Wednesday, December 14, 2005

U.S. to Begin Mapping Cancerous Tumor Cells

In a bold but uncertain bid to spur cancer treatment, federal medical researchers announced a $100-million project Tuesday to begin cataloging the disease's molecular underpinnings.

The Cancer Genome Atlas, as the project is called, will start as a three-year pilot program to identify the genes behind two or three types of cancerous tumors. If the research proves promising and affordable, it would be expanded to study thousands of cancerous tumors.

Describing the effort as potentially "revolutionary," officials at the National Institutes of Health said the resulting knowledge could lead to the development of more effective cancer drugs and therapies.

"This is really the beginning of an era," said Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni, director of the NIH, the government's main medical research arm and a distributor of funding. "What I think we will see is an acceleration of discovery."

Often referred to as a single disease, cancer is a collection of more than 200. Cancers develop, scientists believe, after genetic changes cause cells to mutate and grow wildly.

The cancer project, NIH officials said, would find the common features underlying the genetic malfunctions — probably not a single glitch causing various cancerous cells to flourish, but a set of glitches that each lead to a number of diseases.

"It will be an important step in our understanding of the genetic components of cancer and the genetic susceptibilities of people affected by cancer," said Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach, director of the National Cancer Institute and acting head of the Food and Drug Administration.

In 2003, scientists finished mapping the human genome, the genetic code that guides a body's functions and characteristics. Sequencing cancer genes is a natural follow-up, as researchers can use the blueprint of normal human DNA to identify cancer genes.

Supporters of the cancer project contend that the vast diversity of cancer genes requires NIH involvement. They say more effective treatments can't be developed without the better understanding that sequencing cancer genes would provide.

"The more we learn about cancer at the molecular level, the more chance we have of being successful in treating cancer," said Dr. Bob Strausberg, vice president for human genomic medicine at the J. Craig Venter Institute in Rockville, Md., founded by the scientist who raced the government to be first to define the human genetic code.

The sequencing of cancer genes is challenging, and the work is costly. Because cancer causes the cells to mutate, each tumor cell has its own genome, so mapping every tumor would be equivalent to undertaking scores of human genome projects — 12,500 by one estimate.

Researchers must review many genes before distinguishing those that play important roles in causing mutations.

Another obstacle is that no two cells in a malignant tumor may be identical. So successful sequencing of some cancer genes might miss others. If a missed gene plays a key role in causing malignancy, treatment would suffer.

For that reason, Dr. Garth R. Anderson, a cancer geneticist at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., criticized the project for taking money from what he said was more worthwhile research promising early diagnosis of tumors and more lasting treatments.



www.latimes.com

Yes Car Credit business to close

The Yes Car Credit business is to be closed with the loss of about 820 jobs, its owner Provident Financial has said.

Provident Financial said Yes Car Credit was "no longer viable" after talks with possible buyers of the company collapsed last week.

The firm said it would continue to collect £240m of outstanding car loans.

"If you have bought a car from Yes with a loan then nothing changes, you keep the vehicle and make repayments," a Provident Financial spokeswoman said.

Provident said Yes Car Credit's customers who have questions about their loan agreements or their vehicles could call a service helpline on 0870 2400 596. Yes Car Credit has 60,000 customers, Provident added.

The firm stressed that customers would still be covered if their vehicle broke down, provided it was under warranty.

Losses

Provident said tough competition and changes to the regulatory environment had changed trading conditions, and Yes had ceased to be profitable in 2004.

Yes is expected to make a pre-tax trading loss of £24m this year.

However, Provident added that the write-off of goodwill, closure costs and asset write downs meant the Yes unit was set to record a pre-tax loss of about £141m.

Provident Financial said its profits for 2005 - excluding Yes - are expected to be about 5% below market forecasts.

Struggle

The Yes Car Credit division has been struggling for some time. It has seen profitability vanish and its sales practices have come under fire.

In March, the BBC's Whistleblower programme exposed failings at the business.

The programme claimed that because proper safety inspections were not carried out, potentially dangerous cars were sold to customers.

The Whistleblower programme showed sales staff openly criticising Yes Car Credit's vehicles and even advising an undercover reporter from the BBC not to bother buying one.

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www.news.bbc.co.uk

Emerging Glucose Monitoring Technologies Challenges Traditional Markets

The long-heralded introduction of emerging technologies is beginning to alter the dynamics of the glucose monitoring market. Traditional technologies such as glucose strips may soon face stiff competition from these advanced solutions that promise to be non- invasive as well as accurate, easy to use, portable, stylish, and inexpensive.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, (http://www.healthcare.frost.com ), U.S. Glucose Monitoring Markets and Emerging Technologies, reveals that revenues in this market totaled 2.83 billion in 2004 and projects to reach $5.36 billion by 2011.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure, which provides manufacturers, end users, and other industry participants with an overview of the latest analysis of the U.S.

Glucose Monitoring Markets and Emerging Technologies then send an e-mail to Melina Trevino - Corporate Communications at melina.trevino@frost.com with the following information: your full name,company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state, and country. We will send you the information via email upon receipt of the above
information.

"For the first time in decades, the composition of the glucose monitoring market is projected to change with the development of emerging technologies into the U.S. market," observes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Nathan Cohen. "As a multi-billion dollar market in the United States, the growth opportunity for new market entrants with advanced technology is immense."

The vast majority of revenue in the U.S. glucose monitoring market is derived from the sale of glucose strips, which accounts for 87.9 percent of the overall market in 2004. Following the growth in emerging technologies, such traditional segments are expected to decrease proportionately.

With its contribution to overall revenues pegged at $4.8 million in 2004, emerging technologies is set to become the second largest market segment and
generate $349.0 million by 2011.

The enormous diabetic population and the growing recognition of the importance of diabetes management only justify the need for such advanced glucose monitoring technologies. Adjustments in Medicare reimbursements also point toward the need for more efforts to increase diagnosis of the undiagnosed diabetic population.

"A primary driver for technological development is the need to improve glucose monitoring compliance," explains Cohen. "The aim has been to move toward smaller blood samples, less pain, faster responses, and other improvements with the user interface that consequently increase the frequency of testing."

However, if such a system was introduced at a price comparable to the cost of meters and strips, there is a possibility that traditional glucose monitoring markets could take a major hit as consumers shift to other technologies.

"Meters and strips manufacturers cannot afford to ignore the threat from emerging technologies," says Cohen. "Active monitoring of product developments and investments in competitive information gathering must be coupled with in- house technology developments and searches for effective strategic partners."

Marketing investments targeted at high frequency testing populations, such as insulin pump users, is also likely to prove effective for maintaining market share and maximizing return on investment.

U.S. Glucose Monitoring Markets and Emerging Technologies, part of the patient monitoring subscription, analyzes the aforementioned market, segmenting it into glucose strips, glucose meters, and emerging glucose monitoring technologies. The study discusses the various market trends and opportunities while providing in-depth analysis of market share, revenue forecasts, and market drivers and restraints. Analyst interviews are available to the press.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies,
econometrics, and demographics.



www.prnewswire.com