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Kineta Acquires Novel Drug Candidates From Airmid For Potential Treatment Of Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes And Other Autoimmune Diseases
Kineta, Inc. of Seattle and Airmid Incorporated of Redwood City, CA jointly announce an agreement in which a Kineta subsidiary has acquired exclusive commercial rights to a portfolio of novel therapeutic compounds from Airmid. The array of compounds holds extraordinary potential for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and numerous other autoimmune diseases.
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Planned Parenthood Accuses Orange County, Calif., Officials Of Blocking Breast Health Program
Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties last week accused Orange County officials of having "gerrymandered" the process for distributing health grants and hindering the organization"s ability to establish a breast health program, the Los Angeles Times reports.Over the last eight years, Planned Parenthood and 17 other community clinics have received revenue from a tobacco settlement to fund health education programs. In March, the Board of Supervisors suspended Planned Parenthood"s contract after a constituent noted that taxpayer money was going to a group that performs abortions. The contract was reinstated with new guidelines that money go toward providing "direct medical" services and not toward abortion services. To meet the new guidelines, Planned Parenthood created the Breast Health Program for low-income women younger than age 40. The county rejected the program, followed by about two months of negotiations. The plan was abandoned last week after a deal was not reached within the 23-hour deadline imposed by the county Health Care Agency.In a letter sent last week to the Board of Supervisors and the Health Care Agency, PP OSBC President and CEO Jon Dunn wrote, "The county placed obstacle after obstacle in Planned Parenthood"s path, ultimately making [the breast health program] impossible to implement." He noted that the county refused to properly fund the program, held the organization to different accounting standards than other groups, and "refused to negotiate and imposed an unworkable deadline." According to Dunn, the "real reason" for the obstacles and the difficult negotiations was because the organization provides abortion services. He added, "You have eliminated critical health education programs, created barriers to critically needed care. You will be held accountable for your reckless and irresponsible actions."On Thursday, the county health agency released a statement saying that it had "worked in good faith" to reach an agreement but that funding could not be approved because "Planned Parenthood chose not to sign and return their agreement by the deadline date" (Abdollah, Los Angeles Times, 7/31).
News of the day
Nebraska Legislature Advances Ultrasound Viewing Bill
The Nebraska Legislature on Wednesday voted to advance a bill (L.B. 675) that would require abortion providers who perform ultrasounds on women seeking the procedure to tell women that a view of the fetus will be available and display the screen in a way that the image can be easily seen, the AP/Lincoln Journal Star reports. The bill also would require the state to compile a list of clinics that offer no-cost ultrasound services. State Sen. Brenda Council (D) criticized that particular provision, saying it would force the state Department of Health and Human Services to spend more taxpayer money.Lawmakers advanced the bill by voice vote after approving an amendment to clarify language surrounding the qualifications of health professionals performing ultrasounds. Advocates for the bill claim it would provide more information to women seeking abortion procedures, while opponents of the bill argue that it would allow the government to interfere in a private procedure. The bill faces a final vote before going to Gov. Dave Heineman (R). If the bill becomes law, Nebraska would join more than a dozen states that have similar laws, the AP/Journal Star reports (Ortiz, AP/Lincoln Journal Star, 5/27).
Medical Devices

Medtronic-Supported Clinical Trial Shows ICD Patients Less Likely To Develop Need For Pacing When Device Uses MVP(R) Mode

MVP® (Managed Ventricular Pacing), exclusive programming on Medtronic pacemakers, which is proven to be effective in reducing unnecessary pacing in pacemaker patients, was applied in the MVP Trial of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients. Data from MVP trial, sponsored by Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), were presented today as a late breaking clinical trial at Heart Rhythm 2009, the annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society. MVP dramatically reduces unnecessary right ventricular pacing, meaning it does not deliver low-level pacing pulses to the heart when it is beating normally. The trial aimed to establish whether atrial-based, dual chamber, managed ventricular pacing set at 60 beats per minute (MVP mode) is equivalent or superior to standard ventricular pacing settings of 40 beats per minute in ICD patients. The primary endpoint combined all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalizations. An independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended early closure of the trial when it was determined that there would not be conclusive results in evaluation of the study"s primary objective. Analysis of the trial"s secondary objectives showed that with programming the ICD to MVP mode, fewer patients developed the need for pacing than those whose devices were programmed with standard ventricular pacing. "Strong clinical evidence supporting the positive outcomes that MVP can have in pacemaker patients already exists," said Marshall Stanton, M.D., vice president of clinical research for the Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management business at Medtronic. "The analysis presented today shows that MVP reduces the development of the need for pacing in some ICD patients, but there is no evidence to show atrial pacing improves outcomes among this group of ICD patients." In SAVE PACe, a previous trial of pacemaker patients published in The New England Journal of Medicine, use of Medtronic MVP or Search AV+ modes was proven to dramatically reduce unnecessary right ventricular pacing. This reduction was shown to reduce the development of persistent atrial fibrillation, which is an electrical malfunction of the upper chambers of the heart (atria) that can lead to irregular heartbeats. It is the most common side effect of pacemakers; the condition can cause stroke or death. Medtronic


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