by Mahesh on March 10, 2010
Over the course of writing on this blog, we have seen a continuous evolution of the pharma landscape, especially in the neuroscience market. For those of us who track each and every development, it is quite easy to connect the dots and get a feel for the market. However, for those of our readers who are new to the industry and new to the blog as well, we would like to start a new series called BioPharma Profiles in Neuroscience. These posts will feature vital stats on the leaders in our industry who are not only pursuing the treatment and eradication of neurological diseases, but are also evolving as excellent investing opportunities in this market. Our first company is this series is Biogen Idec.
Company profile
No conversation about the neuroscience pharma landscape is complete without the mention of Biogen Idec. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this companyis the largest manufacturer of drugs for multiple sclerosis, with a balanced set of treatments that have either established themselves on the market or form their rich pipeline of the future. On the whole, the company develops treatments in the three areas of neurology, oncology and autoimmune disorders, but their neurology pipeline has a good standing in the industry. The company’s portfolio mainly targets Multiple Sclerosis (MS) but some of its treatments have the potential to treat other unmet medical needs like Parkinson’s and Crohn’s disease. From an investing standpoint, companies like Biogen Idec, who are focused on unmet medical needs are beneficial to a portfolio because the FDA provides several avenues for accelerated development of such drugs. Since these drugs get to market earlier, they provide greater profitability while facing almost no competition in the market.
Drugs and Pipeline
In the neurological disease market, Biogen Idec makes its name with two drugs – Avonex and Tysabri. Avonex is the best-selling drug for MS in the US market, which made around $2.3 billion, a solid part of the company’s $4.4 billion in sales last year. After getting launched in 1996, Avonex has gone on to capture 40% of the overall MS market.
Tysabri (Natalizumab) has been in the news lately for potentially being Biogen’s blockbuster MS drug. However, the drug has seen its share of troubles in the market. After the drug was launched in 2004, reports of PML in some of the patients led to its recall the same year. Tysabri was relaunched in 2006 but its PML woes had not faded. In 2009, 28 cases of PML were reported that led to a lot of controversy over the continued presence of the drug on the market. However, the FDA has still allowed its sale, given its significant benefits over the small chance of PML. The last time we checked, Biogen Idec was looking into the development of a biomarker test that could warn doctors about the possibility of PML before taking the drug.
The company is also developing the following treatments:
- Famipridine-SR for MS (FDA filing)
- Pegylated Interferon beta-1A (Phase 3)
- Dimetyl Fumarate for MS (Phase 3)
- Daclizumab for MS (Phase 3)
- Ocrelizumab for MS (Phase 3)
- BIIB014 for Parkinson’s (Phase 2)
- Neublastin for Neuropathic Pain ( Phase 1)
- Anti-Lingo for MS (Phase 1)
Recent Developments
Biogen Idec has seen some developments on the management side as well. Carl Icahn, the star investor who became famous for his takeover moves with Yahoo, tried to get some of his nominees on the company’s board. He was however unsuccessful this time. Also, James Mullen announced that he will depart from his role as CEO after 10 years at the front on June 8th this year. The company’s board is now on the hunt for a replacement, who would most likely be strong on the science side of things. The company has also launched clinical trials for a drug that could potentially regenerate the protective coating around nerves that gets damaged in multiple sclerosis patients.
What’s in the future for Biogen Idec?
Biogen Idec is a significant player in the neurological disease market based on its market dominance in the Multiple Sclerosis area. While it faces huge competition from companies like Merck Serono and Novartis, it has continued to stay as the leader by balancing its portfolio of drugs in the market and its pipeline (something that many other pharma companies are struggling with). With a leading MS drug already under its belt (Avonex) the company needs to focus on the success of Tysabri – a potential test for avoiding PML cases would greatly improve the profitability and effectiveness of the drug.
Technorati Tags: Avonex, Biogen Idec, Carl Icahn, James Mullen, Multiple Sclerosis, Neurological Diseases, PML, Tysabri
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by Karen on March 8, 2010
Memory loss affects 5-7% of the elderly population each year [1]. This impairment can be due to many things: Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and vitamin deficiency among others. As more and more baby boomers reach the age of 70, the amount of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) increases rapidly and puts a large burden not only on the elderly person and their family, but also on an already-taxed health care system [1].
A recent study performed by researchers from Tel Aviv University determined that increasing the levels of magnesium in the brain increased memory [2]. The increase of a magnesium compound, MgT (magnesium-L-threonate), led to short term and long term memory enhancements. The study was performed on rats of varying ages which were fed a diet with a healthy level of magnesium from natural sources. One group was given a supplement containing MgT in addition to their normal diet and the control group was given just the normal diet. Over the course of the five year study, it was discovered that the rats given the supplement- regardless of age – showed improved cognitive function [2]. They also exhibited an increase in brain synapses or brain cell connections. These synapses carry the electrical impulses that form memories and these increases led to improvements in learning and memory in both the young and elderly rats.
Because over-the-counter magnesium supplements do not boost brain magnesium to the required levels, researchers
are developing a new form of supplement that appears to work more effectively than any other source of magnesium. It is possible that as many as half of the population of developed countries may have a magnesium deficiency and this deficiency increases with age. This magnesium deficiency may contribute to age-related memory decline.
This discovery has researchers excited for the future. More studies will have to be performed on humans, but inferences from the rat study show promise for MgT as a memory booster. As researchers continue to work on the MgT supplement, doctors are informing their patients to increase their intake of magnesium, as it will have some effect. This can be accomplished by eating more green leafy vegetables and also taking an over-the-counter magnesium supplement.
References:
1. Petersen RC, et al. The Mayo Clinic study of aging: Incidence of mild cognitive impairment. Alzheimers Dement, 2008;4(4 Suppl):T130.
2. Slutsky I, et al. Enhancement of learning and memory by elevating brain magnesium. Neuron, 2010; 65(2):165.
Technorati Tags: age-related neurodegenerative disease, alternative medicine, Alzheimer's Disease, magnesium, memory, research, supplements
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by Henry on March 5, 2010
What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Recently, we reported here that the Alzheimer’s drug Dimebon was shown to be effective on Huntington’s Disease. This has profound implications for the Alzheimer’s research community as it expands the role for any new Alzheimer’s research. Investors need to take note of this possibility because this means an Alzheimer’s investment could potentially become a Huntington’s Disease investment with no extra capital. Needless to say, the implications are enormous.
However, this week it was revealed that Dimebon is not as effective on Alzheimer’s Disease as once thought:
Dimebon, a once-promising new Alzheimer’s drug from Pfizer Inc., may be no more effective than a placebo at treating the disease, according to late-stage clinical data released by the company Wednesday.
As recently as 2008, the drug was seen as an exciting development:
Dimebon, a 25-year-old Russian antihistamine, seems to stabilize Alzheimer’s disease in an 18-month study, surprising experts at this week’s International Conference on Alzheimer’s disease.
Indeed, in the second article it states “Dimebon is now only one clinical trial away from approval,” which shows just how difficult it can be for an Alzheimer’s drug to go to market. Even those drugs that seemed promising in clinical tests can fail in later trials. However, by the same token, just because a drug fails one trial does not mean that all is lost for that pharmaceutical. In other words, the bad trial doesn’t automatically negate the good trial. There can still be hope for a drug like Dimebon, given that it’s had successful trials in the past.
That said, there are degrees of failure in Alzheimer’s research. It is one thing to discover that an Alzheimer’s medication is less effective than previously thought and quite another to find out that the drug is no more effective than a placebo. This really does tend to throw the earlier study into serious question. It should be mentioned that there were some researchers who said the earlier results fell under “too good to be true.” On the bright side, those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease can be confident that once a drug goes to market it has passed through a series of rigorous tests, and patients can be confident about the drug’s effectiveness. There is no doubt, though, that this is dispiriting to the makers of Dimebon and the Alzheimer’s community at large.
Even with this setback, there is still the potential that a new trial of the drug could prove its effectiveness:
While the negative result from the CONNECTION trail could simply mean that Dimebon does not work, says Lipton, it is also possible that the studies used the wrong doses of the drug or gave the doses too infrequently or at the wrong stage of the disease.
This is why multiple trials with many possible variants is so important.
For investors, this should send off warning signals that you shouldn’t go by the stellar results of one clinical trial, but should be prepared to do substantial research about the trial and ensure there are subsequent trials with ample redundancy. Even with the positive Dimebon study there were many in the research community who doubted the results, this may be enough for investors to do doubt the results of a study as well. At the same time, it is important to see who is doing the criticizing - an impartial party or someone from a rival laboratory who may have an ulterior motive to criticize the study. Unfortunately, in the world of biotechnology, this type of infighting is known to occur. Though researchers are by and large interested in finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, some politicking does occur.
That does not appear to be the case with the Dimebon study, as the results of the new study do corroborate scientists’ earlier doubts. The possibility that this also calls into question the effectiveness of Dimebon on Huntington’s Disease cannot be denied. It should be mentioned that this study does not have findings about Dimebon’s effect on Huntington’s Disease, but there is no doubt this new study calls may raise concererns about those findings as well – making the result of this study a double blow for the makers of Dimebon. What a difference a couple of weeks makes.
Technorati Tags: Biotechnology Investing, Clinical Trials, Dimebon, Pfizer
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by Mahesh on March 4, 2010
Our last post talked about the emerging trend in out-licensing from pharma companies trying to balance the huge opportunities in drug development against the limited resources available. So, what does all this come down to? What are the things a company must consider before out-licensing their technologies?
It all comes down to some key questions:
1. What should we focus on?
If the company feels that its research group does not have the expertise or bandwidth to enable the development of their technology (especially in areas that are not on the company’s priority list), it makes sense to explore partners who could give justice to the opportunity. We are not sure any company would admit this outright; however smart companies need to work with their research groups to identify the highest priority for the company and where they should be spending their time.
2. What’s most important for the company?
This is related to point#1, but when the company finds an opportunity outside of its core strategy it must take the initiative to ‘No’ and consider partnering with external research groups. Pharmaceutical and biotech drug development is a lengthy and risky process; add distraction to he mix and the company is set for failure. It might be better to get someone’s help while the core team focuses on its priorities.
3. What benefits can be obtained from the broader scientific community?
There are special cases when the technology being developed has the ability to create widespread impact in the market. Biomarkers, diagnostic tests and drug delivery technologies are good examples of such technologies – different research groups can tailor them to fit their specific needs for treating a wide variety of diseases. For example, a drug delivery technology that can transport treatments across the blood brain barrier would had wide application for the whole neuroscience market. Since the development of such technologies could mean high return on investment for many companies in the market, out-licensing would be a viable strategy to pursue. This way no opportunities are missed, resources are scaled and the technology comes to market right on time.
biOasis CEO Rob Hutchison briefly mentioned the benefits of such collaboration when we decided to license our P97 molecule to one of our partner companies. By teaming up with creative research groups from our partners we are able to significantly accelerate the development of P97 and scale its benefits across the entire neuroscience space.
4. Is this is the right time?
This is a very important point. Not all moments in a company’s lifecycle are good for out-licensing. In times of high growth, it is better to grow the management and research team, thereby reaping all the benefits in-house. In this case, the benefits greatly outdo the costs of expansion. Moreover, no company should ignore the opportunity to grow its equity and importance in the market. Out-licensing makes sense only when the company does not have the appetite to take on more, when it is wise to tread cautiously and to focus on certain disease areas that promise the most returns in the future.
5. Do we have the right partner?
Licensing revenue depends greatly on the ability of the partner company. The management needs to have strong relationships with the partner company and be confident that they are as good or better than the internal research team.
Effective and Timely Strategy = Great Company = Great Investment
While these past 2 posts characterize the out-licensing trend and make some recommendations, we also want to emphasize a theme that underlies this analysis. Great companies are always able to tread through tough times by making the right moves in the market. The companies mentioned in these posts have been able to navigate the extremely fluid and competitive market in past years, indicating that their management teams know what is right for their companies. Consequently, their ability forecasts the possibility of a successful company, one that provides crucial treatments to patients and generates successful returns for their shareholder. Essentially, this means that if you spot the right strategy for the right time, you are looking at the right company.
Technorati Tags: Collaborative research agreement, commercialization, Merck, Neurological Diseases, open source, out-licensing, pharma strategy, Strategy
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by Mahesh on March 3, 2010
We’d like to think that pharma companies are Alchemists. Every day they constantly strive to convert an idea and a huge pool of compounds into blockbuster drugs that can cure the ailments of millions. As glorious as this sounds, the process of converting “lead into gold” is not a simple exercise – it takes years of smart management of resources, money and a brilliant group of researchers to take a technology from an idea to a blockbuster on the market. Smart Management is all about choosing the right things to do, and then doing them right.
Balancing vast opportunities against limited resources
Pharma companies have always faced the problem of managing their limited resources in light of the many opportunities that exist out there. 2009 and 2010 are quite indicative of such times – companies have had to cut workforces to maintain profitability and to pursue key opportunities that can bring them out of their dried pipelines. Strategic thinking during these times has been driven by extensive cost-benefits analyses that are used to focus key initiatives on high-return high-impact opportunities for the company, while at the same time they recognize that they’re sitting on big pools of compounds that could become future blockbusters. As a result, there seems to be a re-emergence of the out-licensing trend in pharma.
We noted this trend during some of our previous posts (See here, here). However, pharma companies have become increasingly dependent on out-licensing revenues since 2004 because the number of opportunities have exceeded the available resources and their productivity levels. These efforts are more pronounced in the areas of cancer and neurological diseases, because (1) we still have a lot to understand about these diseases and (2) because our efforts can only be accelerated if more research groups work in these areas while sharing common knowledge.
Benefits of an open, collaborative out-licensing initiative
What is noteworthy in the past weeks is that pharma companies are now taking a more open approach to out-licensing their compounds, especially in a way that allows outsiders to look under the hood without an intense deal-making process. We noted GSK’s open-source style malaria initiative and the formation of the Asia Cancer Research Group (ACRG) last week, and now Merck has announced that it will finally open its own out-licensing operation to solicit external resources to tap returns on some of their assets. This shows that pharma companies are realizing the benefits of giving away some intellectual property for a higher (overall) return on investment.
Out-licensing has some great benefits for pharma companies, especially in the current market environment:
- Companies can still pursue their complete portfolio of compounds without losing out on opportunities.
- They can diversity their income sources while focusing on strategic areas of development.
- They can broaden research efforts in key areas like neurological diseases which need accelerated and widespread research efforts, and
- Treatments for certain diseases that do not promise high return-on-investment can still be developed, thereby helping citizens of less-developed countries.
While out-licensing has its benefits, a pharma company needs to be be highly cognizant of the market environment to make the right choice – both with its compound and with its potential partners. In our next post, we will examine some of the key considerations a company must make before pursuing an out-licensing strategy for their technologies.
Technorati Tags: Collaborative research agreement, commercialization, Merck, Neurological Diseases, open source, out-licensing
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by Karen on March 1, 2010
Alzheimer’s disease involves the brain and increases in severity over time. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells leading to memory loss, the inability to perform simple tasks, behavioral changes and eventually, death. This destructive disease has no cure, although research is progressing in the areas of treatment, delay of onset, and prevention.
In order to know more about how to treat or cure a disease, scientists must know how it originates. Dr Shaohua Xu at the Florida Space Life Sciences Lab at the Kennedy Space Center has developed a theory regarding the inception of Alzheimer’s disease. Using atomic force microscopy, he has discovered a three step process that turns normal proteins in the brain (called tau) into a mass of tangled threads. These threads are what lead to the death of brain cells resulting in Alzheimer’s disease.
The first step in the process involves the tau molecules clustering together and forming spheres. These spheres grow to a certain, specific, uniform size and then stop [1]. The spheres subsequently joint together into chains, like links on a necklace [1]. In the final step, the chains join to other chains to make the larger structures found in the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients. These groups of chains, called filaments, congregate in the brain’s cells and do not let them function properly. This leads to the death of the cell. The destruction of enough cells signifies the onset of Alzheimer’s. As more brain cells die, the symptoms of the disease become more pronounced. Eventually, when enough cells have expired, the patient dies.
Dr. Xu’s work is based on colloid science. It is the same principle governing the suspension of fat particles in milk or color particles in paint. [4] When the spheres of abnormal proteins, or colloids, stick together they are called amyloid fibers and develop a very specific structure. They are comprised of lengths of proteins, folded into loops. [1, 3] The fibers overlap into what scientists call a beta sheet structure. [1, 3] This specific structure causes the fiber to be very stable and very difficult for the cell to combat. [3]
Dr. Xu’s discovery has been called revolutionary. “This could be the most important biomedical discovery ever made at Kennedy Space Center,” said a NASA physician, David Tipton, chief of the Aerospace Medicine and Environmental Health Branch at Kennedy Space Center [2]. Researchers around the world are predicting that his discovery will have a tremendous impact on the fight against neurodegenerative diseases. Based on this theory, the progression of the disease may be stopped using drugs that prevent the spheres from forming chains. There are chemicals in use now that hinder this aggregation in paints. The next step will be to find and test drugs that have the potential to stop the filament production and halt the progression of the disease.
References:
1. Xu, S. Cross-beta-sheet structure in amyloid fiber formation. J Phys Chem B. 2009 Sep 17;113(37):12447-55.
2. Nagle, Mike. New Alzheimer’s theory gains NASA backing. LabTechnologist.com.
2008 Jan 30
3. Miranker, Andrew D. Unzipping the mysteries of amyloid fiber formation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2004 March 30;10(13):4335-4336
4. Fisher, Len. How to Dunk a Doughnut: The Science of Everyday Life. Arcade Publishing 2003: 127
Technorati Tags: Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's Research, amyloid beta, Atomic Force Microscopy, NASA, plaques, research, spread of Alzheimer's disease within brain, tau tangles
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by Henry on February 26, 2010
It was already understood that tau tangles play an active role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, but now a specific tau protein shows the potential to have diagnostic properties. First, a primer on tau tangles:
Neurofibrillary tangles are composed of a protein called tau protein. Tau proteins play a crucial role in the structure of the neuron. In people with Alzheimer’s tau proteins cause abnormality through overactive enzymes resulting in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Neurofibrillary tangles result in the death of the cells.
New research into tau tangles isolates Phosphorylated tau231 (P-tau231) as being potentially predictive of Alzheimer’s Disease. Though one may have thought that the presence of tau tangles alone were enough to create a diagnostic system for Alzheimer’s Disease, it is not so cut-and-dried as that. From a study reported in the Neurobiology of Aging:
“Our findings suggest that P-tau231 has the potential to be an important diagnostic tool in the pre-symptomatic stages of Alzheimer’s disease,” said lead author Dr. Lidia Glodzik, an assistant research professor at the Department of Psychiatry at the Center for Brain Health and Center of Excellence on Brain Aging at NYU School of Medicine.
Researchers followed 57 healthy older adults and looked at memory performance and gray matter using MRI scans. Two years later, 20 of the subjects had worsened memory and more atrophy in the medial temporal lobe, as well as higher baseline levels of P-tau231.
The study does not reveal how this specific protein could be addressed via medication, as that was not the purpose of the study. However, for Alzheimer’s Disease, diagnosis is half the battle. Once an error-proof diagnostic model is discovered, it will make the prospect of finding new preventative treatment much easier. Whether or not comprehensive preventive care comes via P-tau231 or another source is yet to be determined, but if something is clear evidence of Alzheimer’s Disease, as is potentially the case with P-tau231, addressing that issue specifically could be the pathway towards a treatment.
Indeed, prior research into tau tangles shows that addressing protein malfunction could very well be the method of treatment.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown that impaired function and loss of synapses in the hippocampus of a mouse form of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is related to the activation of immune cells called microglia, which cause inflammation. These events precede the formation of tangles – twisted fibers of tau protein that build up inside nerve cells – a hallmark of advanced AD.
What is interesting about this is that the second study reveals that microglia cause inflammation that lead to tangles. This is significant because, in the first study, a tau protein was revealed to be potentially predictive but this would only be the case if the tau tangles were already present. This means Alzheimer’s is well into its development and the patient is likely exhibiting symptoms. Ideally an Alzheimer’s predictor would be further back in the disease’s development, such as in the microglia, so Alzheimer’s could be diagnosed even earlier.
It is not enough to find a diagnostic predictor for Alzheimer’s, but equally important to know where in the life cycle of the disease that predictor is revealed. As with other diseases, the earlier - the better, so while the tau diagnostic system is encouraging, it is not ideal, as it is important to have a predictor early on in the disease.
That said, it is a success to have any diagnostic procedure for Alzheimer’s, as there is not one currently. If this occurs after a patient is already symptomatic, this is preferable to no diagnostic procedure at all. It is understandably much easier to diagnose a disease when it is further along than diagnosing very early on in its development.
Where biOasis is concerned, the study into p97 revolves around microglia mentioned above:
Part of the disease process involves activating specific inflammatory mechanisms in the brain related to the responses of cells called microglia that are associated with amyloid plaques. P97 becomes highly expressed in these plaques –associated cells and over-express a form of the molecule that passes into bodily fluids where it acts as an aid to diagnosing the disease ( Yamada et al. 1999)
The hope with p97 is not just that it can be a predictive biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease, but that it can be an early predictor.
Technorati Tags: Alzheimer's Biomarker, Alzheimer's Diagnosis, microglial cells, neurofibrillary tangles, P-tau231
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by Mahesh on February 25, 2010
Healthcare reform, patient lawsuits and employee layoffs have been giving the pharma industry a bad rep in the minds of people these days, but time and again we see examples of initiatives from the pharma companies that show that they can do some good too. This week, several big pharma companies have announced that they will come together to treat and eradicate disease in parts of the world that haven’t had access to good medicine for years.
Big pharma companies open up compound libraries for further development in developing countries
Pfizer, Merck and Eli Lilly will be starting a new collabrative group called the Asia Cancer Research Group (ACRG) that will focus on investigating and treating lung and gastric cancer in Asia. The Asia Cancer Research group will feature a scientific board that will drive the initiative while other researchers will have free access to ACRG’s phamacogenomics database for furthering innovation. This news comes right after GSK CEO Andrew Witty’s announcement stating that GSK will make public 13,500 of potential malaria treatment compounds. These new developments arise from their common realization that even though they hold leading positions in the US and European market, they feel responsible to make the best use of their innovations and put them into action in developing countries.
Open Source technology – how pharma is now taking a page from a decade-long lesson
Through the last decade the information technology and computer software industry has seen open source technology mature from a geek-culture to an industry norm. Sharing of information and resources has allowed innovation to blossom, resulting in software that is more robust, reliable and easy to use. Pharma companies seem to be taking a page out of this chapter now, and possibly in a much better way. What used to stay behind closed doors as “secret” intellectual property will now become fuel for any innovative mind that can improve upon the technology.
For a long time, the general public believed that open source technology meant that inventors would give away intellectual property without extracting the value inherent in it. But this is not neccesarily true. The paradigm of open source technology was best defined by the man who started the open source revolution for computer software: Richard Stallman. For him Open Source was “Free as in Freedom“, and by Freedom he meant that ideas become success stories when they are set free. By opening up their treasure throves of compound librares, pharma companies are now starting their own open source revolution. With free access to compounds and related information, scientists from all over the world wil be able to come together, improve and develop new treatments to the health challenges we face today.
The pharma industry has seen its own share of troubles in 2009 – from dried pipelines to intense competition from generics manufacturers. An open source movement could break this deadlock and expand the number of scientific minds contributing to the development of new treatments. This concept is even more relevant to the neurological disease market where we are in dire need of new technologies that will help us understand and treat these diseases.
Technorati Tags: asia cancer research group, Eli Lilly, GSK, innovation, Merck, open source, Pfizer, Pharma
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by Mahesh on February 24, 2010
The last couple of weeks have marked quite a breakdown in the healthcare reform process – a process that once looked so near, and has now fallen so far. The Obama administration has been working on it since he began his term in office. After the process almost reached its finality, the sudden loss of the democratic filibuster put the government back to square one, but this certainly doesn’t seem to be the end of it. The Obama administration has new plans to revive the debate and come up with a plan that works for everyone.
President Obama to hold a healthcare reform summit
President Obama has changed his strategy a little bit. His administration is putting together a new bipartisan proposal, quite similar to the Senate bill that he will discuss with Republican representatives at a healthcare summit to be hosted on February 25.
Some have called President Obama’s move as a trap to bring Republicans on a publicly telecast forum, in a way that they might be forced to reach agreement. However, bringing together the opinions from both sides of an aisle on a common platform might encourage more transparency in the agreement reaching process between Republicans and Democrats. Additionally, having this summit publicly telecast would educate the nation on what exactly the various senate members are saying. With news media sources providing their own biases and analysis, this seems like a great opportunity for all citizens to get their information first hand.
The summit doesn’t plan to be a discussion forum in its entirety. The Democrats will be proposing their version of the bill and the Republicans will need to come to the table with their own concrete proposals. This will lead eventually to a reconciliation bill – one that Democrats will need to push if Republicans do not have the points to counter it.
Reacting before the stalemate sinks in
As far as US Government proceedings go, the Democrats are probably late in reacting to the filibuster loss. The President’s plan was set to be posted this week on Monday, after which crucial members of the Democratic party need to reach agreement over the plan. This will then be proposed to the Republicans during the summit meeting. On the whole, we might be looking at another 2 months of discussion over the bill before this becomes legislation.
The President’s plan will still focus on the biggest issues that have revolved around the healthcare reform process. It will mandate insurance for Americans while making it affordable by providing tax subsides to mid-to-low income people. Additionally, the plan will also bar insurers from excluding patients with pre-existing conditions. The plan will include a proposal on how legislation will pay for the cost of providing insurance, one of which is possibly a tax on high-cost employer-sponsored health plans. Also, the bill might revive PhRMA’s $80 billion initiative to plug the Medicare doughnut hole.
Health reform sees its political dance
The health reform process has taken a fantastic turn in past couple of weeks. Before, the bill came through the Senate and House of Representatives – an agreed upon bill was going to be instituted by the White House after reconciling the two bills. Now, the President has come in to drive the process. The White House will create a proposal first and then let it open in the Senate. While the health reform stalemate is a depressing situation to watch again and again, every new development provides tremendous insights into the US political dance.
Technorati Tags: doughnut hole, health bill, healthcare reform, Medicare Fee-for-Service, Obama Administration, US Healthcare System, US Senate
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by Karen on February 22, 2010
Will medical marijuana become an accepted and effective treatment for Alzheimer’s? The cannabinoid compounds found in marijuana have been investigated for their therapeutic properties in the treatment of the growing numbers of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent studies have supported the use of medical marijuana, finding that cannabinoid receptors are important in the cause and effects of AD and, because of this, cannabinoid compounds are successful in preventing the neurodegenerative process that characterizes the disease [1].
These investigations have, up until recently, focused on the angle of Alzheimer’s disease caused by the build-up of amyloid deposits, or plaque, and the resulting loss of cognitive functioning [2,3]. Two cannabinoid receptors have been studied: the CB1 and CB2 receptors. While both receptors have been shown to play a role in the brain inflammation related to plaque formation, a study published last year shows that isolating the CB2 receptors may result in best reducing the inflammation and preventing neuronal loss without the production of the psychotropic side effects associated with marijuana use [2].
A Canadian scientific study scheduled to be published in a few weeks, conducted by researchers from the University of British Colombia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, also looked at the connection between marijuana and Alzheimer’s disease. This study has shifted the focus from the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabinoids, which are widely accepted, to the cognitive effects using a genetic rat model of AD. These studies found that HU210, a synthetic or laboratory-made cannabinoid, did not have beneficial effects on cognitive performance in rats with the AD-related genetic mutation [4].
The rats in this study were investigated both for changes in cognitive performance, using a water maze, and for physiological changes. Neither type of positive change was found, prompting researchers to encourage further research before medical marijuana becomes widely-accepted for use with AD and similar neurological problems.
Although current research supports the positive effects of cannabinoids on neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, this new study opens the door for scientific questioning and criticism related to the therapeutic use of marijuana in these cases. Additional research is needed to further investigate the pathways and effectiveness of these potential treatments, meaning that we are still a long way from a definitive answer.
References
1. Ramírez BG, Blázquez C, Gómez del Pulgar T, Guzmán M, de Ceballos ML. Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease pathology by cannabinoids: neuroprotection mediated by blockade of microglial activation. J Neurosci. 2005 Feb 23;25(8):1904-13.
2. De Filippis D, Steardo A, D’Amico A, Scuderi C, Cipriano M, Esposito G, Iuvone T. Differential cannabinoid receptor expression during reactive gliosis: a possible implication for a nonpsychotropic neuroprotection. Scientific World Journal. 2009 Mar 31;9:229-35.
3. Benito C, Núñez E, Pazos MR, Tolón RM, Romero J. The endocannabinoid system and Alzheimer’s disease. Mol Neurobiol. 2007 Aug;36(1):75-81.
4. Chen B, Bromley-Brits K, He G, Cai F, Zhang X, Song W. Effect of Synthetic Cannabinoid HU210 on Memory Deficits and Neuropathology in Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2010.
Technorati Tags: age-related neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's Research, chronic neurological diseases, Neurological Diseases, neurological disorders, research
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