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I was stunned to spot a story on the future of colonoscopy in Gizmodo a gadget blog that I read regularly. It's just not the place I find stuff to post up here. :) Apparently Invendo Medical has come up with the Invendoscopy System, a product that will Read More...
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Callisto Pharmaceuticals announced a few weeks back that they're feeling pretty good about Guanilib. So good, in fact, that they intend to move the drug into clinical trials in ulcerative colitis. They announced that they have new animal data that suggest Read More...
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Shooters all around! Researchers in Mexico report that certain compounds found in agave fruit (the fruit used to make tequila) may be effective in treating diseases of the colon including IBD, IBS and cancer. "This study shows that the agave fruit is Read More...
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This is a very short mention of a method to add fiber to IV feeding to help intestinal growth. Read More...
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The common wisdom among the medical community is that IBD is an autoimmune disorder but a few doctors and researchers are challenging that notion with some interesting results. Some are convinced that it's more likely caused by our bodies reacting to bacteria. A similar debate raged in the medical community in the 90's around the causes of peptic ulcers until it was proven that most ulcers are indeed caused by bacteria. At any rate, the idea that IBD may be caused by bacteria has led to some interesting new treatments including probiotics or very long very high doses of antibiotics. The author of this article is also the author of an interesting new book I'm reading called, "Bacteria for Breakfast: Probiotics for Good Health". Read More...
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The idea that parasites can actually be helpful in treating IBD has been talked about for a few years but mostly in theory or in studies that used very small samples. Well, another much larger study will soon be released that shows remarkable success in inducing remission in both Crohn's and Colitis. There is even a firm in Europe that is planning to launch a drink that could be used in treatment. This is one area of research to watch. Read More...
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A recent danish study shows that an appendectomy reduces the risk of getting ulcerative colitis. It also shows that once you have ulcerative colitis, removing the appendix has no effect. Read More...
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A new study has confirmed what had been previously suspected... that people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more than three times as likely to develop blood clots in their veins. Read More...
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A study on Remicade (known generically as infliximab) shows that it helps significantly with fistulas. If only it weren't so damn expensive, though... Read More...
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In a recent article in Gastroenterology a study of the effects of long-term cases of ulcerative colitis (specifically the severity of colonic inflamation) is linked to colorectal cancer. Read More...
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A study published in Psychosomatic Medecine shows a clear link between depression and anxiety and flares of IBD. Read More...
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Hadassah's approach to Crohn's disease goes back 2,000 years... straight from the Talmud, which sanctions the eating of an unkosher animal to heal oneself. Read More...
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Doctors are looking at nicotine as a possible treatment for an array of disorders, from brain disorders to pain to intestinal problems (like Ulcerative Colitis). But don't go buy your patch yet: nicotine is addictive, toxic, and can constrict blood flow, raising one's heart rate and blood pressure. Wait for the chemists to figure this one out a little better. Read More...
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Just what we're all waiting for: a drink of Gatorade and worms to fix our guts. But if it works? Sign me up... Read More...
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Researchers in Phoenix and Tucson are collaborating on a study to find the genetic roots of IBD. There has already been a connection made with one gene (NOD2) but that only accounts for about 10% of the cases of IBD so the researchers are trying to find the other genes involved. The study will look at families with two or more affected individuals, or families with a mother and father affected. If you fit the bill and are in Arizona, this sure does look like a worthwhile study. Read More...
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I've heard many good things about the probiotic VSL#3. This is more good news for people having problems with pouchitis. In a new study in Gut VSL#3 appeared to do pretty good job helping to control pouchitis and generally improving the quality of life of UC patients with pouchitis. Warning: This is a press release so it may be biased and omit some of the negative bits. Read More...
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High blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein linked to heart attacks, might also be an early warning sign of colon cancer, a study found. People with diseases involving chronic intestinal inflammation, including ulcerative colitis, are known to face an increased colon cancer risk, and studies have shown that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce that risk. Read More...
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A Swedish researcher has discovered a new form of inflammatory intestinal disease called Microscopic Colitis. It appears to be hard to spot but is, in fact, quite common. I have no idea how it relates to IBD but it does appear to have some differences (it shows signs of being an infectious disease, for instance). Read More...
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I always wonder what makes researcher head down the paths they do. Sometimes it seems like organized madness but if it leads to a more and better treatments for IBD I'm all for it. The latest thought is that plantain bananas contain an interesting protein that prevents bacteria gathering in the lining of the bowel. It's not even a product yet let alone being in clinical trials so it'll take a good long while before we see any results from this discovery. Read More...
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Leukine continues to show promise as a new type of treatment for Crohn's. While most of the approved therapies try to suppress the immune system, Leukine actually revs it up. It's still too early (it's in phase 2 trials) to see where it'll lead but it does look promising. Read More...
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Celltech announced recently that they were moving ahead with Phase III studies of their drug CDP870 which targets TNF-alpha (much like Remicade does). We probably won't see the results of this until 2005 but a successful trial would certainly be good news for Crohn's patients. Remicade is currently the only drug approved by the US FDA in this area and as a result it tends to be very expensive. Another positive is that CDP870 is injected rather than applied via infusion like Remicade. Read More...
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Until recently, autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, scleroderma, diabetes type I, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary bilary cirrhosis) were treated as separate conditions. But scientists have come to see them as related. In all of them, the immune system attacks the cells, tissues or organs it normally protects. What links these illnesses? Autoimmune disorders, which strike about three times as many women as men, have common symptoms. That may be the key to treating them. Read More...
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Biogen chief executive Jim Mullen knows what it's like to be faced with an empty pipeline. In October 1999, he was back in Boston after a stint with the company in Paris when Biogen revived some devastating news. Read More...
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A new genetically engineered drug (Natalizumab) has been found to be effective against autoimmune disorders (including Crohn's disease) in a couple of trials in the UK. Read More...
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A genetically engineered growth hormone may be a powerful new weapon against ulcerative colitis, a hard-to-control ailment affecting an estimated 500,000 Americans, a study suggests. Read More...
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The drug Bupropion has been found to lower levels of TNF (kinda like Remicade does, I guess) in a small initial study presented recently at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience (yes, we read 'em all, folks :) ). Bupropion is a drug primarily for psychiatric conditions. A quick Google on Bupriopion shows it to be used as an antidepressant (Wellbutrin) and to help quit smoking (Zyban). I also found that it has a whole list of possible side effects. I think I'll wait for a much bigger study before jumping on this one. Read More...
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Enemas that contain a substance known as epidermal growth factor, or EGF, seem to reduce the severity of inflammatory diseases of the colon or rectum. Read More...
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A Las Vegas teen who lost 50 pounds hopes a stem cell operation will help him to combat Crohn's disease. Read More...
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There's some good news coming out of the University of Virginia Health System about a new study that clearly links a protein called TL1A with IBD. It's just a small initial study so it's a long way from benefiting current sufferers but I found it very encouraging and it'll be interesting to see where it goes from here. (Warning: This is a press release and it's primarily written for doctors so there's lots of incomprehensible pompous medical gobbledegook) Read More...
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Abbott Labs has expanded its clinical trials of HUMIRA on Crohn's disease. Seems like good news. I suspect that if approved this might help bring down the price of Remicade. Read More...
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Pharmion plans to market thalidomide to Europe as cancer fighter. There's some hope that it might also help with Crohn's. Read More...
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A study out of Australia shows that apparently people who have had their appendicies removed have less chance of developing IBD. It's a large study with 600 IBD patients and 1000 twins without the problem. No details are given on how significant the difference is but it does sound interesting. Read More...
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Here's some good news from the recent meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. A Phase II trial of Sargramostim showed some pretty impressive and promising results. Sargramostim is an immune-system stimulator that was originally developed as an anti-cancer drug. Unlike other Crohn's treatments it does not involve any immuno-suppressants. The hypothesis behind this is that Crohn's disease may be caused by immune deficiency rather than an overactive immune system as traditionally believed. Read More...
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Leukine, a cancer drug, is showing promise as a treatment for Crohn's. This article reports on the results of the Phase II trial study which do indeed look quite good. Keep in mind that much more testing must be done and if it all pans out we probably won't see this on the market before 2007. Still, it's great to see progress. Read More...
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While the Phase II trial for Leukine was a good one, it was not a perfect one. This story goes into specifics of the results. Read More...
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