Author: Claire Bowie

An international consortium of researchers have identified multiple genetic mutations for heart attack and coronary heart disease, including one gene that increases heart attack risk by 29%.

Patients and consumers across Europe will soon be able to directly report any adverse reactions to medicines, following approval by the European Parliament for it to be made a legal provision.

ICON’s clinical pharmacology unit, based in Manchester, has achieved the highest level of accreditation in Europe from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

GlaxoSmithKline and Human Genome Sciences Benlysta (belimumab) has been awarded priority review status in the USA as a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus. The target date for approval is 9 December 2010, six months after the biologic drug was filed.

New company Afferent Pharmaceuticals is hoping it will be the first off the block with a new kind of treatment for chronic pain after licensing Roche’s P2X3 receptor programme.