Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago are the first to use brain imaging to examine the effects of emotion on working memory function in children with pediatric bipolar disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The study is published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
PBD and ADHD are very severe developmental disorders that share behavioral characteristics such as impulsivity, irritability and attention problems.
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers at UIC examined the brain activity of children as they performed a working memory task while viewing faces with different emotions, such as angry, happy or neutral expressions.
The children, ages 10 to 18, were asked to remember the faces and to press a button in the MR-scanner if they saw the same face that was presented two trials earlier. The study involved 23 non-medicated children with bipolar disorder, 14 non-medicated children with ADHD and 19 healthy controls.
"It's a simple yet elegant working memory test that tells us a lot about how their brain remembers stimuli like faces or objects," said Alessandra Passarotti, assistant professor of psychiatry at UIC and lead author of the study. "We also added in an emotional component -- because both disorders show emotional deficits -- to study how their working memory is affected by emotional challenge."
The researchers found that while both disorders show dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex relative to healthy controls, the ADHD group had the most severe dysfunction in this important region. The prefrontal cortex controls behavior, such as impulsivity, and executive function, as well as complex cognitive processes such as working memory, attention and language.
From a treatment, learning and intervention perspective, the next step for researchers and clinicians is to figure out how to help patients use their prefrontal cortex, Passarotti said.
The researchers also found that while the ADHD group had greater dysfunction in working memory circuits in the brain, the bipolar group had more deficits in regions of the brain involved in emotion-processing and regulation.
Now that researchers are starting to differentiate between the two disorders at a brain network level, rather than just at a behavioral level, the long-term goal is to develop diagnostic tests based on neurological and behavioral markers of illness that can be used in a clinical setting. Currently patients are diagnosed using clinical measures, questionnaires, behavior scales and interviews with parents.
It is difficult for physicians to differentiate between the two disorders behaviorally, which may lead to an incorrect diagnosis and wrong medications, a worsening of symptoms, and greater frustration for children and parents, said Passarotti, a researcher in UIC's Institute for Juvenile Research.
She said that while researchers still do not understand all of the neurological deficits that characterize ADHD and PBD profiles, they know that drug treatment that works for ADHD does not work for bipolar disorder.
"In fact, if you give a stimulant to a child with bipolar disorder, they become more manic, and this makes their illness even worse, whereas if you give the mood-regulation medicine commonly prescribed for PBD to a child with ADHD, they still show a lot of attention deficits and do not show any improvement," Passarotti said.
"Our hope is that by better differentiating between these two severe developmental illnesses, we can help develop more accurate diagnoses and more targeted treatments for PBD and ADHD."
Co-authors of the study are Dr. Mani Pavuluri, the Berger-Colbeth Term Chair in Child Psychiatry and director of the Pediatric Brain Research and Intervention Center at UIC, and John Sweeney, professor of psychiatry, neurology and psychology and director of the Center for Cognitive Medicine at UIC.
Source: University of Illinois at Chicago.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Alexza Pharmaceuticals Receives Complete Response Letter For AZ-004 (Staccato® Loxapine) NDA
Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXA) announced that it has received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) regarding its New Drug Application (NDA) for AZ-004 (Staccato® loxapine), submitted as Adusuve™ Staccato® (loxapine) inhalation aerosol, 5 mg and 10 mg. A CRL is issued by FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research indicating that the NDA review cycle is complete and the application is not ready for approval in its present form. AZ-004 is being developed for the rapid treatment of agitation in schizophrenia or bipolar disorder patients.
In the CRL, the FDA stated that their primary clinical safety concern was related to data from the three Phase 1 pulmonary safety studies with AZ-004. This concern was primarily based on observed, dose-related post-dose decreases in forced expiratory volume in one second, or FEV1, a standard measure of lung function, in healthy subjects and in subjects with COPD and asthma. The agency also noted that decreases in FEV1 were recorded in subjects who were administered device-only, placebo versions of AZ-004. Alexza intends to meet with the FDA in the near future to discuss steps to address this FDA concern. As Alexza has previously reported, there were no serious or severe respiratory adverse events in these trials or reported in the two Phase 3 clinical trials of AZ-004. All respiratory symptoms that developed after treatment in the Phase 1 subjects with COPD and asthma were either self-limiting or readily managed with an inhaled bronchodilator.
The CRL also raised issues relating to the suitability of the stability studies undertaken by Alexza and certain other items relating to the agency's recently completed pre-approval manufacturing inspection. Because AZ-004 incorporates a novel delivery system, the CRL also included input from FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). CDRH requested a human factors study and related analysis to validate that the product can be used effectively in the proposed clinical setting. CDRH also requested further bench testing of the product under an additional "worst-case" manufacturing scenario.
"We are reviewing the Complete Response Letter and plan to meet with the FDA as soon as possible to discuss the Agency's pulmonary safety concern. Alexza shares the agency's deep interest in patient safety, and believes the pulmonary data is supportive of the safety of AZ-004. We look forward to discussing the appropriate way to address this issue," said Thomas B. King, Alexza President and CEO. "We are also undertaking steps to address the other items raised in the CRL. We appreciate the FDA's review of the first NDA for our novel Staccato technology, and we expect to work closely with FDA to resolve the issues raised in the Complete Response Letter. Alexza continues to believe in the safety and efficacy of AZ-004 based on the comprehensive clinical development program we have conducted."
Psychiatric Drug Facts - Do You Know The Long Term Effects Of Psychiatric Drugs? Free Info Kit - CCHR.org
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the development and safety of the Company's product candidates and technologies. Any statement describing the Company's expectations or beliefs is a forward-looking statement, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of developing and commercializing drugs. The Company's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they prove incorrect, would cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Alexza's business are described in additional detail in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and the Company's other Periodic and Current Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the risks under the headings: "Regulatory authorities may not approve our product candidates even if they meet safety and efficacy endpoints in clinical trials.", "We have a history of net losses. We expect to continue to incur substantial and increasing net losses for the foreseeable future, and we may never achieve or maintain profitability.", "We will need substantial additional capital in the future. If additional capital is not available, we will have to delay, reduce or cease operations.", and "Unless our preclinical studies demonstrate the safety of our product candidates, we will not be able to commercialize our product candidates.". Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Source: Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc
In the CRL, the FDA stated that their primary clinical safety concern was related to data from the three Phase 1 pulmonary safety studies with AZ-004. This concern was primarily based on observed, dose-related post-dose decreases in forced expiratory volume in one second, or FEV1, a standard measure of lung function, in healthy subjects and in subjects with COPD and asthma. The agency also noted that decreases in FEV1 were recorded in subjects who were administered device-only, placebo versions of AZ-004. Alexza intends to meet with the FDA in the near future to discuss steps to address this FDA concern. As Alexza has previously reported, there were no serious or severe respiratory adverse events in these trials or reported in the two Phase 3 clinical trials of AZ-004. All respiratory symptoms that developed after treatment in the Phase 1 subjects with COPD and asthma were either self-limiting or readily managed with an inhaled bronchodilator.
The CRL also raised issues relating to the suitability of the stability studies undertaken by Alexza and certain other items relating to the agency's recently completed pre-approval manufacturing inspection. Because AZ-004 incorporates a novel delivery system, the CRL also included input from FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). CDRH requested a human factors study and related analysis to validate that the product can be used effectively in the proposed clinical setting. CDRH also requested further bench testing of the product under an additional "worst-case" manufacturing scenario.
"We are reviewing the Complete Response Letter and plan to meet with the FDA as soon as possible to discuss the Agency's pulmonary safety concern. Alexza shares the agency's deep interest in patient safety, and believes the pulmonary data is supportive of the safety of AZ-004. We look forward to discussing the appropriate way to address this issue," said Thomas B. King, Alexza President and CEO. "We are also undertaking steps to address the other items raised in the CRL. We appreciate the FDA's review of the first NDA for our novel Staccato technology, and we expect to work closely with FDA to resolve the issues raised in the Complete Response Letter. Alexza continues to believe in the safety and efficacy of AZ-004 based on the comprehensive clinical development program we have conducted."
Psychiatric Drug Facts - Do You Know The Long Term Effects Of Psychiatric Drugs? Free Info Kit - CCHR.org
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the development and safety of the Company's product candidates and technologies. Any statement describing the Company's expectations or beliefs is a forward-looking statement, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of developing and commercializing drugs. The Company's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they prove incorrect, would cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Alexza's business are described in additional detail in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and the Company's other Periodic and Current Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the risks under the headings: "Regulatory authorities may not approve our product candidates even if they meet safety and efficacy endpoints in clinical trials.", "We have a history of net losses. We expect to continue to incur substantial and increasing net losses for the foreseeable future, and we may never achieve or maintain profitability.", "We will need substantial additional capital in the future. If additional capital is not available, we will have to delay, reduce or cease operations.", and "Unless our preclinical studies demonstrate the safety of our product candidates, we will not be able to commercialize our product candidates.". Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Source: Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc
Friday, 4 June 2010
Possible Drug Target Has Vital Function In The Heart
Inhibitors of GSK-3 proteins are being developed as potential therapeutics for numerous conditions, including bipolar disorder, Alzheimer disease, and diabetes. However, a team of researchers, led by Thomas Force, at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, has generated data in mice that indicate that these drugs might have adverse effects on the heart, suggesting that the risk/benefit assessment of such drugs might need to be considered carefully.
In the study, mice lacking GSK-3-alpha were found to develop heart defects when they were analyzed at over 2 months of age. In particular, they had enlarged heart muscle cells and hearts, and their hearts showed an inability to contract optimally. Further, in a model of high blood pressure, which puts substantial stress on the heart, mice lacking GSK-3-alpha developed much more severe heart defects than did normal mice. These and other data generated in the study lead the authors to conclude that in the absence of GSK-3-alpha, the mouse heart cannot respond effectively to high blood pressure and rapidly fails, raising concern that therapeutic GSK-3 inhibitors might have serious adverse effects.
Title:
GSK-3-alpha directly regulates beta-adrenergic signaling and the response of the heart to hemodynamic stress in mice
Source:
Karen Honey
Journal of Clinical Investigation
In the study, mice lacking GSK-3-alpha were found to develop heart defects when they were analyzed at over 2 months of age. In particular, they had enlarged heart muscle cells and hearts, and their hearts showed an inability to contract optimally. Further, in a model of high blood pressure, which puts substantial stress on the heart, mice lacking GSK-3-alpha developed much more severe heart defects than did normal mice. These and other data generated in the study lead the authors to conclude that in the absence of GSK-3-alpha, the mouse heart cannot respond effectively to high blood pressure and rapidly fails, raising concern that therapeutic GSK-3 inhibitors might have serious adverse effects.
Title:
GSK-3-alpha directly regulates beta-adrenergic signaling and the response of the heart to hemodynamic stress in mice
Source:
Karen Honey
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
NAMI: Greater Research Is Needed For Mental Illness; Along With Federal Action To Offset State Mental Health Crisis And End Disability Backlog
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is calling on Congress for greater scientific research, mental health grants to offset massive state budget cuts and an end to a backlog in the processing of Social Security disability claims.
NAMI Executive Director Michael J. Fitzpatrick outlined the needs of adults and children living with serious mental illness during "public witness day" before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-and Education Appropriations, noting that the direct and indirect costs of untreated mental illness exceed $80 million annually.
In a prepared statement, Fitzpatrick noted that lack of treatment also results in "spending money in all the wrong places" such as emergency rooms, schools, homeless shelters and the criminal justice system.
One in four Americans experiences mental health problems in any given year. One in 17 lives with the most severe conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia . Half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14.
Research
NAMI called for a $36 billion overall funding level for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), representing a 12 percent increase, with a corresponding 12 percent increase to $1.7 billion for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). NAMI specified two critical investments: the RAISE (Recovery after an Initial Schizophrenia Episode) study and STARRS (Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service Members) being conducted jointly with the Department of Defense.
State Crisis Relief
NAMI called for increases in funds for services provided through the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), including a $100 million increase in federal Mental Health Block Grants to states, which have been frozen since Fiscal Year 2000.
"A total of nearly $1.8 billion has been cut from state mental health agency budgets," Fitzpatrick warned.
"In a number of states the cuts exceed 20 percent. Rhode Island has seen a 34 percent cut over two years and the boarding of children with serious emotional disturbances in emergency rooms has increased by 65 percent."
Disability Claims
NAMI praised the Subcommittee's work to eliminate an ongoing backlog of Social Security disability claims and appeals. Hurt by the backlog, Fitzpatrick warned, are individuals with disabilities whose lives are unraveling while waiting for decisions.
Source
NAMI
NAMI Executive Director Michael J. Fitzpatrick outlined the needs of adults and children living with serious mental illness during "public witness day" before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-and Education Appropriations, noting that the direct and indirect costs of untreated mental illness exceed $80 million annually.
In a prepared statement, Fitzpatrick noted that lack of treatment also results in "spending money in all the wrong places" such as emergency rooms, schools, homeless shelters and the criminal justice system.
One in four Americans experiences mental health problems in any given year. One in 17 lives with the most severe conditions such as major depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia . Half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14.
Research
NAMI called for a $36 billion overall funding level for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), representing a 12 percent increase, with a corresponding 12 percent increase to $1.7 billion for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). NAMI specified two critical investments: the RAISE (Recovery after an Initial Schizophrenia Episode) study and STARRS (Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Service Members) being conducted jointly with the Department of Defense.
State Crisis Relief
NAMI called for increases in funds for services provided through the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), including a $100 million increase in federal Mental Health Block Grants to states, which have been frozen since Fiscal Year 2000.
"A total of nearly $1.8 billion has been cut from state mental health agency budgets," Fitzpatrick warned.
"In a number of states the cuts exceed 20 percent. Rhode Island has seen a 34 percent cut over two years and the boarding of children with serious emotional disturbances in emergency rooms has increased by 65 percent."
Disability Claims
NAMI praised the Subcommittee's work to eliminate an ongoing backlog of Social Security disability claims and appeals. Hurt by the backlog, Fitzpatrick warned, are individuals with disabilities whose lives are unraveling while waiting for decisions.
Source
NAMI
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Widely Used Screening Scale Misidentifies Borderline Personality Disorder As Bipolar Disorder
A study from Rhode Island Hospital has shown that a widely-used screening tool for bipolar disorder may incorrectly indicate borderline personality disorder rather than bipolar disorder. In the article that appears online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the researchers question the effectiveness of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ).
The MDQ is the most widely-used and studied screening tool for bipolar disorder. It is a brief questionnaire that assesses whether a patient displays some of the characteristic behaviors of bipolar disorder. It can be administered by clinicians or taken by patients on their own to determine if they screen positively for bipolar disorder. For the purposes of this study, the MDQ was scored by researchers.
Bipolar and borderline personality disorders share some clinical features, including fluctuations in mood and impulsive actions. The treatments, however, will vary depending on the individual and the diagnosis. Principal investigator Mark Zimmerman, MD, director of outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital, conducted a study to test the accuracy of the MDQ.
The research team interviewed nearly 500 patients using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) and the Structured Interview for DSM-IV for personality disorders. The patients were also asked to complete the MDQ. The research team then scored the questionnaires and found that patients with a positive indication for bipolar disorder using the MDQ were as likely to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as bipolar disorder when using the structured clinical interview. Further, their findings indicate that borderline personality disorder was four times more frequently diagnosed in the group who screened positive on the MDQ.
Zimmerman says that these findings raise caution for using the MDQ in clinical practice because of how differently the disorders are treated. "An incorrect diagnosis of bipolar disorder will usually lead to a treatment involving medications. If a patient truly has bipolar disorder, that treatment may work. However, at this time there are no approved medications to treat borderline personality disorder.
"Without an accurate diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, we may have many people in treatment who are taking medications that will not work to alleviate the characteristics of the condition from which they really suffer." Zimmerman, who is also an associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, continues, "In addition, patients with unrecognized borderline personality disorder will not be treated with one of the effective psychotherapies for this condition. It is therefore vital that we develop or identify a more accurate method to distinguish between these two conditions, and adopt it into clinical practice."
Source:
Nancy Cawley Jean
Lifespan
The MDQ is the most widely-used and studied screening tool for bipolar disorder. It is a brief questionnaire that assesses whether a patient displays some of the characteristic behaviors of bipolar disorder. It can be administered by clinicians or taken by patients on their own to determine if they screen positively for bipolar disorder. For the purposes of this study, the MDQ was scored by researchers.
Bipolar and borderline personality disorders share some clinical features, including fluctuations in mood and impulsive actions. The treatments, however, will vary depending on the individual and the diagnosis. Principal investigator Mark Zimmerman, MD, director of outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital, conducted a study to test the accuracy of the MDQ.
The research team interviewed nearly 500 patients using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) and the Structured Interview for DSM-IV for personality disorders. The patients were also asked to complete the MDQ. The research team then scored the questionnaires and found that patients with a positive indication for bipolar disorder using the MDQ were as likely to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder as bipolar disorder when using the structured clinical interview. Further, their findings indicate that borderline personality disorder was four times more frequently diagnosed in the group who screened positive on the MDQ.
Zimmerman says that these findings raise caution for using the MDQ in clinical practice because of how differently the disorders are treated. "An incorrect diagnosis of bipolar disorder will usually lead to a treatment involving medications. If a patient truly has bipolar disorder, that treatment may work. However, at this time there are no approved medications to treat borderline personality disorder.
"Without an accurate diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, we may have many people in treatment who are taking medications that will not work to alleviate the characteristics of the condition from which they really suffer." Zimmerman, who is also an associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, continues, "In addition, patients with unrecognized borderline personality disorder will not be treated with one of the effective psychotherapies for this condition. It is therefore vital that we develop or identify a more accurate method to distinguish between these two conditions, and adopt it into clinical practice."
Source:
Nancy Cawley Jean
Lifespan
Monday, 3 May 2010
Repligen Reports Notice Of Allowance Of A United States Patent Covering The Use Of Uridine To Treat The Symptoms Of Bipolar Disorder
Repligen Corporation (Nasdaq: RGEN) announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a Notice of Allowance of a patent covering the use of uridine in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder. The patent, which upon issue will remain in force until 2025 prior to any patent term extensions, covers the use of an effective dose of a uridine composition to improve one or more of the symptoms of bipolar disorder including depression, mania, mixed episodes, hypomania and anxiety. Repligen is currently enrolling patients in a Phase 2b clinical trial of RG2417, an oral formulation of uridine, to assess its impact on the symptoms of acute depression. This study is designed to confirm and extend the results of a Phase 2a study in which 6 weeks of treatment with RG2417 improved the symptoms of bipolar depression when compared to placebo as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Repligen has exclusively licensed this patent from McLean Hospital, the largest psychiatric facility of Harvard Medical School.
"We are very pleased with this action by the United States Patent Office covering the use of a potentially important new treatment for bipolar disorder," stated Walter C. Herlihy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Repligen Corporation. "This patent will provide commercial exclusivity for RG2417 in the United States through at least 2025."
This patent may qualify for up to 5 years of patent term extension under the provisions of the Hatch-Waxman Act, subject to certain limitations. Foreign equivalents of this patent as well as related patent applications are still pending and if granted would provide further market protection for RG2417.
About Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is an illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior in which a person's mood can alternate between the "poles" of mania and depression. Bipolar disorder affects more than two million adults in the United States and is usually diagnosed in late adolescence or early adulthood. Bipolar disorder is a chronic illness associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, ranking worldwide behind only unipolar depression and alcohol abuse among psychiatric illnesses for related disabilities and overall economic burden of illness. The lifetime financial burden of bipolar disorder in the United States is about $600,000 per patient, depending on resistance to treatment and persistence of symptoms. Although several therapies are approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder, many individuals are unable to tolerate treatment-related side effects, and incomplete clinical response, relapse and recurrence remain common clinical problems.
About McLean Hospital
McLean Hospital maintains the largest research program of any private, U.S. psychiatric hospital. It is the largest psychiatric facility of Harvard Medical School, an affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital and a member of Partners HealthCare.
About Repligen Corporation
Repligen Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for neurological disorders. In addition, we are the world's leading supplier of recombinant Protein A, the sales of which partially fund the advancement of our development pipeline while supporting our financial stability. Repligen's corporate headquarters are located at 41 Seyon Street, Building #1, Suite 100, Waltham, MA 02453.
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding current or future financial performance and position, management's strategy, plans and objectives for future operations, plans and objectives for product development, plans and objectives for present and future clinical trials, including trials utilizing RG2417 or other forms of uridine in the treatment of bipolar disorder, and results of such trials, plans and objectives for regulatory approval, litigation, intellectual property, including statements regarding the commercial exclusivity provided by the patent covering the use of uridine in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder discussed in this press release, product development, manufacturing plans and performance such as the anticipated growth in the monoclonal antibody market and our other target markets, including the market for RG2417 or other forms of uridine, and projected growth in product sales, constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation, risks associated with: the success of current and future collaborative relationships, the market acceptance of our products, our ability to compete with larger, better financed pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, new approaches to the treatment of our targeted diseases, our expectation of incurring continued losses, our uncertainty of product revenues and profits, our ability to generate future revenues, our ability to raise additional capital to continue our drug development programs, the success of our clinical trials, our ability to develop and commercialize products, our ability to obtain required regulatory approvals, our compliance with all Food and Drug Administration regulations, our ability to obtain, maintain and protect intellectual property rights for our products, the risk of litigation regarding our intellectual property rights, our limited sales and manufacturing capabilities, our dependence on third-party manufacturers and value added resellers, our ability to hire and retain skilled personnel, our volatile stock price, and other risks detailed in Repligen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Repligen assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.
Source: Repligen Corporation
"We are very pleased with this action by the United States Patent Office covering the use of a potentially important new treatment for bipolar disorder," stated Walter C. Herlihy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Repligen Corporation. "This patent will provide commercial exclusivity for RG2417 in the United States through at least 2025."
This patent may qualify for up to 5 years of patent term extension under the provisions of the Hatch-Waxman Act, subject to certain limitations. Foreign equivalents of this patent as well as related patent applications are still pending and if granted would provide further market protection for RG2417.
About Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is an illness marked by extreme changes in mood, thought, energy and behavior in which a person's mood can alternate between the "poles" of mania and depression. Bipolar disorder affects more than two million adults in the United States and is usually diagnosed in late adolescence or early adulthood. Bipolar disorder is a chronic illness associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, ranking worldwide behind only unipolar depression and alcohol abuse among psychiatric illnesses for related disabilities and overall economic burden of illness. The lifetime financial burden of bipolar disorder in the United States is about $600,000 per patient, depending on resistance to treatment and persistence of symptoms. Although several therapies are approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder, many individuals are unable to tolerate treatment-related side effects, and incomplete clinical response, relapse and recurrence remain common clinical problems.
About McLean Hospital
McLean Hospital maintains the largest research program of any private, U.S. psychiatric hospital. It is the largest psychiatric facility of Harvard Medical School, an affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital and a member of Partners HealthCare.
About Repligen Corporation
Repligen Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for neurological disorders. In addition, we are the world's leading supplier of recombinant Protein A, the sales of which partially fund the advancement of our development pipeline while supporting our financial stability. Repligen's corporate headquarters are located at 41 Seyon Street, Building #1, Suite 100, Waltham, MA 02453.
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding current or future financial performance and position, management's strategy, plans and objectives for future operations, plans and objectives for product development, plans and objectives for present and future clinical trials, including trials utilizing RG2417 or other forms of uridine in the treatment of bipolar disorder, and results of such trials, plans and objectives for regulatory approval, litigation, intellectual property, including statements regarding the commercial exclusivity provided by the patent covering the use of uridine in the treatment of patients with bipolar disorder discussed in this press release, product development, manufacturing plans and performance such as the anticipated growth in the monoclonal antibody market and our other target markets, including the market for RG2417 or other forms of uridine, and projected growth in product sales, constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation, risks associated with: the success of current and future collaborative relationships, the market acceptance of our products, our ability to compete with larger, better financed pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, new approaches to the treatment of our targeted diseases, our expectation of incurring continued losses, our uncertainty of product revenues and profits, our ability to generate future revenues, our ability to raise additional capital to continue our drug development programs, the success of our clinical trials, our ability to develop and commercialize products, our ability to obtain required regulatory approvals, our compliance with all Food and Drug Administration regulations, our ability to obtain, maintain and protect intellectual property rights for our products, the risk of litigation regarding our intellectual property rights, our limited sales and manufacturing capabilities, our dependence on third-party manufacturers and value added resellers, our ability to hire and retain skilled personnel, our volatile stock price, and other risks detailed in Repligen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Repligen assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.
Source: Repligen Corporation
Friday, 30 April 2010
Antiepileptic Phenytoin As A Mood Stabilizer
Phenytoin is a well known antiepileptic agent widely used throughout the world. Recent clinical studies in patients with bipolar disorder have suggested that, as for other anticonvulsant drugs commonly used in the treatment of bipolar patients including valproate and carbamazepine, phenytoin may have mood-stabilizing effects in addition to its well-known anticonvulsant properties. In a study published in the March 2010 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine Veronica Mariotti and colleagues utilized DNA microarrays to investigate the molecular underpinnings of the potential mood-stabilizing action of phenytoin by looking at its effect on gene expression in the rat brain.
As compared with untreated animals, rats treated for a month with phenytoin had 508 differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus and 62 in the frontal cortex, including genes involved in GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, neuroprotection and other genes thought to be crucial for mood regulation. Furthermore, some of these same genes have been shown to be modulated by classical mood-stabilizer agents, like lithium and valproate.
Thus, the findings of this study indicate that chronic phenytoin administration modulates the expression of genes involved in mood regulation and genes that are targets of established mood stabilizers. Dr Mariotti noted that "The results of this study provide preliminary insights into possible molecular mechanisms of action of phenytoin as a potential mood stabilizer and, more in general, the pathophysiology of bipolar disorders".
The study is the product of a fruitful collaboration between the Molecular Biology Laboratory of Dr. Silvia Pellegrini at the Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Pisa Medical School, Pisa, Italy and the Laboratory of Professors Galila Agam and R.H. Belmaker at the Psychiatry Research Unit at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said "Mariotti and colleagues have provided very interesting results on the changes in gene expression in rats treated with phenytoin. There findings shed significant light on the mood altering effects of this antiepileptic drug".
Source:
Dr. Silvia Pellegrini
Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
As compared with untreated animals, rats treated for a month with phenytoin had 508 differentially expressed genes in the hippocampus and 62 in the frontal cortex, including genes involved in GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission, neuroprotection and other genes thought to be crucial for mood regulation. Furthermore, some of these same genes have been shown to be modulated by classical mood-stabilizer agents, like lithium and valproate.
Thus, the findings of this study indicate that chronic phenytoin administration modulates the expression of genes involved in mood regulation and genes that are targets of established mood stabilizers. Dr Mariotti noted that "The results of this study provide preliminary insights into possible molecular mechanisms of action of phenytoin as a potential mood stabilizer and, more in general, the pathophysiology of bipolar disorders".
The study is the product of a fruitful collaboration between the Molecular Biology Laboratory of Dr. Silvia Pellegrini at the Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Pisa Medical School, Pisa, Italy and the Laboratory of Professors Galila Agam and R.H. Belmaker at the Psychiatry Research Unit at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
Dr. Steven R. Goodman, Editor-in-Chief of Experimental Biology and Medicine, said "Mariotti and colleagues have provided very interesting results on the changes in gene expression in rats treated with phenytoin. There findings shed significant light on the mood altering effects of this antiepileptic drug".
Source:
Dr. Silvia Pellegrini
Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
Thursday, 29 April 2010
Alaska Northern Lights Offers Bright Light Therapy To Combat Common Health Problems
Alaska Northern Lights manufactures a bright light therapy box that aids in treating chronic health problems such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression, bipolar disorder and sleep problems. Sufferers of SAD, a form of clinical depression, include up to 25 percent of those living in northern latitudes who experience varying degrees of SAD during winter months when there is less natural light. Night shift workers are also susceptible to SAD which affects over one third of the population, or about 10.8 million Americans.
"Our bright light box treatment affects the pineal gland's production of melatonin, a hormone that is believed to help prevent and relieve symptoms of depression," says Alaska Northern Lights President Cort Christie. "We find that our bright light box treatment, prescribed by physicians for SAD, also works extremely well for insomnia and other health problems." Christie says that daily use can reduce time lost from work and reduced productivity.
"Many people subscribe to 'I'll just deal with it' thinking when it comes to SAD, depression or insomnia," said Christie. "But these illnesses may lead to more serious health problems and put a tremendous strain on relationships." The bright light therapy box is a healthy and inexpensive alternative to prescription drugs which can make users groggy and lead to bizarre side effects such as sleep eating and sleep driving. We believe that people should try a safe, non-prescription treatment first to alleviate problems."
Source
Alaska Northern Lights
"Our bright light box treatment affects the pineal gland's production of melatonin, a hormone that is believed to help prevent and relieve symptoms of depression," says Alaska Northern Lights President Cort Christie. "We find that our bright light box treatment, prescribed by physicians for SAD, also works extremely well for insomnia and other health problems." Christie says that daily use can reduce time lost from work and reduced productivity.
"Many people subscribe to 'I'll just deal with it' thinking when it comes to SAD, depression or insomnia," said Christie. "But these illnesses may lead to more serious health problems and put a tremendous strain on relationships." The bright light therapy box is a healthy and inexpensive alternative to prescription drugs which can make users groggy and lead to bizarre side effects such as sleep eating and sleep driving. We believe that people should try a safe, non-prescription treatment first to alleviate problems."
Source
Alaska Northern Lights
Common Copy Number Variations In Genes Unlikely To Contribute Significantly Toward Common Diseases
In 2007, the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) published the results of the largest ever study of the genetics of common diseases, revealing for the first time a number of genes which were found to increase the risk of developing certain diseases. Since then, dozens more genes have been found.
Despite the large numbers of genes discovered, scientists are still some way off explaining all of the heritability of the diseases. For example, for type 2 diabetes, there are now around thirty genetic variants known to influence susceptibility to the disease, but these only account for about 10 per cent of the known inherited risk of developing these conditions.
One theory for this so-called 'missing heritability' was that it may have been caused by copy number variations (CNVs). These mainly occur when copies of the genome are passed down from parent to child. Just as mutations in the genome can give rise to different forms of genes, so whole segments of the genome may end up being duplicated or deleted - these are known as CNVs. CNVs have already been found to cause disease in rare cases, however. For example, deletions of part of chromosome 16 have previously been shown to lead to severe obesity from a young age.
Researchers from the WTCCC analysed common CNVs in DNA samples from 3,000 healthy volunteers and compared them to 16,000 patients - 2,000 each with bipolar disorder, breast cancer, coronary artery disease, Crohn's disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes respectively.
The team identified and confirmed three loci (genetic regions) that contained a commonly occurring CNV and were also associated with common disease. However, all three loci had been identified previously by searching for changes in single letters of the DNA code (known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or 'SNPs'); by comparison, this technique, used in the original WTCCC study, identified twenty-four genetic loci. None of the three CNV loci is believed to be a 'functional variant' - in other words, it is unlikely that they contribute to disease.
"It seems unlikely that common CNVs play a major role in the genetic basis of common diseases, either through particular CNVs having a strong effect or through a large number of CNVs each contributing a small effect," concludes Dr Matt Hurles from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "This is certainly the case for the diseases that we studied, but is likely to be the case for other common diseases, too."
"There was a strong view that CNVs would be important for common disease, and that they would explain much of the missing heritability," says Professor Peter Donnelly from the University of Oxford, who chairs the WTCCC. "We now believe this is not the case. Our results will be surprising and disappointing for some parts of the community."
Professor Donnelly believes that the estimates of heritability may have been overstated, and there is consequently less missing than was previously thought. The remaining genetic contribution to disease will likely comprise rare CNVs and rare SNPs, and epigenetic factors, as well as many more common gene variants and, to a lesser extent, common CNVs.
"Understanding bipolar disorder and other complex diseases is as much about ruling out possible suspects as it is about identifying new ones," says Nick Craddock, Professor of Psychiatry at Cardiff University and a study author. "We now know that we can likely focus our attention away from common CNVs and focus on other common and rare genetic variations, which we hope will provide biological insights that will lead to important advances in human physical and mental health."
Researchers involved in the WTCCC will now try to better understand the collective role of both rarer SNPs and rarer CNVs. A study funded recently by the National Institutes of Health in the US and by the Wellcome Trust, and led by Professor Mark McCarthy from the University of Oxford, will search for a contribution of rarer SNPs towards type 2 diabetes.
Source:
Craig Brierley
Wellcome Trust
Despite the large numbers of genes discovered, scientists are still some way off explaining all of the heritability of the diseases. For example, for type 2 diabetes, there are now around thirty genetic variants known to influence susceptibility to the disease, but these only account for about 10 per cent of the known inherited risk of developing these conditions.
One theory for this so-called 'missing heritability' was that it may have been caused by copy number variations (CNVs). These mainly occur when copies of the genome are passed down from parent to child. Just as mutations in the genome can give rise to different forms of genes, so whole segments of the genome may end up being duplicated or deleted - these are known as CNVs. CNVs have already been found to cause disease in rare cases, however. For example, deletions of part of chromosome 16 have previously been shown to lead to severe obesity from a young age.
Researchers from the WTCCC analysed common CNVs in DNA samples from 3,000 healthy volunteers and compared them to 16,000 patients - 2,000 each with bipolar disorder, breast cancer, coronary artery disease, Crohn's disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes respectively.
The team identified and confirmed three loci (genetic regions) that contained a commonly occurring CNV and were also associated with common disease. However, all three loci had been identified previously by searching for changes in single letters of the DNA code (known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or 'SNPs'); by comparison, this technique, used in the original WTCCC study, identified twenty-four genetic loci. None of the three CNV loci is believed to be a 'functional variant' - in other words, it is unlikely that they contribute to disease.
"It seems unlikely that common CNVs play a major role in the genetic basis of common diseases, either through particular CNVs having a strong effect or through a large number of CNVs each contributing a small effect," concludes Dr Matt Hurles from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. "This is certainly the case for the diseases that we studied, but is likely to be the case for other common diseases, too."
"There was a strong view that CNVs would be important for common disease, and that they would explain much of the missing heritability," says Professor Peter Donnelly from the University of Oxford, who chairs the WTCCC. "We now believe this is not the case. Our results will be surprising and disappointing for some parts of the community."
Professor Donnelly believes that the estimates of heritability may have been overstated, and there is consequently less missing than was previously thought. The remaining genetic contribution to disease will likely comprise rare CNVs and rare SNPs, and epigenetic factors, as well as many more common gene variants and, to a lesser extent, common CNVs.
"Understanding bipolar disorder and other complex diseases is as much about ruling out possible suspects as it is about identifying new ones," says Nick Craddock, Professor of Psychiatry at Cardiff University and a study author. "We now know that we can likely focus our attention away from common CNVs and focus on other common and rare genetic variations, which we hope will provide biological insights that will lead to important advances in human physical and mental health."
Researchers involved in the WTCCC will now try to better understand the collective role of both rarer SNPs and rarer CNVs. A study funded recently by the National Institutes of Health in the US and by the Wellcome Trust, and led by Professor Mark McCarthy from the University of Oxford, will search for a contribution of rarer SNPs towards type 2 diabetes.
Source:
Craig Brierley
Wellcome Trust
Researchers Refine DNA Testing For Predisposition To Bipolar Disorder
Genetic testing may rise to a new level with the findings of Indiana University School of Medicine researchers whose "prototype" for laboratory testing for bipolar disorder appears today in the online edition of the American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics.
"This is an important advance in the development of a prototype for lab tests for bipolar disorder, and can serve as a model for developing tests in other complex disorders," said lead author Alexander B. Niculescu III, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and medical neuroscience at the IU School of Medicine and director of INBRAIN at the IU Institute of Psychiatric Research.
Dr. Niculescu and colleagues used two different populations from large scale genetic studies and compared those individuals' genes to a small panel of 56 genes implicated in bipolar disorder by their work, to predict who has a predisposition to the disease.
The analysis resulted in a genetic risk prediction score that indicates high or low potential for developing bipolar disorder. "The coupling of a high score with certain environmental factors may be a predictor, not a certainty, that the individual will develop bipolar disorder" said Dr. Niculescu, who also is a staff psychiatrist at the Indianapolis Roudebush VA Medical Center.
"Genes explain a small portion of the risk of developing the illness," said Dr. Niculescu. "Unlike some genetic predisposition to diseases like Huntington's or cystic fibrosis, the variances in genes that can predispose people to mood disorders are found in all of us. What we are learning is that it may take a combination of factors - too many gene variances in the wrong environment and you are at higher risk."
The predictive value of the genetic risk factors could be useful in screening before the disorder manifests itself clinically, and the implementation of interventions to lower stress, adjust regular sleep hours and other life style factors that could serve as an environmental deterrent for developing bipolar disorder. Closer follow-up and earlier therapeutic intervention may be useful for individuals who are at higher risk.
Authors on the study include Sagar D. Patel, Dr. Helen Le-Niculescu, Dr. Daniel Koller, Stephen D. Green, Dr. Debomoy K. Lahiri, Dr. Francis J. McMahon and Dr. John I. Nurnberger, Jr.
The research was funded by the Veterans Administration as well as the National Institute of Mental Health.
In a corresponding editorial in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Dr. Alexander B. Niculescu and Dr. Helen Le-Niculescu advocate for a more efficient way to identify genes involved with mental disorders.
"Coming to Grips With Complex Disorders: Genetic Risk Prediction in Bipolar Disorder Using Panels of Genes Identified Through Convergent Functional Genomics," by Patel SD, Le-Niculescu H, Koller DL, Green SD, Lahiri DK, McMahon FJ, Nurnberger JI, and Niculescu AB. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B (Neuropsychiatric Genetics). 2010. Epub April 9.
Source
Indiana University
"This is an important advance in the development of a prototype for lab tests for bipolar disorder, and can serve as a model for developing tests in other complex disorders," said lead author Alexander B. Niculescu III, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and medical neuroscience at the IU School of Medicine and director of INBRAIN at the IU Institute of Psychiatric Research.
Dr. Niculescu and colleagues used two different populations from large scale genetic studies and compared those individuals' genes to a small panel of 56 genes implicated in bipolar disorder by their work, to predict who has a predisposition to the disease.
The analysis resulted in a genetic risk prediction score that indicates high or low potential for developing bipolar disorder. "The coupling of a high score with certain environmental factors may be a predictor, not a certainty, that the individual will develop bipolar disorder" said Dr. Niculescu, who also is a staff psychiatrist at the Indianapolis Roudebush VA Medical Center.
"Genes explain a small portion of the risk of developing the illness," said Dr. Niculescu. "Unlike some genetic predisposition to diseases like Huntington's or cystic fibrosis, the variances in genes that can predispose people to mood disorders are found in all of us. What we are learning is that it may take a combination of factors - too many gene variances in the wrong environment and you are at higher risk."
The predictive value of the genetic risk factors could be useful in screening before the disorder manifests itself clinically, and the implementation of interventions to lower stress, adjust regular sleep hours and other life style factors that could serve as an environmental deterrent for developing bipolar disorder. Closer follow-up and earlier therapeutic intervention may be useful for individuals who are at higher risk.
Authors on the study include Sagar D. Patel, Dr. Helen Le-Niculescu, Dr. Daniel Koller, Stephen D. Green, Dr. Debomoy K. Lahiri, Dr. Francis J. McMahon and Dr. John I. Nurnberger, Jr.
The research was funded by the Veterans Administration as well as the National Institute of Mental Health.
In a corresponding editorial in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Dr. Alexander B. Niculescu and Dr. Helen Le-Niculescu advocate for a more efficient way to identify genes involved with mental disorders.
"Coming to Grips With Complex Disorders: Genetic Risk Prediction in Bipolar Disorder Using Panels of Genes Identified Through Convergent Functional Genomics," by Patel SD, Le-Niculescu H, Koller DL, Green SD, Lahiri DK, McMahon FJ, Nurnberger JI, and Niculescu AB. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B (Neuropsychiatric Genetics). 2010. Epub April 9.
Source
Indiana University
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Psychiatry Symposium To Address Collaborations In Mood Disorder Research
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will hold its 24th Annual Mood Disorders Research and Education Symposium on April 20, focusing on joint efforts between researchers and clinicians to study and treat depression and bipolar disease.
Speakers on these topics from Hopkins and elsewhere will give talks from 12:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Turner Auditorium on Johns Hopkins Medicine's East Baltimore campus.
Among the presenters:
- Col. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, M.D., adult and forensic psychiatrist and medical director of the Army Medical Department's Office of Strategic Communications. An internationally recognized expert, she brings a public health approach to the management of disaster- and combat-related mental health issues. She will address the challenges of recognizing and treating mood disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder in the military communit
- Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center, and an internationally recognized author. She will offer a historical perspective on mood disorders focusing on the biography of 19th century poet Nathaniel Hawthorne.
- James Potash, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will describe current collaborative efforts to understand the underlying causes of mood disorders through genetic research. His recent research includes the identification of a novel genetic component in major depression, found by analyzing data from three major genetic studies of mood disorders.
Other speakers include Karen Swartz, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Clinical Programs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; John Greden, M.D., former chair of psychiatry at the University of Michigan, founder of the Michigan Depression Center, and founding chair of the National Network of Depression Centers; Frank DeGruy, M.D., M.S.F.M., professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine and director of primary care outreach and research at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; and David A. Axelson, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and director of the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services Program at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
Mood disorders are among the most common illnesses in the world. An estimated 20 percent of adults suffer from depression or bipolar disorder.
Intended for psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists and counselors, the symposium is also open to patients, family members and anyone who has an interest in learning more about bipolar disorders and recurrent depression.
The symposium is presented by the Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center and the Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing.
Source
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Speakers on these topics from Hopkins and elsewhere will give talks from 12:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Turner Auditorium on Johns Hopkins Medicine's East Baltimore campus.
Among the presenters:
- Col. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, M.D., adult and forensic psychiatrist and medical director of the Army Medical Department's Office of Strategic Communications. An internationally recognized expert, she brings a public health approach to the management of disaster- and combat-related mental health issues. She will address the challenges of recognizing and treating mood disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder in the military communit
- Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center, and an internationally recognized author. She will offer a historical perspective on mood disorders focusing on the biography of 19th century poet Nathaniel Hawthorne.
- James Potash, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, will describe current collaborative efforts to understand the underlying causes of mood disorders through genetic research. His recent research includes the identification of a novel genetic component in major depression, found by analyzing data from three major genetic studies of mood disorders.
Other speakers include Karen Swartz, M.D., director of the Mood Disorders Clinical Programs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; John Greden, M.D., former chair of psychiatry at the University of Michigan, founder of the Michigan Depression Center, and founding chair of the National Network of Depression Centers; Frank DeGruy, M.D., M.S.F.M., professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine and director of primary care outreach and research at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; and David A. Axelson, M.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and director of the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services Program at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic.
Mood disorders are among the most common illnesses in the world. An estimated 20 percent of adults suffer from depression or bipolar disorder.
Intended for psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists and counselors, the symposium is also open to patients, family members and anyone who has an interest in learning more about bipolar disorders and recurrent depression.
The symposium is presented by the Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center and the Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing.
Source
Johns Hopkins Medicine
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