Chemistry

Aveo says partner Astellas will not seek EU nod for kidney cancer drug

Thomson Reuters — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:31:18 +0000

Thomson Reuters

(Reuters) - Aveo Pharmaceuticals Inc said it was informed by its partner Astellas Pharma Inc that the Japanese company would not be seeking marketing approval for their experimental kidney cancer drug in Europe.

Aveo shares fell about 13 percent in extended trade, after closing at $2.70 on the Nasdaq. They have lost about 55 percent of their value since April 30, when FDA reviewers raised questions about the drug.

Boil water advisory affecting 1.3 people in Montreal lifted

The Canadian Press — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:34:10 +0000

The Canadian Press

MONTREAL - A huge boil-water advisory affecting 1.3 million people in Montreal, described by local officials as unprecedented in the recorded history of the city, was lifted late Thursday.

City officials ended the two-day-old advisory at 10:15 p.m., after tests concluded the water quality was fine.

Mayor Michael Applebaum said the warning had been issued as a precaution after an abnormal drop in levels inside a filtration plant under renovation.

“You can drink the water,” Applebaum told a news conference.

China plans tougher quality standards for coal to tackle pollution

Thomson Reuters — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:16:23 +0000

Thomson Reuters

By Fayen Wong

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China may impose higher quality standards for imported and locally traded coal to cut air pollution, two sources said, in a move that could slash imports while boosting the fortunes of a faltering domestic industry.

New J&J anti-depressant related to 'Special K' party drug

Thomson Reuters — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:32:15 +0000

Thomson Reuters

By Ransdell Pierson

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson said it plans to seek approvals for 11 new drugs by 2017, including a treatment for patients with depression who have failed to benefit from standard medications.

The intranasal drug, called esketamine, is closely related to a pediatric anesthetic called ketamine that has been shown in academic studies to ease symptoms rapidly in such patients, including a reduction in suicidal thoughts.

Lotte Chemical-plant completion

Yonhap News Agency — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:46:12 +0000

Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- Lotte Chemical Corp., a South Korean petrochemicals maker, said Thursday that it held the completion ceremony of its polypropylene catalyst plant built in collaboration with Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.

The plant built in Yeosu, a port city 455 kilometers south of Seoul, will annually produce 100 tons of catalysts for the production of polypropylene, which is used to make plastic bottles, textiles and plastic shopping bags, Lotte Chemical said.

Seoul-ozone warning

Yonhap News Agency — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:45:58 +0000

Yonhap News Agency

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- The capital city of Seoul saw its first ozone warning of the year take effect on Thursday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the warning was issued at 3 p.m., as ozone density in the northern part of the city averaged 0.131 ppm per hour.

The warning is issued when the density of the powerful oxidants is more than 0.120 ppm.

Polish mine launches salt photo contest

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 06:00:04 +0000

Agence France-Presse

One of the oldest salt mines in Europe, Poland's Wieliczka, on Tuesday called for photos of salt from across the globe for a contest and show at its underground museum.

"We thought it would be good to learn about the rest of the world's salt and compile a portrait of it," museum spokeswoman Malgorzata Bogucka told AFP.

She said submissions should focus on how NaCl is made, clarifying that a snapshot of a salt shaker would not make the cut.

Polish mine launches salt photo contest

Agence France-Presse — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:47:54 +0000

Agence France-Presse

One of the oldest salt mines in Europe, Poland's Wieliczka, on Tuesday called for photos of salt from across the globe for a contest and show at its underground museum.

"We thought it would be good to learn about the rest of the world's salt and compile a portrait of it," museum spokeswoman Malgorzata Bogucka told AFP.

She said submissions should focus on how NaCl is made, clarifying that a snapshot of a salt shaker would not make the cut.

Merck's insomnia drug moves a step closer to U.S. approval

Thomson Reuters — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:31:38 +0000

Thomson Reuters

By Toni Clarke

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Merck & Co's experimental insomnia drug moved a step closer to U.S. approval on Wednesday after a panel of medical experts said it is effective and safe at lower doses.

The advisory panel was convened to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decide whether to approve the drug, suvorexant, which would be the first in a new class of sedatives that block chemicals in the brain called orexins that help keep people awake. The drugs are designed to help people fall asleep and stay asleep.

Chemical that sparked deadly Texas explosion found across U.S

Thomson Reuters — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:31:27 +0000

Thomson Reuters

By Ryan McNeill and M.B. Pell

NEW YORK (Reuters) - At least 800,000 people across the United States live near hundreds of sites that store large amounts of potentially explosive ammonium nitrate, which investigators are blaming as the source of last month's deadly blast at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, a Reuters analysis shows.

FDA panel favours Merck sleeping aid despite safety concerns over drowsiness, driving issues

The Canadian Press — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:33 +0000

The Canadian Press

WASHINGTON - A federal panel of medical experts said that an experimental insomnia drug from Merck

A majority of Food and Drug Administration panelists voted Wednesday that Merck's sleeping aid, suvorexant, helped patients get to sleep and stay asleep. In a separate set of votes, the panel voted that the drug appears safe at the starting doses proposed by the company.

The FDA is not required to follow the recommendations of its experts, though it often does.

Montreal tells 1.3 million residents to boil their drinking water

Thomson Reuters — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:46:49 +0000

Thomson Reuters

(Reuters) - Montreal, Canada's second-largest city, has asked 1.3 million people to boil their drinking water after a problem at one of the city's water treatment facilities.

The advisory, posted on the city's website on Wednesday, covers much of the south and east of the city of 1.65 million.

The order followed reports of brown-tinged water in parts of the city, and Montreal Fire Department division chief Gordon Routley told CTV News that the advisory was likely to be in effect for at least 24 hours.

Air quality index of Europe's major cities May 22: Stockholm 'very good'

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:45:52 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Below is information on the current background air quality in some of Europe's major cities based on data taken from http://www.airqualitynow.eu and recorded at 8:20 am GMT May 22.

City Quality Amsterdam Good [31] Berlin Very good [20] Brussels N/A Krakow N/A Oslo Very good [19] Prague Very good [21] London Very good [20] Madrid Good [45] Paris Good [25] Stockholm Very good [17] Zurich Very good [15]

Legend

Air quality index of Europe's major cities May 22: Stockholm 'very good'

Agence France-Presse — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:45:27 +0000

Agence France-Presse

Below is information on the current background air quality in some of Europe's major cities based on data taken from http://www.airqualitynow.eu and recorded at 8:20 am GMT May 22.

Legend

Polish mine launches salt photo contest

Agence France-Presse — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:01:09 +0000

Agence France-Presse

One of the oldest salt mines in Europe, Poland's Wieliczka, on Tuesday called for photos of salt from across the globe for a contest and show at its underground museum.

"We thought it would be good to learn about the rest of the world's salt and compile a portrait of it," museum spokeswoman Malgorzata Bogucka told AFP.

She said submissions should focus on how NaCl is made, clarifying that a snapshot of a salt shaker would not make the cut.