Today the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF), the largest independent, national organization devoted to melanoma in the U.S., announced the recipients of five new research grants as part of its Career Development Grant Program and Established Investigator Grant Program. The MRF’s Research Grant Programs support promising medical research that furthers the development of effective treatments and a possible cure for malignant melanoma, while encouraging scientists and clinicians to join in this mission.

“People with melanoma desperately need new and improved treatment options. Recognizing that scientific advancements begin in the lab, it is imperative that we support researchers to ensure their work continues,” said Tim Turnham, executive director, the Melanoma Research Foundation. “Each year, the Melanoma Research Foundation is able to provide emerging and established scientific investigators with highly sought-after grants that will allow them to explore new avenues in melanoma biology and treatments ultimately leading to a cure.”

Approximately seven years ago, the cancer research community began unlocking the underlying genetic malfunctions that occur in cells causing melanoma. Today, researchers are beginning to correlate those discoveries to therapies that may have a meaningful impact on the survival of patients. Although the melanoma research community is poised to make unprecedented strides in the understanding, prevention and treatment of melanoma, these research efforts have been hindered by the fact that melanoma research is woefully underfunded.

The MRF’s Career Development Grant provides funding of up to $50,000 per year for two years to investigators who are beginning a research career emphasizing melanoma-related projects. The MRF’s Established Investigator Grant provides funding of up to $100,000 per year for two years to established researchers in melanoma or those in closely related fields who wish to move into melanoma research.

“The quality of the research proposals we received this year was unparalleled and created a pool of highly competitive applications,” said Meenhard Herlyn, D.V.M., D.Sc., co-chair of the MRF’s Scientific Advisory Committee and leader of the Oncogenesis Program at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. “The MRF awards the grants to applicants with the best combination of scientific merit, appropriately skilled researchers, the greatest likelihood for success and the highest benefit for the melanoma patient community.”

Grant recipients are selected through a scientific peer-reviewed system comprised of leading clinical and pre-clinical melanoma researchers. This year’s recipients include:

• Dr. Vitali Alexeev, Thomas Jefferson University, “MicroRNA in regulation and targeting of the cKit receptor in malignant melanoma.” MicroRNA molecules appear to have a major role in tumor development. Dr. Alexeev’s research will examine specific forms of microRNA that appear to be over-expressed in several melanoma types. These forms impact translation of cKit, a protein known to be abnormally expressed in several types of melanoma. Suppressing these molecules may restore normal expression of cKit and interfere with the tumor’s ability to grow.

• Dr. Ed Harlow, Harvard Medical School, “Requirements for MITF-dependent melanomas: identification of novel drug targets.” MITF is the gene responsible for the growth and development of normal melanocytes. Because MITF is overactive in about 20 percent of melanomas, finding a way to control MITF could be a promising therapeutic approach. However, this has proven difficult. Dr. Harlow will use a new large-scale screening tool to find proteins essential to MITF, then use those proteins to control the gene and see if this affects tumor growth.

• Dr. SubbaRao Madhunapantula, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, “Targeting Kinases to Treat Melanoma.” Dr. Madhunapantula’s research will identify key proteins, or kinases, that are required for melanoma cells to grow. Large scale screening will then identify unique forms of small interfering RNA (siRNA) that interfere with these kinases. Finally, microscopic capsules called nanoliposomes will be used to deliver the siRNA to melanoma cells, with the hope that this will inhibit tumor development.

• Dr. Vladislava Melnikova, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, “Regulation of Melanoma Metastasis by the Tumor Microenvironment: The Role of Platelet Activating Factor (PAF) and PAF Receptor.” PAF and its receptor (PAFR) play an important role in the body’s inflammatory response; however, there has been little investigation of the role these activators may play in tumor growth and metastasis. Dr. Melnikova’s research will explore the role PAF and PAFR may play in the regulation of melanoma metastasis and if inhibiting PAFR expression in melanoma cells would decrease their ability to form tumors and lung metastasis.

• Dr. Keiran Smalley, The Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, “Targeted therapy for melanoma.” Two-thirds of melanomas have a mutated form of the BRAF gene. Initial attempts to treat melanoma by regulating BRAF have proven unsuccessful, most likely because other growth-promoting pathways exist in tumor cells. Dr. Smalley seeks to identify these alternate pathways. Future treatments may involve a combination of drugs personalized for each patient and designed to interfere with key pathways unique to that person’s tumor.

“Generous donations made to the MRF are the key to funding these potentially life-saving research programs, and the high quality of grant applications this year is testament to the desperate need for greater research funding,” said C. Randy Lomax, chairman of the MRF’s board of directors. “It is our hope that by funding these research proposals we move one step closer to new, better treatment options and ultimately a cure for melanoma.”

The most deadly type of skin cancer, melanoma can strike people of all ages, all races and both sexes. In 2008, more than 62,000 Americans were expected to be diagnosed with the disease, resulting in an estimated 8,400 deaths.

In its early stages, melanoma can be successfully removed and monitored by regular skin screenings. However, the disease is deadly in its most advanced stages, as few treatment options exist. The median life expectancy for patients with advanced melanoma is less than one year and existing therapies have not improved survival in more than a decade.

To learn more about donating to MRF and its research programs, please visit http://www.melanoma.org.

About Melanoma

Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, is one of the fastest growing cancers in the U.S., and can strike people of all ages, all races and both sexes. In fact, with a one in 50 lifetime risk of developing melanoma, more than 62,000 Americans were expected to be diagnosed with the disease in 2008, resulting in an estimated 8,400 deaths. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25- to 29-years-old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15- to 29-years-old.

About Melanoma Research Foundation

The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) is the largest independent, national organization devoted to melanoma in the United States. The Foundation is committed to the support of medical research for finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma. The MRF also educates patients and physicians about prevention, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma, while acting as an advocate for the melanoma community to raise awareness of this disease and the need for a cure. The MRF Web site is the premier source for melanoma information seekers.

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that are the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis and the HPA estimates that they affect between 600,000 and a million people in the UK each year. Infection can spread rapidly, and as Norovirus outbreaks continue to hit the headlines, the RIPH is pleased to announce it is running the first in a UK-wide programme of one-day courses on Norovirus in May.

The course is designed to provide delegates working in the hospitality industry with the skills needed to recognise the signs of Norovirus infection, and to prevent and manage outbreaks. By the end of the course, delegates will go away equipped with the skills necessary to prepare their own practical infection control strategy. The course will be particularly relevant to occupational health professionals, health and safety practitioners and environmental health officers.

Professor Rodney Cartwright, RIPH Trustee and Medical Adviser to the Federation of Tour Operators comments, “With the continuing difficulties involved in controlling Norovirus outbreaks, the RIPH is pleased to be continuing its educational programme on Norovirus, and this course will complement the three successful conferences we have already run on the issues surrounding this problem. The course will be of specific interest to those responsible for the management of infection in non-clinical outbreak settings such as hotels, cruise ships, health clubs and holiday sites.”

The course will cover:

- the clinical features of Norovirus, molecular identification and detection techniques;
- the importance of staff training;
- routine cleaning and product selection;
- procedures for declaring an outbreak;
- managing staff illness;
- reducing person to person spread;
- statistics and theory of hand hygiene (including practical demonstration and training);

Notes :

- The Royal Institute of Public Health was founded in 1886. Based in London, it is a leading independent body with an international reputation dedicated to the promotion, practice and protection of the highest standards of public health.

- It offers a wide range of public health related qualifications delivered through an extensive network of training centres nationwide.

- The Royal Institute enjoys the patronage of Her Majesty The Queen, an honour that has been conferred by the Sovereign continuously since 1897. The Royal Institute is a Registered Charity.

The Royal Institute of Public Health

A new study by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory and colleagues in Norway suggests that the benefits of moderately increased exposure to sunlight – namely the production of vitamin D, which protects against the lethal effects of many forms of cancer and other diseases – may outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer in populations deficient in vitamin D. The study will be published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of January 7, 2008.

“We know that solar radiation is the leading cause of skin cancer,” said communicating author Richard Setlow, a Senior Biophysicist Emeritus at Brookhaven and a well-known expert on the link between solar radiation and skin cancer. Setlow’s group was the first to establish that ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation and visible light are the primary causes of malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. He and his colleagues emphasize that people need to protect themselves from the harmful effects of sun exposure.

But solar radiation is also a major, if not the main, source of vitamin D in humans. In the presence of sunlight, the body converts certain precursor chemicals to active vitamin D.

“Since vitamin D has been shown to play a protective role in a number of internal cancers and possibly a range of other diseases, it is important to study the relative risks to determine whether advice to avoid sun exposure may be causing more harm than good in some populations.” The concern, he says, is particularly great in populations from northern latitudes, such as Scandinavia, where sun exposure is extremely limited.

In the current study, Setlow and his colleagues used a model incorporating information on solar radiation intensity and a vertical cylinder shape to represent the human body’s skin surface to calculate the relative production of vitamin D via sunlight as a function of latitude, or distance from the equator. The cylindrical model more realistically represents human body sun exposure than flat surface exposure measurements used in previous models. The scientists also examined the incidence of and survival rates for various forms of cancer by latitude.

According to the calculations, people residing in Australia (just below the equator) produce 3.4 times more vitamin D as a result of sun exposure than people in the United Kingdom, and 4.8 times more than people in Scandinavia.

“There is a clear north-south gradient in vitamin D production,” Setlow says, “with people in the northern latitudes producing significantly less than people nearer the equator.”

In populations with similar skin types, there is also a clear increase in the incidence of all forms of skin cancer from north to south. “This gradient in skin cancer rates indicates that there is a true north-south gradient in real sun exposure,” Setlow says.

The scientists also found that the incidence rates of major internal cancers such as colon cancer, lung cancer, and cancers of the breast and prostate also increased from north to south. However, when the scientists examined the survival rates for these cancers, they found that people from the southern latitudes were significantly less likely to die from these internal cancers than people in the north.

“In previous work, we have shown that survival rates for these cancers improve when the diagnosis coincides with the season of maximum sun exposure, indicating a positive role for sun-induced vitamin D in prognosis – or at least that a good vitamin-D status is advantageous when combined with standard cancer therapies,” Setlow says. “The current data provide a further indication of the beneficial role of sun-induced vitamin D for cancer prognosis.”

So, how can people get the benefits of vitamin D without running the risk of deadly skin cancer”

“As far as skin cancer goes, we need to be most worried about melanoma, a serious disease with significant mortality,” Setlow says.

Melanoma is triggered by UVA (the long UV wavelengths) and visible light. Vitamin-D production in the body, on the other hand, is triggered by UVB (the short UV wavelengths at the earth’s surface). “So perhaps we should redesign sunscreens so they don’t screen out as much UVB while still protecting us from the melanoma-inducing UVA and visible light,” Setlow says.

Increased UVB exposure may result in an increase in non-melanoma skin cancers. But these are relatively easy to cure and have very low mortality rates compared with the internal cancers vitamin D appears to protect against, Setlow adds.

Another option would be to increase vitamin D consumption while continuing to wear sunscreen. Vitamin D is easily accessible in many foods and liquids, such as cod liver oil and milk, and in dietary supplements.

Medimix International, a leader in global healthcare marketing research, announced that it has decided to fund the work of world renowned dermatologists, Dr.s Claire Lugassy and Raymond L. Barnhill, in order to support the next phase of their studies on melanoma metastasis. The goal of this research is a better understanding of why there are interactions between external blood cells and melanoma cells. The outcome may offer a prospect for anti-cancer drugs, as well as early diagnosis and treatment of invasive melanoma.

Melanoma represents one of the most deadly forms of skin cancer, and it is predicted that more than 108,230 new cases will be diagnosed in the United States in 2007. According to the American Melanoma Foundation, at current rates, a person has a one in 33 chance of developing melanoma (both in situ and invasive) in their lifetime. The risk of developing invasive melanoma is one in 63. These figures underscore the urgency of understanding not only its origins, but the way the cancer spreads throughout the body.

Originating in the pigment cells, melanoma may migrate to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system, becoming hard to treat and eventually fatal. However, the whole process of melanoma metastasis is poorly understood.

The propensity for malignant melanoma to migrate along anatomical structures such as nerves (neurotropism) and skin appendages has been recognized for many years. On the other hand this same capacity of melanoma to migrate along the external surfaces of blood and lymphatic vessels has received almost no attention in the literature.

According to Dr. Lugassy, the extravascular type of migration could explain the latency between the development of a primary tumor and the appearance of the first metastasis, usually in the regional lymph nodes. Dr.s Lugassy and Barnhill are investigating the role of extravascular migratory metastasis in relation to local, in-transit, and regional lymph node tumor spread at the gene-expression level and its relationship with lymphangiogenesis. Studies of angiotropism will be conducted in both the animal and human material.

In former studies, Drs, Barnhill and Lugassy have also investigated, whether laminin plays a role in this extravascular mechanism of tumor spread. The preliminary results suggested that the C16 laminin g1 chain peptide has angiotropic, extravascular migration promoting activity on human melanoma cells and might be a molecular target for preventing melanoma metastasis.

“A major outcome from this study was to show that angiotropism can be easily recognized by light microscopy in routine tissue sections of melanoma,” says Dr Barnhill.

“We are very excited by the opportunity to support fundamental research in the field of Melanoma”, says Henry Gazay, CEO of Medimix International. “Companies operating in Healthcare Marketing very seldom sponsor scientific research, and we see this unique cooperation as a way to foster understanding between scientific and marketing communities. Oncology is one among ten key-therapeutic areas in which Medimix International specializes, and we foresee developing similar relationships with researchers and KOLs around the world”.

About Medimix International

Medimix International is a dynamic provider of advanced marketing research solutions for the healthcare industry worldwide. Medimix’s proprietary panel provides direct access to over 500,000 physicians and healthcare professionals from around the world, making it one of the largest panels in the industry. Medimix specializes in global research. Learn more at http://www.medimix.net.

Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, was recently awarded the 2007 Eli Lilly Lecturer Award from the Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism (CSEM). Holick, an internationally recognized expert in vitamin D and skin research, received the award for decades of pioneering work that elucidated the important role vitamin D plays in a wide variety of chronic health conditions.

Holick is a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics, and director of the General Clinical Research Center at Boston University School of Medicine and Director of the Bone Healthcare Clinic at Boston Medical Center.

The Eli Lilly Lecturer Award has been awarded to some of the most prominent endocrinologists in the world. CSEM represents over three hundred endocrinologists engaged in basic research or clinical practice in communities, universities and industries across Canada. They also represent the interests of their members with respect to clinical practice, academic training, research funding and medical politics.

After completing medical school at the University of Wisconsin in 1976, Holick joined the staff at the Massachusetts General Hospital where he did an internship in medicine while simultaneously initiating a basic and clinical research program on the photobiology of vitamin D. Over the next several years he made major contributions in the areas of skin disease, metabolic bone disease, and calcium metabolism.

In 1987, Holick was recruited by Boston University School of Medicine for the position of chief of endocrinology at Boston City Hospital and director of the Clinical Research Center. Since assuming this position, he has initiated numerous clinical research programs. His psoriasis work with active vitamin D is considered to be on the forefront of research into this complex disease. The results of these programs have led to significant contributions in the basic science of vitamin D and more recently into a clearer understanding of the calciotropic hormone, PTHrP and its uses. This translates into remarkable new therapies for a wide diversity of diseases from psoriasis and hair loss to osteoporosis.

Holick has received numerous honors and awards including The American Society for Clinical Nutritions McCollum Award for his innovative research in the field of photobiology in 1994, and the Psoriasis Research Achievement Award, American Skin Association in 2000, the Robert H. Herman Memorial Award in Clinical Nutrition, American Society for Clinical Nutrition 2002, and the General Clinical Research Centers Program Award for Excellence in Clinical Research in 2006 and the Functional Medicine Linus Pauling Award in 2007.

The Dermatology Nurses’ Association (DNA) joined the Longwood Symphony Orchestra (LSO) and other performers last month for a benefit concert to raise funds and public awareness about melanoma. The event also honored individuals and families touched by the deadly skin disease.

The October 26 event, held at Symphony Hall in Boston, MA, raised $30,000 for the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation and the Melanoma Education Foundation.

The concert was one of several benefit events sponsored each year through the orchestra’s “Healing Art of Music” program which supports health-related nonprofit organizations. Over 2,000 people attended, including health care providers, children from 10 Boston area schools, skin cancer patients and their families, as well as the general public. The concert was preceded by an educational health fair featuring exhibits and free product samples.

Two of DNA’s most active sun protection advocates, Maryellen Maguire-Eisen, MSN, RN, and Karrie Fairbrother, BSN, CDE, DNC, addressed the musicians, singers, and audience during the dress rehearsal and concert. Maguire-Eisen, executive director/founder of the Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation, and Fairbrother, DNA’s president elect, stressed the importance of collaboration and public education to prevent skin cancer. Fairbrother also shared her personal story of loss; her husband died from malignant melanoma 18 years ago.

The LSO was joined by Chorus Boston, the Kokugikan Sumida Choral Society of Japan and New World Chorale as well as several soloists. The performers were led by Conductor Shunji Aratani.

The event was sponsored by Roche Bros, Sullivan Tire, Sullivan Toyota, Graceway Pharmaceuticals, Neutrogena Corporation, DNA, Dusa Pharmaceuticals, Boston University Section of Dermatopathology, Candella Laser, Medical Laser Technologies and Coolibar Sun Protection.

In addition to charitable events like the concert, DNA also sponsors many professional education events for nurses and skin care providers as well as broader initiatives to help increase public awareness about skin cancer and sun protection. Maguire-Eisen and Fairbrother, as well as other DNA members, speak nationally on effective sun protection methods and the risks of melanoma, which is one of the most common and deadly forms of the disease.

The Longwood Symphony Orchestra (LSO) was established in 1982 by members of the Harvard Medical School community, according to the organization’s Web site. The LSO provides opportunities for advanced amateur musicians while supporting various nonprofit organizations through public performances. Since 1991, the orchestra has helped raise over $700,000 for the medically underserved by performing concerts to benefit medical charities in the greater Boston area. The orchestra’s 125 members are also members of Boston’s medical community.

More information

Longwood Symphony Orchestra
Children’s Melanoma Prevention Foundation
Melanoma Education Foundation

The Dermatology Nurses’ Association (DNA) is a professional nursing organization comprised of a diverse group of individuals committed to quality care through sharing knowledge and expertise. DNA’s core purpose is to promote excellence in dermatologic care.

Dermatology Nurses Association

Human feet are amazing. The feet contain a quarter of the bones in the body. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons. But like the rest of the body, feet eventually begin to feel the effects of daily wear and tear.

Foot problems are common in women, particularly with advancing age. Years of frequent high-heel wear can permanently damage tendons in the heel. Shoes that fit too tightly can cause problems. The December issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource covers common concerns about feet and what might help:

Blisters: They are caused by the friction of shoes over the skin. Blisters shouldn’t be popped. Instead, applying moleskin or a bandage helps. A blister that breaks should be washed, treated with antiseptic ointment and covered with a bandage.

Bunions: These are misaligned big toe joints where the big toe slants toward the second toe. They can become swollen and tender, especially if aggravated by tight shoes. Wearing wider shoes, as well as using cushioning pads or shoe inserts, may help. In severe cases, surgery may be needed.

Corns and calluses: These thick, hardened layers of skin develop where the shoe frequently rubs the foot. Moleskin or padding may help relieve discomfort. Corns and calluses should never be cut at home. Instead, seeing a podiatrist is advised.

Hammertoe: A toe, often the second, bends like a claw. Hammertoe usually results from a muscle imbalance, but it can be worsened by ill-fitting shoes or hosiery that’s too tight. Wide shoes can help. Occasionally, surgery may be needed to realign the toes.

Heel pain: The cause is stretching or tearing of the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia). Pain can worsen with lack of proper arch and heel support. Ice massage, gentle stretching of the arches, and arch-support inserts can help relieve tension. Splinting or physical therapy could be recommended, too.

Ingrown toenails: Often improper clipping causes toenails to grow into the skin. Nails should always be clipped straight across. A doctor can remove ingrown nails that are painful or infected.

Joint pain in the ball of the foot: Called metatarsalgia, this condition is commonly caused by wearing high heels. Pain can be relieved by applying ice to the foot and avoiding further stress. Shoe inserts, such as metatarsal pads, shock-absorbing insoles and arch supports, may help.

Pump bump: This is the common term for a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. Shoes with rigid backs or straps can aggravate the bump. Pain can be eased by avoiding shoes that aggravate the condition or using a pad to cushion the heel.

Tight heel cords (Achilles tendinitis): High heels are the culprit again. By elevating the heel, high heels prevent the Achilles tendon — which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone — from fully stretching. The result can be tightening and shortening of the tendon, causing discomfort. Rest and the application of ice can ease acute pain. Stretching exercises and orthotic devices may relieve discomfort over the long term.

Mayo Clinic
200 First St. SW
Rochester, MN 55902
United States

http://www.mayoclinic.com

Leading St. Petersburg, FL – based dermatologist, Dr. James Spencer, announced he is conducting a study to evaluate ArteFill, a non-resorbable dermal filler, for the treatment of acne scars, and other depressed atrophic scars. ArteFill is a non-resorbable dermal filler that is currently approved to treat nasolabial folds, or smile line wrinkles. James M. Spencer, MD, Professor of Clinical Dermatology, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, is conducting this study to evaluate ArteFill for the cosmetic improvement of scars. He expects to enroll 15 patients by the end of March 2008.

One month after their ArteFill treatment, patients will return for assessment and standardized photographs will be clinically graded by a blinded dermatologist for degree of scar correction. A patient satisfaction survey along with patient photos of the results are part of the current study protocol. These patients will be followed for one year after ArteFill treatment. After study completion, these findings will be submitted and are expected to be published in a peer-reviewed dermatology journal.

“I use temporary fillers in my practice to treat acne scars and other types of scars. Unfortunately, temporary fillers necessitate expensive repeat injections so a permanent dermal filler would be desirable to correct a permanent scar. I’m using ArteFill in my medical practice for smile lines and I can now document the use of ArteFill for acne and other facial scars,” said Dr. Spencer.

According to published reports, there are 14 million people that have moderate to severe acne scarring. There are over 5 million people who have previously taken Accutane and generics after being diagnosed with severe acne. Severe recalcitrant acne, or cystic acne is the worst and most painful form of the skin condition, characterized by inflamed lumps that may result in depressed scars. These scars are a major source of concern for patients, and there are currently limited treatment options for this condition.

Dr. Spencer received a research grant from Artes Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARTE) to conduct this study. For more information on Dr. Spencer at Spencer Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center or his study, please visit http://www.spencerdermatology.com.

The results of the study conducted in the USA. to determine the efficacy and tolerability of Relieva® in adult patients with Atopic Dermatitis (eczema) were just published in the September issue of the American Journal of Therapeutics (14:442-446, 2007).

Previous laboratory studies showed that Psorberine®, the active ingredient of Relieva®, a non-corticoid, non- immunosuppressant but potent anti-inflammatory compound might be effective in atopic dermatitis. A clinical trial was conducted to determine if indeed Relieva® is efficacious in these patients.

Patients enrolled in this 12 week trial carried out by Global Clinicals Inc. were treated with Relieva®, a topical preparation containing Psorberine in Novasome®, a proprietary liposome formulation. Efficacy and safety was assessed using EASI (Eczema Area and Severity Index), an established index used for evaluating the severity of the signs of atopic dermatitis and a Subject Reported Evaluation of Treatment. Study results showed significant improvements in Erythema, Infiltration, Excoriation and Lichenification scores. In addition, subjects responding to a post treatment evaluation questionnaire indicated a substantial benefit when rating effectiveness, itching and appearance.

This study indicates that Relieva® is useful in adult patients with atopic dermatitis.

Apollo Pharmaceuticals continuous research in dermatology offers another option for the treatment of adult patients with Atopic Dermatitis (eczema).

About Eczema

“Eczema is a cruel disease that is often mistaken as just a rash but can have a profound impact on patients’ quality-of-life and emotional well-being, particularly in children. It not only afflicts the patients, their friends and family are also affected by the emotional impact”`.

Eczema affects approximately 17% of the U.S. population and is often a distressing condition characterized by itchy, scaly, dry, inflamed skin. It is estimated that 90% of eczema patients experience symptoms before the age of 5. Many patients, especially children, experience a significant emotional impact, feeling ‘different’and/or left out. Feelings of social isolation and lack of sleep due to night-time itching demonstrate of how eczema impacts a patient’s daily live.

A global study comprised of interviews with 2,002 patients from eight countries over the age of 13, and caregivers of children between the ages of 2-13, with moderate to severe eczema showed that on average, 86% of patients avoid at least one type of everyday activity during a flare-up and 74% of patients and caregivers state that their physicians have never discussed the emotional impact that eczema has had on their lives. (http://www.nationaleczema.org)

The Food and Drug Administration announced that it will be extending the comment period on the agency’s proposed sunscreen regulation to Dec. 26, 2007. The comment period was set to expire on Nov. 26. Typically, comment periods for Federal rules is 90 days. The sunscreen rule, when finalized, will amend the 1999 FDA final rule on sunscreen products that protect against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays and incorporates new testing and labeling requirements for products that protect against ultraviolet A (UVA) rays.

On Aug. 27 the agency released to the public its proposed rule for over-the-counter (OTC) sunscreen products. FDA received nine requests to extend the comment period. One asked for an additional two months, eight for an additional nine months. The submissions cited the need for more time to complete laboratory testing and consumer studies on the proposed labeling system. By extending the comment period for 30 days, FDA is balancing industry concerns and the interests of public health to ensure that sunscreen products properly inform consumers of the level of protection they provide against UVA and UVB rays.

Comments must be identified with Docket No. 1978N-0038 and can be submitted electronically or in written form. Electronic submissions can be submitted at the following Web sites: