Parkinson's disease-melanoma link tops dermatology reads for week

Study findings establishing a link between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma was among the most-read article of the past week on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other widely read articles included study findings that Botox provided relief from refractory pain in scars following rhytidectomy including an anterior hairline brow lift:

Link found between Parkinson's disease, melanoma

There is a link between Parkinson’s disease and melanoma, with possible etiologies including family history and common genetic susceptibility, according to recently published study results.

“Given that [levodopa] is a substrate in melanin synthesis, there existed a concern that this therapy [for Parkinson’s disease] might cause melanoma,” researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, wrote. Read more

Botox provides relief from intractable pain after facelift with brow lift

Botox injection provided pain relief for a patient who developed refractory pain in the scars following rhytidectomy, including an anterior hairline brow lift, according to recently published study results.

Researchers studied a 65-year-old white woman with a history of previous blepharoplasty who underwent traditional rhytidectomy with superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS) tightening, platysmaplasty and anterior hairline brow lift. Read more

Pfizer announces leadership team for combined company after proposed Allergan merger

Pfizer announced in a press release its executive leadership team for the combined Pfizer and Allergan business following the close of the proposed merger of the companies.

Through the closing of the transaction, Pfizer’s Global Innovative Pharma (GIP) business and its Vaccines Oncology and Consumer (VOC) business will operate separately under Albert Bourla, currently group president of VOC, according to the release. When the transaction is complete, the VOC and GIP businesses will combine, with Bourla becoming group president, Global Innovative Pharma, leading the combined businesses, according to the release. Read more

Stelara superior to TNF-α inhibitors in treating psoriasis at 6, 12 months

Stelara was significantly more effective in treating patients with psoriasis compared with three tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors at 6 months and 12 months, according to recently published study results.

Researchers used data from the Psoriasis Longitudinal Assessment and Registry (PSOLAR) study to compare therapeutic responses of 2,076 patients with psoriasis (57.4% male; mean age, 46.5 years) initiating treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors — Remicade (infliximab, Janssen), Humira (adalimumab, AbbVie) or Enbrel (etanercept, Amgen) — or Stelara (ustekinumab, Janssen), which inhibits interleukin-12/23. Data for the analyses was from June 20, 2007 to Aug. 23, 2013. Read more

Health Canada to review Sitavig for recurrent herpes labialis

Cipher Pharmaceuticals announced in a press release that Health Canada has accepted to review its new drug submission for Sitavig for treating recurrent herpes labialis in adults.

Sitavig (acyclovir mucoadhesive buccal tablets) is available in the United States as a single-dose prescription cold sore treatment, and is based on proprietary Lauriad technology from Onxeo S.A., according to the release. Read more