Longer Term Breast Feeding Protects Mother From Risk Of Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Breast feeding for a period of thirteen months or more has been shown to reduce the mother's the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to new data presented today at EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain. In the study, the longer the breast feeding period, the lower the mother's risk of developing RA in later life. Comparable use of oral contraceptives (OCs) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) did not show a significant effect on the risk of developing RA.


Lead researcher Dr Mitra Keshavarz, of Malm?¶ Hospital University, Sweden, said of the study, "Whilst other studies suggest that hormonal factors play a part in the development of RA, and we know that pregnancy can result in an improvement in RA symptoms, we wanted to investigate the long term effect of breast-feeding. This study specifically highlights the potential of naturally-induced hormones in protecting individuals from developing RA in the future. Furthermore, it adds to the growing body of evidence in favour of breast feeding and its positive health implications this time demonstrating its protective benefits for the mother."


The study found that breast feeding for 13 or more months was associated with a reduced risk of developing RA (odds ratio 0.46; confidence interval 95% 0.24-0.91). For women with between 1 and 12 months history of breast feeding, the odds ratio was 0.74, with a 95% confidence interval (0.45-1.20) compared directly to those who had never breast fed.


The data was taken from a community-based health study incorporating information from the Swedish National Hospital Discharge and the National Cause of Death Register between 1991 and 1996, comparing health information from 136 women who later developed RA with that of 544 controls. Information on the use of OCs, HRT and other lifestyle factors was derived from a self-administered questionnaire and analysed by a team from Malm?¶ University Hospital, Sweden.


All females with RA utilised in the case control group of the study were diagnosed according to the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA. Individuals were matched with four female controls for every case. Controls were identified as those alive and free from diagnosed RA when the index individual was diagnosed with RA. The median age of the onset of RA in the sample population was 63.3 years, with an average length of 5.5 years between enrolment in the study and onset of RA.


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eular

Los Angeles Times Examines Lawsuits Alleging HRT Causes Breast Cancer, Blood Clots

The Los Angeles Times on Monday examined lawsuits alleging that hormone replacement therapy causes side effects including breast cancer and blood clots and the "challenge" plaintiffs' attorneys face because HRT is approved by FDA and remains on the market. More than 3,600 lawsuits have been filed against Wyeth, Upjohn, Pfizer and other companies since a July 2002 study showed the risks associated with HRT. However, physicians last year wrote more than 40 million prescriptions for the therapy, and many women consider HRT "a godsend," the Times reports. Robert MacCoun, a professor at the University of California-Berkeley School of Law, said HRT's continued availability "implies that it must be pretty safe," making the job of plaintiffs' attorneys more difficult. The lawyers will "have to tell a more complicated story of why regulators haven't done their job," MacCoun said. However, plaintiffs' attorney Howard Snyder said, "The scientific evidence is substantial, and it indicates that hormone replacement therapy causes breast cancer." Most of 3,000 suits filed in federal district courts have been gathered before U.S. District Judge William Wilson in Little Rock, Ark., for pretrial discovery, and the first federal trial could begin in July 2006. Several hundred other cases are before state court judges, according to the Times (Selvin, Los Angeles Times, 11/7).


"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Nventa Completes Evaluation Of Second Cohort In HspE7 Phase 1 Cervical Dysplasia Trial

Nventa
Biopharmaceuticals Corporation (TSX:NVN) announced the completion of
the safety and tolerability assessment in its second cohort of patients in
a Phase 1 clinical trial of new HspE7 in patients with cervical
intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). HspE7's safety data were normal and met
the limits prescribed in the trial protocol, allowing advancement to the
third cohort of patients in the study.


The evaluation by the Safety Review Committee was performed after the
second cohort reached five weeks of treatment (two doses plus one week of
follow-up). The dosing of the third cohort of patients is expected shortly.



At the end of each cohort, Nventa is also collecting immunological data
that may provide an early indication of potential efficacy of the compound.
All patients are being typed for class I and II human leukocyte antigen
(HLA) subtypes, and are being evaluated for cytokine responses, anti-HspE7
antibodies and cellular (T-cell) immunology.



The trial is expected to dose up to 5 cohorts comprising twenty-four
patients. The first cohort of patients was administered 500 mcg of HspE7
and 50 mcg of adjuvant containing Poly-IC, a toll-like receptor-3 (or TLR3)
agonist. The second cohort was administered 500 mcg of HspE7 and an
escalated dose of 500 mcg of adjuvant. The third cohort will be
administered 500 mcg of HspE7 and 1,000 mcg of adjuvant, and the fourth
cohort will be administered 500 mcg of HspE7 and 2,000 mcg of adjuvant. An
additional cohort of six patients administered 1,000 mcg of HspE7 and 2,000
mcg of adjuvant may be added if deemed appropriate based on data from the
previous four cohorts.



Following successful completion of this Phase 1 trial, the Company
anticipates launching a Phase 2 clinical trial with new HspE7 in patients
with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2/3). The Company
is also in discussions with clinical investigators regarding the design and
implementation of a second Phase 2 trial with new HspE7 in patients that
are HIV-positive with low-grade CIN.



Affiliations and investigators in this trial currently include the
Montefiore Medical Center; William D. Kolton, M.D. of San Diego,
California; Linda Roman, M.D. of the University of Southern California
(USC); Michael L. Twede, M.D. of the Salt Lake Women's Center in Sandy,
Utah; and Mark T. Saunders, M.D. at the Mt. Timpanogos Women's
Healthcare/Physician's Research in Pleasant Grove, Utah.



About HspE7, Lead Product Candidate:



HspE7 is a novel therapeutic vaccine candidate for the treatment of
diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), one of the most common
sexually transmitted diseases in the world. HspE7 is derived from Nventa's
proprietary CoVal(TM) fusion platform, which uses recombinant DNA
technology to covalently fuse stress proteins to target antigens, thereby
stimulating cellular immune system responses. Heat shock proteins (Hsps),
also known as stress proteins, are naturally present in the human body and
play important roles in the immune system, including transporting
substances within cells and activating cells of the immune system.

















About Nventa Corporation:



Nventa is developing innovative therapeutics for the treatment of viral
infections and cancer, with a focus on diseases caused by the human
papillomavirus (HPV). The corporation is publicly traded on the Toronto
Stock Exchange under the symbol NVN. For more information about Nventa,
please visit nventacorp.



This press release contains statements which may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities
legislation or forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such
forward-looking statements or information may include financial and other
projections as well as statements regarding the Company's future plans,
objectives, performance, revenues, growth, profits, operating expenses or
the Company's underlying assumptions. The words "may", "would", "could",
"will", "likely", "expect," "anticipate," "intend", "plan", "forecast",
"project", "estimate" and "believe" or other similar words and phrases may
identify forward-looking statements or information. Persons reading this
press release are cautioned that such statements or information are only
predictions, and that the Company's actual future results or performance
may be materially different.



Forward-looking statements or information in this press release
include, but are not limited to, statements or information concerning: the
collection and use of immunological data to indicate efficacy of the
compound; the number of cohorts and patients and the expected dosing
amounts in the Phase 1 trial; successful completion of the Phase 1 trial;
the launching of a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with high-grade
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2/3); the possibility of a second
Phase 2 trial in HIV-positive low-grade CIN patients.



Such forward-looking statements or information involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual
results, events or developments to be materially different from results,
events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements or information. Such factors include, among others, the
possibility that we will not be able to recruit patients for our trials in
a timely manner; our need for capital, risks associated with requirements
for approvals by government agencies such as the FDA before products can be
tested in clinical trials; the possibility that such government agency
approvals will not be obtained in a timely manner or at all or will be
conditioned in a manner that would impair our ability to advance
development; risks associated with the requirement that a drug be found
safe and effective after extensive clinical trials: our dependence on
suppliers, collaborative partners and other third parties and the prospects
and timing for negotiating supply agreements, corporate collaborations or
licensing arrangements; our ability to attract and retain key personnel;
and other factors as described in detail in our filings with the Canadian
securities regulatory authorities at sedar.



Assumptions underlying our expectations regarding forward-looking
statements or information contained in this press release include, among
others, that we will raise enough capital, on reasonable terms and in a
timely manner; that we will retain our key personnel; that we will obtain
the necessary regulatory approvals related to HspE7 and our adjuvant in a
timely manner; that enough HspE7 will be available to conduct our planned
trials; that we will be able to procure the necessary amount of adjuvant to
conduct our planned trials; that we will obtain timely approval from
additional IRBs; that the results from additional preclinical and clinical
work, if any, will be consistent with the results we have already obtained;
that a sufficient number of patients will be available to conduct our
planned trials; and that sufficient data will be generated to support our
IND.



In the event that any of these assumptions prove to be incorrect, or in
the event that we are impacted by any of the risks identified above, we may
not be able to continue in our business as planned.



For a complete discussion of the assumptions, risks and uncertainties
related to our business, you are encouraged to review our filings with
Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including our 2006 Annual
Information Form filed on SEDAR at sedar. Historical filings
relating to the Company prior to the completion of the Company's March 23,
2006 corporate reorganization, including Old Stressgen's 2005 Annual
Information Form dated March 16, 2006 may be reviewed on SEDAR at
sedar under the SEDAR profile GVIC Publications Ltd.



All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on
our current expectations as of the date hereof and we disclaim any
intention or obligation to revise or update such forward-looking statements
and information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as
required by law.


Nventa Biopharmaceuticals Corporation

nventacorp

VIVUS Announces Results Of ALISTA Phase 2b Study

VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS), today announced results of the company's Phase 2b
clinical study of its investigational drug ALISTA(TM) (topical
alprostadil), for the treatment of female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD),
in women who have undergone a hysterectomy. In this double-blind,
placebo-controlled study, patients with FSAD using ALISTA achieved a more
than doubling over baseline in the number of satisfactory sexual events;
however, the difference between the ALISTA treatment group and the placebo
group did not achieve statistical significance for the primary endpoint of
the study. Following a 2-month non-treatment run-in period, 320 subjects
were randomly assigned to treatment with ALISTA or placebo for a period of
6 months. During study participation, subjects maintained daily diaries to
capture outcomes of all sexual encounters, and the primary measure of
treatment efficacy was based on the difference between ALISTA and placebo
in the improvement over baseline in the number of satisfactory sexual
encounters per month. This was the first study in which the efficacy of
ALISTA was prospectively evaluated in an all organically impaired group of
patients with FSAD.



"The placebo response rate was higher than what was anticipated in this
phase 2b trial," said Leland Wilson, president and CEO of VIVUS.



"Additional work will be required to determine how to better control the
placebo response rate in this patient population before additional clinical
trials can be started. Because we have a rich pipeline with three
late-stage development programs, ALISTA will receive a lower development
priority at VIVUS. We will focus our development efforts on Qnexa for the
treatment of obesity, Testosterone MDTS for the treatment of hypoactive
sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and avanafil for the treatment of male
erectile dysfunction (MED), all of which have demonstrated clear, clinical
and statistical significance over placebo in phase 2 studies."



About VIVUS



VIVUS, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development
and commercialization of next-generation therapeutic products addressing
obesity and sexual health. VIVUS has three products that are positioned to
enter Phase 3 clinical trials, and one product that has completed Phase 3
evaluation, for which an NDA is anticipated to be submitted to the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the second half of 2006. The
investigational pipeline includes: Qnexa(TM), for which a Phase 2 study has
been completed for the treatment of obesity; Testosterone MDTS(R), for
which a Phase 2 study has been completed for the treatment of Hypoactive
Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD); Evamist(TM), for which a Phase 3 study has
been completed for the treatment of menopausal symptoms; avanafil, for
which a Phase 2 study has been completed for the treatment of erectile
dysfunction (ED); and, MUSE(R), which is approved and currently on the
market for the treatment of ED. For more information on clinical trials and
products, please visit the company's web site at vivus.
















Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as
"anticipate," "believe," "forecast," "estimated" and "intend," among
others. These forward-looking statements are based on VIVUS' current
expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number
of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those
indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but
are not limited to, substantial competition; uncertainties of patent
protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payer
reimbursement; reliance on sole source suppliers; limited sales and
marketing efforts and dependence upon third parties; risks related to the
development of innovative products; and risks related to failure to obtain
FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. As with
any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the
development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products.
There are no guarantees that future clinical studies discussed in this
press release will be completed or successful or that any product will
receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially
successful. VIVUS does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statement. Investors should read the risk factors set forth
in VIVUS' Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005 and periodic
reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


VIVUS, Inc

vivus