A counterfeit Chinese drug ring has been broken up and more than 1,900 people have been arrested for the manufacture and sale of fake drugs and related goods valuing close to $182 million US, according to Chinese authorities.
The Chinese Ministry of Public Security said in a statement that the government plan to take down the operation began on July 25. The counterfeit drugs being marketed were supposed to treat various illnesses including hypertension, diabetes, and cancers, according to the Ministry. More than 18,000 authoritative agents were involved in the takedown …

Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Grenoble, France, have determined the detailed 3-dimensional structure of part of the flu virus’ RNA polymerase, an enzyme that is crucial for influenza virus replication. This important finding is published in PLoS Pathogens. The research was done on the 2009 pandemic influenza strain but it will help scientists to design innovative drugs against all the different influenza strains, and potentially lead to a new class of anti-flu drugs in the next 5-10 years.
The scientists focused on the endonuclease part of the …

The FDA today gave 10 generic drugmakers approval to start making generic versions of Singulair (montelukast sodium), the popular asthma and allergy drug.
Singulair, usually taken in the form of tablets, has been a blockbuster drug for Merck. The company has said that it expects sales to drop by 90% as generic montelukast hits the market. Singulair sales were $1.43 billion in the last quarter before the generic announcement.
Apotex Inc., Aurobindo Pharma, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Glenmark Generics, Kudco Ireland Inc., Mylan Inc., Roxane Laboratories, Sandoz Inc., Teva Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Torrent Pharmaceuticals …

Scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) recently discovered that the embryonic endothelium, where the blood stem cells are produced in early development, has more plasticity than originally anticipated. The findings are exciting as the embryonic blood vessels can even produce beating heart muscles. The researchers suggest that the discovery will allow them to understand how to convert cardiac stem cells to be used in regenerative medicine.
The team of investigators determined that minus one transcription factor, which manages cell fate through regulation of other genes, the precursors are …

23andMe, a company focused on personal genetics, recently took the first step in working towards Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance; the FDA plans to review the paperwork over the next few months.
Previously, the Silicon Valley company refrained from government regulation, claiming that the service provided consumers with information rather than a medical service. CBS News reported that 23andMe submitted the first group of seven health-related tests for the FDA to review. By the end of next year, the organization will have submitted another 100 tests to the agency. With …