Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, working in collaboration with colleagues from Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the University of Brighton, have used a unique collection of pancreas specimens taken from patients who died soon after diagnosis of type 1 diabetes to show that they respond to the ongoing process of destruction by inducing their islet cells to proliferate. The research is published on-line at Diabetologia and is funded by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

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A study presented at SNM’s 57th Annual Meeting shows that using multiple imaging agents with a hybrid imaging technique can be a valuable tool for accurately diagnosing and determining treatment for various diabetes-associated foot diseases. A common complication from Type 2 diabetes is the decreased ability to heal from even the most minor infections. Due to reduced blood circulation and nerve damage associated with the disease, infections of the feet are a major concern.

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Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is confident of outlicensing at least one of its new chemical entities (NCEs) under development before the end of this financial year. Glenmark has six molecules under development. Its Crofelemer, an anti-diarrheal molecule under development, is now in Phase-III of clinical trials, with plans for a launch in developing countries by next year. Eli Lilly, which had in-licensed an osteoarthritis and pain molecule from Glenmark, also had suspended further development in October 2008.

CordLife, Asia-Pacific’s largest network of stem cell banks, which gave Calcutta its first full umbilical cord blood tissue processing and storage facility near Joka, has announced the launch of “the most advanced umbilical cord banking technology in India”. This technology has the ability to isolate two cell types to help hasten the healing of general and diabetic foot ulcers or repair injured tissues and organs, according to stem cell therapy experts.

Abbott has announced that both the XIENCE PRIME(TM)Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System(1) and the XIENCE V(R) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System have received additional new CE Markings covering the treatment of patients with diabetes. Receiving these new indications among the European Union Member States validates the use of XIENCE PRIME and XIENCE V to treat patients with diabetes. Coronary artery disease is one of the most common cardiovascular complications of diabetes.

BTNX Inc is launching a promotion campaign, offering its Rapid Response branded blood glucose meters free of charge to those end users who have purchased 100 Rapid Response strips. The Rapid Response blood glucose meter is FDA cleared & CLIA waived. It reads results within 7 seconds, needs only 0.7 microliter blood sample, supports alternate site testing, requires no-cleaning and indicates ketone warning. With the large LCD screen, palm-sized dimensions and one-key operation, the device is the most user-friendly blood glucose meter in the marketplace.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the Tosoh G8 which offers pinpoint precision with the industry’s lowest CVs of less than 2%. The instrument-reagent system uses the gold standard ion-exchange method of HbA1c levels testing to monitor glycohemoglobin in diabetic patients effectively. The system’s automatic start-up and touch-screen operation make it very user-friendly. Also, it fits in most of the laboratory environments easily. The G8 is a diagnostic system for measurement of HbA1c in samples of blood.

People who have diabetes and are unaware of it ,or those who have a condition known as pre-diabetes that often leads to diabetes ,will soon have access to a free tool to assess their health status online. The Diabetes Risk Test, based on a model developed by researchers at Archimedes Inc. accurately assesses a person’s chances of having or developing undiagnosed diabetes or pre-diabetes. The assessment tool calculates a person’s chances of having diabetes using the answers to a series of questions, such as age, weight and history of gestational diabetes.