Mammals can be stimulated to regrow damaged inner retina nerve cells Nov 25, 2008
Then by injecting the eye with epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) or a combination of FGF1 and insulin, they were able to stimulate the Mller glia cells to re-start their dividing engines and begin to proliferate across the retina. The proliferating Mller glia cells first transformed into unspecialized cells. (EurekAlert!)
RVive your skin Sep 4, 2008
" At the heart of RVive is a bioengineered molecule called EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), originally created for wound healing. RVive products use EGF to regenerate the skin and delay the effects of ageing. Dr Brown discovered EGF while conducting a study on healing severe wounds of burn victims. He found that EGF, when applied to burns and wounds, dramatically accelerated healing. Realising this was the same molecule that regenerated ageing skin, he went on to prove that in a cream form, he... (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Announces U.S. Phase 2 Combination Clinical Trial for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with K-RAS or EGFR-Activated Tumours Sep 2, 2008
CALGARY, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. ("Oncolytics") (TSX:ONC, NASDAQ:ONCY) announced today that following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, the Company is initiating a U.S. Phase 2 clinical trial using intravenous administration of REOLYSIN(R) in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with K-RAS or EGFR-activated tumours ... "Although we have had for some time treatments that target EGFR, K-RAS... (PR Newswire)
Newly discovered molecular switch helps decide cell type in early embryo development Aug 12, 2008
In what the researchers called "an unexpected Hox transcriptional mechanism," they detected the permissive regulation of a secreted protein called EGF, or epidermal growth factor. EGF is a cell messenger protein that affects cell differentiation, growth and epidermal development ... The research team noticed that Hox's permissive regulation of EGF led to cell specification when it interacted with the influence of Sens in the peripheral nervous system. (EurekAlert!)
YM BIOSCIENCES REPORTS PHASE II DATA FOR NIMOTUZUMAB IN METASTATIC COLORECTAL CANCER Aug 5, 2008
- Overall Survival And Disease Control Outcomes, Coupled With Low Toxicity, Support The Continued Development Of The EGFR Antibody In Patients With Colorectal Cancer - - Conference Call To Discuss Results On Aug. 5 At 12:00PM EDT - MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - YM BioSciences Inc. (AMEX: , TSX: YM, AIM: YMBA), an oncology company that identifies, develops and commercializes differentiated products for patients worldwide, today announced preliminary results obtained from its... (PR Newswire)
Eurand Enters Agreement With Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd (South Korea) for Once-Daily Extended Release Muscle Relaxant Aug 1, 2008
Daewoong's R&D activity explores a broad spectrum of innovative approaches and has developed new products in key therapeutic area such as EGF for Mucosytis and Wounds, DWP05195 for Neuropathic Pain, and DWP06018 for Fungal Infection. In particular, Daewoong has made numerous successful partnerships with multinational pharmaceutical companies launching many blockbuster products on the Korean market, and its strong growth is attributable to its dedication to excellence in sales and marketing,... (Primezone Releases)
Cuba approves first therapeutic vaccine for lung cancer Jul 2, 2008
The therapeutic vaccine CimaVax EGF extends life with few side effects, and is another step in Cuba's expertise in biotechnology ... Unlike chemotherapy, CimaVax EGF is said to have few side effects because it is a modified protein which attacks only cancer cells. (Yahoo News -- Cancer)
Cuba approves lung cancer vaccine Jun 25, 2008
The drug, CimaVax EGF, has been shown to increase survival rates on average four to five months and much longer in some patients, they said in a news conference at Cuba's Center of Molecular Immunology. In contrast to chemotherapy, the traditional treatment for lung cancer, they said CimaVax EGF has few side effects because it is a modified protein that attacks only cancer cells. (MSNBC -- Health)
New Hope for a Failed Cancer Drug Jun 3, 2008
The drug blocks a protein called epidermal growth factor (EGF) that allows tumor cells to grow and spread uncontrollably ... He had noted in animal studies that hormone resistance was strongly associated with an overabundance of EGF, and hoped Iressa might do some good for women ... The breast cancer study comes just a week after the Journal of Clinical Oncology published research from Massachusetts General Hospital finding that genetic screening of lung cancer patients for certain EGF mutations... (Yahoo News -- Pharmaceutical Industry News)
Fruit fly protein acts as decoy to capture tumor growth factors, find Penn researchers May 29, 2008
Many types of tumors grow because of over-expression of a protein known as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or a peptide hormone called epidermal growth factor (EGF) that binds and activates EGFR. Argos mimics EGFR by binding to EGF. But, unlike EGFR, Argos does not signal cells to grow ... The investigators previously found that Argos works this way in the fruit fly, binding and neutralizing the fly version of EGF called Spitz ... "There are several designer' cancer drugs that... (EurekAlert!)
ImClone's Gene Test Battle May 17, 2008
Erbitux and Vectibix are antibodies that bind to receptors on the cell surface called EGF and blocks signals that turn kras on. But the mutations apparently cause kras to become permanently stuck in the "on" position. (Forbes -- Business)
Health Canada approves "Personalized medicine" for metastatic colorectal cancer May 15, 2008
A biotechnology medicine, Vectibix(TM) is the first fully human EGFr monoclonal antibody for the treatment of colorectal cancer ... (1) It works by recognizing and binding to a protein in the body known as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), which is over-expressed on the surface of some cancer cells ... When growth factors (other body proteins) attach to the EGFr, the cell is stimulated to grow and divide. (Canada Newswire)
Genmab A/S - Company Announcement: Novel Insights into HuMax-EGFr Mechanisms of Action Published in PNAS Apr 16, 2008
COPENHAGEN, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Summary: Genmab has announced that HuMax-EGFr (zalutumumab) inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor signaling by locking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) molecules into a very compact, inactive conformation. The flexibility of the EGFr is central to its role in signaling, and binding of HuMax-EGFr (zalutumumab) results in effective inhibition of cancer cell growth ... Genmab A/S (OMX: GEN) announced today new insights showing that... (PR Newswire)
First study hints at insights to come from genes unique to humans Mar 22, 2008
Wainszelbaum MJ, Charron AJ, Kong C, Kirkpatrick DS, Srikanth P, Barbieri MA, Gygi SP, Stahl PD. The hominoid-specific oncogene TBC1D3 activates RAS and modulates EGF receptor signaling and trafficking. Journal of Biological Chemistry, online publication. (EurekAlert!)
Genetic Variation Doubles Risk of Liver Cancer Jan 4, 2008
"If these results are confirmed, this EGF variation could be used to determine which cirrhotic patients should be screened more intensively for tumor development," lead author Dr. Kenneth Tanabe, chief of surgical oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, said in a prepared statement. "In addition, the molecular pathway controlled by EGF and its receptor, EGFR, which is known to be important in several types of cancer, appears to be an excellent target for chemoprevention... (MEDLINEplus)
Gene variation may elevate risk of liver tumor in patients with cirrhosis Jan 2, 2008
If these results are confirmed, this EGF variation could be used to determine which cirrhotic patients should be screened more intensively for tumor development, says Kenneth Tanabe, MD, chief of Surgical Oncology at the MGH Cancer Center, the studys lead author. In addition, the molecular pathway controlled by EGF and its receptor EGFR which is known to be important in several types of cancer appears to be an excellent target for chemoprevention studies ... EGFs normal function is to... (EurekAlert!)
YM BIOSCIENCES REPORTS 2007 YEAR END OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL RESULTS Sep 24, 2007
"Importantly, we start the current fiscal year with more than US$65 million of cash available to support our development programs." Nimotuzumab: Nimotuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is currently in varying stages of development in a number of trials, including colorectal cancer, adult and pediatric glioma, non-small-cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer ... - YM reported preclinical data separately confirming that nimotuzumab... (PR Newswire)
New Insights into the Control of Stem Cells: Keeping the Right Balance Sep 24, 2007
They include factors such as FGF (fibroblast growth factor) and EGF (epidermal growth factor). They regulate a different pathway, which involves tyrosine kinases, enzymes which activate or inactive proteins. (Science Daily)
ONCOSCIENCE AG, THE EUROPEAN PARTNER OF YM BIOSCIENCES, ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF PATIENT ENROLLMENT IN PHASE III BRAIN CANCER TRIAL OF NIMOTUZUMAB Aug 15, 2007
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Aug. 15 /CNW/ - YM BioSciences Inc. (AMEX: YMI, TSX: YM, AIM: YMBA), an oncology company that identifies, develops and commercializes differentiated products for patients worldwide, today announced that Oncoscience AG (Wedel, Germany), its European partner for the development of the humanized EGFR-targeting monoclonal antibody, nimotuzumab, has recruited the 40th and final patient in its international phase III trial combining nimotuzumab with radiation for the treatment of... (Canada Newswire)
Link Between Brain Tumor Proteins Identified Jul 24, 2007
The team focused on a protein called EGFRvIII, a mutated form of the cell receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGF) ... Doctors have tried treating GBM patients with drugs that inhibit EGFRvIII, but they have had little effect ... The researchers believe it is the cumulative action of EGFRvIII and those other proteins that leads to tumor growth. (Science Daily)
YM BioSciences announces preclinical data confirming nimotuzumab binds to the EGF receptor and potentiates radiotherapy Jul 9, 2007
The study also confirms previous observations that nimotuzumab inhibits ligand-dependent EGF receptor downstream signaling ... The paper demonstrated that nimotuzumab specifically competes with cetuximab for binding to the EGF receptor ... The authors noted that, "According to our models, nimotuzumab inhibits the EGFr signaling both by inhibiting the binding of EGF to domain III of EGFr and by a conformational change of EGFr that is necessary to shape the EGF binding site." "These two studies... (PR Newswire)
Pre-treatment Blood Test Could Guide Lung Cancer Therapy Jun 7, 2007
The findings, published June 6 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, could one day help physicians decide which lung cancer patients to treat with drugs known collectively as EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a step forward in the era of personalized medicine ... In the case of the EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) gefitinib (Iressa) and erlotinib (Tarceva), studies have demonstrated a survival benefit for 30 to 40 percent of lung cancer patients, but there has... (Science Daily)
Epigenomics AG Enters Into R&D Collaboration With Myriad Genetics Inc. to Discover DNA Methylation Biomarkers May 9, 2007
Epigenomics applied this approach to the identification of drug response prediction biomarker candidates for four different oncology drugs - an EGF receptor inhibitor, an Aurora kinase inhibitor, a microtubule inhibitor and a topoisomerase inhibitor. About Epigenomics AG. (Primezone Releases)
Marijuana Compound May Fight Lung Cancer Apr 20, 2007
According to the researchers, THC fights lung cancer by curbing epidermal growth factor (EGF), a molecule that promotes the growth and spread of particularly aggressive non-small cell lung cancers. "It seems to go to (EGF) receptor sites on cells and inhibit growth," said Horovitz, who was not involved in the study ... Lung tumors that over-produce the EGF receptor tend to be extra-aggressive and don't respond well to chemotherapy. (Forbes)
Breat Cancer Screening ... at the Dentist? Mar 22, 2007
A salivary test of this (EGF) in one study found higher levels in women with breast cancer. The authors conclude testing for proteins associated with this EGF pathway appear to be the most promising for further study, especially detecting breast cancer. (FOX News)
Bioengineer Advances Survival, Promise Of Adult Stem Cells Mar 1, 2007
MIT researchers have discovered that treating bone marrow stem cells with a growth factor called EGF promotes their survival and growth when the EGF is tethered to a scaffold. This image shows stem cells treated with tethered EGF. (Credit: Photo courtesy of Linda Griffith) ... They zeroed in on a growth factor known as EGF, which plays a role in growth and differentiation of many cells, including stem cells. (Science Daily)
MIT bioengineer advances survival, promise of adult stem cells Feb 28, 2007
They zeroed in on a growth factor known as EGF, which plays a role in growth and differentiation of many cells, including stem cells ... When EGF attaches to receptors on the stem cell surface, it activates many pathways that can influence stem cell proliferation, migration and differentiation ... However, the cell normally absorbs EGF and degrades it, and the growth factor loses its power to influence cell behavior. (EurekAlert!)
New Target For Treatment Of Breast Cancer Jan 16, 2007
Inhibition of TACE activity reverted the malignant phenotype of tumorous breast cancer cells by blocking the EGFR signaling pathway, a key factor in the control of cell division ... In (B) T4-2 cells treated with an EGFR inhibitor underwent morphological reversion, forming small, smooth, spherical, growth-arrested colonies ... In (C) T4-2 cells treated with a broad-spectrum TACE inhibitor underwent morphological reversion similar to that of the EGFR inhibitortreated cells. (Science Daily)
