2021 Update
Clinical Research Currents has temporarily suspended publication.
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www.scienceandtechnologyresearchnews.com
An international team has developed an innovative new way to hold samples using sound while they are gently imaged using light. The normal way to immobilize an object would be to use a gel, but introducing drugs to the sample could be slow and unpredictable using this method. Using sound and light is a new way to perform drug-based studies. (Science & Technology Research News)
The FDA defines gene therapy as a medical technique that works to modify a person’s genes to treat or cure disease. Gene therapy represents a paradigm shift in the U.S. healthcare from chronic, often lifelong treatments to the potential for cure. There are currently 3 FDA-approved gene therapy products on the market, and nearly 2,600 gene therapy clinical trials are in progress or have been completed. (Pharmacy Times)
University of Texas Health San Antonio researchers became the first to publish results of the treatment of an age-related disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), in human patients with drugs called senolytics. Previously, no published data demonstrated that drugs targeting cellular senescence could be safely given to adults or that they might be used to treat diseases of aging. (ScienceDaily)
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has paused a clinical trial testing an experimental stem cell therapy in heart failure patients. NHLBI paused the study because of recommendations to retract 31 journal articles from the lab of a controversial cardiac stem cell researcher in related fields of cell therapy research, which raised concerns about the scientific foundations of this trial. (STAT)
Virtual clinical trials eliminate the need for study sites. Despite their benefits, fully-virtual trials remain an exception. The hybrid model which allows sponsors to perform some procedures at sites but still reduces the number of sites has come to be popular. Regional variation in laws and regulations is one of the few impediments to hybrid and virtual trials. (outsourcing-pharma.com)
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital are using 3D printing to make new blood vessels from human cells and gel. These blood vessels can be tailored to a patient and could be used one day to replace damaged vessels; potential other applications include testing the safety and efficacy of drugs.
On April 20th, 2018, Tanya Verstak interviewed Guy Iannuzzi regarding his company Mentus and the development of biotechnology in San Diego as well as Biocom. About the interviee: Guy and Mentus market entrepreneurial and technology based companies and products. Their success is enabled by creative solutions driven by customer-centric strategic Read more
Scientists in China have, in a scientific first, reported that they cloned two healthy macaque monkeys from the cells of another macaque, which broke the technical barrier to cloning primates and could be applied to humans. Some scientists believe this breakthrough may be used to produce monkeys to advance biomedical research, while others disagree as to whether monkey clones would accelerate biomedical progress. (STAT)
Japanese researchers may have found a way to produce cheaper drugs from chicken eggs. They have successfully genetically modified hens using CRISPR to produce eggs containing large amounts of interferon beta protein, a very expensive protein used to treat various illnesses including multiple sclerosis and cancer. The protein costs between $300-$1000 for just one microgram procured with current methods; for treating MS, the interferon dosage can start at 30 micrograms. This technology could reduce the price of cancer drugs by 90% if proven successful in further trials. (CNN)
John Reites, Chief Product Officer and Partner at THREAD Research, provides an informal and high-level review of the 3 ways to engage in remote patient research. He introduces the “Crawl, Walk, Run” approach to help you get your organization started on the path towards the fully virtual clinical trial. (THREAD)