendronate]." Retrospective analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative" revealed that "there were 3.29 cancers per 1,000 women taking the drugs over the course of a year, compared with 4.38 cancers per 1,000 women not taking the drugs." Researchers calculated that "there were 32 percent fewer new breast cancers among users of oral bisphosphonates."

Meanwhile, a second study of 4,500 postmenopausal women who took bisphosphonates, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, showed a 30 percent reduction in breast cancer risk. But, because neither trial randomized women to bisphosphonates, it remains unclear whether the drugs were actually responsible for the drop in cancer risk. Neither study collected information on side effects," even though the drugs "can cause bone, joint, or muscle pain, and in rare cases, jawbone decay." In addition, the analysis of the Women's Health Initiative data showed that "women taking bisphosphonates were more likely to develop a noninvasive tumor of the milk duct called DCIS."

The researchers "said they would urge that new studies be undertaken comparing the bone drugs with placebos to see if the drugs really do cut the risk of cancer and urged caution in judging the implications for breast cancer prevention." They said, "The findings could mean that bisphosphonates prevent invasive but not in situ breast cancer, prevent the progression of in situ cancer to invasive cancer, or something entirely different."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug research updates-

Celebrex may interfere with cardioprotective benefit of aspirin.
The pain killer celecoxib (Celebrex) may interfere with the cardioprotective benefit of low-dose aspirin, researchers found." The researchers reported online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that celecoxib "tightly binds to one form of Cox-1 that prevents aspirin from reaching its antiplatelet target." In addition, the researchers "confirmed that celecoxib and aspirin given together did not prevent clotting to the same degree as aspirin alone in an animal model."

Cancer drug may also benefit asthma patients.
A drug being tested to treat cancer could also help patients suffering from asthma." It's well understood that "too many uncontrolled eosinophils can damage other cells that line the lung, contributing to inflammatory conditions such as asthma." But, scientists at Edinburgh University discovered that the drug, R-Roscovitine, "caused the eosinophil cells to undergo a form of cell death known as apoptosis, a natural process where unwanted cells are removed from the body." The discovery, investigators say, "could lead to an alternative way to treat asthma in patients who are resistant to steroid treatments."

Herceptin during chemotherapy may boost survival in some patients with breast cancer.
New research suggests that certain breast cancer patients who take the drug Herceptin [trastuzumab] during chemotherapy, instead of taking it afterward, fare better." In a study presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, researchers examined "outcomes for hundreds of women who underwent different treatment regimens" for "HER2-positive breast cancer."

Patients "had 25 percent better disease-free survival rates at five years when trastuzumab was started concurrently with chemotherapy, rather than sequentially." But, "the trial was complicated by temporary closure of the concurrent trastuzumab arm early in the study for analysis of potentially adverse cardiac events. But, because the study showed that "the five-year survival rate increased to 84 percent among women taking the drugs concurrently versus 80 percent among those taking the drugs sequentially,the researchers concluded that concurrent use is the best way" to "decrease the risk of cancer recurrence.

Anthracyclines with Herceptin may be linked to heart damage in HER2-positive breast cancer patients.
According to findings reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, anthracyclines, a class of chemotherapy drugs, may be linked to heart damage when used in combination with Roche Holding AG's Herceptin [trastuzumab] in women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Although the study showed that "women who got anthracyclines and Herceptin were less likely to have recurrences of their cancer and to die," researchers also found that two percent of patients receiving the combination treatment "developed heart failure, 0.7 percent died of leukemia, and 19 percent had changes in their heart function that might lead to heart failure in the future." Meanwhile, "among those who got Herceptin without anthracyclines, 0.4 percent developed heart failure and nine percent had worsened heart function."

The researchers concluded that "eliminating the anthracycline from chemotherapy when using trastuzumab (Herceptin) may be just as effective long term. They noted that "a nonanthracycline based regimen with trastuzumab was not associated with significantly more breast cancer recurrences or deaths."

Herceptin plus Tykerb may improve survival in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.
According to research presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium,a combination of two drugs that more precisely target tumors significantly extended the lives of women who had stopped responding to other treatments. The study of 300 patients showed that women receiving Herceptin [trastuzumab] and Tykerb [lapatinib] "lived 20 weeks longer than those given Tykerb alone.

Experimental drug may stop stem cell growth in patients with breast cancer.
According to research reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, researchers "have an experimental drug that seems to stop" stem cells "in breast cancers." For the study, the researchers "first identified a vulnerable target on the breast stem cells called the Notch receptor and used an experimental drug, gamma-secretase inhibitor, along with a common anticancer drug, docetaxel -- first on mice grafted with human tumors, and later in a few women with advanced breast cancer”.

Research confirms benefit of intensive approach to lipid-lowering.
Reports published in MedPage Today stated "post-hoc analyses of two landmark statin trials -- PROVE-IT and IDEAL -- affirm the value of an intensive versus moderate approach to lipid-lowering." In fact, "staying the course with intensive lipid-lowering -- in this case 80 mg atorvastatin (Lipitor) versus either 40 mg pravastatin (Pravachol) or 20-40 mg of simvastatin (Zocor) -- actually 'reduces events by about 50% over time,' Christopher Cannon, MD," said. MedPage Today added, "This is 'an even more dramatic reduction in events' than the benefit seen at the primary endpoint of 30 days.

Tamoxifen plus anthracycline-based chemotherapy may boost breast cancer survival.
According to a study reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and online" in The Lancet, "anthracycline-based chemotherapy added to tamoxifen continues to offer a survival advantage for postmenopausal breast cancer, In a study of 1,477 patients, researchers found that "women treated with chemotherapy and then tamoxifen had a 24 percent improvement in disease-free survival, compared with women treated with tamoxifen alone." The study "also showed a trend toward better survival when the chemotherapy and tamoxifen were given sequentially rather than concurrently."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug research updates-

Boehringer to announce trial results of female desire drug.
Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH "is putting the finishing touches on a pill designed to reawaken desire by blunting female inhibitions." The company has been studying the drug compound, called Flibanserin, "for more than a decade and it has yet to publish clinical test results showing the drug is effective." It is said to announce data from trials of more than 5,000 European and US women "at the European Society for Sexual Medicine conference." The main criterion for the clinical trials...was how many 'satisfying sexual events' women said they had experienced after starting treatment."

Pentamidine may combat genetic defects leading to type 1 myotonic dystrophy.
University of Oregon chemist J. Andrew Berglund reported that researchers "tested the drug pentamidine in mice and found that it appears to combat genetic defects that lead to type 1 myotonic dystrophy, one of nine types of muscular dystrophy," and "also known as DM1 and Steinart's disease." Further, the levels used in mice "would be poisonous in humans," but "could be modified." Pentamidine "is approved to treat several conditions, including a severe type of pneumonia in people with compromised immune systems, some yeast infections and sleeping sickness."

Fixed-dose combination of fluticasone reduces serious asthma exacerbations, costs.
According to Richard H. Stanford, PharmD, director of US Health Outcomes at GlaxoSmithKline, and colleagues, "Asthmatic children treated with a fixed-dose combination of fluticasone propionate plus salmeterol [Advair] experienced fewer serious asthma exacerbations and lower costs than those treated with inhaled corticosteroids plus montelukast," Specifically, the "use of fluticasone propionate plus salmeterol was associated with a 96 percent reduced risk of having an asthma related inpatient hospital visit and a 56 percent lower risk of having an inpatient visit or an emergency department visit compared with treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and montelukast."

Leukemia drug may limit growth of ovarian cancer cells.
A study published in British Medical Journal reported, "A drug for people with a form of leukemia holds promise as a possible treatment for ovarian cancer". The drug, dasatinib, is currently "used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia," but researchers found that the treatment "limited the growth and invasive powers of ovarian cancer cells." Dasatinib also "proved to have even more cancer-fighting powers when it was combined with chemotherapy and used to fight certain kinds of ovarian cancer cells known as Src dependent." Researchers noted that the findings may help "predict response to" dasatinib.

Early data for ALS drug candidate shows improved muscle function.
Sangamo Biosciences Inc. reported that early data from a clinical trial shows its Lou Gehrig's disease drug candidate," SB-509, "improved patients' muscle function." Patients injected with the drug "were about twice as likely to have improved muscular function," according to Sangamo. Specifically, "32 percent of patients who received SB-509 had improved muscle function, compared to 17 percent of patients who took standard treatments." The company "is also testing SB-509 as a treatment for diabetic neuropathy."

Patients who take statins may not immediately require therapy for CLL.
According to research presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting,patients who are taking statins to reduce cholesterol when they're diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may be less likely to need treatment for the cancer,". The analysis of data on 254 patients taking statins showed that "therapy for" CLL "was not immediately required in 132 (52 percent) patients." But, researchers noted that "even though patients taking a statin at the time of diagnosis were less likely to ever require therapy, statin use was not associated with a significant improvement in overall or treatment-free survival." Furthermore, "the researchers said they did not find any significant correlation between the need for treatment and total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, or triglyceride levels at diagnosis."

Generic version of Alzheimer's medication receives FDA approval.
Reports from the US Food and Drug Administration "has approved the first generic version of an orally disintegrating tablet containing the Alzheimer's-related dementia drug donepezil (Aricept); the approval of the application by Mutual Pharmaceutical covered 5 and 10 mg dosages."

Drug candidate to treat Peyronie's disease yields mixed results in midstage trial.
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc. Reported that its drug candidate Xiaflex (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) to treat Peyronie's disease , improved the condition in 29.7 percent of patients after 36 weeks, compared with 11 percent of patients taking placebo in a midstage study. Still, the company said there were no statistically significant results in the drug's effectiveness at reducing patients' pain, intercourse coonstraint and discomfort during intercourse." The company expects to meet with the FDA "during the second quarter of 2010 to discuss a proposed late-stage study."

Hepatitis C drug candidate shows positive proof-of-concept results in early study.
Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Reported that its hepatitis C drug candidate showed positive 'proof-of-concept' results, while meeting safety and tolerability goals in an early-stage study." Achillion said the drug candidate, called ACH-1625, "reduced levels of the virus in patients taking the five-day course." The AP adds, "Enrollment in the study is still ongoing and is expected to reach 54 patients." The company also "said it expects to share additional data on the study in early January, with full data set for a presentation in April at the European Association for the Study of Liver Disease meeting in Vienna."

Disclaimer : The information presented is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Drug Research and Technology updates-

Intravitreal use of corticosteroid triamcinolone may slow diabetic retinopathy progression.
According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, "intravitreal use of the corticosteroid triamcinolone may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, but adverse effects including cataract formation and glaucoma may prevent use of this treatment merely to reduce progression of proliferative diabetic retinopathy." Two years after treating a "total of 840 eyes from 693 participants with diabetic macular edema" who were randomized "to receive laser therapy (n = 330), 1 mg of triamcinolone acetonide (n = 256), or 4 mg of triamcinolone acetonide (n = 254)," researchers found that "the cumulative probability of progression of retinopathy was 31% in the laser group, 29% in the 1-mg group, and 21% in the 4-mg group."

Birth control pills may treat menstruation-related disorders, reduce risk of some cancers.
A new Practice Bulletin issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and appearing in the J. Obstetrics & Gynecology reported that hormonal contraceptives, along with preventing pregnancy may "treat menstruation-related disorders, such as severe menstrual pain and heavy menstrual bleeding. In addition, "combined contraceptives containing both estrogen and progesterone reduce the risk of endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancer." Further "potential benefits include prevention of menstrual migraines, treatment of pelvic pain caused by endometriosis and treatment of bleeding because of uterine fibroids.

Extended-release niacin may improve HDL quality in patients with diabetes.
A study published in the journal Circulation, "treatment with extended-release niacin" may improve the "endothelial protective effects" of "HDL cholesterol in individuals with diabetes." In a study population of "10 healthy subjects" and "33 individuals with diabetes and low HDL-cholesterol levels," researchers "randomized the diabetic patients to extended-release niacin (1,500 mg/day) or placebo for three months." The investigators found that "treatment with niacin increased HDL-cholesterol levels, but more important, also improved the endothelial protective effects compared with the HDL from healthy subjects."

Cardiac glycosides said to show promise in fighting colon cancer.
A research study published in the Journal of Natural Products reported that a family of naturally derived heart drugs called cardiac glycosides shows promise in fighting colon cancer. According to the researchers, they found that five cardiac glycosides "tested on laboratory cultures of human colon cancer cells...proved effective, to varying degrees, at killing the cancer cells."

New study seen as having "potentially significant implications" for Merck cholesterol drugs.
A report from the American Heart Association meeting minutes state that , "researchers are expected to present a study with potentially significant implications for multibillion-dollar cholesterol medications" -- Merck's Vytorin (ezetimibe and simvastatin) and Zetia (ezetimibe). Drug industry "analysts are paying rapt attention to the report because two previous studies reduced sales of the drugs after indicating that they may not work any better than cholesterol drugs known as statins that are widely available as inexpensive generics." The "analysts are waiting to see whether the new study reinforces the earlier findings or, perhaps, makes matters even worse for Merck."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

Quality and Safety updates-

FDA says Vytorin link to cancer risk is unlikely.
According to reports from the US Food and Drug Administration, it is not likely that two cholesterol medications, Vytorin (ezetimibe and simvastatin) and Zetia (ezetimibe), increase an individual's cancer risk. However, the agency said that it cannot completely rule out an association between the drugs and an increased risk of cancer.

Further it states that it has examined all of the data from the" Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis (SEAS) trial, which "first raised the alarm about a possible risk and showed that significantly more subjects treated with Vytorin developed and died from all types of cancer when compared with those taking placebo."

The FDA report supposedly further states that it is not advising doctors or consumers to stop using any of the...medications, but will continue to evaluate the clinical benefits and potential risks of Vytorin and Zetia compared to other cholesterol-lowering drugs it has approved."

Chemotherapy drugs may cross blood-brain barrier, disrupt brain cell regeneration.
According to research published in the journal Cancer Investigation, four chemotherapy drugs "caused a significant breakdown in brain cell regeneration" in rodents. In fact, researchers found "a 15.4 percent reduction in new brain cells after use of fluorouracil, a 30.5% reduction following cyclophosphamide, a 22.4% reduction following doxorubicin, and a 36% reduction following paclitaxel." The researchers suggested that "all...chemo drugs cross into the brain after all, or that they act via peripheral mechanisms, such as inflammation, that could open up the blood-brain barrier."


Some doctors, researchers concerned generics may not work as well as brand-name drugs.
A column in the NewYork Times, Lesley Alderman wrote that "there is a gnawing concern among some doctors and researchers that certain prescription generic drugs may not work as well as their brand-name counterparts." Cardiologists and neurologists in particular are concerned about variations in generic formulations that "could have a serious effect on a patient's health." But, insurers cite research that shows "no difference in hospitalizations or emergency-room visits for people on brand-name epilepsy drugs compared with those taking generics." For its part, the FDA "says it stands behind generic medications and its methods of approving them." Gary J. Buehler, director of the FDA's office of generic drugs, said the agency has "not seen any scientific studies that show generics do not hold up as well as brand name drugs."


Cold capsules recalled.
According to a report published in the American Press, consumer-product maker "Procter & Gamble Co. is recalling 700,000 packs of Vicks DayQuil [acetaminophen, dextromethorphan, doxylamine, pseudoephrine] capsules because they are not childproof," in spite of "labeling claims on the box" that they are. Specifically, P&G is recalling DayQuil Cold & Flu 24-Count LiquiCaps Bonus Pack. According to a P&G spokeswoman, "the product was distributed nationally between September 2008 and February 2009, and more recently between September and December this year."


Small infection risk with antibiotic-free intravitreal drug injections.
According to report published in the Dec. issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, "intravitreal drug injections led to an infection rate of less than one in 1,000 with a protocol that avoided antibiotics and sterile gloves and drape." After analyzing data on "a total of 3,838 intravitreal injections" of ranibizumab or triamcinolone "administered to 733 eyes by 124 physicians," researchers found that "only three cases of culture-positive endophthalmitis occurred following intravitreal injection." Notably, "in about a third of cases, patients received antibiotics before and after injection, but in the remaining two-thirds, patients received antibiotics before or after the procedure or not at all."


Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

DRUG UPDATES :

FDA approves expanded indication for Spiriva HandiHaler.
"Spiriva HandiHaler [inhaled tiotropium bromide]" has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration "as a treatment for reducing symptoms and difficulty breathing because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)."

The new indication was based on results of two clinical trials with nearly 8,000 patients combined -- one called UPLIFT and a separate six-month study with patients in a Veterans Affairs setting. Although the UPLIFT study did not achieve its primary endpoint of showing a slowed rate of lung function decline relative to placebo, clinical data demonstrated that the addition of tiotropium to preexisting respiratory medications sustained improved lung function during four years and reduced COPD exacerbations.

EU drug regulators recommend approval of Prolia.
Sources from Amgen Inc. said that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency recommended approval of the biotechnology company's osteoporosis drug Prolia, also called denosumab." The drug is still under FDA review "as a potential treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis and as a treatment for bone loss in breast and prostate cancer patients undergoing therapy."

Researchers investigating whether oral enzymes, immunotherapy effective in celiac disease.
Many efforts underway to develop new, non-dietary treatments for celiac disease," including "a gluten-free diet" and protecting "patients from occasional gluten exposure" using "oral enzymes that target gluten." Researchers have found that when gluten is "broken down into smaller fragments" by combining "enzymes from bacteria and barley," it "no longer causes inflammation in the intestines." Meanwhile, researchers are also investigating whether training "the immune system to tolerate gluten" and allowing "patients to eat a regular diet" is effective. This "category of treatment, known as immunotherapy," quells "immune response in the gut," which "is driven by...cells known as T cells."

Sanofi stops tests on drugs for insomnia, atrial fibrillation.
Sanofi-Aventis SA reportedly stopped tests on two medicines for insomnia and atrial fibrillation because of setbacks in development." The drugmaker "withdrew applications in Europe and the US for the insomnia pill eplivanserin because of the need for 'significant further clinical development and market access constraints,' the Paris-based company said." Meanwhile, according to Sanofi, "the idrabiotaparinux medicine for use in preventing clots in patients with atrial fibrillation is being discontinued because of 'recent therapeutic advances in the field.'"

Celgene says Revlimid slowed multiple myeloma progression.
Celgene Corp. Correspondent stated that data from a late-stage study show Revlimid [lenalidomide] significantly slowed the progression of multiple myeloma in patients following a type of stem cell treatment." The study included patients "who...received autologous stem cell transplants, a procedure where stem cells are removed from a person's bone marrow prior to chemotherapy, then reintroduced after chemotherapy." The drug is currently "approved as treatment for multiple myeloma patients who have received at least one prior therapy."

Disclaimer : This information is for knowledge purpose only and should not be interpreted as medical advise.

HOW THEY MANAGED TO RISE TO THE TOP ?

Women who lead have the ability to see opportunities in setbacks and the will to make themselves heard, a new book contends-

Is there a secret formula some women know that propels them to the top? What consistent threads did you find in the success stories that remarkable women tell?

One of the crucial consistencies is that each of them said they made a commitment early in their career to find personal satisfaction from what they do. About 20 per cent of the women said they knew even when they were children that a career in business would make them happiest

I came into the study with the preconception that maybe the women who make it big just have an easier time of it, or that maybe they have better luck. But, as it turns out, every one of them had to overcome obstacles and find ways to turn difficult situations around. They all had a turning point that could have made them quit, but they persisted and moved on after adversity struck. When they experienced failure, they were able to see opportunity in the setback.

What was the most common obstacle they had to overcome?

More than 60 per cent of the women said they didn't naturally have the confidence to speak up for themselves early in their career, and they had to gain that confidence to succeed. Recurring themes were that, starting out, they held back because they didn't feel they had anything important to say, or they believed that, since they were in a junior position, it was not their place to insist that their viewpoint be heard.

But most told of a breakthrough moment in which either something they should have said but didn't led to a failure, or they were given the floor by a senior person and made a contribution that led to a success. From then on, they made a conscious decision to make their voice heard - and to insist that others they lead speak up as well.

For example, Shelly Lazarus [former chief executive officer of ad firm Ogilvy & Mather and now chairwoman of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide], stated that she had that insight early in her career. Another woman she worked with asked her to cover for her while she snuck out of the office to see her child's school play. She told the woman to come right out and tell her manager she was taking off. At that point, she realized that, "if you have to be afraid for who you are, you will be afraid all your life."

From then on, she said, her motto has been: "Just stand up, do what you need to do and smile about it. Look them in the eye and say, "If you don't like it, fire me, and I'll find another job, because I'm talented enough and I'm committed enough ".

You also found that women had to break free of limiting expectations that others may have about what are appropriate occupations for women. Because there were so few women in leadership in previous decades, many of the leaders said they had been regularly advised to give up the dream of reaching senior positions.

Ann Moore [chief executive officer and chairwoman of Time Inc.] stated that, from childhood, her mother expected her to be a nurse, like every other woman in their family. But her mother was also a great organizer for her church and a local political committee and she [Ms. Moore] realized she really wanted to lead, and that her strength and interests were in guiding teams.

She said she stuck to her goal of reaching top management, even to the point where early in her career she decided to turn down a promotion to a production function because "it would have been the wrong fit." Her refusal made her superiors furious, and she said the decision kept her stalled in the same job for several years, but ultimately she found her way into the role she really wanted. As for those angry bosses? "They are not here now and I am," she said.

Is there a process by which women gain the courage to take more risks?

Another consistent thread in the stories women told is that they were prone to be risk-averse. Psychological research shows that when women are under stress, their brains are more prone than men to dredge up memories of past failures and emotional wounds and they are more likely than men to withdraw, rather than risking another failure.

The book further mentions that many of the women interviewed said that they had learned to consciously reframe stressful situations by using basic techniques such as talking back to the voice of fear in their head or looking at opportunities to find alternatives and move ahead, rather than remaining frozen in indecision.

An example is Ellyn McColgan [until recently, president of the wealth management division of Morgan Stanley]. She said her insight came in 1992, when a team she was leading at a previous financial group had a large loss and she was given 90 days to turn the situation around. She was terrified about taking risks but she kept in mind: "What is the worst thing that can happen? ...I might get fired." In that case, she decided: "So what? Go get another job."

That defiant optimism helped her get over her self-doubt and pull the team together, and they got results back on track. "A natural reaction to failure is to be afraid and to get smaller," but what the experience taught her- "what you should do is get bigger. Failure is an opportunity to grow. ... It might hurt while it's happening, but all things that help you grow hurt."

The book amazed me as to how all the top women leaders seemed to see opportunity everywhere. They have learned that when you aren't obsessed about what could go wrong, it's more easy to find opportunities and ideas for making things come out right.

Did the women feel they had an advantage over their male colleagues?

Most women have an inherent strength in a behaviour psychologists call "tend and befriend," a desire to help build community and nurture and reduce the level of anxiety and fear. Virtually all of the women concurred that their ability to maintain connections with people in the organization and not burn bridges along the way not only helped them rise to the top but also gave them higher satisfaction ... .

Anne Mulcahy [chairwoman of Xerox Corp.] summed it up by saying, "One of the most important ways to be successful is actually to create an army of people who are rooting for you. It's nice to have the support of the person you work for or a board, but the most important support you can get is from the troops."

And what do they say about helping others to succeed?

Many of the women whose rise to the top came in the 1980s and 1990s did not have mentors and they say they wish they did have someone to help open up opportunities and help them through the corporate maze.

Because of that, many of them talked about taking the effort to help sponsor a young protégé, helping open doors and push them through if they are reluctant to go. They confide that often these are women who they think of as a younger version of themselves.

While it can take a commitment of time to act as the equivalent of a personal trainer, several of the leaders said they have found it very rewarding.

Is there a magic mantra for women executives of today's changing times and of future ??

Are you a ‘Leader’? Take a look at yourself through these criteria and decide.

In a recent meeting, I witnessed an amazing event as a promotional opportunity was lobbed over the net to ten able managers, only to fall and crash upon the conference table with no challenge whatsoever. In this post, I’ll give you the insight into this unfortunate event and a few tips on how to build the courage to take advantage of opportunities.

In a casual lunch setting, 10 managers sat around a conference table awaiting the definition of their fate that would roll of the lips of their General Manager. For the lucky ten, their manager had tendered his resignation and would be leaving the company in two weeks. This meeting would give the managers some idea of who would be the replacement. Would it be someone from inside the group, outside the group or from their parent company?

The GM spoke first, stating that he had already submitted his plan, although the decision would have to be approved by someone in the corporate office. His first question to the group opened the floor to discussion and suggestions on how they would like to see the transition go. Now before I go on with the story, this is what many of us call an opportunity. If you were one of the ten and wanted to be considered, you might ask if the position could be filled from within the group. This would imply that you are willing to step up to a higher level of authority and challenge. Back to the story….

No words were spoken. Everyone sat with a blank stare on their face. Several of these managers had previously expressed concern and even the desire for promotion. Yet, when the opportunity came up, they didn’t seize the chance to influence the direction of the GM’s decision. Without any rebuttal, the lunch discussion turned into a broad sweeping clarification of the company’s bigger issues. The door was closed and the opportunity vanished just as fast it had appeared.
While research suggests that levels of courage are influenced by character traits, particular states of mind and the values, beliefs and social forces acting on a person, it is the states of mind we’ll focus on here. There are four key states that can be used to improve your level of courage; that is, self-efficacy, means efficacy, state hope and resiliency.

Self-efficacy is the confidence you have in yourself and your ability to achieve specific outcomes. Looking back at our ten managers, did they all lack confidence in their own ability to convince the GM that the position should be filled from within? This could explain their silence. To avoid such situations, courage can be improved by mastering two aspects of self-efficacy: skill mastery and situational control. By learning new skills, one can build self confidence. My approach to this is constant personal development, achieved through reading books, taking classes, attending seminars and so on. Over the years, I’ve overcome the fear of the unknown. This allows me to improve my situational control, or how I attach emotions to unique situations. For example, the meeting with the GM should have been a positive experience as it provided an opportunity to improve one’s position. The more you learn to place a positive impression on such situations, the easier it will become for you to engage in them.

Means-efficacy refers to the belief that the tools you have available are sufficient for the task at hand. If you believed your speaking skills were nothing short of excellent, stating your desired position for the replacement of your boss would have been all too easy. You would have avoided offending anyone in the room while ever so gently identifying yourself as the ideal candidate for the position. Building means efficacy is aided by studying yourself to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve illuminated your weak spots, you can turn them into strengths by developing them as if they were new skills; thereby, increasing your confidence and self-efficacy.

State hope is the belief that the task is possible and that you can complete it in the required time frame. If those ten managers believed that the manager had already made his decision, since he did state he had already submitted his plan for the replacement, their actions would have been inline with this belief. They would have considered it a waste of time and possibly an opportunity to hurt their career rather than improve it. State hope can be improved by modifying your attributions to such events. It’s similar to the movie with Jim Carey, entitled “Yes Man.” Too often we reduce our state hope to a level that essentially keeps us from developing any confidence. Surely you know a person who always thinks things are impossible and too much trouble to deal with. You can overcome this disability by drinking more Redbull, as Jim Carey does in the movie. This will drive you to action and away from procrastination.

Lastly, Resilience is the ability to bring yourself back from the brink of disaster. Improving reliance is accomplished through happy thoughts or what I call the FDH mindset (Fat, Dumb and Happy). That is, every task is something you need to do so you don’t dwell on whether you achieve success or failure, you just do it and celebrate the sense of accomplishment of having done it.

Success, to me, is the intersection of preparedness and opportunity. When opportunity crosses your path, you need a little courage to grab hold of it. While these four mindsets don’t give you all the answers to growing the courage of a lion, it does give you some specific targets for improvement. Good luck and always remember, if you see an obstacle in the path of your career, run over it.

Reference-
http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2009/11/ten-careers-die-from-lack-of-courage.html

Disclaimer : This is for reading and information purposes only and should not be interpreted as business advise.

What makes someone “Professional”?

I’ve read interesting takes on that question lately. Some good points, and some… not so much.

What defines professionalism? Based on various pieces I’ve read, it’s certainly subjective. Whatever the definition anyone uses, it’s often THE factor that tips the scale from one candidate to another in the hiring process.

In trying to define it, the dictionary doesn’t seem to be much help. Webster defines professionalism as: “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or professional person.” …sounds like a circular definition.

Having been a leader for over 15 years and interviewing hundreds of people, I’ve gathered some observations:

~ There is no single characteristic that makes someone ‘professional’. Invariably when someone impresses as being professional, it’s a combination of a number of traits that creates that impression.

~ It’s not the occupation! Often, people think you need to be a doctor, or lawyer, or senior executive to be considered professional. However, I know of people that are in lower level blue-collar positions that I consider more professional than some C-level executives.

~ Attitude. Certainly attitude creates a positive impression. However, I believe it is also a critical component of professionalism. It’s not just whether someone is upbeat or not, but also whether they are a solution-finder or nay-sayer. A professional is someone that sees opportunity, not just finds reasons that something can’t be done.

~ Competence. With that perspective regarding attitude, competence in your field is therefore also vital. In order to be professional, you have to know what you’re talking about. You have to be able to have understanding and insight into relevant issues in your field and be able to articulate solutions.

~ Communication Skills. You may have a great attitude and be highly competent in your field, however, if you can’t communicate your insight or ideas effectively to others, you miss the mark. Communication skills don’t refer to an accent, but rather the ability to be understood, speak in clear terms, and make complex subjects understandable.

~ Appearance. Unfortunately, often “unprofessional appearance” has been used as a euphemism for racism, sexism, discrimination against the obese, or some other such discrimination. Those are misguided and shouldn’t be a factor in considering a professional appearance. However, appearance does matter. It’s not necessary for someone to expensive business suit. However, clean and appropriate clothing, fit properly, and arranged well do play a part in a professional image. A mechanic in well fitting and well cared for cover-alls can create a professional image as well as a C-Level executive in a tailored suit. Dirty, wrinkled, sloppy, and unkempt appearance damage a professional image regardless of the field you may pursue.

~ Appropriateness. Inappropriate language, slang, appearance, or subjects have as much to do with damaging a professional image as anything else. Running off on unrelated tangents in a conversation, cursing, or wearing a polo shirt to a formal executive interview each create an impression that you don’t grasp the particular role. Like it or not, but ‘bucking the system’ rarely gets rewarded when pursuing a new job.

These are obviously all personal opinions. However, I have seen each of these factors play a large part in my own impression of someone’s professionalism. Observations that are regularly supported by the feedback I get from my HR colleagues.

Disclaimer : The above information is a personal opinion and not intended for any particular person living or dead. This is for research purpose/ dissemination of knowledge only.

How to network to improve your Net Worth...the golden rule of networking-

“People will not remember what you said or what you did; people will remember how you made them feel.

My intention is to meet five people at this function who I really connect with and that two of them eventually become clients.” My friend was impressed while somewhat doubtful of my declaration. My actual success that night was that I met ten people with whom I connected, but I didn’t find the opening to give all of them my business card. It’s not that I’m shy - by nature I’m quite the extrovert. But I have a stigma about networking – I don’t want to be viewed as someone who only introduces herself in order to plug her services and hand out business cards. It’s a limiting stigma, one that would best be left at home with the bad breath, but I want to connect with people on a level that we both feel acknowledged, respected and heard. It’s when we have those connections with people that our networks become stronger. But my concerns are valid and I know I’m not the only fresh-breathed stigma-minded networker out there.

Networking is not limited to selling oneself – in fact that outlook is its demise. There is depth to networking that goes beyond meeting people. It’s about connecting, building relationships and listening to the pulse of individuals who make up your network. It’s about listening and the art of inquiry. It’s about asking questions, providing answers and being engaged such that the person you’re talking to experiences being heard, respected and acknowledged. There is power in providing that experience for others. The golden rule of Networking- “People will not remember what you said or what you did; people will remember how you made them feel.”

The old adage, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is still the tall and solid wise oak of networking. Although that saying has been spun differently over the years and in different industries, it continues to be a networking motivator. Networking affects growth in careers, businesses, campaigns and whatever other groups and efforts that goes beyond the individual’s forward progress. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a network to move us forward.

We all know the appropriate actions for successful networking: meet people in person, make eye-contact, have a firm handshake, ask questions and follow through with statements of interest, ask for contact info and follow up with a thank you communication and request for further contact with that person or a reference for a future contact with another they recommend, etc., etc. In short, stay in communication and be consistent with your leadership brand.

What I encourage is to practice the art of connection as a part of their brand. You need to connect with people to instigate a meaningful relationship. Connecting is not only a catalyst to strong networking relationships; it’s also an expression of who you are for yourself, that person and the community or communities you represent. In other words, how you connect with people will make the biggest impact on building a relationship.

The people you meet will always remember how you made them feel, not necessarily what you do or what witty comments you made during your conversation with them.How do you connect with someone and make a lasting impression? It’s actually easy and with a bit of practice quite fun. In fact, when you begin to feel comfortable with a more intimate form of connection with people, you’ll discover a new level of enthusiasm when entering a networking opportunity.

Below are a few coaching tips on how to connect, build lasting relationships and brand yourself as a leader who people remember as someone who made them feel acknowledged, respected and heard:

Listen, listen, listen – If you are aware of the monologue in your head, you are not present to the dialogue in front of you. For example, if you are practicing your elevator speech while you are talking with someone, you will miss plenty of opportunities to authentically connect with this person because you will not hear what they are saying.

Ask questions and inquire into their interests and activities - There is power in asking a great question that came from having listened. Often you will find that by listening closely and being present, you’ll find yourself becoming curious about what this person is talking about; what they do; and who they are. Curiosity begets questions begets inquiry begets connection begets stronger networks.

Find a natural opening to share about yourself - When you are listening and coming from a place of being connected you will find many natural openings for sharing about yourself. For example, if you’re talking to someone who builds greenhouses for a living and you are a webinar facilitator a natural opening would be to say, “Hey I have an idea. We could create something great by teaming your knowledge on how to build a green house by developing a webinar that people pay to listen to online.” This opens up a new conversation, complements their skills and demonstrates that you were listening and connecting ideas on how to move this person and your relationship with them forward.

Be sincerely interested in what YOU ARE saying - Be excited about whom you are and what you are up to - confidence is a great branding tool. If you have a tendency to downplay what you do, who you are and how you present yourself, the people listening to you may not be inspired to listen or connect. This isn’t license to be arrogant, demonstrative or patronizing, it’s an opportunity to enthusiastically share with someone about what you have to offer as a person and as a network relationship. The more authentically, humbly and confidently you share the more drawn to you they will be.

Follow-up quickly with someone you connected with and especially mention the part of the connection that struck you most - If the person said something that interested you about themselves or what they do, mention that in your follow up communication. For example, “Shirley, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you at the Executives of Prominence Awards evening and was quite impressed with the book you are writing. I would love the opportunity to have lunch with you soon and learn more about what inspired you to write about that topic.

Network with intentionality, become known as someone who listens, acknowledges and connects with people - people seek out those who are leaders. Be an intentional leader; humble, engaged, interested and in demonstrated inquiry with the people with whom you are connecting.

Building relationships is about listening, talking and communicating. It’s an important part of your brand and who you are for not only the people with whom you network, but with everyone in your communities. The real key to all of this? When you’re intimately connected with yourself, you’re connected to everybody.

References-

(a) http://www.careerleadershipcoaching.com/ and start developing an authentic relationship with all your networks.
(b) http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2009/11/breaking-networking-stigmas.html

Disclaimer : The above information has been cited from literature in public domain. This is for research purpose/ dissemination of knowledge only.

Top 10 Pharma Layoffs in 2009

2009 has been a dreadful year for pharmaceutical job cuts. A survey report stated that 58,969 pharmaceutical and biotech jobs were cut this year, that’s an astonishing 15,000 more than 2008.

According to Fierce Pharma’s third annual list of the pharmaceutical industry’s top layoffs , Pfizer and Merck feature at top of the list. Pfizer’s job cuts have come as a result of the company’s $68 billion buyout of Wyeth, leading to 19,500 jobs being cut.

Top 10-

1. Pfizer – 19, 500 jobs

2. Merck – 16, 000

3. Johnson & Johnson – 8, 900

4. Astra Zeneca – 7, 400

5. GlaxoSmithKline – 6, 000

6. Eli Lilly – 5, 500

7. Teva Industries – 1, 090,

8. Sepracor – 940

9. King Pharmaceuticals- 770

10. Sanofi-Aventis – 750

If you haven’t been a victim of these recent redundancies within the pharmaceutical industry, it is more than likely that you will know someone who has. If you have been made redundant, it is important that you bear in mind that, whilst you may well be devastated, redundancy can, at the same time, be liberating and will not affect your employability within the pharmaceutical industry. Try to think of redundancy as an opportunity for change and BE POSITIVE !

Time Management tips-

Interruptions ? This article has been inspired by an overzealous talk show host I saw on television. Even though he had a knowledgeable and interesting subject, who was presumably willing to speak, the host kept up a non-stop commentary, not allowing the guest to get a word in edgewise. He constantly interrupted his interviewee — a definite No -NO.

Interruptions at Your Desk-

How should you handle an interruption when you are sitting at your desk working and someone knocks and interrupts you at an awkward time?

You can tell the person you are in the middle of something but can give him your undivided attention for two minutes. You might add that if he would like to schedule a meeting (open your date book) at 1 p.m. instead, that would be so much better. Jerome Shore from The Coaching Clinic calls this Extreme Time Management. Don't let anybody interfere. "I'd like to handle that now but what I'm doing must be done this morning. How about after lunch?"

- Always give people an option, rather than a no. Even an unfavourable option is better than a no. When you have booked the appointment or given him his two minutes, walk him out of your office and close the door quietly to prevent further interruptions.

- If you eat lunch at your desk, expect to be interrupted. You are, after all, at your desk. To eat in peace, close your door or leave your desk.

- You may be required to field inquiries for your boss who has asked not to be interrupted. If someone superior to you wants to bypass you and see your boss in person, you can call your boss on a secured intercom and say: "Emma, I know you asked not to be interrupted, but Richard really needs to talk you for a few minutes. Shall I schedule time or can you see him now?" Using this method, you are off the hook: Emma will make the decision, and Richard knows that Emma is really busy.

Interruptions in Meetings-

- If it's acceptable in your company culture to interrupt someone who is speaking during meetings and presentations, be prepared to handle the situation if you are the one doing the speaking ! When I am the speaker, I have my thoughts on a one-pager in point form. If there are any questions or digressions, I can be back on track in a second.

Interruptions on the Telephone-

- If you are conducting a telephone interview, definitely don't interrupt the interviewee.

- My pet peeve is people who do not pay attention to the person they are speaking with on the phone. When I used to call my friend in the States, she would talk to me while giving orders to her children — right into my ear, with me paying the long distance charges. After so many irritations, I had a game plan. When I called and she started interrupting herself with child-rearing, I said immediately that I would call her back at a more convenient time and hung up. Our conversations came to have far fewer child-rearing interruptions. Yes, people can be taught.

When Interrupting is Beneficial-

If you are at a party where a discussion had become very heated, try diffusing the situation by interrupting it. For example: "I'm sorry to interrupt, Perry, but I need you in the kitchen for a moment. I'm just not tall enough to reach the pan I need”. That situation aside, interrupting is not considered to be courteous. The next time you are about to interrupt, ask yourself: how would I feel if I was in his shoes? His time and thoughts are as important to him as yours are to you.

Disclaimer : The above information has been cited from literature in public domain. This is for research purpose/ dissemination of knowledge only.

Do you know what is blogging ?

As we have all seen over the past few years, blogs are popping up everywhere! Everyone from the famous Hilton Hotel chain to the dog lover around the corner from you are launching their own piece of the blogosphere. Why are they doing it? Well for many reasons….but the ones you are probably interested in is the fact that they are top credibility and customer relationship builders for businesses and create many new opportunities to grow your business.

So, let’s get down to basics…and I do mean basics (anyone familiar with the blogging platform – avert your eyes now).

A blog is basically an online diary where you can share your opinions, expertise, favorite videos, relevant pictures…basically anything that you want to communicate to your target market of readers. What makes it different from your commerce website, is that the language is more conversational and should inspire comment and conversation with your readers.

As a business person, think about a blog as a conversation starter with your customer. Every time you write to your customer (by posting a note or article on your blog) you are blogging. As you are the author of your blog postings, you are considered a blogger. I share this with you because sometimes the above “blogging lingo” can overcomplicate such a simple concept, so it is best to understand these terms before you dive in.

Blogs allow your customers and prospective customers to learn more about you and your business as well interact in real time, through commenting on your posts. The by-product is that when you share your expertise with the masses, you build your credibility in your industry. And best of all…it can work as a direct funnel of pre-qualified leads directly to your website.

These are the steps to get started:

Sign up for a free blog on either Wordpress or Blogger (two most used FREE blog sites….I prefer Blogger) Using their ready-made design templates, choose a suitable layout for your blog (make sure to use one that fits your message and topic….so no red hearts spilling out of baskets if you are an online chain of corporate herbal cosmetics).
And then start posting!

Ok, simple enough. But what the heck do you write about? The simple answer: anything that is related to your business or area of expertise. If you are an economist, write about some of the recent advances in economic policy. If you own a computer software company, share ten tips to a faster desktop computer. A great way to easily generate activity on your blog is to look at every piece of information that you have written in the past (articles, ebooks, marketing materials, brochures, company bios, etc) and see if you can recycle it! Post it on your blog and you have instant content!

Now that you have a site, design and content…it is time to let people know it exists. Let everyone know about your little piece of heaven on:

- Your email signature.
- Your company website .
- Social Media Networks (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Xing).

- Use Digg and Technorati to share your stories.
- Send out an email blast to your database.
- Anytime you write an article for anything online, make sure to add the link to your blog…even in discussion rooms and message boards .

Now that you have people coming, make sure that you write new blog postings packed with useful information at LEAST twice a week. The trick to effective blogging is not to do 100 posts a week, but to pick a number and hit it consistently. Once a week all you can spare, that’s fine if you make sure to do it every week.

Blogging does not create instant results, but as your audience of followers grow, so will the number of business opportunities. In my opinion, blogging is one of the crucial marketing mediums that every company and individual should not ignore. (Plus…it can be a lot of fun)!

What are your thoughts? How have you found blogging?

Write to me at www.drshrutibhat.com

What will 2010 bring for pharma industry?

As we say goodbye to 2009 and welcome 2010, there is no doubt 2009 has been a challenging year for pharma so far as with many other industries. Further consolidation has been observed with big pharma whilst many biotech companies struggle for much-needed investment in these challenging times.

Earlier in October, IMS Health published its growth forecast for 2010 and highlighted some key drivers for the industry’s prospects. As we appear to be heading out of the worst of the recession, I thought it might be interesting to publish this release in full and see whether my readers agree with the prognosis for the next year.

Whether you agree or not with the IMS Health forecast, this is a chance to share your views on where we are heading in 2010!

IMS 2010 Global Forecast-

NORWALK, CT, October 8, 2009 – IMS Health (NYSE: RX) reported today that the value of the global pharmaceutical market in 2010 is expected to grow 4 – 6 percent on a constant-dollar basis, exceeding $825 billion, driven by stronger near-term growth in the U.S. market. The forecast, the leading annual industry indicator of market dynamics, predicts global pharmaceutical market sales to grow at a 4 – 7 percent compound annual growth rate through 2013, and takes into account the impact of the global macro economy, the changing mix of innovative and mature products, and the rising influence of healthcare access and funding on market demand. Global pharmaceutical market value is expected to expand to $975+ billion by 2013.

In its latest forecast, the company raised its expectations for five-year pharmaceutical market growth by one percentage point, partly due to the stronger demand being experienced in 2009. The conclusions are drawn from the latest release of IMS Market PrognosisTM, the company’s series of strategic market forecasting publications.

“Overall, market growth is expected to remain at historically low levels, but stronger-than-expected demand in the U.S. is lifting both our short- and longer-term forecasts,” said Murray Aitken, senior vice president, Healthcare Insight, IMS. “The economic climate will continue to be a dampening influence in most mature markets, particularly in those countries with rising budget deficits and publicly funded healthcare systems. In the U.S., pricing flexibility and inventory management actions are contributing to much higher growth than anticipated earlier this year, and are the main reasons for the upward adjustment to our five-year forecast.”

In its latest analysis, IMS identifies the following key market dynamics:

• Growth prospects in the U.S. market improve. Near-term growth prospects in the U.S. have strengthened in recent months, reflecting both sustained levels of price increases and changing inventory stocking patterns. Pharmacy chains are more tightly managing their inventory levels based on expectations of patient demand, which has led to greater purchasing volatility than in previous years. This also has played a role in unusually high sales growth in the first quarter of 2009 relative to forecast expectations. U.S. market growth in 2009 is now expected to be 4.5 – 5.5 %, and 3 – 5 % in 2010. While payers seek to limit price increases and boost the use of lower-cost generics, pharmaceutical manufacturers are expected to maintain their pricing practices, competing on the basis of clinical evidence and value. Current pricing practices by the industry also include the use of off-invoice discounts and rebates, which are not reflected in IMS’s forecast and reported data, and are understood to be increasing.
• Economic downturn affects markets to varying degrees. Growth has slowed in countries where there is high out-of-pocket spending on pharmaceuticals and steep declines in macroeconomic activity, especially in Russia, Mexico and South Korea. At the same time, growth has been less affected to date in countries where drugs are largely funded publicly, such as in Germany, Japan, Spain and Turkey. However, new cost-containment measures expected to be introduced during the forecast period likely will impact the pace of growth in these markets. In the U.S., pharmaceutical manufacturers’ efforts to expand access to and awareness of patient assistance programs, as well as co-pay subsidies for patients in need, are limiting the impact of the economic downturn to some extent.
• Impact of the innovation/patent loss imbalance dampens growth prospects. Consistent with trends of the past several years, the next five are expected to reflect a significant imbalance between new product introductions and patent losses. This is the primary factor limiting global pharmaceutical market growth to the mid-single digits through 2013. During the next five years, products that currently generate an unprecedented $137 billion in sales are expected to face generic competition, including Lipitor®, Plavix®, and Seretide®. At the same time, new products that will enable innovative approaches for treating patients suffering from diseases such as osteoporosis, respiratory ailments, thrombosis, multiple sclerosis and cancer are not expected to generate the same magnitude of sales as products losing patent protection.
• Pharmerging markets in aggregate sustain strong growth. Despite economic conditions significantly affecting some markets – notably Russia, Turkey, South Korea and Mexico – the seven pharmerging countries are expected in aggregate to grow by 12 – 14 % in 2010, and 13 – 16 % over the next five years. China’s pharmaceutical market is expected to continue to grow at a 20+ % pace annually, and contribute 21 percent of overall global growth through 2013. Russia and Turkey may be impacted significantly by new measures intended to reduce the level of healthcare spending in those two markets.
• Healthcare access and funding under intensifying pressure. The economic climate has heightened concerns by payers about healthcare funding, and intensified their efforts to limit access to innovative drugs. During the next five years, markets will be impacted by numerous payer actions, including the imposition of price cuts on existing drugs, the raising of standards required to achieve reimbursement of innovative therapies, and the use of economic incentives for prescribers and pharmacists to drive a shift to generic alternatives. Evidence of the value that medicines bring to healthcare systems will be required to achieve access and funding in both developed and emerging markets.

A number of events may occur in 2010 that also could have a long-term effect on the pharmaceutical market. These include the potential for passage of comprehensive healthcare reform in the U.S. as well as legislative or regulatory actions in other countries, the magnitude of the H1N1 pandemic, and the timing and extent of the global economic recovery.

“While our outlook for the global market is more positive than earlier in the year, the fundamental dynamics of the innovation cycle, funding pressures, and the broader macroeconomic environment will result in mid-single-digit growth over the next five years,” noted Aitken. “Notwithstanding the improved prospects in the U.S. market, the drive by pharmaceutical manufacturers to adapt to the longer-term marketplace trends and evolving patient needs will continue undiminished.”

Summary-

So, some strong emerging themes coming to the fore around US recovery, mixed fortunes by geography including a focus on “pharmerging” markets, increasing impact of the patent cliff and the spread of restricted access to healthcare funding.

Let me know your feedback on the 2010 IMS growth projections:

• Do you think the overall growth projections are right?
• What markets, products and companies will be the key drivers?
• What are the main therapeutic areas driving growth?
• What are the emerging therapeutic or diagnostic areas?
• What other changes will impact on the global pharmaceutical market in 2010?