Killing Fat Cells in Monkeys: A study published in Science Translational Medicine finds that a drug previously shown to cause weight loss in obese mice by killing certain fat cells can do the same in obese monkeys, raising hopes it might also work in humans, the WSJ reports. The drug was developed at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and rights have been licensed to Ablaris Therapeutics, part of Arrowhead Research Corp. The company said a trial in obese patients with advanced prostate cancer could begin next year.
Seeking Signs of Awareness: Research published in The Lancet describes how the use of an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine was used to detect signs of consciousness in three patients previously thought to be in a vegetative state, the New York Times reports. Experts say the exam — which involved asking patients to imagine performing simple movements, like making a fist, when they heard a beep, then looking for certain patterns of brain activity — needs to be validated in larger studies before it can be introduced into clinical practice.
Legal Developments: Merck said in a regulatory filing yesterday it has received requests from federal investigators about how the pharma company marketed the heart drug Integrilin and the antibiotic Avelox between Jan. 2003 and June 2010, the WSJ reports. Both drugs were from Schering-Plough, which Merck purchased in 2009. The company also said it would pay $49.5 million to settle some class-action lawsuits over Vioxx, the painkiller pulled from the market in 2004.
Sobering Cuts: A report from the National Association on Mental Illness finds 29 states cut their mental-health budgets between fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2012, with four states making cuts of more than 30%, Kaiser Health News reports. Most states are increasing funds for fiscal 2012 alone, but that can’t make up for the previous cuts — particularly given that demand for services has risen in recent years as the economy has faltered, the report says.
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