Women are underrepresented in clinical trials for heart failure, coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome but proportionately or overrepresented in trials for hypertension, atrial fibrillation and pulmonary arterial hypertension, when compared to incidence or prevalence of women within each disease population, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that in the first three months of 2018, Group sales rose 6% to CHF 13.6 billion. Sales in the Pharmaceuticals Division increased 7% to CHF 10.7 billion. A key growth driver was Ocrevus, used to treat two forms of multiple sclerosis. It continued its strong growth in the US and was launched in Europe and additional countries worldwide during the first quarter.

Cocaine and other drugs of abuse hijack the natural reward circuits in the brain. In part, that's why it's so hard to quit using these substances. Moreover, relapse rates hover between 40 and 60 percent, similar to rates for other chronic conditions like hypertension and Type 1 diabetes. University of Pennsylvania behavioral pharmacologist and neuroscientist Heath Schmidt studies how long-term exposure to drugs such as cocaine, nicotine, and prescription opioids affects the brain and how these changes promote relapse in someone who has kicked the habit.

9 – 10 July 2018, London, UK.
Developments in ADMET and novel technologies determine the properties of a drug candidate in the preclinical stage of drug discovery. Poor ADMET properties are the principal cause for a candidate to fail at any stage of drug development. ADME-Toxicology and Pharmacokinetic studies are the key strategic check-points for pharmaceutical companies to reduce drug discovery cost, and minimise production times.

Family-owned pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has presented its latest pipeline updates at a Research & Development press conference entitled 'Transcending Disease Boundaries', at its global headquarters in Ingelheim, Germany. The company's R&D strategy and current pipeline has the potential to deliver 15 new medicines for approval by 2025 (probability adjusted).

Novartis announced the launch of its FocalView app, an ophthalmic digital research platform created with ResearchKit. FocalView aims to allow researchers to track disease progression by collecting real-time, self-reported data directly from consenting patients. By adapting the design of clinical trials to suit the daily routine of patients, the app may reduce barriers to participation, leading to a more nuanced understanding of ophthalmic diseases and potentially accelerating the development of novel treatments.

The rabies virus wreaks havoc on the brain, triggering psychosis and death. To get where it needs to go, the virus must first trick the nervous system and cross the blood brain barrier – a process that makes it of interest in drug design. Now, scientists report in ACS Nano a way to exploit the rabies virus machinery to deliver a Parkinson's disease medication directly to the brain.

Using sunlight for sustainable and cheap production of, for example, medicines. The 'mini-factory' in the form of a leaf that chemical engineers from Eindhoven University of Technology presented in 2016 showed that it is possible. Now the researchers have come with an improved version: their 'mini-factory' is now able to keep production at the same level, irrespective of the variation in sunlight due to cloudiness or time of the day.

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that new OCREVUS (ocrelizumab) data were presented at the 70th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting from 21-27 April in Los Angeles, California. The data showcase the efficacy of OCREVUS in relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) through several measures of underlying disease activity and disability progression, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cognitive function, and spinal fluid biomarkers of inflammation and neurodegeneration.

A team of Russian scientists together with foreign colleagues found out that the venom of crab spider Heriaeus melloteei may be used as a basis for developing treatment against hypokalemic periodic paralysis. This disease is caused by genetic mutation that leads to the occurrence of the so-called ω-currents or leakage currents via voltage-gated ion channels Nav1.4 in skeletal muscles.