Drugs

NIA Researchers Look to Repurpose Drugs to Help Dementia

National Institute on Aging (NIA) researchers are looking into whether drugs already approved by FDA for indications other than dementia can be used to help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease. An NIA statement says the Drug Repurposing for Effective Alzheimer’s Medicines (DREAM) study research team has identified a network of about 20 biological pathways linked to abnormal brain metabolism in people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

They also have identified 35 FDA-approved drugs that might be active against the network of 20 pathways. Of the 35, the statement says, the team selected 15 drugs as the best candidates for further analysis.

NIA says the researchers plan to analyze data collected during routine health care for the effects of a candidate drug on the development of dementia. Data sources will include health records from Medicare and the UK.

If a drug appears to reduce the risk or severity of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, NIA says, researchers could conduct future lab tests to determine how the drug works against dementia, and the drugs could eventually be tested with people in clinical trials.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome