Asthma treatment

AstraZeneca gets OK to sell asthma pills Accolate, to kids Drug approval first since merger By CHERYL MEYER Staff reporter AstraZeneca Plc received federal approval to sell a new formula of its asthma-fighting pills to children as young as 7 years old, company executives said Monday. Previously, adults and children ages 12 and older could take Accolate, AstraZeneca’s oral drug for the respiratory disease. Accolate was officially launched for sale in November 1996. For years, many children under age 12 have relied on inhalers ….. Financial Times (London, England) – September 21, 1999 COMPANIES & FINANCE: UK: AstraZeneca may advertise drug NEWS DIGEST Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals AstraZeneca may advertise drug AstraZeneca is considering launching a new US advertising campaign to kickstart sales of Accolate, its asthma tablet, after winning approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of children as young as seven. Sales of Accolate, until now used only for mild to moderate asthma in adults and children above 12, have been flat this year. This has largely been because of competition in the US from ….. (New Jersey) – November 5, 1996 NEW DRUG FOR ASTHMA HELPFUL IN MANY CASES An entirely new class of drugs that could help as much as one-third of asthma sufferers and open up a new avenue for better medications is on the market. Doctors say Accolate, taken in pill form, can improve breathing for those with mild to moderate asthma, especially those who find carrying inhalers cumbersome and inconvenient. Known generically as zafirlukast, it is the first new class of asthma agents approved by the FDA in 20 years. Doctors began writing prescriptions for the ….. Guardian, The (London, England) – July 21, 1998 THE GUARDIAN: ASTHMA PILL ‘COULD REPLACE INHALERS’ FOR SOME SUFFERERS A NEW tablet that could replace inhalers for some of Britain’s 3 million asthma sufferers was launched yesterday. The drugs company Zeneca Pharmaceuticals says its anti-asthma pill Accolate is the first new treatment of its kind in Britain and the first alternative to inhaled steroids for 20 years. The tablet, taken twice a day to prevent an asthma attack, has been welcomed by the National Asthma Campaign, but the charity said it was too early to say which patients would ….. Scotsman, The (Edinburgh, Scotland) – July 21, 1998 The Scotsman: New drug hope for asthma sufferers A TABLET which could mean the end of inhalers for some asthma sufferers was made available in Britain yesterday. Doctors hope the pill, marketed by the drug company Zeneca as Accolate, will revolutionise asthma treatment. Zeneca claims it is the first alternative to inhaled steroids to be launched in Britain for 20 years. Although not all patients will be able to do without inhalers, the manufacturer believes it will provide a popular alternative for people on low-dose steroid ….. Chemical Business NewsBase: Press Release (United Kingdom) – June 15, 2009 Chemical Business NewsBase – Press Release: Four asthma drugs get new precaution. The FDA has asked makers of Singulair, Accolate, Zyflo, and Zyflo CR to include a precaution on those drugs’ labels about reports of behaviour and mood changes. Singulair is used to treat asthma and symptoms of allergic rhinitis. Accolate, Zyflo, and Zyflo CR are used to treat asthma. All four drugs are leukotriene inhibitors, which affect the leukotriene pathway, which is involved in the body’s response to inflammatory stimuli (such as breathing in an allergen). The FDA ….. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL – May 9, 2000 CHRONICALLY ILL SHOULD BE WARY OF CHITLINS In many parts of the southern United States, chitterlings – cleaned and boiled pig intestines, also known as chitlins – are a tradition. But a report suggests that this treat has the potential to be hazardous for people with diabetes and for others who are chronically ill. The report, in last week’s New England Journal of Medicine, said that the pig bowels can contain a bacterium called Clostridium perfringens type C, which produces a toxin that can cause a severe infection ….. Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia) – January 25, 1999 New help for asthma sufferers TWO pills to help prevent asthma attacks were among 36 new drug treatments approved in Australia last year. Singulair and Accolate, made by different drug companies, have undergone trials worldwide. The companies, Merck, Sharp and Dohme, and Zeneca, said yesterday the pills were selling for $90 to $110 for a month’s supply of Singulair or $90 to $130 for Accolate. A Zeneca spokeswoman said they would apply for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme listing in the hope Accolate …..

New pill helps asthmatics breathe easy The first new class of asthma drugs in Canada in 20 years has been introduced in time for the cold weather that’s especially hard on people with the chronic lung disease. Accolate is the only pill-form anti-inflammatory available here that helps mild to moderate asthmatics breathe easier. It was recently approved by Health Canada after clinical trials involving 4, 000 patients worldwide, researchers said Thursday. “This medical advance places us on a threshold of ….. Newstex Blogs (USA) – June 15, 2009 New Precautions on Asthma Meds The FDA has requested that a new precaution be added to the drug prescribing information for some popular asthma medications. The medicines are known as leukotriene modifiers and include • Singulair (montelukast) • Accolate (zafirlukast) • Zyflo and Zyflo CR (zileuton) According to the FDA, neuropsychiatric events have been reported in some …..

Perseverance Is Key to a Good Life With Asthma Until about three years ago, Dawn Bosquez, a 30-year-old resident of Denver, was getting most of her medical care for asthma in emergency rooms. About once a month, she would wake up unable to breathe and would frantically call an ambulance or friend to rush her to the hospital, where she would be given oxygen and inhaled medications to bring the attack under control. Then, a doctor would prescribe a short course or “burst” of prednisone tablets

, Dr Reddy’s Labs (DRL) has been sued by US major, AstraZeneca, following DRL’s paragraph IV abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) submission for marketing Accolate, the US firms’ leading drug used to treat asthma. In a suit filed on June 27 in the district court ….

Maker says asthma drug Accolate may damage liver The maker of the asthma drug Accolate is advising patients using it and their doctors to be on the lookout for signs of liver problems, following some reports of adverse reactions. AstraZeneca Canada said in a release yesterday that analysis of safety databases has shown that some patients taking Accolate have experienced serious liver problems. There have been reports of seven patients, none of them in Canada, who died of liver-related reactions after taking the drug, said Health …..

DRUG FOR ASTHMATICS IS TIED TO SYNDROME Doctors should closely watch asthma patients who take the drug Accolate for signs of a rare but sometimes fatal condition called Churg-Strauss syndrome, the government and manufacturer said Wednesday. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Early symptoms are flulike, including fever, muscle aches and weight loss, and some asthmatics experience worsening lung symptoms as pulmonary blood vessels become ….. –

PATIENT’S MEDICATIONS WOULD FILL A PHARMACY DEAR DR. GOTT: Because of a variety of health problems, my doctor has prescribed the following medications: Cozaar, Maxzide, K-Dur, folate, vitamin E, Lodine, Premarin, Propulsid, Prilosec, Accolate, Aerobid, Proventil inhaler, and Pamelor. I feel awful. I’m not surprised. You are taking 13 medicines, all of which have potential side effects. Heaven knows how these powerful drugs are interacting in your body. I believe that your situation represents precisely the problem ….. – May 28, 1997 Asthma drug treats causes, symptoms After a research effort that goes back nearly 40 years, scientists at Harvard University have seen their work developed into a new drug that could help millions of people who suffer from asthma.

K. Frank Austen, a Harvard professor of medicine who has been involved since the research began in 1959, said the new drug, called Accolate, is the first ever developed that treats the causes of asthma and not just the symptoms. “Older drugs relax smooth muscles and open up ….. – February 4, 2000 When ADS RULE the doctor’s office, Patients are self-diagnosing based on Madison Avenue’s pitches Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, Zyban, Accolate, Zomig. These once strange-sounding names are now common, thanks to with the stream of advertisements promoting prescription drugs and the Internet offering easy access to information. This can have its good points and bad, physicians say. From patients coming into doctors’ offices and asking for a particular drug by name to being frightened of a drug because of possible — and sometimes scary — side effects, doctors see it

The drug, known as Accolate, helps stop the shortness of breath, itching and runny nose that so torment people allergic to cats
ASTHMA DRUG CAN ALSO HELP PEOPLE WITH CAT ALLERGY A drug developed to help asthma can help people allergic to cats, researchers said. The drug, known as Accolate, helps stop the shortness of breath, itching and runny nose that so torment people allergic to cats. “This drug has the added advantage of providing some relief for the nose as well as the chest, ” said Dr. Robert Wood, an associate professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “It’s especially appealing ….. (GA)

THE NAME GAME Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, Zyban, Accolate, Zomig. These once strange-sounding names are now common, with the stream of advertisements promoting prescription drugs by name and the Internet offering easy access to information. This can have its good points and bad, physicians say. From patients coming in to doctors’ offices and asking for a particular drug by name to being frightened of a drug because of possible — and sometimes scary — side effects, doctors see it …
Zeneca seeks US asthma approval Zeneca has filed its first asthma drug,

Accolate, for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. If successful, the application would open up an area for Zeneca in the world’s biggest medicines market, worth Pounds 3bn annually. Lehman Brothers, the stockbroker, said Accolate was a potential ‘blockbuster’ drug and forecast annual sales of more than Dollars 500m (Pounds 313m) within seven years. Asthma affects 5 per cent of adults and 10 per ….. (WV) – January 18, 2000 So much drug info can lead to confusion Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, Zyban, Accolate, Zomig.

These once strange-sounding names are now common, with the stream of advertisements promoting prescription drugs by name and the Internet offering easy access to information. This can have its good points and bad, physicians say. From patients coming in to doctors’ offices and asking for a particular drug by name to being frightened of a drug because of possible – and sometimes scary – side effects, doctors see it all …..

ADVERTISING SURGE HAS PATIENTS REQUESTING MEDICINE BY NAME, SOME DOCTORS WORRY SUPERFICIAL INFORMATION PROMPTS SELF-DIAGNOSING, BUT OTHERS FEEL IT HELPS PEOPLE RECOGNIZE SYMPTOMS Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec, Zyban, Accolate, Zomig. These once strange-sounding names are now common, with the stream of advertisements promoting prescription drugs by name and the Internet offering easy access to information. This can have its good points and bad, physicians say. From patients coming into doctors’ offices and asking for a particular drug by name to being frightened of a drug because of possible and sometimes scary side effects, doctors see it all ….. . Record,

191. (MA) – June 26, 2001 $2. 75M TOWARD ASTHMA RESEARCH Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has given Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital $2. 75 million to establish a professorship and fund asthma research – the largest corporate gift ever made to the Brigham. The money creates an endowed chair at the school, the AstraZeneca Professorship in Respiratory and Inflammatory Diseases, which was awarded yesterday to Dr. K. Frank Austen. Interest income from the award will pay for basic and clinical immunobiology research …. 2. Independent, The (London, England)/Financial Times – August 7, 1998 The Independent: Zeneca suffers a pounds 112m triple blow A “TRIPLE WHAMMY” of sterling strength, the Asian crisis and the year 2000 computer bug wiped pounds 112m off Zeneca’s first-half profits, the pharmaceutical group revealed yesterday. The factors were behind a 2 per cent slide in interim pre-tax profits to pounds 654m despite a 5 per cent rise in sales to pounds 2. 90bn, the drugs group said. The interim dividend rose to 14p per share from 13. 5p a year ago. A worse-than-expected hit from sterling …. 3. Newstex Blogs (USA) – July 4, 2009 Popular Asthma Medicine Singulair Associated With Psychiatric Disorders In Children Jul. 4, 2009 ( Drug Injury Watch delivered by Newstex) New Medical Journal Article Follows June 2009 FDA-Required Warning For Singulair About Neuropsychiatric Events (Posted by Tom Lamb at DrugInjuryWatch. com) On June 12, 2009 the FDA announced a new warning about an increased risk of neuropsychiatric events for the asthma medicine Singulair (montelukast)– as well as some other less popular leukotriene inhibitors, Accolate (zafirlukast) as well as Zyflo and …. 4. Winchester (VA) – January 14, 2009 FDA: asthma drugs, suicide not linked WASHINGTON – Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide – though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We …. 5. (WV) – January 14, 2009 FDA finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide WASHINGTON – Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide – though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We …. 6. – January 13, 2009 FDA probe finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide — though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We have …. 7. – January 13, 2009 FDA probe finds no link with asthma drugs, suicide Federal health officials said Tuesday that asthma drugs, including Merck’s Singulair, do not appear tied to suicide — though regulators continue to examine possible links to behavioral problems. After nine months of review, the Food and Drug Administration said company data do not show any association between the popular respiratory medications and suicide. However, the agency said the studies it reviewed were not designed to detect those events. “We have …. 8. Herald and the Sunday Herald, The (Glasgow, Scotland) – August 7, 1998 The Herald (United Kingdom): Business: Zeneca braced for big hit: Currency problems loom large on balance sheet as pharmaceuticals firm boosts crucial US sales by 24% ZENECA yesterday claimed strong underlying progress in the first half of the year but its reported figures were marred by a heavy impact from the strong pound. This took Pounds 81m off profits, which were 2% down at Pounds 654m. The shares rose 12. 5p to 2281. 25p, compared with a speculation-driven peak of 2850p. Zeneca is seen as vulnerable to industry consolidation, although there has been no hint of any action. The interim dividend increased 4% to 14p. Chief executive Sir David …. 9. Spokesman-Review, The (Spokane, WA) – September 22, 2002 Hospitals scanning for drug mix-ups, Bar-code technology being adopted to avoid medication errors With pills named Glyburide and Glipizide sitting side by side on the shelf, it’s understandable that an overworked pharmacist might pull the wrong drug when filling an order. Similar in name and packaging, both drugs treat diabetes. The consequences of mixing them up would be small. But what if a patient got the anxiety drug Xanax instead the ulcer drug Zantac? Or the asthma drug Accolate instead of the hypertension drug Accupril? The error could lead to death. Some ….. Hamilton Spectator, The (Ontario, Canada) – October 21, 1999 ASTHMA TREATMENT LAGGING RESEARCH PAINFULLY SLOW DESPITE BONANZA AWAITING DRUG FIRMS New treatments have been noticeably slow in coming despite the seemingly endless rise in asthma cases. In the past two years, for example, three new drugs have been released to treat migraines, with another due in the spring. But for asthma, which accounts for more pediatric hospitalizations each year than any other illness, only two significant drugs were approved in the U. S. in the same period, Accolate by Astra-Zeneca and Singulair from Merck. These drugs, taken as pills, address the ….

211. Stuart News, The (FL) – October 29, 1997 PROGNOSIS IS EXCELLENT FOR MAN WITH HYDROCELE DEAR DR. GOTT: What is the prognosis for a hydrocele? DEAR READER: A hydrocele is a collection of fluid under the membrane that surrounds the testicle. The collection can be quite small and hardly noticeable, or it may be very large and equal the size of the testicle itself. In this case, the patient may experience a sense of pressure, fullness or pain, especially after prolonged standing. The condition is harmless and common. Removing the fluid with a needle gives only ….. (KY) – June 15, 2009 FDA strengthens warning on popular asthma drugs, Singulair, others could cause psychiatric problems WASHINGTON – New labels on popular asthma drugs including Merck’s Singulair must highlight language about suicidal behavior, depression and anxiousness seen in a small number of patients, federal regulators said Friday. After 15 months of investigation, the Food and Drug Administration said Merck & Co. Inc. , AstraZeneca and Cornerstone Therapeutics will have to raise label warnings about psychiatric problems reported by a handful of patients taking their drugs ….. . New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – January 18, 2009 New Straits Times (Malaysia): Data does not link Singulair to suicide AMERICAN regulators says their review of clinical trials does not suggest Merck & Co’s Singulair asthma drug or similar medicines cause suicide or suicidal thought, although the data were inadequate to draw a firm conclusion. However, the US Food and Drug Administration said it was continuing to review the data to determine if the class of drugs caused other psychiatric problems, including mood and behavioural changes. “If the FDA safety review leads ….. South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – March 28, 2008 FDA LOOKS INTO SINGULAIR FOR POSSIBLE SUICIDE LINK The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a few reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair is used by millions of patients in the United States, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, it’s part of a class of ….. The Washington Times – October 6, 1996 Happiness gene New asthma drugs Spine injuries Dental alternative Diabetes clue Happiness gene Part of the secret to happiness may be in the genes, says leading behavior genetics researcher Dean Hamer, who published a review on the topic in the journal Nature Genetics. “Clearly there are genes that make people happier on average or sadder on average, ” says Mr. Hamer of the National Institutes of Health. However, he considers it unlikely that only one gene controls happiness. Instead, as many as a dozen genes may be involved, he ….. – 12 WPEC (West Palm Beach, FL) – June 15, 2009 CHANNEL 12 NEWS – 04:59:20 TIME START: 04:59:20 FOR 3 LOCAL STUDENTS STUCK IN CHINA. . WHAT THEY PLAN ON DOING ONCE THEY GET OUT. . (SOT) THERE’S NO REASON FOR TH. I DON’T UNDERSTAND (( BEN )) (VO) AN POLICE SHOOTING LEAVES A PORT SAINT CIE MAN – DEAD. WHY FAMILY AN POLICE SHOOTING LEAVES A PORT SAINT LUCIE MAN – DEAD. WHY FAMILY MEMBERS SAY IT WAS NOT JUSTIFIED. ASHLEY (VO) THE MAGIC FADES. . THE LAKERS TAKE THEIR 15TH NBA CHAMPIONSHIP ….AND FANS TAKE TO THE ….. Newstex Blogs (USA) – June 12, 2009 Twitter activity by Drug Injury Watch Jun. 12, 2009 ( Newstex Newstwits delivered by Newstex) RT @pharmalot: Lilly sold Zyprexa for dementia knowing it was useless for the ailment http://bit. ly/kDOec 06-12-2009 at 12:09:45 UTC Merck’s Lack of Social Responsibility Exposed [re phony medical journals] (Reputation Report, 6/10/09) http://bit. ly/OGmAT 06-12-2009 at 12:15:53 UTC RT @InVivoBlogChris: Ah, olde-timey drug ads are a blast. heroin, for coughs! tooth ache? try cocaine! ….. – 28 WBRE (Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA) – January 14, 2009 M-F Evening News – 16:59:00 TIME START: 16:59:00 GOT KINDLES FOR CHRISTMAS — LOVE MINE. BYE. KING WORLD] CAPTIONING INSTITUTE –WWW. NCICAP. ORG–] ( rattling ) ( e-mail alert ) ( rattling continues ) GET A REAL LUNCH. DELI CREATIONS FLATBREAD SANDWICHES FROM OSCAR MAYER. EVERYTHING YOU NEED PACKED FRESH. GRILLED CHICKEN, SHARP CHEDDAR, BACON-RANCH DRESSING. WRAPPED IN WARM FLATBREAD, AND READY ….IN A MICROWAVE MINUTE. DELI CREATIONS FLATBREAD SANDWICHES. THE HOT AND …. 219. PharmaGazette – April 9, 2008 Suicidal on Singulair? Mar. 27, 2008 (Know More Media delivered by Newstex) — The newest drug that has been linked to suicidal behavior, in both adults and children, is the ever popular asthma medication Singulair. This drug, used to treat allergy type symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing as well as asthma, is now under scrutiny after reports were made concerning mood and behavior changes and suicidal thoughts in patients taking the drug. The U. S Food and Drug Administration claims that there is no ….. MondayMorning – March 31, 2008 MondayMorning for 2008 March 31 Mar. 31, 2008 ( MondayMorning delivered by Newstex) — Monday, March 31, 2008 / Vol. 16 / No. 13 MondayMorning Weekly Online News Update for the Healthcare Industry Monday, March 31, 2008 / Vol. 16 / No. 13 ©2008 MedContent, Inc / All Rights Reserved TOP STORIES Medicare Trustees Say Program Running Out of Funds. Medicare spending is increasing at such a fast pace that the next president will be required to propose net benefit cuts or higher taxes, trustees for the ….

201. – May 13, 1999 POYDRAS DANCER PLANS TO DIG LIFE Combine dance steps, acting talent and an interest in archaeology and what do you get? Poydras native Tiffany Starks. Starks, 18, has been performing since she was 2. Now a freshman at Louisiana State University studying anthropology, she can be seen in a nationally televised commercial and has a healthy sense of what she wants to do with her life and her talent. “I’ve always loved it. Always, ” Starks said of performing. She graduated from …. Times, The (London, England) – September 5, 1998 Zeneca pays Pounds 117m for Australian firm, Business Roundup ZENECA has paid Pounds 117 million for the pharmaceuticals business of the former ICI Australia, a deal that has been delayed by months of wrangling over price. Negotiations began when ICI, Zeneca’s former parent, decided to sell its Australian business in the first half of 1997. The sale of ICI’s 62. 4 per cent stake in ICI Australia, since renamed Orica, was completed in July last year. The Australian pharmaceuticals business essentially acts as Zeneca’s ….. (USA) – June 15, 2009 FDA Requests Labeling Change for Leukotriene Modifiers FDA Requests Labeling Change for Leukotriene Modifiers Fri, 12 Jun 2009 The U. S. Food and Drug Administration today provided further updated safety information on a class of asthma drugs known as leukotriene modifiers. FDA has requested that manufacturers include a precaution in the drug prescribing information (drug labeling) regarding neuropsychiatric events (behavior, mood changes) that have been reported in some persons taking montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), ….. (LA) – April 21, 2005 Rules for asthma management may change By Sarah Crooks Clancy sclancy@thetowntalk. com (318) 487-6419 Mild, chronic asthma sufferers shouldn’t throw out their daily medications yet. But a new study published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that many people with mild chronic asthma need to inhale anti-inflammatory steroids only after experiencing an attack. “Only 20 to 25 percent of asthmatics fit in that group, ” said Dr. Benjamin B. Close of Louisiana ….. Evening Standard, The (London, England) – August 6, 1998 Evening Standard: Business Day: Sterling and millennium bug dent Zeneca HIT by the strong pound and the cost of preparing for the millennium, profits at pharmaceuticals group Zeneca slipped by 2% to pounds 654 million over the first half. Chief executive Sir David Barnes said sterling wiped pounds 81 million from operating profits and is likely to cost pounds 110 million for the full year. Preparing computer systems for the year 2000 bug cost pounds 20 million and could total pounds 40 million for the full year. Group sales were up by 5% to pounds 2. 9 ….. Hamilton Spectator, The (Ontario, Canada) – December 8, 1997 Q&A Ask the health experts: New drugs promise better asthma control A new class of drugs for asthma, the first major medical advance in a generation, promises better control of the increasingly prevalent disease. The new drugs, called leukotriene receptor antagonists, are more precise in their action than inhaled corticosteroids, the drugs currently at the forefront of treatment. And they’re tablets, which are bound to be more acceptable than inhalers to children and teens. Leukotriene receptor antagonists include the just-approved drug ….. Times, The (London, England) – June 27, 1995 US launch for Valtrex GLAXO WELLCOME has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to sell Valtrex, its new shingles treatment, the company announced yesterday. The drug is the successor to Zovirax, the most widely used medication of its kind. Zovirax, whose patents expire in Britain this year and in America in 1997, had worldwide sales of Pounds 900 million in 1994. Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, meanwhile, said it has sought regulatory approval in Britain for Accolate, a new asthma treatment ….. 208. (USA) – April 3, 2006 Dr. Mitchell Glass Joins TOPIGEN’s Scientific Advisory Board TOPIGEN Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a biopharmaceutical company specializing in innovative respiratory therapeutics, today announced the appointment of Dr. Mitchell Glass to its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Glass is a pulmonary and critical care specialist and recognized expert in developing drug products for pulmonary and inflammatory-related disorders. “We welcome Dr. Glass to TOPIGEN’s SAB, ” said Dr. Paolo ….. – March 27, 2008 FDA investigates Singulair risk The U. S. Food and Drug Administration said it is investigating reports of suicidal behavior in patients taking the asthma drug Singulair. Singulair, which is made by Merck, is used to treat asthma, the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and to prevent exercise-induced asthma, the FDA said Thursday. Merck has been working with the FDA over the past year to update prescribing information and patient information for Singulair to include the the possible risk of tremors, depression, ….. New Hamburg Independent (Ontario, Canada) – September 15, 2004 Brand-name revenue helps develop new drugs I read with interest the article by CPGA president Jim Keon (Brand vs. Generic, August 11). The member companies of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx and D) invest heavily in the research and development (R and D) of new medicines that treat and cure a range of diseases. In 2003, Rx and D member companies invested over $1 billion in R and D. In recent years, advances have included Heptovir, a new medication for the treatment of chronic hepatitis-B; ….

231. (WA) – April 14, 2005 For mild asthma, less may be more An estimated 4 million adults in the United States with a mild form of asthma may not need to take daily steroid doses but can instead use the drug only as needed to control symptoms, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health. The change would make drug use more convenient, minimize side effects from the powerful drugs and possibly save the nation as much as $2 billion per year. The study results do not apply to the 10 million adults with more severe ….. (TX) – January 27, 2005 HEALTH & MEDICINE Pregnancy needn’t halt asthma drug use Illness is more dangerous than the medication, study suggests Federal experts have issued guidelines advising women with asthma not to stop their medications during pregnancy. The guidelines, published in this month’s Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, call asthma drugs less of a risk to mother and fetus than asthma attacks. The advice was issued by a panel of the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. An estimated 3. 7 to 8. 4 percent of pregnant women have asthma, an inflammation and constriction of the airways ….. – December 8, 2002 Cops 08 Births Hospitals release the names of only those patients who sign consent forms. Great River Medical Center Dec. 3 Jim and Julie Belger, Burlington, girl Arrests/citations Reports are taken directly from the daily logs of area law enforcement agencies. Some agencies do not differentiate between arrests and citations. Burlington Saturday 3:28 a. m. Riverfront at south railroad bridge. Bradley Smyth, 29, 812 Emmett St. : open burning. 2:46 a. m. 222 Hayes Court ….. . – March 1, 2001 INTRUDER MAKES LIFE CHAOTIC It’s Kody Hollaway’s 12th birthday, and his mother is in the kitchen making his favorite dinner of meatballs with rice and parsley. She’s mixing the meat and arguing with Elizabeth, 11, standing at her elbow, about just how short she can cut her hair. The twins, who just turned 9, are sparring in the garage, each wearing one big red boxing glove and shouting “hi-yah!”Destany, 10, is singing Que Sera Sera, spinning on the …. – November 22, 2000 Police Say Man Forced Wife To Overdose PASSAIC — A man tried to kill his wife by forcing her to take a mixture of prescription drugs while he held a knife to her throat, police said. Sgt. Richard Williams, a police department spokesman, said Tuesday that detectives charged Richard Texidor, 44, of Lexington Avenue, in the attack on his wife, 41-year-old Leonila Texidor. She was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic and was listed in fair condition Tuesday afternoon, a spokeswoman said. Williams said there was a ….. The Florida Times-Union – May 9, 2000 Checkup EATING RESPONSIBLY Trying to eat responsibly and willing to spend time at your computer in order to do it? The Department of Agriculture has a new Web site for you. At the Interactive Healthy Eating Index on www. usda. gov/cnpp, you fill out a form detailing all the food you’ve consumed over the past 24 hours. (Presumably this includes the things you ate standing in front of the refrigerator at night when no one was looking. ) The site will quickly calculate how your ….. – April 29, 2000 News capsules Minister is going to prison for assaulting teacher BOSTON (AP) — A minister accused of assaulting a teacher for giving his daughter a D-minus on her report card was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison Friday. A jury convicted Dale Robinson, 36, of assault and battery and disturbing the peace. Judge Rosalind Miller gave Robinson the maximum penalty for assault and battery and ordered him to serve 10 additional days on the disturbing-the-peace charge. Teacher Antonio Centeio lost …. 238. (FL) – December 11, 1999 Dr. Paul G. Donohue ASTHMA AND ATHLETICS ARE COMPATIBLE DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am an overweight asthmatic. I am trying to lose weight so that I can look better. Exercise makes it difficult for me to breathe. I have had asthma since I was 3. I seek help in finding a way to participate in normal teen-ager activiti es. My doctor is no help at all. – N. Y. ANSWER: Most people with asthma can gain an upper hand on the illness so they can exercise and participate in sports. In the 1988 Olympics games, 52 of the …. (WV) – August 20, 1999 PEIA uses funds to add 21 drugs to ‘preferred’ list THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Officials of the state’s Public Employees Insurance Agency have decided to spend $1 million approved during a special legislative session this week on drugs. PEIA will add 21 drugs to its preferred prescription list beginning Sept. 1, director Bob Ayers said Thursday. New drug policies that went into effect July 1 require the agency’s 150, 000 subscribers to pay more for drugs that are not on the list and have no generic ….. The Dallas Morning News – July 11, 1999 HEALTHY ATTITUDE Cigna keeps a low profile to maintain good working relationships, big profits At a wrestling match that pits doctors and consumers against HMOs, Cigna HealthCare of Texas occupies a comfortable ringside seat. While other local health maintenance organizations are losing money and struggling to satisfy members, Cigna has escaped this punishment. It ranks highest in member satisfaction and lowest in doctor turnover. At the same time, it charges the highest premiums and consistently earns the largest profit of any local insurer. And Cigna has managed to elude ….

221. Sauk Valley Newspapers (Dixon-Sterling, IL) – March 29, 2008 FDA looks into Singulair, reports of suicidal thoughts Gannett News Service The Food and Drug Administration is investigating anecdotal reports that people who use Singulair, the popular asthma and allergy drug, are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide. Singulair is a pill prescribed to treat asthma and hay fever symptoms such as sneezing and a nose that is stuffy, runny or itchy. It blocks an inflammation pathway in the body that can cause both asthma and allergy symptoms. It was approved for treating asthma in 1998, and …. (MO) – March 28, 2008 FDA investigates drug suicide link WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration said yesterday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair is used by millions of patients in the United States, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, ….. High Point Enterprise (NC) – March 28, 2008 FDA probes possible allergy drug, suicide link WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair isused by millions of patients in the U. S, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, it’s part of ….. – March 28, 2008 Doctors surprised by probe linking Singulair to suicide The federal Food and Drug Administration is studying a possible link between Singulair, Merck & Co. ’s hugely popular asthma drug, and suicide. The agency will review reports it received about behavior and mood changes, suicidal thoughts and suicide itself among patients on the drug. The FDA did not say how many reports it had received. Merck noted it was a “very limited number” involving both adults and children. Merck’s ….. (TX) – March 28, 2008 Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey set to assume command of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan WASHINGTON (AP) – One of the Army’s most Iraq- generals is taking charge, at least temporarily, of arguably the most important command in the U. S. military, with responsibility for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In a ceremony Friday at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. , Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey is to assume command of U. S. Central Command from Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, who announced unexpectedly on March 11 that he was quitting. Fallon cited press reports that he was at …. High Point Enterprise (NC) – March 28, 2008 FDA probes possible allergy drug, suicide link WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing a handful of reports involving mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular allergy and asthma drug. With sales of $4. 3 billion last year, Singulair isused by millions of patients in the U. S, according to Merck. First approved in 1998, it’s part of ….. PharmaGazette – March 27, 2008 Suicidal on Singulair? Mar. 27, 2008 ( PharmaGazette delivered by Newstex) — The newest drug that has been linked to suicidal behavior, in both adults and children, is the ever popular asthma medication Singulair. This drug, used to treat allergy type symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing as well as asthma, is now under scrutiny after reports were made concerning mood and behavior changes and suicidal thoughts in patients taking the drug. The U. S Food and Drug Administration claims that there is no ….. Observer, The (London, England) – June 10, 2007 The Observer: ALLERGIES: Hay fever Hay fever is the most common allergy in Western countries, affecting around 15 per cent of the population. In the UK, the rates have soared and it is staggering to think that some 26 per cent of the population now suffer from it, usually for around two to three months each year. The condition, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, is often thought of as a minor ailment, whereas in reality the constant tiredness and sneezing that is part of the condition can have a very real impact on ….. – April 3, 2006 Prednisone just one of many asthma drugs DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife has had asthma since 1998. She weighed 130 pounds then. She has been on prednisone for a few years, and her weight has gone up to 174 and it is all in her middle. Is there anything besides prednisone that would work for her? — M. D. Asthma makes people’s airways (bronchi) very sensitive to the slightest irritation. If they breathe things that wouldn’t bother the rest of us, their airways constrict, and that makes the passage of air into and ….. – April 3, 2006 Prednisone just one of many asthma drugs DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife has had asthma since 1998. She weighed 130 pounds then. She has been on prednisone for a few years, and her weight has gone up to 174 and it is all in her middle. Is there anything besides prednisone that would work for her? — M. D. Asthma makes people’s airways (bronchi) very sensitive to the slightest irritation. If they breathe things that wouldn’t bother the rest of us, their airways constrict, and that makes the passage of air into and ….

251. – April 3, 1994 Drugs Help Asthmatics Breathe ANAHEIM, Calif. A new class of drugs appears to help patients with mild to moderate asthma breathe easier, according to two preliminary studies presented at an allergy meeting here. The drugs, called leukotriene-receptor antagonists, act to reduce the inflammation in the airways that is thought to be responsible for causing asthma, said Dr. William Howland III, medical director of HealthQuest Therapy and Research Institute in Austin, Texas. Asthma is thought to be caused by a type of ….. AFX-CNF (UK) – April 24, 2008 AFX CNF: AstraZeneca PLC – 1st Quarter Results (2 of 2) RNS Number:0203T AstraZeneca PLC 24 April 2008 Consolidated Income Statement 2008 2007 For the quarter ended 31 March $m $m Sales 7, 677 6, 966 Cost of sales (1, 502) (1, 486) Distribution costs (66) (61) Research and development (1, 236) (1, 170) Selling, general and administrative costs (2, 737) (2, 217) Other operating income and expense 121 138 Operating profit 2, 257 2, 170 Finance income 258 247 Finance expense (372) (150) Profit before tax 2, 143 2, 267 Taxation (638) (703) Profit for the period ….. – June 8, 2003 Going straight to the consumer. , Drug companies use more TV advertising. companies use more television advertisingBy Sandy Miller Times-News writerTWIN FALLS — If you want to know one of the biggest reasons for rising prescription costs, you need look no farther than your television screen. During breaks of your favorite TV shows, you’ll see 40-something-year-old arthritic ice skater Dorothy Hamill still able to do early morning glides around the rink thanks to a new drug called Vioxx. And what used to just be plain old heartburn is now “acid ….. Sun-Sentinel – March 22, 1999 ASTHMA SPRAY SAFETY Dear Dr. Donohue: In light of recent warnings about cortisone inhalers and children’s growth, I took my 14-year-old son off his. When he tried alternative treatments, he was a mess. He started back on the spray and his symptoms disappeared in days. Is his body addicted to the spray? — S. A. Dear S. A. : Cortisone inhalers have revolutionized asthma treatment. On the downside, they might stunt growth. Uncontrolled asthma might stunt growth, too. Whether cortisone inhalers will ….. El Nuevo Herald – January 3, 1999 UNA ESTACIÓN IDEAL PARA EL ASMA Se habla de las vacaciones navideñas; pero para ciertas enfermedades, como el asma, ésta no es la mejor época. Los días son frescos y muchos detalles que acompañan a estas fiestas son para los que padecen esta enfermedad, una amenaza. Esta amenaza es especialmente fuerte para los jóvenes asmáticos, quienes se sueltan las riendas para disfrutar, y se olvidan de su asma, cambiando sus rutinas diarias. Como muchos medicamentos se administran mediante inhaladores, cuyo empleo en esta ….. (CT) – December 4, 1998 Asthma drug has serious complications Doctors should carefully watch asthma patients who take the drug Singulair for signs of a rare but serious complication called Curg-Strauss syndrome, manufacturer Merck & Co. warned Thursday. Curg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday that it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Curg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 people worldwide who have ….. (Riverside, CA) – December 4, 1998 Doctors warned about asthma drug Doctors should carefully watch asthma patients who take the drug Singulair for signs of a rare but serious complication called Churg-Strauss syndrome, manufacturer Merck & Co. warned Thursday. Churg-Strauss syndrome is a tissue disorder that sometimes strikes adult asthma patients and, if untreated, can destroy organs. Merck said Thursday that it has received fewer than 20 reports of Singulair patients developing symptoms of Churg-Strauss, out of 600, 000 people worldwide who ….. Financial Times (London, England) – October 28, 1998 COMPANIES & FINANCE: UK: Zeneca to take Pounds 130m sterling hit Chemicals, Speciality. Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals. Zeneca’s shares lost some of their recent shine yesterday after the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals group estimated that sterling’s strength would knock Pounds 130m from full-year profits. In August, Zeneca expected a full-year currency effect of Pounds 110m, based on prevailing exchange rates. Zeneca’s shares, which had risen 25 per cent to Pounds 23. 37 in the two weeks leading up to the ….. Los Angeles Times – February 24, 1998 Merck Soars on FDA’s OK of Asthma Drug Merck & Co. said it won U. S. Food and Drug Administration approval of its potential blockbuster asthma drug Singulair, sending the company’s shares up nearly 5%. Merck shares rose $5. 94 to close at $130. 63 in active trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. Peak worldwide sales of Singulair could exceed $1 billion a year, putting pressure on competitors Zeneca and Abbott Laboratories, and asthma-inhaler makers such as Glaxo Wellcome, Schering-Plough Corp ….. . Newsday (Melville, NY) – October 30, 1997 Industry Takes Ad Medicine / Wherever one looks, the drug makers are busy. YOU SEE the ads all over. Commuter trains into Manhattan carry posters touting the prescription drug Claritin “for seasonal allergy relief” and others for Zyban (”It’s here”) that offers a toll-free number for what callers will learn is a pill to help smokers quit. On prime-time TV, the maker of another allergy fighter has been hammering its Allegra name into viewers’ heads by showing a woman wind-surfing through a ….