New sleep medication Ramelteon shows less potential to foster abuse and dependence
As part of the effort to develop effective behavioral and medical sleep therapies, scientists consider the potential for dependence and abuse associated with prescription sleep drugs.
This line of research has produced findings showing that a recently approved prescription sleep drug may spare users the potential for dependence and abuse found with other sleep aids. Laboratory studies of the effects of ramelteon suggest that the drug’s targeting of the brain’s melatonin receptors rather than its benzodiazepine receptors make its subjective side effects different from those of old and new sedative hypnotics. The research is reported in the June issue of Behavioral Neuroscience, which is published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
At the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, pharmacology researchers led by Charles P. France, PhD, assessed whether ramelteon instigated the same kinds of broad cognitive effects as other, more commonly prescribed sleep aids. That other group includes traditional hypnotics and newer drugs such as zaleplon (Sonata) and zolpidem (Ambien), all of which bind to the brain’s benzodiazepine receptors and may result in impaired thinking, hangover, withdrawal symptoms and rebound insomnia.
Insecurity fans spread of pneumonic plague in Congo
Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged its international partners to help contain an outbreak of the highly contagious pneumonic plague in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that has already killed 22 people, but where insecurity is fanning the spread of the disease.
“We urgently need all actors present in the field who have the capacity to conduct active searches for suspected cases and identification of individuals in contact with suspected cases to mobilize resources,” said Jerome Souquet, MSF Head in Ituri district.
“Otherwise, we risk being confronted with an outbreak spiralling out of control. We have already seen the epidemic outbreak spreading to new areas in the last few days,” Souquet said.
First-in-class biologics poised to drive malignant melanoma drug market
Decision Resources, Inc., a research and advisory firm focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that first-in-class targeted biologics will enter the malignant melanoma market during the next five years.
Their premium price and robust uptake (as a result of the current lack of efficacious therapies) will drive market expansion.
According to the new Pharmacor report entitled Malignant Melanoma, Medarex/Bristol-Myers Squibb’s ipilimumab and Pfizer’s ticilimumab will be the first monoclonal antibodies to launch for the treatment of malignant melanoma.
Superbug outbreaks linked to unlicensed tattooing
People who get tattoos from unlicensed sources are at risk of developing a drug-resistant bacterial skin infection, federal health officials warn.
Six recent outbreaks of infections with this “superbug,” methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been traced to unlicensed tattoo artists, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
MRSA infection typically manifests as abscesses or areas of inflammation on the skin, though it can also lead to more serious problems such as pneumonia, blood infections or, in some cases, necrotizing fasciitis, also referred to as the “flesh-eating disease.”
