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Fat gives nanoparticles a fighting chance

ByConnor Hodde

Inhalable and thermo-responsive, fat-encased nanoparticles have been developed by researchers at the University of Sydney as possible treatment for lung cancer. The team has recently designed inhalable, targetable particles that can attack tumors but leave healthy cells undamaged, reducing the side effects of cancer treatment. The particles consist of a drug encased in a lipid…

Spark Surges in IPO as Prices Fuel Gene Therapy

ByConnor Hodde

Spark Therapeutics Inc. hit a $1.2 billion valuation on the biotechnology firm’s first day on the market, reflecting growing investor enthusiasm for the once-beleaguered field of gene therapy, a field that has produced the first $1 million drug.  The treatments focus on diseases where a single mutation in the genetic code is known to be…

Metformin use associated with reduced risk of developing open-angle glaucoma

ByConnor Hodde

Taking the medication metformin hydrochloride was associated with reduced risk of developing the sight-threatening disease open-angle glaucoma in people with diabetes, according to a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology. Medications that mimic caloric restriction such as metformin can reduce the risk of some late age-onset disease. It is unknown whether these caloric mimetic drugs…

Aging of Eyes Is Blamed for Range of Health Woes

ByConnor Hodde

For decades, scientists have looked for explanations as to why certain conditions occur with age, among them memory loss, slower reaction time, insomnia and even depression. They have scrupulously investigated such suspects as high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease and an inactive lifestyle. Now a fascinating body of research supports a largely unrecognized culprit: the aging…