Drug development funding

Migraine days cut by almost half in phase III trial

The number of migraine days per month has been significantly cut in people with episodic migraine, results from a phase III trial of the monoclonal antibody erenumab have found.…

Genomic medicine is going mainstream and pharmacists need to be prepared

The 100,000 Genome Project is driving the move from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to treatment, towards personalised, or precision, medicine. Genetic information is also being used by pharmaceutical companies to help speed up drug discovery and development, and reduce the associated cos…

Rhinovirus vaccine development is about more than fighting colds

Rhinovirus, the pathogen behind the common cold, can cause severe, acute lung disease in children and those with underlying respiratory conditions. Since the 1970s, vaccine development has been hindered by the presence of numerous virus serotypes and the lack of a good animal model to test vaccine c…

Q&A: How to ensure access to essential medicines for those in low and middle-income countries

Andy Gray and Hans Hogerzeil, co-chairs of the The Lancet Commission on Essential Medicines, discuss the analysis on the cost of providing essential medicines to people in low and middle-income countries.…

Understanding irritable bowel syndrome: bugs, brains and leaky barriers

Research indicates that there are multiple causes for the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and that most of them may involve the microbiome.…

Searching for new medicines to treat alcohol addiction

Only a few drugs are licensed to treat alcoholism and, although reasonably effective, they are not suitable for everyone. Increased understanding of the underlying neuroscience of alcohol addiction is revealing a wealth of new possible drug targets, and a number of trials are under way.…

Cannabis for epilepsy: is there enough evidence of efficacy?

Parents of children with treatment-resistant epilepsy are searching for something to help, and some are turning to cannabis to try to reduce seizure frequency. With clinical trials of cannabidiol-based drugs under way, evidence for this treatment option may soon be forthcoming. However, concerns rem…

US bill that heralds reform of drug approval process passed by House of Representatives

A landmark US law that would boost funding for medical research, mental health and substance misuse services and speed up drug and medical device approval has passed its latest legislative hurdle.…

Inadequate funding hampers research into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

A lack of funding for research into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as difficulties in conducting clinical trials, make finding new treatments for this respiratory condition challenging. But there are glimmers of hope, such as reversing steroid resistance and identifying subpopulation…

Seeking a cure for HIV

Efforts to find a cure for HIV were reinvigorated in 2008 when the case of Timothy Ray Brown showed that a cure is possible. Researchers and pharmaceutical companies are now seeking out the virus in its hiding places in an attempt to eradicate it completely.…