Catherine Kolonko

Merck just got $2.54 billion richer with the ruling of a federal jury.

Extracorporeal shock therapy helped patients with diabetes improve their range of motion when suffering from "frozen shoulder" a study in Italy found.

An interesting discovery about some Irish women exposed to the hepatitis C virus in the late 1970s has led scientists to study the possible existence of a super immune gene.

A study in women coinfected with hepatitis C and HIV found that use of marijuana was not associated with progression to advanced liver fibrosis.

Overall sustained virologic response, a marker for a cure, was achieved in 96% of patients with genotype 1b strain of the virus after 12 weeks of Zepatier. In patients infected with genotype 4 of the virus, 94% were cured after 12 weeks of Zepatier treatment.

The regulator placed a clinical hold on human trials involving a new investigational hepatitis C drug that targets microRNA following a report of jaundice by someone enrolled in a study.

Researchers in Italy found that some patients who are successfully treated for the hepatitis C virus tend to live as long as others in the general population not infected with the disease.

Researchers assessed the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma among patients who have been cured of the hepatitis C virus.

The European Commission has approved expanded use of a Bristol-Myers Squibb hepatitis C drug to include patient populations with decompensated cirrhosis, HIV-1 coinfection and post-liver transplant recurrence of the virus.

A multi-study analysis shows that a majority of patients with hepatitis C maintained sustained virological response five years after they were treated but researchers found higher risk of reinfection among patients in two subgroups.

A US Senate investigation found that drug maker Gilead Sciences sought to maximize profits of its blockbuster hepatitis C drug, without any significant consideration of the thousands of patients who could not afford its pricey pill.

Researchers have developed a method to screen for hepatitis C using a urine test that is faster and cheaper than traditional blood tests.

Japanese regulators recently approved the blockbuster hepatitis C drug Sovaldi as the first all-oral treatment regimen for genotype 2 patients in that country.

Express Scripts has dropped Solvaldi, Harvoni, and Olysio in favor of an exclusive deal with the drug maker AbbVie Inc. to prescribe its newly approved hepatitis C drug called Viekira Pak, according to a statement from the prescription drug-benefits management company.

A generic version of Gilead Science's hepatitis C drug Sovaldi will be produced in India and sold there and in other poorer countries at what is likely to be a fraction of what it costs in the United States.

The United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is recommending Sovaldi as a cost-effective option to treat some people who have chronic hepatitis C.

An emerging epidemic of acute hepatitis C threatens the country's younger population, which experienced a significant hike in the number of cases during a recent 6-year period, according to a compound study that looked at trends of the disease among youth.

The US Food and Drug Administration partially lifted a clinical hold on a hepatitis C drug under development by Achillion Pharmaceuticals, clearing the way for a restart of the company's clinical trials of sovaprevir.

A multipronged approach built around screening, education, community outreach, and expanded access to care is critical to reducing the prevalence of hepatitis C in the African-American community.

Company is seeking FDA approval for its all-oral, interferon-free regimen for the treatment of adult patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C.

New guidance from the WHO includes nine key recommendations covering screening, treatment, alcohol use assessment and counseling, and measures to prevent transmission of the virus.

Fitful nights of sleeplessness and daytime fatigue were more common among people with hepatitis C regardless of whether they had cirrhosis of the liver when compared to the healthy control group involved in a small study.

Study results show that SIRS on admission and at 72 hours after is associated with a higher incidence of pancreatic necrosis, an important risk factor contributing to death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Results from the TEMPO trial presented at Kidney Week 2012 show that treatment with tolvaptan slowed the increase in total kidney volume and the decline in kidney function in patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

Increasing numbers of people are on kidney transplant waiting lists. However, the number of potential living donors may shrink as more Americans qualify as pre-diabetic, making them less than ideal donor candidates.

Experts at Kidney Week 2012 discuss several treatment options for hyponatremia, including fluid restriction, loop diuretics, and the use of selective vasopressin V2-receptor antagonists.

A diet rich in highly alkaline fruits and vegetables helps reduce a marker of kidney injury and preserve kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Use of peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease is declining due to lack of physician training and awareness, financial disincentives, and other factors. However, with proper patient and provider education, it is possible to grow a successful peritoneal dialysis program.