Arena Pharmaceutical stock fell by over 20 percent Monday on news that its obesity drug has underperformed in clinical trials. The experimental drug lorcaserin has achieved the primary endpoints of the study, and Arena reports it is well tolerated by patients.
This paves the way for approval by the Food and Drug Administration, enabling it to be sold in the United States. However, weight loss goals were not reached, causing investors to back off and Arena’s stock price to fall. Patients taking the drug for over a year lost only 5.8 percent of their body weight versus 2.2 percent for those on a placebo.
The company had expected a 5 percent difference for those using the drug. Analysts predict low sales for the drug even if approved by the FDA since its clinical studies show results that be achieved by intense dieting.
Obesity drugs are under scrutny due to safety concerns.
Major manufacturers such as Merck and Pfizer have recently discontinued work on these drugs due to clinical evidence that they can contribute to depression and suicidal thoughts. Lorcaserin reportedly did not display these side effects or the heart valve damage which is another concern for this class of drug.
Toronto – In the latest issue of Vanity Fair, Gisele shows a lot of skin and even more of her emotions regarding her husband, Tom Brady.
Gisele says in her interview that it was love at first sight when she first met Brady through a friend. She said that she immediately fell for his smile and had a hard time saying goodbye to him after the first night.
However, it was not perfect. When Gisele found out that Brady’s ex, Bridget Moynahan was pregnant, she began to question the relationship she had with Brady. At first, she urged him to make the relationship work, but Brady was satisfied with her and expressed the fact that he wanted to be with her.
She revealed that their marriage is a strong partnership. Both Brady and Gisele have each other’s backs, which is, according to Gisele, the most important aspect of marriage.
About Moynahan’s son, Gisele said that the child feels like it is 100% hers even though she didn’t give birth to him. She considers him completely part of her life in the most serious way.
About her ex Leonardo DiCaprio, she mentioned that they still talk and that he is a great person who has done much to help the environment.
She also said that she would like to grow her and Brady’s family very soon. Does that mean that she will adopt or have babies? She was null on the details, but one thing’s for sure; their family will grow very soon.
Toddlers who are overweight or obese may have rapidly gained weight within their first six months of life, says a new report from Harvard researchers, who tracked 559 children through Project Viva, which is a continuing study of pregnant women and their children. All children’s height and weight measurements were recorded at birth, at six months, and at three years of age, and after individual length was taken into consideration, researchers determined that those babies with increased body-mass index during the first six months were likely to be obese by age three.
The author of the study, Dr. Elsie Taveras, says, “”We need to start our preventive methods when children are much younger.” The National Institutes of Health say that nearly one-third of all adults in the United States are obese, which means they are ten to fifty percent more likely to die from all causes.
Connie Diekman, the director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, says, “The key indication for this study is the importance of better education about feeding infants. Since the study did not look at what children were fed after weaning, it is hard to know if overfeeding then is a contributor.”
Los Angeles – Valerie Bertinelli and Bikini Babe! Two words the 48-year-old actress probably never thought would apply to her just shy of reaching 50. But thanks to the Jenny Craig diet program, the former star of One Day at a Time has lost almost 50 pounds and managed to keep off the weight for over a year. Valerie’s public struggle to lose weight led to her becoming a Jenny Craig spokesperson giving her the motivation to shed her excess weight. To celebrate her accomplishment Valerie Bertinelli has been featured on the cover of April’s edition of People magazine, wearing a revealing two-piece bikini.
Along with the Jenny Craig diet program, Valerie reportedly followed a 1,200 calorie diet in order to tone up for the bikini shoot and becoming a smoking hot bikini babe! Valerie also uses a personal trainer and follows an exercise plan that includes walking 5 days a week. Though she reflects confidence on the magazine cover, Valerie Bertinelli also revealed that prior to losing weight she was self-conscious about her body and had not worn a bikini in almost 30 years. Valerie also had the support of her long time boyfriend, financial planner Tom Vitale, who also shed weight through the Jenny Craig system.
Michael Sarver was sick last week with the flu and missed the big tour, but he promised that he was going to come out powerful tonight. However, his rendition of the song “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” wasn’t what the judges were looking for. His performances received scathing remarks from Simon who said that Sarver just is not good enough to win the competition.
Megan Joy Corkrey had a similar night with her sloppy rendition of “For Once In My Life.” The judges gave her very few compliments and pleaded with her to do a song that is more comfortable for her voice. She remains one of the most unique contestants on the show.
Adam Lambert lost the nail polish and emo hair-style last night for a sleek Elvis look. He also scaled back a bit with his heart-melting version of “Track of my Tears.” He showed viewers that indeed he does have a softer side and is able to sing circles around many of the other contestants.
Who’s going home? Most likely either Michael, Anoop or Megan.
New York – It has been known for some time that female partners of circumcised men have a decreased risk of cervical cancer due to HPV (Human Papiloma Virus). A recent study by Dr. Aaron A.R. Tobian, of Johns Hopkins University, shows that circumcision lowers the risk of HPV to 35% and herpes to 25% in the men themselves. The same study previously revealed that circumcision helps prevent HIV infection as well, in heterosexual men. No data were collected on homosexual men. Earlier studies concluded that circumcised men were at a lowered risk for syphilis, but the Tobian study did not support this. In fact Tobian’s study results showed similar syphilis rates for uncircumcised men and those who were circumcised.
Researchers believe circumcision helps prevent disease, because once circumcised, infectious organisms have few places to incubate, such as moisture that the foreskin harbors. The skin of the head of the penis becomes a bit tougher after the foreskin is removed, thus making it less prone to micro-tears that allow organisms to enter the skin.
The Tobian study correlates with data that show Hispanics and African-Americans have the highest rates of HPV, herpes, and cervical cancer, while having the lowest numbers of circumcised men.
Hamilton – Mothers in Canada are very happy with their labor and overall birthing experience, but they seem to be having more monitoring and ultrasounds than need be. This was stated from a federal study done by the Public Health Agency of Canada and released on Tuesday.
There are also other procedures and practices being done and used that are not supported by clinical evidence. Some of the practices include episiotomies, inducing labor, speeding up labor. Shaving, enemas and stirrups are some of the practices that are being used. All of these should not be the standard in labor and delivery.
During a normal pregnancy, Canada supports only one ultrasound given between 18 and 19 weeks but with discussion of limitations, safety and benefits. The World Health Organization suggests ultrasound only on need or only one at 18 weeks.
A study was conducted by The Public Health Agency of Canada’s Maternity Experiences Survey. This survey studied 6,421 women. About 80 percent of the mothers were interviewed between five and 14 months after giving birth. They stated their experience was somewhat or very positive. Almost all of the mothers, 99.8 percent exactly, said that they had at least one ultrasound while pregnant; the average among the mothers was three while pregnant.
It was also found that 90 percent of the mothers had some monitoring done while in labor and two-thirds were found to have continuous monitoring. All of this monitoring was done despite evidence that support periodic monitoring for a normal labor.
Toronto – According to Australian researchers, mushrooms and green tea could help halve the risk of breast cancer.
Published in the International Journal of Cancer, the study found that just 10 grams of mushrooms, protect against breast cancer. The research found that additional protection was also provided by green tea.
Led by Dr. Min Zhang of the University of Western Australia, researchers examined the effects of mushrooms on approximately 2,000 Chinese women — half of whom had breast cancer.
“While the researchers have stressed that this study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship, the study has shown that it is biologically plausible for mushrooms and green tea to play a significant dietary role in reducing the risk of breast cancer.â€
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women. On average, 431 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week.
Everyone knows too much of a good thing can be bad, but what about excessive cancer testing?
Prostate cancer effects one in six Canadian men, leading most aging men to seek preventive measures.
There are two types of prostate cancer, differing in intensity. The first is slow growing, and can be cured in almost one hundred percent of cases. The aggressive prostate cancer spreads quickly to other parts of the body, and can be cured in about thirty three percent of cases.
There is currently no way to determine whether a cancer is slow growing or aggressive, and many patients are receiving tests and treatment they don’t need. Side effects can be as devastating as incontinence or impotence.
There are many tests and therapies available for prostate cancer; prostate-specific antigen, a simple blood test, is usually first. Unfortunately this test tends to over exaggerate findings. Radiation therapy and surgery are options once a definite diagnosis has been made, and lymph nodes are monitored to detect whether or not the cancer is spreading.
Men should take extra care to consult with their doctor about appropriate treatments. Factors such as age and family history are always important.
According to U.S. researchers, obese people who undergo surgery for pancreatic cancer don’t live as long as people who are considered normal weight.
Dr. Jason B. Fleming, and colleagues from the University of Texas looked at data from 285 obese people who underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer.
To be considered obese, patients had to have a body mass index or BMI of 30 or more. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.
Cancer was 12 times more likely to be found to have spread to the lymph nodes in patients with BMIs of 35 of more, compared to those with lower BMIs, the investigators report in the Archives of Surgery, reports Reuters.
For patients with a BMI higher than 35, average survival was 13.2 months, compared with 27.4 months for those with a BMI of less than 23.
The cancer recurred in 95% of patients with a BMI above 35, while those with lower BMIs had a recurrence rate of 61%, the researchers note.
“Data suggest that the negative influence of BMI of more than 35 on cancer-related endpoints is unrelated to the potential complexity of performing major oncologic surgery in obese patients,” the authors concluded.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and by the Various Donor Fund for Pancreatic Cancer Research.