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Aneeve Nanotechnologies LLC has been selected to work in the UCLA on-campus Technology Incubator Program at the California NanoSystems Institute. The startup company will conduct early-stage research for the development of a novel hormone sensor/meter for biomedical applications in the areas of infertility and menopause…

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis on Wednesday reinstated more than 100 lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies filed by women or their surviving relatives claiming that the companies’ hormone replacement therapy drugs caused breast cancer, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports…

Depomed, Inc. (NASDAQ:DEPO) announced it has received guidance from the FDA in formal meeting minutes from a meeting held in December regarding SeradaTM, the company’s extended release gabapentin product candidate for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes…

Women experiencing an early onset of menopause could develop dementia at a younger age. Research by Tonnie Coppus of Erasmus MC has indicated this. She studied women with Down Syndrome, who are known to have an early onset of menopause. The results of her research can be translated to apply to the general population. Her results are published in the Journal of Alzheimer Disease…

Depomed, Inc. (NASDAQ:DEPO) announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a U.S. patent application (No. 12/239,591) directed to pharmaceutical dosage forms that deliver the compound gabapentin via Depomed’s proprietary Acuform® gastric retentive drug delivery technology. Paul B…

An investigational drug that inhibits serotonin synthesis in the gut, administered orally once daily, effectively cured osteoporosis in mice and rats reports an international team led by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, in the Feb. 7 issue of Nature Medicine. Serotonin in the gut has been shown in recent research to stall bone formation…

Oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may increase the risk of developing asthma after the menopause, suggests a large scale study published ahead of print in the journal Thorax. The authors base their findings on 57, 664 women, who were quizzed about their use of HRT and development of asthma symptoms every two years between 1990 and 2002…

A previous six-month study by Iowa State University researchers had indicated that consuming modest amounts of soy protein, rich in isoflavones, lessened lumbar spine bone loss in midlife, perimenopausal women…

With Osteoporosis an increasing concern among women of all ages, a recent report in the medical journal Osteoporosis International found that women taking the AAACa (AdvaCAL®) calcium supplements had the highest bone density increase among 32 different calcium studies conducted between 1977 and 2008…

New analyses from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) confirm that combination hormone therapy increases the risk of heart disease in healthy postmenopausal women…

When women hear the word menopause, they often think about hot flashes, hormone shifts and mood swings. But what about heart disease? Studies show a woman’s risk of heart disease intensifies drastically around the time of natural menopause, which for most women is around the age of 50…

Intriguing findings on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and cataract risk, and on smoking and uveitis risk are reported in this month’s Ophthalmology,the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology…

By the year 2030, the World Health Organization estimates that 1.2 billion women will be age 50 and older, the age when hormone production by the ovaries declines and most women experience symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, rapid heartbeat, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, irritability, memory lapses, dryness, loss of libido, muscle aches and weight gain…

While breast cancer continues to be the second most common cancer among women in the U.S., “rates have been declining by about 2% a year since 1999, after having increased for the previous 20 years,” Newsweek contributing editor Barbara Kantrowitz and Washington correspondent Pat Wingert write in a opinion piece…

University of Alberta researcher Nese Yuksel says pharmacists could be integral to the education and screening of people for osteoporosis, as pharmacists are easily accessible and are playing a greater role in health promotion and disease prevention. According to Osteoporosis Canada, after the age of 50 one in four women has the disease and at least one in eight men…

Women aged 50 to 76 who take estrogen plus progestin may have an increased risk of lung cancer, according to a new study published in the pre-print online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology…

Hormone replacement therapy, commonly known as HRT is a treatment used to replace hormones that the body is no longer producing because of the menopause. The hormones that need replacing are estrogen and progesterone. The therapy is based on the notion that the treatment may prevent discomfort caused by diminished circulating estrogen and progesterone hormones…

Obese patients with colon cancer are at greater risk for death or recurrent disease compared to those who are within a normal weight range, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research…

Bisphosphonate treatments, proven to enhance bone density and reduce fracture incidence in post-menopausal women, may adversely affect bone quality and increase risk of atypical fractures of the femur when used for four or more years, according to preliminary research presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)…

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopausal estrogen deficiency has been in widespread use for over 60 years. Several observational studies over the years showed that HRT use by younger postmenopausal women was associated with a significant reduction in total mortality; available evidence supported the routine use of HRT to increase longevity in postmenopausal women…

For estrogen replacement to provide stroke protection, it likely must be given soon after levels drop because of menopause or surgical removal of the ovaries, scientists report in the Journal of Neuroscience…

The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States, which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer. “Postmenopausal hormone treatment is associated with increased rates of benign breast biopsies, and early and late stages of cancer…

Researchers in the US found that the decline in use of postmenopausal hormone therapy may partly explain the fall in incidence of a known risk factor for breast cancer, atypical ductal hyperplasia…

Women who have an early menopause are unlikely to have a long term increased risk of hip fractures associated with menopausal bone density weakening, according to a new study from The Australian National University. For decades medical practitioners have understood a link between menopause and a decrease in bone density…

New Mayo Clinic research has found that robotic surgery for vaginal prolapse (http://www.mayoclinic.org/pelvic-organ-prolapse/) dramatically reduces patient hospital stay and recovery time. These findings are being presented this week at the North Central Section of the American Urological Association in Scottsdale, Ariz…

A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that breast cancer patients under 40 years old who undergo fertility preservation do not face a significant delay in the treatment of their disease when their care is coordinated in a timely fashion…

A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic in studies by Texas AgriLife Research scientists. Though the studies have not been conducted to determine recommended consumption amounts, scientists say the compound, called trigonelline or “trig,” may be a factor in estrogen-dependent breast cancer but beneficial against colon cancer development…

A menopause-cardiology consensus statement has called for direct action to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in menopausal women. The statement also concludes that there is little evidence of increased CVD risk in taking HRT. The International Menopause Society consensus statement was developed at a Workshop** between menopause specialists and cardiologists…

Animal studies suggest that adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health…

The so-called RANK protein and the molecule that binds to it, the RANK ligand or RANKL, form a focus of the work of Josef Penninger, director of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna. In 1999 his group deleted the RANKL gene from mice and showed that the RANK/RANKL system was the “master regulator” governing bone loss (Kong et al. 1999 Nature 402, 304-309)…

The Swedish biotech company Karo Bio (Reuters: KARO.ST) announced that Merck & Co., Inc., through an affiliate, plans to enter a clinical phase IIa trial with the collaboration’s lead investigational drug candidate, MK-6913, identified as part of their joint research collaboration. No milestone payment to Karo Bio is associated with the initiation of phase II clinical development…

New results from a survey of 1,122 post-menopausal women in Asia found that nearly half (48.5 percent) were not aware whether or not they had osteoporosis despite being hospitalized with a fragility fracture. A fragility fracture is one potential indicator of osteoporosis, along with BMD measurements, family history and other factors, according to International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF)…

New research from the US has discovered that women who used bisphosphonates, commonly-prescribed bone-strengthening drugs, had significantly fewer invasive breast cancers than women who did not use them…

Osteologix Inc. (OLGX.OB) announced that the company anticipates that it will be prepared to file a marketing application in 2011 in the European Union for its proprietary second-generation strontium therapy, NB S101 (strontium malonate). If successful, this will be Osteologix’ first marketing approval of NB S101 for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis…

Special issue focuses on cardiovascular disease prevention and outcomes Emerging research on cardiovascular risk factors and treatment effects are helping clinicians gain a better understanding of which patients are most likely to benefit from close monitoring, lifestyle changes and/or additional therapeutic interventions…

In connection with the New York Times’ recent coverage of hormone therapy1, Pfizer Inc. released important facts and context to respond to the newspaper’s account. Pfizer believes the coverage is based on a misleading and selective reading of both the science and history of hormone therapy (HT) medicines…

The New York Times on Sunday examined recently unsealed court documents from lawsuits arguing that drugmaker Wyeth oversold the benefits of its menopausal hormone drugs while failing to warn of their risks. Lawyers released some of the documents earlier this year, and the New York Times and the Public Library of Science successfully filed motions to unseal thousands more…

Postmenopausal women who take antidepressants face a small but statistically significant increased risk for stroke and death compared with those who do not take the drugs…

According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), postmenopausal HIV-infected women have a high prevalence of low bone mineral density and high bone turnover placing them at high risk for future bone fractures…

The so-called RANK protein and the molecule that binds to it, the RANK ligand or RANKL, form a focus of the work of Josef Penninger, director of the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) in Vienna. In 1999 his group deleted the RANKL gene from mice and showed that the RANK/RANKL system was the “master regulator” governing bone loss (Kong et al. 1999 Nature 402, 304-309).

The Swedish biotech company Karo Bio (Reuters: KARO.ST) announced that Merck & Co., Inc., through an affiliate, plans to enter a clinical phase IIa trial with the collaboration’s lead investigational drug candidate, MK-6913, identified as part of their joint research collaboration. No milestone payment to Karo Bio is associated with the initiation of phase II clinical development.

New results from a survey of 1,122 post-menopausal women in Asia found that nearly half (48.5 percent) were not aware whether or not they had osteoporosis despite being hospitalized with a fragility fracture. A fragility fracture is one potential indicator of osteoporosis, along with BMD measurements, family history and other factors, according to International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). Of the women who were told that they have osteoporosis (51.5 percent), 40.

A menopause-cardiology consensus statement has called for direct action to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in menopausal women. The statement also concludes that there is little evidence of increased CVD risk in taking HRT. The International Menopause Society consensus statement was developed at a Workshop** between menopause specialists and cardiologists. The Task Force on Gender of the European Society of Cardiology participated in the Workshop.

Animal studies suggest that adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health. Mer Harvi and colleagues at the National Research Center, in Cairo, Egypt, have studied the effect of diabetes on bone health and evaluated how flaxseed oil in the diet might delay the onset of osteoporosis.

A new study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that breast cancer patients under 40 years old who undergo fertility preservation do not face a significant delay in the treatment of their disease when their care is coordinated in a timely fashion.

A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic in studies by Texas AgriLife Research scientists. Though the studies have not been conducted to determine recommended consumption amounts, scientists say the compound, called trigonelline or “trig,” may be a factor in estrogen-dependent breast cancer but beneficial against colon cancer development. “The important thing to get from this is that ‘trig’ has the ability to act like a hormone,” said Dr.

The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States, which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer. “Postmenopausal hormone treatment is associated with increased rates of benign breast biopsies, and early and late stages of cancer.

Researchers in the US found that the decline in use of postmenopausal hormone therapy may partly explain the fall in incidence of a known risk factor for breast cancer, atypical ductal hyperplasia. They also said their findings support the idea that low and high grade breast cancers develop via different pathways and thereby clarify the role that hormone therapy may play in increasing the rates of breast cancer.

Women who have an early menopause are unlikely to have a long term increased risk of hip fractures associated with menopausal bone density weakening, according to a new study from The Australian National University. For decades medical practitioners have understood a link between menopause and a decrease in bone density.

New Mayo Clinic research has found that robotic surgery for vaginal prolapse (http://www.mayoclinic.org/pelvic-organ-prolapse/) dramatically reduces patient hospital stay and recovery time. These findings are being presented this week at the North Central Section of the American Urological Association in Scottsdale, Ariz.