Lab Notes: Prostate Cancer Takes Nerve

Lab Notes: Prostate Cancer Takes Nerve

Innervation of prostate tumors appears to be related to their aggressiveness, and may prove to be a viable treatment target. Also this week: unhealthy gut flora go with HIV infection.

Prostate Cancer Takes Nerve

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves appear to boost development and spread of prostate tumors, researchers reported in Science
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In a mouse model, disabling sympathetic nerves controlling the "fight or flight" reflex cut down on the early stages of tumor growth in the prostate. The parasympathetic nerve fibers infiltrating the tumor were linked to dissemination of cancer cells.

Clinical Notes: Fungus Found in Steroids

Fungus, Bacteria Found in Compounded Steroids

Unopened vials of supposedly sterile methylprednisolone acetate, prepared by a Tennessee compounding pharmacy at the center of a federal investigation, contained both fungi and bacteria, the FDA said Friday.

FDA scientists cultured fungal and bacterial microbes from two vials of the injectable steroid from Main Street Family Pharmacy in Newbern, Tenn., each from different lots. The agency said its staff was working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify the specific species.

Zurich announces the successful placement of EUR 788 million of dated subordinated notes

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) today announced the successful placement of dated subordinated notes (the “Notes”) in an amount of EUR 788 million. The Notes will mature in October 2043 and are first callable in October 2023. The transaction was primarily targeted at European institutional investors.

The Notes will be issued by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd to a repackaging vehicle (Aquarius + Investments plc, Dublin). The repackaging vehicle in turn issues notes to investors that are secured by the Notes. The annual coupon is fixed at 4.25% until the first call date. Thereafter, the holders of the Notes will receive a floating coupon.

Simultaneously with the new issuance investors who held the Zurich Finance (USA), Inc. EUR 500 million dated subordinated notes due 2025 were offered to switch part or all of their holdings for the Notes. The total nominal amount of the 2025 notes switched was EUR 82 million for which those investors received EUR 88 million of the Notes which reflects the offered switch price.

The Notes are expected to be treated as capital from a regulatory and rating agency perspective to the extent permissible. The transaction has been conducted for general corporate purposes and to address refinancing needs in 2013.

Clinical Notes: NIH Scales Back on Using Chimps

NIH Further Restricts Chimp Research

National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins, MD, PhD, said the agency would put an end to most use of chimpanzees in medical research, tightening restrictions put in place in 2011.

Henceforth, NIH-funded research on chimpanzees can only be performed on a non-breeding group of 50, Collins announced last week, signalling an eventual end to all such research. Other chimps in NIH-sponsored facilities will be moved into federal sanctuaries.

Lab Notes: BP Drugs Cut Brain Amyloid

Antihypertensive agents from different classes significantly reduced beta-amyloid protein plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Also this week: a master gene for autoimmune disease.

Antihypertensives for Alzheimer's?

Certain antihypertensives have the unintended side effect of reducing the accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease, researchers found.