The news summaries appearing in BIO SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The information is not compiled or summarized by BIO. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at bio@smartbrief.com.

Today's Top Story

• Stem cell breakthrough holds promise for female infertility
  Chinese scientists said they were able to produce oocytes using female germline stem cells isolated from the ovaries of young and adult mice. They found that 80% of infertile female mice generated offspring after receiving a transplant of FGSCs that were cultured for more than six months. "The finding may have important implications in regenerative and reproductive medicine," the scientists wrote. The Washington Post (4/13), Yahoo!/Reuters (4/12)

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Health Care in Transition

• Push for universal coverage divides experts, industry leaders
  President Barack Obama's push to expand medical insurance this year has spurred debate among industry experts and leaders, with some calling for a less ambitious approach to avoid impeding the progress of health reforms. Richard Gephardt, a former Democratic congressman from Missouri, says universal coverage can be achieved only if the government can cut health care-related costs first, overcoming resistance among centrist Democrats and traditional Republicans. NYTimes.com (4/12)

• Blumenthal: Meeting health IT provisions in stimulus poses problems
  Technical issues as well as concerns related to cost and physician resistance are among the "major hurdles" in implementing the HITECH Act, which aims to boost the adoption of electronic solutions for medical records and other clinical data, said Dr. David Blumenthal, national coordinator for health information technology. In an article published by the New England Journal of Medicine, Blumenthal underscored the need to tighten the certification procedure for health IT systems and explained that HITECH's success will depend on how the "meaningful use" of such applications is defined. Healthcare IT News (4/10), Government Health IT magazine (4/2009)

Health Care & Policy

• Study: Virus can kill breast cancer stem cells
  Canadian researchers found that a harmless human virus called reovirus is capable of destroying breast cancer stem cells and activating the anti-cancer capabilities of the body's immune system. "We are taking advantage of the natural characteristics of reovirus and the immune system itself to create a powerful virus-based anti-cancer therapy," one of the researchers said. Yahoo!/HealthDay News (4/10)

• Scottish, Chinese stem cell centers partner to advance research
  The Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine and China's National Centre for International Research in Stem Cells have partnered to advance their stem cell initiatives. "This collaboration will see the development of technologies, standards and programs in all areas of regenerative medicine to bring fresh hope of cures to millions of people throughout the world," First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond said. The Scotsman (Edinburgh) (4/11)

Company & Financial News

• Mass. drugmakers seek treatments that target misfolded proteins
  Companies in Cambridge, Mass., are developing drugs to correct misfolded proteins that can cause diseases such as cancer and emphysema. Vertex Pharmaceuticals is working on a treatment that targets wayward proteins that play a role in cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease. The Boston Globe (free registration) (4/13)

• Discovery Laboratories waits for FDA ruling on Surfaxin
  Discovery Laboratories is expecting the FDA to issue its decision by Friday for Surfaxin, an experimental drug to prevent respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants, after receiving three approvable letters during the past four years. President and CEO Robert J. Capetola said he expects the company to partner with a larger drugmaker regardless of the agency's decision. American City Business Journals/Philadelphia (4/10)

• Deciphera begins testing of drug candidate for leukemia
  Deciphera Pharmaceuticals started an early-stage human trial of its drug candidate to treat patients with leukemia. The treatment works by blocking a faulty protein associated with the overproduction of white blood cells, CEO Dan Flynn said. American City Business Journals/Kansas City, Mo. (4/10)

• Study: Bone-building drug blocks effects of steroids
  A Novartis-funded study found that a once-yearly injection of bone-building treatment Reclast was more effective than a daily dose of the oral bisphosphonate pill Actonel in reversing bone loss in patients who are taking glucocorticoid drugs to treat immune-related conditions, such as asthma and lupus. The study's lead author said he is optimistic that Reclast would get FDA approval to treat patients taking steroids. Yahoo!/HealthDay News (4/10)

• Other News

• Doctors use Botox beyond cosmetic applications
  NYTimes.com (4/11)

Featured Content

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by BIO SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Pfizer to split R&D into 2 units, retain 2 Wyeth execs (The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model))

• Mass.-based angel fund established for biotech firms (Mass High Tech (Boston))

• Burrill CEO confident that company can secure another $1B (The Post-Bulletin (Rochester, Minn.))

• Canadian biotech startup to relocate to Texas life sciences center (American City Business Journals)

• Report: Ariz.'s bioscience sector boosted economy, employment in 2007 (The Arizona Republic (Phoenix))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

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Industrial & Environmental

• Report: Food programs could cost more with increased ethanol use
  The government's food programs for the needy could become more expensive due to the increase in overall consumption of ethanol, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office. However, the report showed that higher energy costs contributed more to the rising food prices than the increase in ethanol use. Google/The Associated Press (4/10)

News from BIO

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SmartQuote

Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music -- the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself." --Henry Miller, American writer