After a clinical trial codenamed JUPITER, AstraZeneca’s anti-cholesterol drug, Crestor, could revolutionise the way heart disease is treated, say experts.

The trial was designed to see if Crestor could help people with normal levels of cholesterol but high levels of a protein connected to inflammation and risk of heart disease. About 18,000 people from 26 different countries participated in the trial and they all had acceptable levels of cholesterol and high levels of the inflammation marker, C-reactive protein (CRP). While half were put on the drug, the other were on a placebo. It was found that the combined risk of heart attack, stroke and heart-related death fell by nearly fifty per cent in the group taking Crestor.

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Sanofi-Aventis and Pfizer are the latest in the list of pharma companies to stop development of a class of anti-obesity drugs that were thought to have excellent potential.

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Nanoparticles, the tiny particles used increasingly in skin care products to make them easier to put on and transparent on the skin, need further testing for safety, says U.K consumer watchdog Which?. These particles are also used in electronics, food containers, sunscreens, and a variety of applications including delivering medicines.

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New research says the low-cost internet option could be used to rope in patients participating in trials. Analysts find that while only 20% of patients are currently recruited online, this is a method that will become increasingly important.  According to the report, “Online Patient Recruitment and Its Impact on Patient Relationship Management” internet surfers tend to be more interested in clinical trials than those viewing posters in the clinic.

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From instant wontons  to burgers and fries, the world’s most populous nation is rapidly discovering a taste for fast food. New research says China is  now the fifth largest fast food consuming nation in the world.

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Iran Khodro, Iran’s state-backed manufacturer has announced production of a range of cars specifically targeted at women drivers. The cars will go on sale in June to coincide with Iranian Women’s Day and will be part of be part of the Samand range.

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It pays to be known as an expert insurance company which focuses on covering a range of personal and commercial risks often thought to be ‘too complex or too much trouble’ for other companies. Like classic cars, pricey homes, high art, world renowned events and also kidnapping and ransom demands.

Europe’s top insurer of fine art and valuable possessions, Hiscox, has ducked the blanket gloom and doom of the financial markets to announce record results for the first half of the year.

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Pharma companies have been dragged into the firing line this week. The UK’s Observer quoted Professor Michael Rawlins, the chair of the health watchdog, NICE, as saying the drugs industry is overpricing critical new medicines to improve its profits.

His remarks came in the wake of the current outcry surrounding NICE’s refusal to approve costly new kidney drugs for NHS use. He told The Observer, “We are told we are being mean all the time, but what nobody mentions is why the drugs are so expensive.”

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The UK Government’s Renewable Fuels Agency’s report said in early August, 2008 that of the biodiesel used in the UK from mid-April to mid-May, only a fifth of the total quantity of biofuels sold met recognised environmental standards.

The time has come for differentiation among biofuels. Some biofuels are clearly superior to others in terms of environmental benefits, and the standards that they adhere to. An unambiguous trend is emerging in the biofuels industry that recognises the fact that there is a premium on biofuels which meet sustainability criteria.

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While Fedora may have once meant a type of hat, Magnolia, a type of flower and Alfresco, simply being outside — today any techie worth his salt will tell you that like WordPress or dotCMS, these are well-known Content Management Systems (CMS).

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