SAN DIEGO, Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Sangart, Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines specifically designed to enhance the perfusion and oxygenation of ischemic (oxygen deprived) tissues through targeted oxygen and other gas delivery, today announced the initiation of a Phase 1b study designed to evaluate the safety of MP4CO treatment in patients with sickle cell disease. MP4CO is designed to deliver therapeutic levels of carbon monoxide (CO) to patients suffering from a sickle cell crisis. This initial study will involve patients who are not currently undergoing a painful vaso-occlusive crisis. Preclinical studies show that carbon monoxide stabilizes the hemoglobin of patients with sickle cell disease and prevents the sickling of red blood cells.

“We are encouraged by the preclinical data on MP4CO and look forward to evaluating the safety and potential efficacy of this therapy in helping alleviate pain associated with a sickle cell crisis, while also potentially reducing the severity and duration of a crisis,” said Dr. Jo Howard, at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK. “There is currently a dearth of treatments for painful vaso-occlusive crises associated with sickle cell disease, and MP4CO represents a potential treatment option for these patients.”

The clinical trial is a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, controlled study that will enroll approximately 32 clinically stable adult patients with sickle cell disease who are not undergoing a painful vaso-occlusive crisis. The trial will be conducted at four sites across three countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Jamaica. The primary objective of the study is to establish the safety of treatment with MP4CO. The study will comprise ascending dose levels in five groups of single dose infusions followed by three groups of fractionated doses.

“This trial initiation is a key step towards providing a treatment to patients suffering from a sickle cell crisis. The strong preclinical data suggest that a clinical evaluation of MP4CO in patients could yield meaningful results,” said Brian O’Callaghan, President and CEO of Sangart. “Along with our other investigational therapy, MP4OX, we remain committed to developing medicines designed to enhance the delivery of oxygen and other gases to tissues and organs.”

Sickle cell disease is an inherited hemoglobin disorder affecting red blood cell circulation in millions of people around the world. People with sickle cell disease have red blood cells that contain mostly hemoglobin S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Due to the presence of hemoglobin S, these red blood cells become crescent or sickle-shaped and have difficulty passing through small blood vessels. When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood circulates through the body, causing severe pain and damage to tissues that do not receive a normal blood flow. This vaso-occlusion is known as a “sickle cell crisis”. There are currently no approved medications to treat sickle cell crises, and only symptomatic relief is available.

About MP4

Sangart’s product platform is based on the MP4 molecule, an investigational biopharmaceutical product designed to enhance the perfusion of oxygen-deprived (ischemic) tissues and provide targeted oxygen delivery in the capillaries. Using a novel pegylation approach, Sangart produces the MP4 molecule designed at the optimal oxygen affinity, diffusion potential and molecular size to perfuse capillaries and target oxygen delivery to tissues specifically at risk of ischemia. MP4 can bind carbon monoxide for delivery to hemoglobin in red blood cells and heme proteins in tissues to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic (anti-programmed cell death) effects. Once carbon monoxide has been released, MP4 takes up oxygen, when circulating through the lung, for delivery to ischemic tissues.

Op Ed Published in The Lancet on 11 January 2012

Mirta Roses Periago, Thomas R Frieden, Jordan W Tappero, Kevin M De Cock, Bernt Aasen, Jon K Andrus

One of the largest recent cholera epidemics to affect a single country began in Haiti in October, 2010, just 10 months after a devastating earthquake had struck the nation’s capital. Within a month, cholera had spread throughout Haiti and cases were being reported by its shared island neighbour, the Dominican Republic. In Dec, 2011, 522 335 cholera cases and 7001 deaths had been reported in Haiti,1 with an additional 21 432 cases and 363 deaths reported in the Dominican Republic.2 The 2-year anniversary of the earthquake is an opportune time to refocus national and international efforts on the elimination of cholera transmission in Hispaniola.

In the past year, the international community has supported cholera prevention and control strategies for Haiti and the Dominican Republic.3, 4 These strategies include: improving access to safe drinking water by increasing chlorination of public and household water supplies, increasing water quality monitoring, tracking disease spread and response through surveillance, promoting safe hygiene, encouraging safe food handling practices and policies, and ensuring quality clinical care and treatment at health facility and community levels. If the evidence supports the introduction of oral cholera vaccine in this setting, another tool may be available in the fight against this disease.4, 5 These life-saving interventions must be strengthened and sustained. Despite these efforts, however, there are more than 200 new cholera cases daily in Haiti during the dry season, with more than 1000 cases arising each day in the rainy season.1 Cholera elimination will require renewed efforts to ensure that safe water and sanitation are provided to every resident.

Haiti is the most underserved country in the western hemisphere in terms of water and sanitation infrastructure.6 In 2008, 63% of Haitians had access to improved drinking water and 17% had access to improved sanitation, such as flush toilets, septic tanks, ventilated improved pit latrines, and composting toilets. This low figure for access to sanitation had decreased from 26% in 1990, making Haiti one of the few countries where overall sanitation coverage has declined for reasons other than population growth. By contrast, in 2008, 86% of Dominicans and 93% of people living in the Latin American and Caribbean region had access to improved drinking water, and 83% and 80% had access to improved sanitation, respectively.6 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7 encompasses a commitment to halving the proportion of the world’s population without access to improved water and sanitation by 2015. Failure to attain MDG targets in Haiti for access to improved water (74%) and sanitation (63%)7 will facilitate continued cholera transmission on the island, placing the entire region at risk.

During the Latin America epidemic of the 1990s, cholera spread to more than 20 countries in 2 years. With support from the international community, investments in water and sanitation infrastructure contributed to the virtual elimination of epidemic cholera from Central and South America within 8 years.8, 9 These interventions also led to well documented decreases in other waterborne diseases, such as typhoid fever and hepatitis A, and to reductions in infant and child mortality.9, 10 The control of epidemic cholera in Latin America in the 1990s underlines the current need for investment in safe water and sanitation infrastructure in Haiti.

In March, 2010, the international community pledged billions to assist Haiti.11 There has already been major investment by some partners. The USA has committed more than $3 billion in humanitarian relief, recovery, and reconstruction assistance. However, other partners are needed to address the funding gap for water and sanitation infrastructure. To that end, on Jan 11, 2012, the Governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic launched a call to action for major investment in safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, particularly in Haiti. Future progress will specifically require: prioritising the development of sustainable safe water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure; the creation of a technical advisory group of experts to oversee the development of a costed plan of action with a timeline for completion; and honouring pledged post-earthquake funding commitments and recruiting new donors. This effort will not be cheap.12 Estimated costs from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Office of the Haitian Prime Minister, and the World Bank have ranged from $746 million to $1·1 billion.7, 13 However, the benefits would be enormous. Answering this call to ensure access to clean water and improved sanitation in Haiti will decrease the burden of cholera and other diarrhoeal diseases and prevent the further spread of cholera beyond the island of Hispaniola.

MRP is Director of the Pan American Health Organization. TRF is Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. JWT is Director of the CDC’s Health Systems Reconstruction Office. KMDC is Director of the CDC’s Center for Global Health. BA is Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean for the United Nations Children’s Fund. JKA is Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization. We declare that we have no conflicts of interest.

GFBC NEWS NETWORK

December 27, 2011

Heavy D

According to the Loa Angeles coroner’s report, Heavy D real whose real was name Dwight Myers died of Pulmonary Embolism. The coroner’s report also stated, “manner of death: natural.” But Heavy D also could have died from a pulmonary embolism, a fatal consequence of sitting for prolonged periods of time during long distance travel. Pulmonary embolisms are often misdiagnosed as something else — such as pneumonia or cardiac arrest.

A pulmonary embolus clogs the artery that provides blood supply to part of the lung. The embolus not only prevents the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, but it also decreases blood supply to the lung tissue itself, potentially causing lung tissue to die.

He he died of blood clots in his lung that traveled from his legs (deep vein thrombosis, or DVT). The late Heavy D, had adopted a fitness routine and had lost a substantial amount of weight. Heavy D, collapsed outside his Beverly Hills condo after he suffered difficulty breathing while returning from a morning shopping trip, police said at the time. He later died at Los Angeles Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Caribbean Rum Balls of St. Thomas, VI, is issuing an alert about rum balls with packaging that do not declare specific allergens: wheat, coconut, milk, eggs and sodium bisulfite (a preservative).

The problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in the production and packaging processes, the company said in a news release. It added that all the products are being relabeled with new ingredient listings, including sub-ingredients, and citing allergens. No illnesses have been reported, but people who have allergies to any of these ingredients run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. The rum balls, distributed locally in retail stores and via mail order, come in 4, 8 and 12 ounce, white packages with the Caribbean Rum Balls name and logo.. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-340-775-6616.

GFBC NEWS NETWORK

November 14, 2011

It has been reported that Heavy D, real name Dwight Arrington Meyer’s autopsy has been completed; however the corner’s office has declined to release a cause of the death until the results of the toxicology can be confirmed. According to several media outlets the late rapper had been on a weight loss fitness routine and was in a regular workout routine.

Rapper Heavy D,

Speculation has begun to spread that obesity played a role in the death of the 44 year old rap star. According to the coroner’s office Heavy D weighed 344 pounds at the time of his death. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office did confirm that “He had what appeared to be flu-like symptoms”, Ed Winter, from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office reported to the New York Daily News. “He was taking medication, so we want to see what the levels were”.

Weighing in at 344 pounds when he died, Heavy D was morbidly obese, which made him more susceptible to a host of health problems.