Pharmasset, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRUS), Roche (SWX: ROG) and InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN) announced that the first patients have been dosed in an innovative clinical trial in patients chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp.

The Measles Initiative is supporting the government of the People's Republic of China in providing measles vaccines to more than 7.3 million children, implementing additional measles control activities and strengthening the delivery of routine immunization in the provinces of Chongqing, Gansu, Sha'anxi and Sichuan -- areas severely impacted by the 8.

A report published in the November 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine finds that people who sleep less than 7.5 hours per day may have a higher future risk of heart disease. Kazuo Eguchi, M.D., Ph.D. (Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan) and colleagues also find an increased risk of heart disease among people who have little sleep combined with overnight elevated blood pressure.

In preparation for flu season, The COSHAR Foundation urges parents to protect their children against vaccine-preventable illnesses -- including the flu.

New research published in the November 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reveals that it may be possible to reduce the risk of a second non-fatal heart attack by participating in an intensive, comprehensive, long-term secondary prevention program. Pantaleo Giannuzzi, M.D.

WomenHeart urged women to talk with their doctors about heart disease risk factors in light of new research demonstrating the impact of statin therapy (cholesterol-lowering drugs) on cardiovascular events in women.

Between 2002 and 2006, academic medical centers in the United States increased their use of antibacterial drugs. According to new research published in the November 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, a greater use of broad-spectrum agents and the antibiotic vancomycin accounted for much of this increase.

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) announced top-line data from its SB-509-601 clinical trial, one of Sangamo's three Phase 2 clinical studies from its ZFP Therapeutic(TM) program to develop SB-509 for diabetic neuropathy (DN). The data demonstrate that repeat administration of the drug is well tolerated in subjects with mild to moderate DN.

Although there is little evidence to support an association between vision and car accidents, a vision screening law in Florida that targets drivers age 80 and older seems to have reduced the number of adults in this age range who die from motor vehicle collisions. The findings are published in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

Medical experts from UK charities concerned about the rise in miracle cure stories, wonder drugs and so-called breakthrough therapies have teamed up to produce a guide that explains how to tell the beneficial from the bogus.

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Institute is looking for women with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer to participate in a clinical trial. The Phase II trial at Karmanos is part of an international study to further test a new drug Trastuzumab-DM1, in development by Genentech. The trial will be under the direction of Patricia LoRusso, D.O.

If a good night's sleep helps the brain and body perform better, it's a good guess that sleep problems can cause more than just fatigue. Numerous studies have shown a connection between sleep disorders and medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and metabolic disorders, including the risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus.

Genmab A/S (OMX: GEN) announced that three ofatumumab (HuMax-CD20(R)) abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the 50th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH) December 6-9, 2008.

About 10 million people in the United States alone -- from troops returning from war to students with music blasting through headphones -- are suffering from impairing noise-induced hearing loss. The rising trend is something that researchers and physicians at the University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute (http://www.khri.med.umich.

Using the VAP Cholesterol Test from Atherotech, Inc., investigators led by Michel Farnier M.D., of Point Medical, Rond Point de la Nation, Dijon, France, have reported beneficial changes in lipoprotein subclasses and LDL particle size using combination therapy.

In a presentation yesterday at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2008, scientists from deCODE genetics (Nasdaq:DCGN) presented data from large scale case-control studies in multiple populations that underscore the clinical utility of the deCODE AF(TM) test f

Potentia Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biotechnology company developing medicines for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), presented Phase I data last week during the Retina Subspecialty Day at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA.

Corthera Inc. announced that an interim analysis of top-line data from Pre-RELAX-AHF, the Phase II portion of a Phase II/III multicenter, randomized, double-blind, international study, showed favorable efficacy and safety for relaxin, the company's investigational drug for treatment of acute heart failure. The interim Phase II results were presented by John R. Teerlink, M.D.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals presented the results of a number of studies in assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in San Francisco, November 8-12, 2008.