The News Review:

- African-Americans Less Likely To Choose Epidurals For Postoperative…
- Merck Aids Failure Signals Doom for African US HIV Projects
- Lawsuit claims doctors took money to tout artificial spinal disks
- Q4 2007 Cytokinetics Inc. Earnings Conference Call – Final.
- VC firms invest $543 mn in 2007
- Stem cell treatment for babies with brittle bones in the womb
- Upbeat about drawing employers

African-Americans Less Likely To Choose Epidurals For Postoperative…
Science Daily – Science Daily (press release) – Jan 31, 2008
Andrew chroch MD an associate professor and director of clinical research in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. "Consequently if African Americans are either denied or denying themselves epidural for pain relief then they may be at greater risk for postoperative complications. "Patients who receive perioperative epidural analgesia during major upper abdominal or chest surgery for instance have improved lung function which reduces their risk of pneumonia. And since they’re able to get out of bed to move around sooner they’re primed to go home sooner than those who have severe pain. Research also shows that patients who have high levels of perioperative pain are more apt to suffer from chronic pain later on.

Merck Aids Failure Signals Doom for African US HIV Projects
Bloomberg – Jan 31, 2008
The three levels of testingare required for sale in the U. Researchers from Whitehouse Station New Jersey-based Merckmay also have more information on whether other viruses madepeople in the vaccinated group more vulnerable to infectionsaid Michael Robertson the company's director of HIV vaccinesclinical research.

Lawsuit claims doctors took money to tout artificial spinal disks
Sarasota Herald-Tribune – Jan 31, 2008
Instead of serving as objective gatekeepers who can screen out potentially harmful or ineffective new devices or drugs some medical experts say clinical researchers with conflicts may have incentives to overstate the value of a new product for patients. For better or worse physicians in the United States frequently have financial ties to the companies whose devices or drugs they recommend to patients. But in the case of the Prodisc clinical trial as with any clinical research the doctors were supposed to be acting not as advocates for the product but as objective scientists studying whether the disk was safe and effective enough to be widely sold and used in the United States. ne Prodisc study patient who says the surgery left her worse off Patricia Kennedy asserts her surgeon “seemed more concerned with the prospects for the Prodisc than for her medical care” according to the lawsuit settled last year whose terms have not been made public. Balderston who practices in Philadelphia was one of the researchers with a financial interest in the disk.

Q4 2007 Cytokinetics Inc. Earnings Conference Call – Final.
Free with registration – Fair Disclosure Wire – AccessMyLibrary.com – Jan 31, 2008
SHARN SURREY-BARBARI SVP – FINANCE CF CYTKINETICS: Thank you. Good afternoon and thank you for joining the Cytokinetics senior management team on this conference call to discuss our fourth-quarter and year-end 2007 results. Also present during this call our James Sabry our Executive Chairman of the Board; Robert Blum our President and Chief Executive fficer; and Dr. Andrew Wolff Senior Vice President of Clinical Research and Development and Chief Medical fficer. Following the forward-looking statement disclaimer Robert will provide an overview of the past quarter and Andy will provide highlights and details of the progress of the Company’s clinical development program. I will then review the Company’s financial performance for the fourth quarter and year end as well as the Company’s financial guidance for 2008 and James will provide a few comments about his evolving role at the Company. Robert will then review our past quarter’s research activities and then closed call with our projected Company milestones for 2008.

VC firms invest $543 mn in 2007
Economic Times – Jan 31, 2008
IT and ITeS was followed byhealthcare life sciences and the media & entertainment industry. SequoiaCapital India continues to be the most active VC investor in India with nineinvestments during 2007. Sequoia ventured beyond IT & ITeS to invest acrossa range of sectors including Clinical Research utsourcing Micro finance utof Home media and Printing Services. Helion Ventures and ErasmicVentures were the next most active investors during 2007 participating in atleast eight investments during the year the survey indicated. Five ofHelion?s investments during the year went into outsourcing companiesproviding either IT or BP services.

Stem cell treatment for babies with brittle bones in the womb
News-Medical.net – Jan 31, 2008
Action Medical Research has announced the outcomes of an Imperial College London study conducted by a team led by Professor Nicholas Fisk that could lead to a stem cell treatment for babies with brittle bones – before they are even born. Professor Fisk who now heads the new $66m UQ Centre for Clinical Research said the work held potential for improving treatment of other disabling conditions such as muscular dystrophy and congenital brain diseases. Brittle bone disease or steogenesis imperfecta (I) as the inherited disease is known affects babies whilst they are inside their mother’s womb. This is because collagen one of the main building blocks for bone fails to develop properly. The disease is detected by DNA testing or ultrasound before birth and leads to weak bones and stunted growth. The team led by Professor Nicholas Fisk transplanted specially manipulated stem cells into 14 day old mouse fetuses that had I.

Upbeat about drawing employers
Colorado Springs Gazette – Jan 31, 2008
; Washington; northern New Jersey; Dallas; Chicago; Los Angeles; and the Silicon Valley area during the next three months to talk about the local business climate Kazmierski said. The hopeful tone was reinforced by a satisfied customer. Darren McDaniel chief executive of Coast Independent Review Board LLC which focuses on protecting patients of clinical research trials moved to Colorado Springs from Southern California last year. The company now employs about 50 and plans to hire more than 200 people during the next three years that being growth enabled by lower operating costs in the Springs McDaniel said. CNTACT THE WRITER: 636-0234 or wayneh@gazette. comSee archived ‘Business’ Stories » .