Sugammadex's Problems: Is The Merck/Schering-Plough Deal The Worst?

That didn't take long. Just a few days after Roger Perlmutter at Merck (MRK) had praised the team that developed Bridon (sugammadex), the FDA turned it down for the second time. The FDA seems to be worried about hypersensitivity reactions to the drug --- that was the grounds on which they rejected it in 2008. Merck ran another study to address this, but the agency apparently is now concerned about how that trial was run. What we know, according to FiercePharma, is that they "needed to assess an inspection of a clinical trial site conducting the hypersensitivity study." Frustratingly for Merck, their application was approved in the EU back in that 2008 submission period.

It's an odd compound, and it had a nomination in the "Ugliest Drug Candidate" competition awhile back. That's because it works by a very unusual mechanism. It's there to reverse the effects of rocuronium, a neuromuscular blockade agent used in anaesthesia. Sugammadex is a cyclodextrin derivative, a big cyclic polysaccharide of the sort that have been used to encapsulate many compounds in their central cavities. It's the mechanism behind the odor-controlling Febreze spray. (Interestingly, I've read that when that product was introduced, its original formulation failed in the market because it had no scent of its own, and consumers weren't ready for something with no smell that nonetheless decreased other odors.)

The illustration above is from the Wikipedia article on sugammadex, and it shows very well how it's designed to bind rocuronium tightly in a way that it can no longer at at the acetylcholine receptor. Hats off to the Organon folks in Scotland who thought of this. Pity that all of them must be long gone, isn't it?

You see, this is one of the drugs from Schering-Plough that Merck took up when they bought the company, but it was one of the compounds from Organon that Schering-Plough took up when they bought them. (How much patent life can this thing have left by now?) By the way, does anyone still remember the ridiculous setup by which Schering-Plough was supposed to be taking over Merck? Did all that maneuvering accomplish anything at all in the end?

At any rate, Merck really doesn't seem to have gotten a lot out of the deal, and this latest rejection doesn't make it look any better. Not all of those problems were (or could have been) evident at the time, but enough of them were to make a person wonder. I'm willing to nominate it as "Most Pointless Big Pharma Merger," and would be glad to hear the case for other contenders.

Disclosure: None.

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The recession hits those with mental health problems harder

Main Category: Mental Health
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 30 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
The recession hits those with mental health problems harder

Since the start of the recession, the rate of unemployment for people with mental health problems has risen more than twice as much than for people without mental health problems, according to new research from King's College London.

The authors warn that, across Europe, people with mental health problems have been disproportionately affected by the economic crisis, further increasing social exclusion amongst this vulnerable group.

Published in PLOS ONE, the study also found that this gap in employment rates was even greater for men and for those with low levels of education.

The scientists collected data in 27 EU countries from over 20,000 people in 2006 and again in 2010. By using the Eurobarometer survey, they assessed mental health, stigmatising attitudes, socio-demographic information (such as age, gender, education level and urbanicity) and current employment rate.

In 2006, unemployment was at 7.1% for people without mental health problems, compared to 12.7% for people with mental health problems. In 2010, this rose to 9.8% and 18.2% respectively, corresponding to an increase of 5.5% for people with mental health problems vs 2.7% increase for people without mental health problems.

Dr Sara Evans-Lacko, lead author of the study from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, says: "The economic recession has had enormous impact across much of Europe, but there is little information about the specific impact of the recession on groups who are already vulnerable to social exclusion, specifically, people with mental health problems. This is the first study to show that the European economic crisis has had a profound impact on people with mental health problems, compared to those without."

In addition, the study identified important sub-groups - for example, the study found that men and individuals with lower levels of education had a significantly greater increase in the likelihood of being unemployed after the recession. In 2010, 21.7% of men with mental health problems were unemployed, compared to 13.7% in 2006.

The study also showed that stigmatising attitudes, especially beliefs regarding dangerousness of people with mental health problems were an important factor contributing to the rise in unemployment. Living in a country where a higher proportion of individuals believed that people with mental health problems were dangerous was associated with higher levels of unemployment for people with mental health problems.

In addition to having lower levels of employment, these subgroups also have lower rates of help-seeking and more negative attitudes to mental health and may require specific forms of outreach.

Professor Graham Thornicroft, co-author of the study from King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, adds: "Our study emphasises that one important implication of stigma and discrimination is exclusion from employment. During periods of economic recession, attitudes to people with mental health problems may harden, further deepening social exclusion. Governments need to be aware of these risks, and employers need to be aware of their legal duty to comply with the Equality Act to support people with mental health problems coming into, and staying in, employment."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our mental health section for the latest news on this subject.

Paper reference: Evans-Lacko, S. et al "The mental health consequences of the recession: economic hardship and employment of people with mental health problems in 27 European countries" PLOS ONE

Link to the live article: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069792

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Beagle Food To Prevent Health Problems

A Beagle can effectively consume large amounts of food, the main problem may be the dog has a tendency to put on pounds. You do not need to determine a body fat, ugly Beagle with illness. Beagles can consume food rapidly and don't particularly have preferences for several kinds of food. A powerful olfaction sometimes takes the Beagle to undesirable places searching for food. Dog proprietors therefore have been in an issue regarding just how much they have to feed their pets to be able to prevent them from engaging in harmful situations.

Feed A Little A Lot More Than Needed

You might need a while to gauge the quantity of food your Beagle can eat. It is a safe wager to give your pet a little a lot more than the conventional recommendation. For instance, just one cup or a couple of high-quality meals are all that's needed. A Beagle is small , weighs in at roughly twenty to thirty pounds. So it doesn't require more. Feed your dog two whole cups initially to see if it gains weight. Exercise the Beagle a little more until it's tired and sleepy.

The sooner you begin, the faster you understand just how much meals are needed. Ideally, you house train your Beagle like a puppy after which follow standard instructions to give your dog. Compensate with a lot more treats included in the behavior training training course. Quite simply, the greater positive your pet works out to become, the greater treats it will get. Care should automatically get to avoid addiction or reliance on food products outdoors normal foods.

Precisely What In The Event You Feed a Beagle Puppy

Before the puppy is eight days old, it takes mother's milk for healthy nutrition. Solid food ought to be introduced once the dog is about five days old. It's the proper time to obtain your Beagle utilized to home-made food. Non-vegetarians don't have much to complete, except feed their dogs soft meat combined with cooked grain and veggies. Sharp chicken bones should be prevented. Commercial Beagle food consists of chemical preservatives not necessarily required for your dog.

People frequently add milk substitutes to normalcy food to produce a wet broth. The Beagle puppy adjusts better and it is generally pleased with the meal. Milk substitutes could be gradually replaced with similar volume of solid food. Sufficient body fat should be incorporated within the food, or you can get health issues including lethargy and weight problems.

Helpful Information On Adult Pet Food

Housebreaking is a vital facet of training your dog to reside quietly in your house. The Beagle must understand that eating food belongs to a normal routine and should therefore be given sufficient quantity to help keep it satisfied during the day. Commercial food does contain some undesirable chemicals. Effectively, this means you need to feed your dog a lot more than needed.

Beagles are hounds and typically resided on meat for 100s of years. Altering fundamental qualities including food habits is unwarranted. You could regulate the kind of meat your pet consumes based on availability. Since Beagles require moderate but healthy food choices, a routine is definitely established with minimum effort. Begin feeding your pet quite early, and you'll never regret your time and efforts to maintain your beloved dog happy and healthy.

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Oral Health For Children - Common Dental Problems And Solutions

Oftentimes, grown ups miss out on the significance of oral health for children. Incidents where argue that it's all right for kids to possess rotten teeth. They are saying kid's teeth are temporary ones and can undergo an all natural or self-fix once permanent teeth begin to grow. That's in some way true. But the truth is half the fight of adult dental problems is won when teeth and nicotine gums are correctly looked after in early years.

Surprisingly, cavities can happen the moment nursing years. This problem is known as the infant bottle cavities. The nicotine gums and teeth of the baby reaches risk when it's in constant connection with sugars which are contained in the breast milk, formulas, fruit drinks and plain water with sugar. The sugars during these substances remain in the babies' mouths for any very long time. Later on, bacteria feast upon the sugar deposits plus they eventually damage the nicotine gums and teeth. Cavities may cause discomfort and discomfort to children. Much more, it may cause the imbalance of permanent which grow some years later.

Included in oral health for children, parents and first care providers of kids are encouraged to clean the newborn's mouth having a small bit of cotton dabbed in water that is clean after bottle feeding periods. Avoid pacifying or putting the infant to rest by bottle feeding him with milk. Rather possess a pacifier ready sometimes such as this. The moment the infant turns into a toddler, lessen his utilization of feeding bottles. Train him using cups with straws.

When small children come to be young children, another threat which comes their strategy is early teeth loss. While cavities is one reason with this, small accidents throughout a tough play also make children loose one or a few teeth. Similar to the above-pointed out, this could lead to misaligned teeth. When the positioning from the concerned teeth isn't remedied, the problem can result in related dental joint pain.

The need for oral health should be trained to kids the moment they acquire the opportunity to understand. Including constant practice too. Parents and first care givers should be determined to do this understanding since the motivation from the kids will rely on them. To start with, discipline children to consume regular foods per day with no snacks among. Besides providing them with definite time for you to eat, make sure that their foods are healthy. You are able to research online for a listing of meals that are great for one's teeth. Next, encourage children to clean their teeth after every meal. Whenever possible, allow them to use tooth paste that's wealthy in fluoride.

Oral health for children could be best accomplished with the aid of a dental professional. Train children that the dental professional is really a friend who'll take care of their teeth. Schedule regular dental check-ups in order to eliminate potential fear inside them. Possess the dental professional discuss dental hygiene and also the miracles of sealants in combating cavities.

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