http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Drugmaker Merck & Co. says the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing its second application to sell a new type of allergy treatment meant to gradually reduce allergic reactions over time, rather than just relieving sneezing, itching and other symptoms temporarily. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-merck-fda-ragweed-allergy-therapy.html Medications Wed, 08 May 2013 18:40:01 EST news287256035 (HealthDay)—A genetic variant associated with weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery has been identified, according to a study published in the May 2 issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-genetic-variant-weight-loss-post-rygb.html Genetics Tue, 07 May 2013 13:00:01 EST news287149050 Drugmaker Merck & Co. is reporting lower first-quarter results and cutting its 2013 profit forecast by 15 cents a share. It also is announcing a huge share buyback, up to $15 billion worth of its stock. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-competition-merck-q1-sales-profit.html Medications Wed, 01 May 2013 08:13:57 EST news286614822 (HealthDay)—A new class of sleep medications appears to help people fall asleep without causing grogginess the next day, researchers say. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-pill.html Medical research Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:18:52 EST news284231923 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is looking into new evidence that suggests a group of recently approved diabetes drugs can increase the risk of pancreatitis and other problems. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-fda-probes-pancreas-diabetes-drugs.html Medications Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:21:25 EST news282478877 (HealthDay)—For patients with preexisting occlusive vascular disease, the combination of niacin and the anti-flushing agent laropiprant provides no benefit and is associated with an increase in serious side effects, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 9 to 11 in San Francisco. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-acc-niacinlaropiprant-benefit-vascular-disease.html Cardiology Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:50:01 EST news282308529 A combination drug containing niacin failed to lower the risk of heart attacks or strokes and even proved harmful for some with vascular disease, a study released Saturday reported. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-niacin-therapy-unhelpful-occasionally.html Cardiology Sat, 09 Mar 2013 15:11:35 EST news282064288 Merck KGaA saw its profit more than double in the fourth quarter as the German pharmaceutical company benefited from higher prices for its Rebif multiple sclerosis drug and reaped rewards from its ongoing restructuring. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-merck-q4-net-profit.html Other Thu, 07 Mar 2013 05:02:20 EST news281854365 Merck & Co.'s fourth-quarter profit fell 7 percent because of hits from generic competition and one-time charges, and the company pushed back plans to seek approval of a key experimental osteoporosis drug. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-competition-merck-q4-profit.html Other Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:00:03 EST news278929931 (HealthDay)—The drug Oxytrol has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first over-the-counter treatment for women 18 and older with overactive bladder. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-otc-drug-women-overactive-bladder.html Medications Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:11:25 EST news278341876 (HealthDay)—The cervical cancer vaccine has turned into one of the biggest success stories in the field. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-cervical-cancer-vaccines.html Cancer Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:51:57 EST news277800711 Drugmaker Merck says it is suspending its sale of the cholesterol drug Tredaptive and is telling doctors to quit prescribing the medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-merck-doctors-tredaptive.html Medications Fri, 11 Jan 2013 09:13:38 EST news277118011 (HealthDay)—Much of the genetic risk for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the general population is mediated by differential adenoma risk, according to research published in the January issue of Gastroenterology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-genetic-crc-differential-adenoma.html Cancer Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:50:01 EST news277044688 Drugmaker Merck & Co. said it will not seek U.S. approval for its cholesterol drug Tredaptive and is recommending doctors abroad stop prescribing it to new patients, based on failed study results. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-merck-cholesterol-drug-benefit.html Medications Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:13:00 EST news275224363 German pharmaceutical company Merck KgaA says a late stage trial of a new lung cancer drug has failed to meet expectations. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-germany-merck-setback-cancer-drug.html Medications Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:32:50 EST news275139163 For Alzheimer's patients and their families, desperate for an effective treatment for the epidemic disease, there's hope from new studies starting up and insights from recent ones that didn't quite pan out. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-alzheimer-drug-patients.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Mon, 03 Dec 2012 06:39:51 EST news273739100 A new drug may bring help for people with insomnia, according to a study published in the November 28, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-suvorexant-drug-approach-insomnia.html Neuroscience Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:31:51 EST news273342621 (AP)—Drugmaker Merck & Co. says the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing its experimental insomnia medication, suvorexant (SOO'vor-eks-ant). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-fda-merck-experimental-insomnia-drug.html Medications Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:49:54 EST news271601378 (HealthDay)—Combination treatment with fenofibrate and simvastatin (FENO-S) significantly reduces postprandial (PP) triglyceride (TG) levels compared with simvastatin alone in all subjects, regardless of fasting TG level, but reduces atherogenic apolipoprotein (apo) B48 particles only in those with increased fasting TG levels, according to research published online Oct. 25 in Diabetes Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-fenofibrate-simvastatin-benefit-dyslipidemia-explored.html Diabetes Thu, 01 Nov 2012 19:20:01 EST news271013848 A vaccine against cervical cancer, being developed by Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Blue Bell, Pa., produced positive results in a small sample of 18 women. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-cervical-cancer-vaccine.html Cancer Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:50:01 EST news269257488 A University of Queensland invention that will deliver vaccines without the need for needles has struck a significant partnership with US-based pharmaceutical giant Merck, announced today. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-merck-partnership-needle-free-vaccine-delivery.html Medications Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:08:50 EST news268992521 (HealthDay)—Nonmedical exemptions for school vaccination requirements have increased since 2005, particularly in states with easy exemption policies, according to a letter to the editor published in the Sept. 20 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-nonmedical-school-vaccination-exemptions.html Health Thu, 20 Sep 2012 04:20:01 EST news267332094 German pharmaceuticals maker Merck KGaA said Tuesday it is withdrawing its application for its drug Erbitux to be used to treat patients with lung cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-merck-kgaa-setback-cancer-drug.html Cancer Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:04:10 EST news267159836 (AP)—German drug maker Merck KGaA is to eliminate one out of every 10 jobs in its home country. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-drug-company-merck-jobs-germany.html Medications Tue, 04 Sep 2012 07:10:01 EST news265960039 (AP)—Drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. has scrapped a potential hepatitis C treatment after a patient participating in a test of the drug died of heart failure. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-bristol-myers-hepatitis-drug.html Medications Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:50:01 EST news264987273 Merck & Co.'s second-quarter net income fell 11.4 percent as slightly higher sales were offset by acquisition and restructuring costs. However, the drugmaker beat Wall Street expectations, and Merck shares jumped in early trading. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-merck-2q-net-falls-sales.html Other Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:11:27 EST news262599067 German pharmaceuticals maker Merck KGaA said Thursday that phase III clinical trials of its gastric cancer drug Erbitux had shown no benefits for patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-merck-kgaa-setback-cancer-drug.html Cancer Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:00:31 EST news260694026 (HealthDay) -- Black patients with hypertension face a significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) compared with nonblack patients, even after adjusting for multiple confounding variables, according to a study published in the April issue of Heart Rhythm. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-sudden-cardiac-death-black-patients.html Cardiology Fri, 13 Apr 2012 04:40:52 EST news253510843 (HealthDay) -- Two Merck & Co. drugs -- one to treat hair loss in men, the other to treat an enlarged prostate gland -- will get revised labels warning of potential sexual side effects that can last even after patients stop taking the drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-baldness-drug-sexual-side-effects.html Medications Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:23:02 EST news253470174 (HealthDay) -- The combination of extended-release niacin (N) with ezetimibe plus simvastatin (E/S) to treat hyperlipidemia is associated with increased fasting glucose (FG) levels compared with E/S alone, but these cases tend to be transient and remit without intervention, according to research published in the April issue of Diabetes Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-extended-release-niacin-fasting-glucose.html Diabetes Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:50:01 EST news252159122