Abstract: Mast cells (MC) are specialized exocytic cells that lie beneath the external surfaces of the body. For many decades, MCs were thought to primarily function as effector cells for IgE mediated allergic diseases. However, recent evidence indicates that MCs also function as important cells in immune surveillance. When activated by pathogens, MCs initiate innate and adaptive immune responses thereby resulting in protection against pathogens. The question remains if MC activation may also function in establishing immune responses against allergens and hence allergic disease. New studies suggest that MCs are not only the effector cell of allergy but may also be the initiator of allergy. ... Read more

Abstract: Scar formation is a dreaded consequence of eye surgery. It is invariably associated with inflammation, angiogenesis and wound healing. There is always a balance in healing the wound with the least scar formation possible. Certain dendrimers (polymers) compounds help keep this balance by reducing inflammation and thus scar formation but leaving the wound healing process largely intact. ... Read more

On December 17, 2002, US FDA announced that its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) panel has recommended approving MedImmune’s flu vaccine FluMist for use in people of ages 5 to 49. If approved by the full FDA, it would be the first flu vaccine administered by nasal spray, avoiding the shots that could deter some individuals to take the vaccine.

FluMist is a live, attenuated, molecularly engineered vaccine with a tenuous development history (see drug profile on page 10). It has shown better efficacy than the killed vaccines currently on the market (95% versus 75% efficacy ... Read more

Biotech and pharmaceutical industry observers noticed in recent years that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been especially aggressive toward the industry it regulates. Some credited the FDA’s aggressive stance to the lack of a President-appointed Senate-approved commissioner according to the Wall Street Journal.

The top position at the FDA has been vacant since 18 months ago when the newly sworn-in President Bush removed Dr. Jane Henney from the FDA’s top position. Dr. Jane Henney enraged Republicans when the FDA approved the controversial “morning after” abortion pill RU-486 during her tenure. President Bush has not been able to nominate a ... Read more

On May 23rd, a U.S. FDA advisory panel recommended the approval of Amevive made by Biogen for treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. The skin condition (plaques and rashes) affects about 2% of the population in the U.S. and Europe, with most cases being adequately controlled by topical agents, but with about one million moderate to severe cases requiring phototherapy (ultraviolet radiation) or systemic drug therapies such as cyclosporine and methotrexate. These therapies come with formidable side effects such as possibility of skin cancer (ultraviolet radiation) and systemic immunosuppression.

Psoriasis is a T cell-mediated autoimmune skin disease of rashes and plaques. ... Read more