"The scalpel cures diabetes. Forever"
(Corriere della Sera: p. 1, Free p. 31, the Republic: p. 24 – 15 November 2007)
A surgical technique, developed by Nicola Scopinaro, professor of General Surgery at the University of Genoa, suitable for type 2 diabetes patients, allows to limit the daily absorption of fats and to restore normal sensitivity to insulin. This is the biliary-pancreatic diversion, a technique tested in a pilot study on 20 patients with type 2 diabetes, simply overweight or with mild obesity. After the surgery, 12 no longer needed to take drugs or follow special diets. A multicenter study will start in July 2008 which will involve 20 Italian hospitals: 300 patients will undergo gastric bypass surgery and another 300 to biliary-pancreatic diversion.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=14875
Anorectics: five pharmacies closed
(Free page 21 – 15 November 2007)
With the accusation of the concurrent sale of narcotic substances (phendimetrazine, benfluorex, clorazepate potassium) by prescription not for therapeutic purposes, 12 pharmacists were suspended, 3 doctors banned from practicing, 40 people are under investigation, while 370 searches were ordered . The Annoressic park survey of the NAS of Genoa was extended to 24 other Italian cities.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=14874
Ima: positive first 9 months of 2007
(Il Sole 24 Ore Finance & Markets: page 39 – 15 November 2007)
Ima, a leading company in the production of automatic machines for the pharmaceutical industry, closed the first 9 months of 2007 with a net profit of 24.6 million euros, up by 148.5% compared to 2006 and revenues increased by 14.7%, reaching 311.1 million euro. Thanks to these results, the company's stock gained 3.9% in Piazza Affari.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=14873
"The collapse of pharma-titles can become a real deal"
(Free page 23 – 15 November 2007)
For pharmaceutical companies listed on the main European Stock Exchanges, 2007 was not very positive. Of the top 30 by capitalisation, only 2 have recorded a positive share performance since 1 January 2007: the Swedish Getinge (+5.54%) and the Danish Novo Nordisk (+2.3%). There is no Italian company in this list. Analysts believe, however, that this series of negative signs does not necessarily indicate a tragic moment in the sector. Pharmaceutical stocks are in fact considered defensive, therefore in a positive market they are sold by investors looking for good deals and precisely the current low prices and the anti-cyclicality that characterizes them could make them attractive.
http://www.aboutpharma.it/notizia.asp?id=14872
Diabetes drugs and cardiovascular risk. FDA warning
(International Herald Tribune: p. 14, The Financial Times online - November 15, 2007)
FDA mandated the inclusion of a new 'black box' wa
