a-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor – A receptor in the brain which may influence memory formation and cognition.
a-GAL epitope – A shape or marker on the surface of animal cells that triggers an immune response in people.
a-synuclein - A small soluble protein expressed primarily at presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system. α-synuclein dysfunction is a common feature of all forms of Parkinson’s Disease.
a-tocopherol – See tocopherol.
B2-opioid receptor – The receptor to which opioids such as morphine, hydrocodone and fentanyl bind.
g-radiation – (pronounced ‘gamma’ radiation – g or gamma is the third letter of the Greek alphabet) High frequency radiation which Anteo has used to apply physical stress to polymer surfaces in order to make them suitable for grafting to other polymers.
g-tocopherol – See tocopherol.
m-opioid receptor – The neural receptor to which oxycodone binds.
505(B)2 – An FDA regulatory approval process that applies for new drug delivery technologies and formulations where the drug being delivered is already FDA approved. With 505(B)2 applications only the safety and efficacy of the delivery technology needs to be demonstrated to the agency. 505(B)2 refers to the relevant section of America's Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act.
510(k) – Regulatory approval for a medical device in the US where the device has been found to be functionally equivalent to a device (called the ‘predicate device’) that was on the market before 1976.
5-fluorouracil (5-FU) – A drug used in systemic chemotherapy, particular in cancers of the breast and intestine, which was introduced by Roche in the late 1950s. The drug works by inhibiting take-up of DNA and RNA by cells, with rapid-growth cancer cells thereby being starved. 5-FU is generally administered with leucovorin (LV).
5-FU – See 5-Fluorouracil
6-OHDA – An animal model of Parkinson’s disease. In the 6-OHDA model the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine is used to selectively kill dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons.
A2A – Short for adenosine 2A receptor, a receptor for the RNA molecule adenosine that seems to play a role in dopamine release.
Abiotic – Use of capture agents other than antibodies or other biological molecules in diagnostics.
Absolute weight loss – The amount of weight a patient loses in a weight loss programme regardless of that person’s ideal weight, as opposed to Excess Weight Loss.
Accuracy – A composite measure of sensitivity and specificity to show how well a diagnostic works.
Acetaminophen – A non-opioid analgesic that is anti-inflammatory and anti-fever. Acetaminophen is often called ‘paracetamol’. It is an ingredient in Percocet. Tylenol is an acetaminophen brand.
Acetylcholine – A neurotransmitter.
Acrux – A Melbourne-based transdermal drug delivery company, whose first commercial product was the testosterone replacement product Axiron. The name comes from the star called Acrux, which is Alpha Crucis, the brightest star in the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross.
ACS – See Acute Coronary Syndrome.
Active controlled – A clinical trial in which a drug is measured against a drug or drug combination rather than placebo.
Active ingredient – The part of a drug with pharmaceutical activity, also called ‘the active’. It is the compound within a drug-like preparation that is active against the drug’s target.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient – The part of a drug with pharmaceutical activity as opposed to a mere ‘support’ role.
Actuator - A mechanical device that converts energy into motion.
Acute Coronary Syndrome - A disease situation where patients are suffering both angina and heart attack.
Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) - The medical term for a heart attack, that is, a blockage of blood supply to the heart muscle (the myocardium).
Acute pain – Pain that the patient experiences for only a short period.
ADAPT – Allied Healthcare’s tissue fixing and sterilisation technology, being developed by Celxcel.
ADAS-cog – Short for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale. It is a measure of cognition in Alzheimer’s disease patients. An ADAS-Cog test is a battery of individual tests of such abilities as word recall and recall of test instructions etc.
ADHD – Short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a mental health condition in which a patient finds it hard to pay attention, be organised, think slowly and sit still.
Adipose tissue – Fat tissue (‘adeps’ is Greek for fat)
Adjuvant – In immunology, a substance that assists in increasing immune system response.
ADME – See pharmacokinetics.
ADVANCE – The name of HeartWare’s Bridge to Transplant trial in the US.
Affective disorder – A mental disorder characterised by alteration in mood. Depression is an affective disorder.
Afluria – CSL’s thiomersal-free influenza vaccine. Afluria gained FDA approval in October 2007.
Agenix – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code AGX, which works on a blood clot diagnostic.
Agonist – A drug that stimulates or enhances the activity of cell receptors.
AIDS – The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, a condition in which the immune system ceases to function effectively due to destruction of white blood cells by HIV.
AlbRx – CSL’s albumin product.
Albumin – A blood protein often administered by injection to treat or prevent shock, following serious injury, bleeding, surgery, or burns, by increasing the volume of blood plasma.
Alchemia – A Brisbane based company, ASX Code ACL, which is working on delivery of cancer drugs using hyaluronic acid.
Alginate – A polysaccharide that occurs naturally in brown algae and is often used in wound dressing products because they can absorb up to twenty times their weight in fluid, making them good at draining wet wounds.
Alkaloids – Compounds often found in plants that are based on nitrogen and are physiologically active.
Allied Healthcare – A Brisbane-based company, ASX Code AHZ, working on tissue preparation and vaccine technology.
Allogeneic – A type of bone marrow or stem cell transplant in which the donor and recipient are genetically dissimilar. Mesoblast’s stem cells products can be used in allogeneic transplants, enabling them to be used as ‘off the shelf’ products.
Allosteric modulator – A drug that binds to a receptor target without displacing that receptor’s usual ligand. Allosteric modulators can be positive (turns ‘up’ the signal from the receptor) or negative (turns it down).
Alopecia – Complete or partial hair loss.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin – CSL’s Zemaira product. Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an hereditary condition that increases the risk of the lung disorder emphysema.
Alzheimer’s disease (also called presenile dementia) - A brain disorder that affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Alzheimer’s is understood to afflict between 1 and 2% of the population of the Western world.
Ambulatory – Medical care given to patients who do not need to be admitted to a hospital.
AMD – Short for Age-related Macular Degeneration, an eye disease in which the central area of the retina (the macula) loses function and leaves the patient with only peripheral vision. Mesoblast has done preclinical work indicating that its stem cells can be useful in the treatment of AMD.
AMI – see Acute Myocardial Infarction.
Amide – A nitrogen-based organic compound. Currently amide bonds obtained using EDC are the main way in which antibodies are linked to surfaces for diagnostic purposes.
Amiloride – A cardiovascular drug that is a sodium ion channel blocker. Biotron-associated scientists initially used amiloride analogues when searching for a VPU inhibitor drug. See HMA below.
Amino – A nitrogen-based organic compound derived from ammonia (NH3) in which one or more of the hydrogens are replaced by a side chain. Amino groups have the compound NH2 as part of their structure. Amino acids, of which there are twenty occurring naturally, are the building blocks of proteins.
Amino acids - The building blocks of proteins. There are around twenty naturally occurring amino acids.
Ampicillin – An antibiotic that is being studied for potential analogues in QRx’s Torsin project.
Amyloid – A starch-like protein that is found deposited in plaques in the brain tissue of people who have died from Alzheimer’s.
Amyloid beta – An amyloid protein that results when Amyloid Precursor Protein is cut by a secretase enzyme. Amyloid beta can form into plaque in brain tissue and contribute to loss of brain function. A Beta 40, an amyloid beta protein which is 40 amino acids in length, is the more common, however a slightly longer protein called A Beta 42, which as the name suggests is 42 amino acids long, tends to aggregate into plaques more easily.
Amyloid hypothesis – The hypothesis that beta amyloid protein is the primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloid plaques – The clumps of amyloid in the brain that indicate that a person died of Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloid targeting metallocomplexes – PBT-designed drugs that can block amyloid beta’s metal bind site.
Analgesics – Pain management drugs.
Analogue – A protein drug similar to the natural protein but with some amino acids changed so as to improve the drug’s performance.
Analogues – Chemical compounds that are based on a known substance but with various elements of the original compound altered. Scientists often create analogues of known compounds when looking for new drugs that have similar properties to the compound but are better as drugs.
Analyte – The substance or chemical constituent that is determined by a diagnostic.
ANDA – Short for ‘Abbreviated’ New Drug Application, a filing with the FDA for approval to market a generic drug. In an ANDA the generic drug maker has to prove ‘bioequivalence’ to the branded drug.
Angene – Bionomics’ platform for drug discovery of angiogenesis drug targets.
Angina – Chest pains associated with coronary heart disease. Stable angina has a regular pattern that only occurs if the heart is working harder than usual. Unstable angina doesn't follow a pattern, can occur without physical exertion, and in 10-20% of cases is the prelude to a heart attack. Chronic refractory angina is angina in patients for whom there are no treatment options available.
Angioblasts - Adult blood vessel stem cells.
Angioblast Systems - A privately-held US company which has licensed the rights to Mesoblast’s stem cells for cardiovascular conditions. Mesoblast owned 39% of Angioblast Systems fully diluted until it acquired the other 61% in 2010.
Angioedema – A disease condition where fluid accumulation leads to swelling of the skin, mucosa and submucosal tissues.
Angiogenesis – The process underlying the formation of new blood vessels. Anti-angiogenesis drugs are increasing being found to be useful in the treatment of cancers.
Angioplasty - A procedure to open clogged arteries, performed after a heart attack.
Antagonist – A drug that blocks the action of a particular receptor.
Anteo Diagnostics – A Brisbane-based company, ASX Code ADO, which works on surface design technology.
Anteo Surface Technology – Anteo’s core technology of surface discovery through high throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry.
Antibodies – Also called immunoglobulins, antibodies are immune system proteins that can bind to an antigen and help to neutralise the potentially harmful effects of the cells carrying the antigen. Antibodies are commonly used in drug therapy for this reason. Antibodies are often used in diagnostics to create immunoassays.
Antibody Capture – Patrys’ suite of technologies for identifying cancer antibodies.
Antigen - The ‘bad guy’ substance that stimulates the immune system to respond to the perceived threat. It is the protein to which antibodies bind.
Antigen-presenting cells - White blood cells that instruct the immune cells on what foreign thing (antigen) they should attack. They eat what they identify to be foreign substances in the blood then process (degrade) antigen into small peptides, place the peptides that indicate the characteristics of an antigen on their surface, and present the antigen to T cells so as to produce the appropriate immune system response. The class of cells called antigen presenting cells also includes dendritic cells or dendritic macrophages.
Anti-microbial – A compound that can kill viruses and bacteria. SPL7013 is an anti-microbial dendrimer.
Antioxidants – Substances that neutralise oxygen in free radicals, which can damage cells in the body. Various vitamins including Vitamin E have antioxidant properties.
Antiplatelet therapy – The use of drugs that inhibit blood clots such as the BMS/Sanofi drug Plavix, or aspirin.
Antiproliferative drug – Any drug that prevents abnormal tissue growth. Antiproliferative drugs such as the cancer drug taxol or the immunosuppressant drug everolimus are used as the coating in drug-eluting stents to prevent fibrosis-driven re-blockage of the artery at the stent site.
Antiretroviral – A drug used in the treatment of HIV infection (HIV is a retrovirus).
Antisense – Methods for blocking the message – the ‘sense’- of the DNA behind the creation of a protein.
Antisense Therapeutics – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code ANP, working on the use of antisense constructs to disease genes.
ANVISA - The Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, Brazil’s answer to the FDA.
Anxiolysis – The process of anxiety reduction.
AOP9604 – A peptide drug originally developed for the treatment of obesity as AOD9604 (AOD stands for ‘Advanced Obesity Drug’). The drug is a modified peptide fragment of Human Growth Hormone. Phosphagenics is reprofiling AOP9604 as an anti-cellulite cream.
Aorta - The large artery that carries blood from the left ventricle of the heart to branch arteries.
Aortic root enlargement – An aneurysm (ie balloon-like deformity) in the wall of the aorta, which is the large artery that carries blood from the left ventricle of the heart to branch arteries. ADAPT has been used in surgery to treat aortic root enlargement.
Apathy Syndrome – Lack of motivation, initiative or enthusiasm, as well as low variety of expression, often resulting from stroke.
Apheresis – Removal of blood from a patient so that certain cells can be extracted therefrom, after which the blood is returned to the patient.
API – See Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
APOE4 – A gene that codes for a version of Apolipoprotein E, a cholesterol transport protein. The E4 version of the APOE gene contains a polymorphism associated with a majority of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease cases. The gene for APOE was discovered in 1992 on chromosome 19. Elan is targeting APOE4 positive patients with its bapineuzumab drug.
Apoptosis – ‘Programmed’ cell death, that is, death that is naturally-occurring. Cancer cells tend to avoid apoptosis.
APP – Short for Amyloid beta Precursor Protein, a protein found in the outer layer of brain cells which, when snipped by the secretases, results in amyloid beta. The gene for APP was located on chromosome 21 around 1987.
ARCBS – Australian Red Cross Blood Service, a blood collection agency.
Argon plasma treatment – The application of ionised argon gas to a surface. Anteo has used this heat-based method to apply physical stress to polymer surfaces in order to make them suitable for grafting to other polymers.
Aricept – A cholinesterase inhibitor drug from Pfizer (generic name donepezil) that treats Alzheimer’s by boosting the amount of acetylcholine in the brain.
Arixtra - A synthetic heparin from GSK. Arixtra’s generic name is fondaparinux.
Ascending aorta – The blood's 'superhighway' from the heart out to the rest of the body.
Assay – A test that allows the presence or absence of a substance in a test tube to be verified.
Asthma – A chronic respiratory condition marked by periodic spasms in the bronchi, causing difficulty in breathing.
Astrocyte – A glial cell which helps regulate neurotransmitter levels in the brain.
AtCor Medical – A developer of blood pressure diagnostic systems, ASX Code ACG.
Atherosclerosis – The clogging or hardening of blood vessels caused by plaques of fatty deposits, usually cholesterol.
Atria – One of the heart’s two upper chambers (left or right).
Atrial fibrillation – A type of arrhythmia involving irregular heartbeat. Around one in 100 people have AF.
Atrial septal defect –See Septal defect.
Atropine – A small molecule drug used to accelerate heart rate in patients. Phosphagenics has used TPM to deliver atropine in rat models.
Atypical pneumonia – Pneumonia caused by certain bacteria (such as Legionella pneumophila, the cause of Legionnaire’s Disease) where the symptoms differ from pneumonia caused by common bacteria.
Auscultation – The diagnosis of internal medical conditions using a stethoscope.
Autism – Developmental disability characterised impaired communication, difficulty in social interaction, and restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – A developmental disability with similar symptoms to autism. Rett’s Syndrome is considered an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Autograft – Use of a patient’s own bone in orthopaedics work.
Autoimmune disease – Disease in which the immune system is attacking ‘self’ antigens rather than ‘non-self antigens’. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis are autoimmune diseases.
Autologous - A type of bone marrow or stem cell transplant in which the recipient receives his own cells. Mesoblast’s stem cells were initially trialled in autologous transplants before work began on allogeneic applications of the cells.
Autonomic – Refers to nervous system activity that controls activities such as heart rate. It is often measured using electrodermal activity, where sensors attached to the palm are used to monitor sweat output.
Avastin – A Roche antibody drug that is an anti-angiogenesis agent. See bevacizumab.
Avidity – The strength of an antibody’s binding to its antigen, as opposed to affinity, which is whether or not it can bind.
Avita Medical – A developer of skin repair technology, ASX Code AVH.
Axial flow - An LVAD pump where blood flows enter and exit along the same direction parallel to the impeller.
Axiron – Acrux’s transdermal testosterone spray, which is marketed by Eli Lilly.
Axon – An extension of a neuron responsible for nerve transmission. Axons are sheathed in myelin.
B3 adrenergic receptors – Receptors located mainly in adipose tissue involved in the regulation of lipolysis.
Bacteria – Single-celled organisms that are typically a few micrometres in length.
Bacterial vaginosis - Excessive ‘bad’ bacteria in the vagina, such as Gardnerella vaginalis, leading to symptoms such as discharge or odour.
Balloon angioplasty - An operation to repair a damaged blood vessel or unblock a coronary artery in which a balloon is inserted into the vessel via the femoral artery using a catheter and then expanded.
Bapineuzumab – An Alzheimer’s antibody drug currently being developed by Elan and Wyeth.
Bare metal – A stent without the drug coating used in drug-eluting stents.
Bariatric surgery – Surgery to reduce the size of the stomach to help morbidly obese people lose weight. Bariatrics is the field of medicine concerned with weight loss.
Basal Insulin – Insulin that keeps blood sugar stable between meals and overnight.
Base – A constituent of nucleic acids that combines with sugar and phosphate in nucleotides. There are four bases – adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C).
Baseline – The starting point for measurement in a scientific experiment or clinical trial.
Base pair - Two nucleotide bases on different strands of the nucleic acid molecule that bond together. The bases can pair in one way only: adenine with thymine and guanine with cytosine.
Bax – A pro-apoptosis protein.
B cells – Another name for B-Lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that are responsible for the production of antibodies.
Bcl2 – An anti-apoptosis protein.
BCLC – A staging system for liver cancer developed by the Barcelona Clinic for Liver Cancer, ranked from BCLC A (early) to BCLC B (intermediate), BCLC C (advanced) and BCLC D (terminal).
Beads – Small spheres used in immunoassays where a binding agent specific for the target of interest is coated to the bead. Beads are often magnetic, allowing detection of analyte through magnetism.
Benitec – A Sydney based company, ASX Code BLT, involved in gene silencing technology.
Benzodiazepines – The class of tranquilliser drugs best known for Valium.
Beriate – CSL’s freeze-dried human Factor VIII concentrate.
Berinert - A C1 esterase inhibitor used to treat angioedema.
Beriplex – A plasma-derived prothrombin complex concentrate used to stop bleeding in patients on oral anti-coagulants.
Beta radiation – The radiation emitted by SIR-Spheres, which is the stream of electrons given off by the spheres.
Bevacizumab – An antibody drug, brand name Avastin, that is often used in the treatment of mCRC. Bevacizumab works by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor A, thereby cutting the vasculature of tumours.
Big Pharma – A collective term referring to the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, J&J, Merck & Co., Novartis and Pfizer.
Bile – A substance produced by the liver which the body uses to digest fats.
Bioavailability – The quantity of a drug that is able to make it to its target once inside the body. High bioavailability is an important component in a drug’s prospects for commercial success. High oral bioavailability is even more desirable because then the drug can be administered in pill form. Some drugs have high bioavailability when injected intravenously but low bioavailability orally.
Biochip – See Microarray.
Biocompatibility – The ability of a material to not be injurious or toxic to living tissue, as well as avoid generating an immunologic reaction.
Bioinformatics – The use of information technology to analyse biological data.
Bio-Layer – The former name (2005-2008) of Anteo Diagnostics. Bio-Layer’s ASX Code was BLS.
Biologicals – Drugs based on proteins that occur naturally in living organisms. Most biologicals are large molecule drugs.
Biomarker – A natural substance used as an indicator of a biological state, especially to detect the presence or severity of disease.
Biomimetic – A synthesised compound that is similar to an actual biological compound.
Bionomics - An Adelaide based drug development company, ASX Code BNO.
Bioresorbable - Materials that can be broken down by the body and that do not require mechanical removal.
Biostate – CSL’s brand name for human Factor VIII.
Biotin – A molecule used in diagnostics because it binds to streptavidin. Biotinylated antibodies or other capture agents can capture the analyte and then be selected out of a solution using streptavidin.
Biotron – A Sydney-based company, ASX Code BIT, working on drugs to treat Hepatitis C and HIV infection.
BIT009 – Biotron’s initial proof-of-concept compound, based on HMA. BIT009 was superseded in 2005 by BIT225.
BIT225 – A rationally designed drug that Biotron has developed for the treatment of HCV and HIV infection.
BLA – Biologics License Application, a filing with the FDA seeking marketing approval for a biotech product.
Blockbuster – A pharmaceutical drug with more than US$1bn in annual sales.
Blood-brain barrier – A wall of cells which line the blood vessels in the brain so tightly that only selected substances are permitted to pass through.
BMI – Short for Body Mass Index, which is one’s body weight in kilograms divided by the square of one’s height in metres. BMI of greater than 25 is generally considered ‘overweight’ while over 30 is considered obese.
BMP – Short for Bone Morphogenetic Protein, a growth factor that can help create new bone. Mesoblast is seeking to displace BMP’s use in spinal fusion.
BN069 – A Bionomics angiogenesis drug target.
BNC105 – Bionomics’ main anti-cancer drug. BNC105 is a Vascular Disrupting Agent.
BNC210 – Bionomics’ anti anxiety drug.
BNC245 – A drug which Bionomics scientists have synthesised which has demonstrated effectiveness against Multiple Sclerosis in animal models.
Bolus Insulin – Extra insulin needed to cope with a sudden glucose influx at mealtimes.
Bone graft – Material which helps an orthopaedics patient grow new bone.
Bone marrow transplantation – A treatment for leukaemia in which a patient’s bone marrow is destroyed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and then replaced by previously harvested bone marrow from a donor or the patient himself. Mesoblast is working on using its stem cells to enhance the effectiveness of bone marrow transplantation through expansion of cord blood.
Bony bridging – The fusion of two bones.
Bovine – From cows. Bovine tissue is often used in soft tissue repair.
Brachytherapy – Internal radiation treatment given by placing radioactive material directly onto a tumour or close to it. The word comes from Greek word ‘brachys’, meaning ‘short distance’. SIRT is a form of brachytherapy.
Brain Resource – An ASX-listed company, Code BRC, which owns the Brain Resource International Database, the world's largest brain function database.
Brain Resource methodology – The methods and protocols and analysis tools which Brain Resources uses to gather and integrate brain data.
Breakthrough pain - Acute periods of pain that start rapidly despite the use of analgesics.
Bridge to Decision – The use of an LVAD to bridge a patient through to the point where a decision is made as to whether or not to list the patient on a heart transplant waiting list.
Bridge to Recovery – Use of an LVAD to bridge a patient through to the point where the heart has recovered.
Bridge to Transplant – Use of a heart assist device to bridge a heart failure patient through to cardiac transplantation.
Bronchi, bronchioles – The bronchi are the two large airways that branch off from the lower end of the windpipe, one for each lunch. Each bronchus divides into many branches that end with smaller tubes called bronchioles.
Bronchiectasis – A condition where damage to the bronchi causes them to widen and become flabby and scarred.
Bronchiolitis – Infection of the bronchioles.
Bronchitis – Inflammation of the bronchi.
Buccal delivery – Delivery of drugs through the buccal mucosa in the inner cheek of the mouth.
Bunionectomy – Surgical removal of bunions, which are bony protrusions at the base of the big toe.
C1q – A subunit of the C1 enzyme complex that activates the serum complement system. PAT-SM6 is known to bind C1q and mediates complement deposition on cancer cells.
CA1, CA2 – Two subregions of the hippocampus.
CA125 - A tumour marker that is indicative of ovarian cancer.
CABG – See Coronary Artery Bypass Graft.
Cadaver – A dead human body.
Calcification –The build-up of calcium in tissues, which reduces their flexibility and durability.
Calzada - A Melbourne-based company which works on biodegradable polymer technology. The company’s name in Spanish means ‘roadway’.
Camptothecin – A naturally-occurring DNA topoisomerase inhibitor derived from a tree native to China called the ‘xu shi’, scientific name Camptotheca acuminata. Camptosar/irinotecan is a camptothecin analogue.
Camptosar – A drug from Pfizer approved in 1996 for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Camptosar is the brand name of irinotecan.
Cancer stem cell – A cell that can give rise to a tumour. Cancer stem cells traditionally have been difficult to kill with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Cancer vaccine – A vaccine that has been developed to target a cancer molecule to either prevent cancer (prophylactic vaccine) or treat existing cancer (therapeutic vaccine). CVac is a cancer vaccine.
Cannula – A tube inserted into the body.
CAP – See Continuous Access Protocol.
Capecitabine – A prodrug of 5FU. The branded form of capecitabine is the Roche drug Xeloda.
Capping groups – See terminal groups.
Capsid – The protein coat or shell of a virus particle.
Capture agent – The part of a diagnostic which captures the analyte by binding to it. Also called a ligand.
Carbidopa – A drug often used in conjunction with levodopa to treat Parkinson’s Disease in its early stages.
Carbohydrate – A sugar-based organic compound
Carboplatin – A platinum-based cancer drug that was approved by the FDA in 1989.
Carbopol – A water soluble vinyl polymer often used as a gelling agent. Carbopol is the gel material for VivaGel.
Carcinoma – Another word for 'cancer'.
Cardiac index – The ratio of blood flow, in litres per minute, to a patient’s body surface area. The lower this figure, the worse the patient’s experience. Normal cardiac index ranges from 2.6 to 4.2.
Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) - The use of specialised pacemakers to re-coordinate the action of the right and left ventricles of the heart where an abnormality in the heart's electrical conducting system has caused the two ventricles to beat in an asynchronous fashion. Also called ‘Biventricular Pacing’.
Cardiac transplantation – Replacement of a failing heart with a donated heart.
Cardiocel – Celxcel’s trademark for ADAPT when used for cardiovascular conditions.
Cardiovascular disease – The various medical conditions that affect the heart and the blood vessels, such as heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Carimmmune – The brand name for CSL’s lyophilized IVIG.
Cartilage – The connective tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Mesoblast’s stem cells are being applied to the treatment of cartilage damage in osteoarthritis.
Carrier – Material used to carry a drug for delivery into the body. TPM is a carrier technology.
Caspase 8 – An effector of apoptosis.
Category B – A Medicare classification in which a device is deemed to be ‘nonexperimental/investigational’ and therefore eligible for reimbursement during a clinical trial.
Catheter - A tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel to allow drainage, injection of fluids, or implantation of devices.
CCK-4 – Short for cholecystokinin tetrapeptide, a peptide that can induce panic attacks in people.
CCR5 – A receptor on the surface of some immune system cells that HIV uses to enter the cell. Many ‘entry inhibitor’ drugs work by blocking CCR5 or its co-receptor, CXCR4.
CD34+ cells – Another term for haemopoietic stem cells.
CD44 – A hyaluronic acid receptors that are overexpressed on cancer cells, including cancer stem cells.
CD55 – The target of PAT-SC1. CD55 is also called Decay-Accelerating Factor.
CD4 cells - White blood cells that assist in the body’s immune response through the creation of antibodies. HIV uses the CD4 structure on the cell surface, as well as the co-receptors CCR5 and CXCR4, to enter and infect cells.
CD4+ cells - White blood cells that assist in the body’s immune response by helping B cells create antibodies. CD4+ cells receive the antigen of foreign cells from the MHC Class II molecules on Antigen Presenting Cells.
CD8+ cells – White blood cells that assist in the body’s immune response by killing foreign cells, which is why CD8+ cells are also called Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes or Killer T-cells. CD8+ cells receive the antigen of foreign cells from the MHC Class I molecules on Antigen Presenting Cells.
CDC – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a US government agency charged with investigating and diagnosing, as well as controlling or preventing, disease.
CDI – Short for CHESS Depositary Interests, a type of security used by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) to allow stocks of international companies to trade in Australia. CHESS is the ASX’s Clearing House Electronic Subregister System, which manages the settlement of transactions executed on the ASX.
Cell-mediated arm – The arm of the immune system involved with generation of T-Cells against an antigen, as opposed to antibodies.
Cellmid – A Sydney-based company working on midkine, which is a heparin-binding cytokine that plays a role in cancer and heart disease.
Cellular therapy - The process of introducing new cells into a tissue in order to treat a disease.
Cellulite - The dimples and bumps in the skin, usually around the thighs and buttocks, caused when the natural structure of the skin is stretched by fat tissue.
Celxcel – A subsidiary of Allied Healthcare that is working on the ADAPT tissue fixing and sterilisation technology.
CE marking – The process of gaining European approval for a medical device. CE stands for Conformité Européenne.
Central laboratory – A large pathology laboratory where samples are shipped for analysis in a factory-style setting for high throughput. Central laboratories make heavy use of in-vitro diagnostics.
Central Nervous System (CNS) – The brain and the spinal column, which is mostly made up of nerve cells.
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) – A fluid that surrounds the central nervous system. Physicians can check on the levels of amyloid beta in the brain by using a lumbar puncture to assay for the fluid.
Cervical spine – The upper back which supports the neck area.
Cetuximab – An antibody drug that has been indicated in head and neck cancer as well as colorectal cancer. The branded version is Erbitux, from BMS and Merck KGaA. In colorectal cancer cetuximab works better if the patients don’t have a mutated version of KRAS. Cetuximab targets EGFR, the epidermal growth factor receptor.
CFR1 ––Short for Cysteine-rich Fibroblast growth factor Receptor 1, CFR1 is the target of PAT-PA1. This growth factor receptor plays a role in various cancers including pancreatic.
Chemoform – An Alchemia term referring to the individual 3D shapes a peptide of three amino acids can take.
Chemokine – A protein that activates immune cells, stimulates their migration, and helps direct immune cell traffic throughout the body.
Chemotherapy - The use of chemical agents to treat cancer, as opposed to radiotherapy.
CHF – Short for congestive heart failure.
Chlamydia – An STI caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman's reproductive organs. Symptoms of infection are usually mild or absent.
CHO – Short for Chinese Hamster Ovary, a cell line that is often used to produce therapeutic proteins.
Cholesterol - A lipid produced by the liver with many functions including the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins and the production of sex hormones. Too much cholesterol, however, is bad for cardiovascular health. See LDL and HDL.
Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) – A neuronal enzyme that makes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, important for functions such as muscle contraction, the regulation of heart rate and learning. In Alzheimer’s disease ChAT is less active than in non-Alzheimer’s brains.
Chromatographic fractionation – A blood fractionation technique used by CSL.
Chromatographic Liquid IVIG – 10% liquid IVIG.
Chronic pain – Pain that the patient experiences over some period of time. Generally pain that has persisted for longer than three months is considered chronic.
Circadian Technologies – An ASX-listed company, Code CIR, company working on VEGF inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and eye disease.
Circulatory support – Use of mechanical devices to support the body’s cardiovascular system. An LVAD is a circulatory support device.
Cisplatin – A platinum-containing chemotherapy drug first approved by the FDA in 1978. In conjunction with Taxol, it is the current standard for ovarian cancer treatment.
Class – a) In US medical device regulation, a device goes in one of three classes – Class I (low risk), Class II (moderate risk) and Class III (high risk); b) See Major Histocompatibility Complex.
Cleared – A clinical trial for which approval has been gained from the FDA.
Clinical hold – An FDA order to delay or suspend a clinical trial.
Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code CUV, which develops drugs to treat skin disorders.
Clioquinol – An old anti-amoebic drug with which Prana conducted their proof of concept studies for the MPAC approach. The drug was banned from the Japanese market in 1970 because up to 10,000 Japanese patients developed peripheral nerve damage and sometimes blindness partly as a result of taking it.
CMC – Short for Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control, the description of a how a drug is manufactured. CMC data is included in a Drug Master File.
CMI – Short for Cell Mediated Immunity, where specific defence cells are mounted against a foreign substance, as in Killer T Cells.
CMS – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers these programmes for America’s federal Department of Health and Human Services. CMS reimbursement helps drive commercial value for US-approved drugs and medical devices.
CNS – Short for Central Nervous System, that is, the brain and the spinal cord.
Codons – A sequence of three nucleotides that code for an amino acid.
Codon optimisation – A process whereby codons are changed in an antigen in order to increase the expression of that antigen in cells.
Cognition - A term which covers multiple aspects of mental function such as a memory and language. In Alzheimer’s cognition is often measured by ADAS-Cog.
Cohort – A group of patients in a clinical trial on the same dose or with other features in common.
Collagen – The fibrous protein that makes up connective tissue.
Colorectal cancer – Cancers of the colon and rectum. Around 70% of colorectal cancers originate in the colon.
Combination Rule study – A clinical trial in which the drug combination is being trialled against each of its components separately rather than placebo.
Combinatorial chemistry – A method of synthesising large numbers of chemical compounds by combining sets of chemical building blocks.
Combretastatin A4 – An anti-cancer drug originally identified in the bark of the African bush willow tree Combretum caffrum.
Co-morbidities – Diseases that tend to occur alongside a main disease.
Comparative study – A study comparing a drug with an existing drug or drug combination rather than placebo.
Complementary – The nucleotide that acts as partner to another nucleotide in a base pairing. In DNA adenine (A) is complementary to thymine (T) and cytosine (C) is complementary to guanine (G).
Complementary DNA – The synthesised mRNA that scientists use to read genomes.
Complement system – A suite of proteins which help or ‘complement’ antibodies and T cells to clear pathogens from the body. Decay-Accelerating Factor is a regulatory protein in the complement system.
Complete Response – Elimination of a tumour brought about by a cancer drug.
Complete Response Letter - A letter issued by the FDA explaining why it won’t yet approve a particular drug.
Compliance – The following by a patient of a prescribed course of treatment.
Composition of matter – A patent that covers the chemical make-up of a drug.
Compound library – A collection of proprietary chemical compounds that a drug developer uses when looking for a drug to hit a particular target. Biotron has over 300 compounds in its library.
Compression therapy – The use of a compressing bandage or stocking to treat venous ulcers, by encouraging better functioning of the veins in the leg.
Concussion – Temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head. Concussion is mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
Congestive heart failure – See heart failure.
Construct – When used as a noun, in genetics, a construct is a genetically engineered plasmid, such as Coridon’s DNA vaccines.
Continuous Access Protocol – FDA approval of continuing use of a device by patients or doctors who have participated in a clinical trial.
Control arm – The group of patients in a clinical study that are not being administered the treatment and are used for comparison purposes.
Controlled release – A drug which works in the body over a long period of time.
Controlled substances – In the US, drugs scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act that have ‘high potential for abuse’ which the Feds are watching out for. Oxycodone and morphine are drugs on ‘Schedule II’, the second most serious of five schedules of controlled substances.
COPD – Short for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD is an umbrella term for a number of progressive, long-term lung conditions characterised by shortness of breath due to reduced airflow through the. The most common COPD conditions are emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma.
Copolymer – A polymer made out of two monomer building blocks rather than one.
Cord blood – Blood from the umbilical cord of a newborn child. Cord blood is rich in haemopoietic stem cells.
Coridon – A company associated with Allied Healthcare that is working on DNA vaccines.
Coronary arteries – The arteries that supply heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood.
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), commonly known as ‘heart bypass’ surgery, in which a section of vein, usually from the patient's leg, is used to create an alternative pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle.
Coronary artery disease - A narrowing or hardening of the heart's arteries due to a build-up of plaque, leading to other cardiovascular problems such as heart attack.
Coronavirus – A virus with a halo or crown-like appearance mainly known for infections of the upper respiratory tract. SARS is a coronavirus.
Cortex – The outermost part of the brain, where all the important mental processes occur.
Cortical – A term referring to the cerebral cortex, the area of the brain where most of the high-level brain activity takes place.
Cortisol – A stress hormone.
Cosmeceutical – A cosmetic that also has pharmaceutical properties.
Counterpulsation – Pumping of the heart counter to its natural rhythm in order to improve cardiac output.
C-Peptide – A peptide produced during the synthesis of insulin. Rising C-peptide insulin levels indicate that a person is making more of their own insulin.
C-Pulse – An external aortic counterpulsation support system being commercialised by Sunshine Heart.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) – A protein in the blood, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation.
Cripto-1 – An antigen of cancer cells for which Oncomab has developed a monoclonal antibody.
Cross-links – Bonds that link one polymer chain to another.
Crossover trial – A type of clinical trial in which the study subjects receive each treatment being studied in a random order, with each patient serving as his or her own control.
Croup – An infection that causes inflammation of the windpipe and voice box.
CRT-D – A pacemaker device that performs ‘Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy’ in which the pacemaker is combined with a defibrillator.
Cryoprecipitate - A blood component made from plasma, containing VWF and factor VIII. Because there is no method to kill viruses in cryoprecipitate, it is no longer recommended.
Cryopreserved – Frozen for long-term storage purposes.
CRYSTAL – Short for “Cetuximab combined with iRinotecan in first line therapY for metaSTatic colorectAL cancer”, CRYSTAL was a clinical trial that evaluated the performance of Erbitux (generic name cetuximab) in colorectal cancer.
C-terminal – The right hand side of an amino acid sequence. AOD960-4 comes from the C terminal of Human Growth Hormone.
CTL - see Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes.
CVac – The trade name for Prima Biomed’s Mannan Fusion Protein product.
CVD – Short for cardiovascular disease.
CXCR4 – A receptor on the surface of some immune system cells that HIV uses to enter the cell. Many ‘entry inhibitor’ drugs work by blocking CXCR4 or its co-receptor, CCR5.
Cycle – A regular dose of a chemotherapy drug that is followed by a rest period.
Cystic Fibrosis – A genetic disorder that affects the lung’s ability to clear mucus, resulting in breathing difficulties and frequent lung infections.
CytoGam – An immunoglobulin product specific for cytomegalovirus. CSL bought Cytogam in late 2006. Cytomegalovirus infection is an issue in organ transplantation.
Cytokines - Protein secreted by white blood cells involved in activating various other immune system cells. CytoKines are often called an ‘immunomodulating proteins’ due to their role in immune system regulation.
Cytotoxics – Drugs that can kill cancer cells.
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes – see T lymphocytes.
cGMP – See Good Manufacturing Practice.
Dalton - A unit of mass, defined as one-twelve of the mass of a carbon-12 nucleus. Molecular weight is measured in daltons. A drug less than 500 daltons in size is a small molecule.
DAPT – Short for Dual Antiplatelet Therapy, the use of either Plavix or Effient with aspirin to prevent blood clots from occurring in stent recipients.
DC - Short for dendritic cell.
Decay-Accelerating Factor (DAF) – A protein found in the membrane of cells that inhibits the activation of elements of the complement system. DAF is also called CD55.
Decision support – Software which enables clinicians to recommend treatment options to patients.
Deep Brain Stimulation – A treatment for Parkinson’s Disease that involves electrical stimulation of the area of the brain that controls movement.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – Formation of a blood clot in veins that are not superficial. The legs are a common site for such thromboses.
Defibrillator – Devices which treat ventricular or atrial fibrillation, which is where the heart muscle has a quivering motion rather than normal pumping action as a result of disorganised electrical signals. The electrical signals from defibrillators correct this by shocking the heart back into its normal rhythm.
Dementia – The group of brain disorders that seriously affects the patient’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Dermis – The deep vascular inner layer of the skin underneath the epidermis.
Denaturisation - The alteration of a protein’s shape through some form of external stress.
Dendrimer – A type of precisely defined, branched nanoparticle.
Dendrite – An extension of a neuron designed to receives input from an axon.
Dendritic cells, dendritic macrophages – Types of antigen presenting cells.
Dengue virus – The virus that causes Dengue fever, a disease characterized not only by fever but also rashes, headaches and muscle pain. Biotron has demonstrated that its compounds are capable of blocking the M protein in Dengue virus.
De Novo – An FDA regulatory pathway for medical devices. Basically De Novo is for novel devices where there is no 510(k)-relevant predicate but where the device is deemed a low or moderate risk. The De Novo process leads to a Class I or Class II classification and has a 120-day review cycle, compared to a 90-day review period for a 510(k).
Depot effect – The forming within the skin of a ‘depot’ of drug that then slowly released into the bloodstream, allowing extended release of the drug.
Depression – A mental health condition characterised by generally lowered mood.
Dermis – The deep vascular inner layer of the skin underneath the epidermis.
Destination Therapy (DT) – Use of a heart assist device as a permanent implant in a heart failure patient rather than as a Bridge to Transplant.
Detection agent - The part of a diagnostic which helps measure the amount of captured analyte, by binding to the analyte while also being bound to a fluorescent molecule.
Di-a-tocopheryl phopshates – Two units of a-tocopheryl phosphates joined together. Also called ‘T2P’.
Diabetes - A disease condition in which a person’s pancreas fails to produce enough of the hormone insulin, which the body needs in order to be able to regulate levels of glucose in the blood. There are two types of diabetes, Type I, which generally shows up in childhood and where the pancreas produce no insulin at all, and Type II, representing 95% of total diabetes incidence, where insulin production gradually declines, generally after the age of 40.
Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) – A chronic wound on the foot resulting from complications of diabetes.
Diabetic nephropathy – Kidney damage resulting from diabetes, which can often lead to kidney failure.
Diabetic retinopathy - A disease of the small blood vessels of the retina in the eye that originates from the diabetic condition of the patient. Diabetic retinopathy results in blurred vision and ultimately blindness. Mesoblast is seeking to apply its stem cells to the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
Diamine - An organic compound containing two amino groups.
Diastolic blood pressure – The minimum blood pressure that remains within the artery when the heart is at rest. Diastolic blood pressure is the lowest of the pressures measured.
Diazepam - A benzodiazepine.
Diclofenac – An NSAID. Phosphagenics has adapted diclofenac for delivery with its TPM platform. The leading brand of diclofenac is Voltaren, from Novartis.
Differentiation - The process by which a less specialised cell becomes a more specialised cell type.
Diketopiperazines – Cyclic organic compounds that result from peptide bonds between two amino acids to form a lactam. They are the smallest possible cyclic peptides. NNZ-2591 is a diketopiperazine.
Dimebon – A competitor drug to PBT2 from the San Francisco-based Medivation. Dimebon is an old Russian anti-histamine that performed particularly well in a Phase II trial as an Alzheimer’s drug.
Distal – When referring to stents, ‘downstream’ from the stent.
Diversity Scanning Library – An Alchemia drug discovery tool that comprises a set of proprietary compounds covering the diversity of ‘drug-like’ molecules. The basic building blocks of the Diversity Scanning Library are the Chemoform and the motif.
DNA - Short for deoxyribonucleic acid, a complicated molecule that houses the body’s operating instructions. It is made up of a long string of base pairs twisted around in a helical shape. Every living being has DNA, none as complicated as the human being’s.
DNA vaccines - Vaccines made of sequences of DNA.
Docetaxel – A cancer drug used mainly in the treatment of breast, ovarian, and non-small cell lung cancer. Starpharma has developed a dendrimer-based doxetaxel formulation with markedly improved water solubility.
Dopamine – A neurotransmitter sometimes called the ‘happiness chemical’ because it plays a role in signaling reward in the brain. It also plays a role in body movement. A hallmark of Parkinson’s disease is a drop in dopamine levels.
Dose escalation – A situation in a drug trial where an increasing dose is administered in order to find an optimal dose.
Dose finding – A small clinical trial for a drug designed to find the optimal dose at which to conduct a larger trial. Often Phase I trials are used for dose finding.
Dose response – A situation in which an increased dose of a drug results in a higher level of biochemical effect in the patient. Often this is an indication of therapeutic effectiveness.
Double-blind – A clinical trial in which investigators or patients do not know who is getting drug and who is getting placebo.
Doublecortin – A protein that causes migration of neurons into the cerebral cortex.
Duodenal bulb – The portion of the duodenum which is closest to the stomach.
Down-regulating - Suppressing the expression of a particular molecule.
Doxorubicin - An off-patent anti-cancer drug that has been in use for some decades, mainly for treating breast and liver cancers. It was originally developed in the late 1960s as an antibiotic obtained from the bacterium Streptomyces peuceticus. It first gained FDA approval as a cancer drug in 1974.
Drug eluting stent – A stent coated with an antiproliferative drug that inhibits restenosis.
Drug Master File – The file of information submitted to a regulator when seeking approval of a new drug. The Drug Master File includes the CMC data.
Dual-opioid – A combination of two opioid analgesics in one package. MoxDuo is a dual opioid combination of morphine and oxycodone.
Duodenum – The part of the small intestine between the stomach and the jejunum.
DVOL – Short for Left ventricular end-diastolic volume.
Dynamic range – The range of concentrations of an analyte that can be accurately detected using a diagnostic.
Dyskinesia - Abnormality or impairment of voluntary movement.
Dyslipidemia – An abnormal cholesterol profile.
Dystonia – A movement disorder characterised by tightening and twisting of limbs.
DYT-1 – The gene which encodes the Torsin protein.
EAE - Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, a disorder that when induced in rats partly mimics the auto-inflammation that occurs in multiple sclerosis.
e-Catch the Feeling – An application at MyBrainSolutions that help users tune into positive thinking.
E coli – A bacterium typically used in laboratory experiments because of its ability to rapidly multiply.
EDC – Short for 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide, a chemical usually used to couple antibodies to surfaces using amide bonds.
EEG – Short for electroencephalogram, a measure of brain waves used to assess the electrical activity of the brain. EEGs measure brain activity when the subject is at rest and not involved in a task.
e-Faces and Names - An application at MyBrainSolutions that help users improve their memory for people's faces and names.
Effector cells – Cells that bring about an appropriate immune system response. CD4+ and CD8+ cells are effector cells.
Effector memory T Cells – Cells in the immune system that provide ‘memory’ of previously encountered antigens. Kv1.3 sits on the surface of Effector memory T Cells.
Effient – A blood thinning drug (generic name plasugrel) used in DAPT.
e-Healthcare – Healthcare solutions that involve the use of information technology.
EHR – Electronic Health Record.
Ejection Fraction (EF) – A measure of the capacity at which the heart is pumping, calculated by percentage of blood ejected with each contraction of the ventricles. A normal left ventricular EF is 55% to 70%.
Electroporation – The use of electricity to open channels in cell membranes, allowing biological material such as DNA to pass through.
ELISA – Short for Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay, a test method for antigens in blood that involves the detection of a linked enzyme. ELISAs represent a way of screening many samples at once, through the use of trays containing multiple sample wells.
Elixia – Phosphagenics’s range of cosmeceuticals.
Eluting – ‘Washing out’ one substance from another. Drug-eluting stents elute drug from a polymer that binds it to the mesh framework of the stent.
EMA – The European Medicines Agency, Europe’s answer to the FDA.
Embolisation – The process of injecting a foreign substance into a tumour to starve the tumour of blood flow by way of embolisms, that is, blockages in the relevant blood vessels. Radioembolisation uses radioactive particles to create the embolisms.
Embolism - A body in the circulation which restricts blood flow.
Embryonic stem cells – Stem cells derived from human embryos. Embryonic stem cells are controversial in the Western world due to ethical issues and the potential of such cells to be carcinogenic.
EMEA – Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Emphysema – A condition in which air sacs called alveoli at the end of the bronchial tubes become damaged.
EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner – GI Dynamics’ core product, a plastic liner which, when implanted in the duodenum and proximal jejunum, helps reduce obesity and diabetes.
EndoBarrier Flow Restrictor – An EndoBarrier with an adjustable restriction at the outlet of the stomach designed to delay gastric emptying.
Endoscope – A flexible fibre-optic tube used in medicine for diagnostic or therapeutic functions. An endoscope usually is introduced into the body through a natural opening without the need for surgical incisions.
Endoscopy – A diagnostic or other procedure performed using an endoscope.
Endpoint – The outcome or outcomes that a clinical trial is designed to evaluate, such as disease progression or death. Generally clinical trials have primary and secondary endpoints.
End stage heart failure - NYHA Class IV heart failure.
ENDURANCE – The name of HeartWare’s Destination Therapy trial in the US.
Enteral administration – A situation where a drug is delivered orally and therefore enters the body via the gastrointestinal tract.
Entry inhibitor – Anti-HIV drugs that prevent the entry of virus into cells, generally by blocking the cell surface receptors CXCR4 and CCR5.
Enzyme - A protein that helps speed up biochemical reactions in the body. Enzymes generally have the suffix ‘ase’ in their name.
Epidermis – The outer layer of the skin, with the stratum corneum at its outermost point.
Epithelial cells – Cells that line the surface of organs in the body.
Epithelialisation – The growth of new epidermal cells over a wound.
Epithelium – The membranous tissue covering internal surfaces of the body.
Epitope - The shape or marker on the surface of an antigen that triggers a corresponding antibody response.
E Protein - A protein in the SARS virus which Biotron’s compounds seem to be able to block.
Epstein-Barr Virus – A virus that plays a role in glandular fever as well as various cancers.
Equianalgesic - Providing equal amounts of pain relief.
Erbitux – A cancer antibody drug. See cetuximab
Erectile dysfunction - Inability to sustain an erection which is sufficient for sexual intercourse
ERP – Short for event-related potential, a recording of the brain’s electrical activity while the subject is performing a sensory or cognitive task.
Erythema – An abnormal redness of the skin resulting from inflammation.
Estradiol – A female sex hormone, being one of the estrogens.
Evamist - MDTS engineered to deliver estradiol.
Everolimus – A drug used in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.
Excess Weight Loss (EWL) – The amount of weight an obese person loses through a weight loss regimen, measured as a percentage of the weight which at baseline is in excess of what is normal for that person (eg BMI >25).
Excipient – An inert substance used to prepare a drug for administration rather than being an active part of the drug itself.
Excitatory neurotransmitter – A neurotransmitter designed to turn up the frequency on other nerve system signals.
Executive Function – A general term to describe the brain’s ability to organise itself to get things done.
Expansion – The creation of more cells from a starting batch.
Expansion range – The extent to which a stent can be expanded by the catheter balloon within the artery.
Explant – Removal of a medical device from the patient’s body.
Expression system – A yeast or bacterial cell used to express a recombinant protein. VitroGro ECM will be made using a yeast expression system.
Extended release – An orally available drug that has been formulated so that it dissolves slowly and releases the active over time.
Extension trial – A clinical trial in which patients are studied beyond an initial measurement window in order to ascertain the longer-term effects of the drug.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) – The proteins that surround cells and provide structural support for them.
Exudate – Fluid that flows from a wound.
Ex vivo – Latin for ‘out of the body’.
Ex vivo dendritic cell priming – The priming of dendritic cells outside the body to go after a certain antigen, these dendritic cells being extracted from a sample of the patient’s blood, after it has been removed from his or her body.
Factor VIII - An essential clotting factor. The lack of normal FVIII causes Hemophilia A. CSL supplies both plasma-derived and recombinant product.
Factor IX - An essential clotting factor. The lack of normal FIX causes Hemophilia B.
Fast Track – An FDA designation that accelerates the approval of Investigational New Drugs. Companies with drugs on the Fast Track receive more frequent meetings and written correspondence with the FDA.
Fatigue testing – Testing of a medical device to determine its resistance to stress.
Fc – The region of an antibody at the bottom of the protein’s ‘Y’ shape. Metal oligomers in Mix&Go binds to antibodies via the Fc region, resulting in uniform surface orientation for the antibodies in a Mix&Go-enabled immunoassay.
FDA - The Food and Drug Administration, the American government body which regulates the pharmaceutical industry and from whom approval must be received before a drug can be marketed in the US.
Femoral artery – A large artery that starts in the lower abdomen and goes down into the thigh.
Femur – The thigh bone.
Fentanyl – A narcotic analgesic.
Fibroblast – A type of cell commonly present in tissues including skin that makes matrix components eg. collagen.
Fibrinogen – A blood coagulation protein, also known as Factor I, that is converted to fibrin by the action of an enzyme in blood thrombin. Haemocomplettan is freeze-dried fibrinogen.
Fibrosis – The abnormal formation of scar tissue, which generally limits the flexibility of the surrounding tissue.
First-in-man study – Clinical work on a device at the earliest stage of its development to establish proof of concept.
First line – The initial drug regimen that a patient is treated with immediately after diagnosis.
FIX – See Factor IX.
Flexible dose – A situation where various doses of MoxDuo are used depending on the level of pain experienced, rather than an unchanging dose.
Floxuridine – An anticancer drug of family of drugs called antimetabolites, most often used in the treatment of colorectal cancer but also used in Hepatic Artery Chemotherapy. The drug, also known as FUDR, was originally introduced by Roche in 1970.
Fluorouracil – See 5-fluorouracil.
FOLFIRI – A drug combination used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer involving folic acid (FOL) plus 5-fluorouracil (F) plus irinotecan (IRI).
FOLFOX – A chemotherapy regimen made up of folinic acid (FOL) plus 5-fluorouracil (F) and Oxaliplatin (OX). There are various FOLFOX regimens including FOLFOX4 (85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin, 600 mg/m2 5-FU over 22 hours), FOLFOX6 (100 mg/m2 oxaliplatin, 2,400-3,000 mg/m2 5-FU over 46-48 hours105) and modified FOLFOX6 (85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin but with the same 5-FU infusion as FOLFOX6).
Folic acid – A type of B vitamin known to enhance the effect of 5-fluorouracil.
Fondaparinux – A synthetic heparin drug. Fondaparinux is marketed by GSK as Arixtra.
Forced Swim Test – A test of the effectiveness of an antidepressant in which a rat is forced to swim in a glass tube.
Forteo – Eli Lilly’s osteoporosis drug, which is the bioactive portion of PTH.
FOXFIRE - A 490-patient clinical study which will compare SIR-Spheres plus FOLFOX versus FOLFOX alone.
Fragile X – An Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Fragments – A portion of a full antibody obtained when the antibody is cleaved using the enzyme papain. The antibody’s variable domains and the adjacent constant domains together form two Fab fragments, Fab standing for ‘fragment antibody binding’. The remaining fragment is Fc, that is ‘fragment crystallisable’.
Free radicals – Molecules with unpaired electrons that therefore have to combine with complementary molecules before they become stable. If a free radical bonds with a positive charge molecule, its charge is neutralised. Oxygen in the free radical form can damage cells in the body in a process called oxidative stress.
FUDR – The common abbreviation for floxuridine.
Full-output – A circulatory support device that can assist the heart to pump at full capacity. HVAD is a full output device.
Functional food – Food that provides health benefits beyond energy and essential nutrients.
Functional group - Specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules.
Fusion inhibitor – A drug that can prevent HIV from fusing with its target cell. Fuzeon is a fusion inhibitor.
G-2Methyl PE – See NNZ-2566.
GABA – Short for Gamma Amino Butyric Acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is the subject of a number of anti-epilepsy drugs.
GABAA – A subunit within GABA that Bionomics has sought to target with an anti-epilepsy drug.
GAD – See Glutamic acid decarboxylase.
Gag - Short for ‘Group Antigens’, Gag is one of three major proteins encoded within the HIV genome and represents the core structure of the virus.
Gardasil – An HPV vaccine developed by CSL and ultimately brought to market by Merck in 2006. The vaccine is designed to prevent cervical cancer.
Gastric bypass – A surgical procedure in which the stomach is stapled to create a small ‘pouch’, which is then connected to the small intestine but bypassing the duodenum and upper jejunum. Gastric bypass is also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
Gastric cancer – A cancer of the stomach which is rare in Western countries today (around 21,000 cases annually in the US and 11,000 deaths).
Gastric sleeve – A stomach reduction operation in which a large portion of the stomach is removed and then stapled together to form a ‘sleeve’ shape.
Gavage – Force feeding through a tube inserted through the mouth or nose into the stomach.
GDNF – Glial-cell Derived Neurotrophic Factor, a protein found in the brain believes to nourish the growth of new brain cells.
Gene – The collection of DNA that codes for a protein.
Gene gun – An air gun which enables gold beads coated with DNA to be propelled into the skin, thereby facilitating uptake of a DNA vaccine.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - An anxiety disorder that is independent of situation.
Generic – A drug that is a copy of an existing, marketing product that has gone off-patent.
Gene therapy – The insertion of genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat a disease.
Genital herpes - A genital infection by a herpes virus, usually HSV2, leading to genital sores.
Genetic engineering – Taking DNA from a living organism, and ‘cutting and splicing’ so as to add or delete extra blocks of genetic code, in order to perform some new function with the resulting ‘recombinant’ DNA.
Genome - A body’s entire collection of genes.
Genomics – The study of an organism's entire collection of genes.
Genotype – A distinct genetic subtype of an organism. There are six genotypes of the Hepatitis C Virus with genotype 1 having historically proved hard to treat.
GI Dynamics – A developer of a device to treat obesity and Type II diabetes. ASX Code GID.
Glasgow Coma Scale – A measure of consciousness that ranges between 3 (indicating deep unconsciousness) and 15 (fully conscious), evaluated using tests of the ability to open eyes, speak and move. Patients suffering severe TBI have GCS scores between 4 and 8 while patients with moderate TBI have GCS scores of 9 to 12.
Glial cells – Cells that surround and support neurons.
Global assessment – A subjective assessment by clinicians of the effectiveness of a drug, usually using a numeric scale.
Glomerular sclerosis - A disease condition in which the glomeruli – the network of capillaries that performs the kidney’s first step of filtering blood – become scarred and gradually lose their function.
GLP – Short for Good Laboratory Practice, the generally accepted system of management controls for laboratories to ensure the consistency and reliability of experimental results.
GLP-1 – Short for Glucagon-like peptide-1, a peptide known to increase insulin secretion from the pancreas. The mechanism of action of many new generation diabetes drugs involves the GLP-1 pathway.
Glucagon - A hormone secreted by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels.
Glutamate – A salt or ester of glutamic acid. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter.
Glutamic acid – One of the amino acids, common abbreviation E (because G is already taken by glycine).
Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) – An enzyme that makes the neurotransmitter GABA.
Glutaraldehyde - A chemical used to stabilise the collagen structures in animal tissue when fixing them for surgical implantation in people.
Glycemic control – A person’s ability to keep the level of sugar in their blood down. Diabetics have poor natural glycemic control, as measured by HbA1c >7%.
Glycine – An amino acid, common abbreviation G.
Glycosylated – Coated with sugars. The correct glycosylation profile is necessary if a drug protein is not to prove immunogenic.
Glypromate – Neuren’s name for IGF-1(1-3). The name comes from GLYcine-PROline-GlutaMATE.
Glycoproteins – Substances that are sugar-protein combinations.
Glycosylation – The act of putting sugar molecules in a glycoprotein, usually by an enzyme.
GMP – See Good Manufacturing Practice.
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) – The set of standards that have been laid down by regulators such as the FDA for the production of clinical-grade pharmaceuticals. cGMP refers to ‘current’ Good Manufacturing Practice, since GMP standards tend to change over time.
GPE – Another name for Glypromate, which comes from the common abbreviations for each of the amino acids in the tripeptide – Glycine (G), Proline (P) and Glutamate (E).
G-Protein Coupled Receptors – Cell signalling agents that make useful drug targets.
GRAS – Short for ‘Generally Regarded as Safe’.
Growth factor – A protein that stimulates cell division, differentiation and proliferation.
Growth hormone – A hormone naturally synthesised by the body to stimulates growth and cell reproduction. AOD9604 is a modified peptide fragment of human Growth Hormone.
GRP78 – The target of PAT-SM6. GRP78 is a major endoplasmic reticulum chaperone protein.
GvHD – Short for Graft-versus-host-disease, a condition where the patient’s own immune system rejects transplanted tissues or cells. This results in skin inflammation, diarrhoea and jaundice.
Gynecel – Celxcel’s trademark for ADAPT when used for gynaecological conditions such as vaginal prolapse.
H1N1 – The ‘swine flu’ strain which generated a human pandemic in 2009.
H5N1 – The strain of influenza virus commonly known as ‘bird flu’. Biotron compounds have been shown to be active against this strain of virus.
HA – Short for hyaluronic acid.
HAART – Short for Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy, HAART is the various ‘drug cocktail’ regimes that physicians use to treat HIV infection. HAART is generally one three or more antiretrovirals, one of which has to be a protease inhibitor, one an NNRTI and one an NRTI. Integrase and entry inhibitors are now being included in HAART as well. Biotron considers BIT225 to be a good candidate to fit into HAART.
HAB-1 – Patrys’ hybridoma.
HAC – See Hepatic Artery Chemotherapy.
Haemate – See Humate.
Haemocomplettan - A CSL pasteurized fibrinogen concentrate administered to people suffering congenital deficiency.
Haemodynamic monitoring – Measurement of the level of blood movement, often using sensors in the bloodstream (called invasive haemodynamic monitoring).
Haemolysis – Damage to red blood cells.
Haemophilia – An inherited clotting disorder. There are three – A (lack of the clotting Factor VIII, which is 90% of cases), B (lack of the clotting Factor IX) and C (lack of the clotting Factor XI).
Haemopoietic stem cells – Stem cells that help build the body's blood supply. Also known as CD34+ cells.
Haemostatic – Able to stop bleeding.
Haempatch - A pro-coagulant that is being developed as part of QRx’s Venomics project.
HA-Irinotecan - HyACT armed to carry Camptosar, generic name irinotecan. This product was formerly called HyCAMP.
HAS2 – Short for hyaluronan synthase 2, a potential breast cancer target on which Alchemia’s scientists are working.
HA/TPC – Short for hydroxyapatite / tricalcium phosphate, materials used as bone substitutes in orthopaedic surgery. Mesoblast’s MPC cells have performed well in orthopaedic applications against HA/TPC.
Hazard ratio - The risk of one group experiencing an outcome not experienced by another. A hazard ratio of 0.5 suggests around half the risk for one group in a comparison.
HbA1c – Short for glycated haemoglobin, a measure of blood glucose levels important in measuring diabetes. Generally HbA1c levels below 7% of total haemoglobin is considered good glycemic control.
HCC – Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
HCV – Short for Hepatitis C Virus.
HDN - Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn – see Rhophylac.
Heart assist device – A medical device that assists the heart in its natural pumping action.
Heart failure – A condition where the heart is unable to pump adequate amounts of blood around the body. There are four classes of heart failure (see NYHA class). Heart failure is sometimes called congestive heart failure or CHF due to congestion in the lungs being one of its symptoms.
Heart valves - Tissue flaps that control the flow of blood through the heart in the correct direction.
HeartWare - A US company commercialising HVAD. HeartWare is traded on both ASX (HIN) and Nasdaq (HTWR).
HeartWare Ventricular Assist System – HeartWare’s initial LVAD product suite.
Heat Shock Protein – Proteins expressed at increased levels when a cell is exposed to elevated temperatures. Heat Shock Proteins are overexpressed in a wide range of human cancers.
HEC – Short for hydroxyethyl cellulose, a water-soluble polymer often used as the placebo gel in microbicide trials.
Helixate – Recombinant antihemophilic Factor VIII, formulated with sucrose. Helixate is manufactured by Bayer and marketed in the U.S. by CSL Behring.
Helper T-Cells, Helper T-Lymphocytes – see CD4+ cells.
Hepatic artery – The main artery supplying blood to the liver.
Hepatic Artery Chemotherapy – A kind of chemotherapy in which the drug is injected directly into the hepatic artery.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) – Primary liver cancer.
Heparin - A polysaccharide drug used as a blood thinning agent.
Hepatitis C – A virus that infects liver cells. Biotron’s compounds including BIT225 are capable of blocking the p7 protein in Hepatitis C.
Her2/neu – The protein targeted by the cancer antibody drug Herceptin which is overexpressed on breast cancer cells.
Hernia – A rupture of the wall or cavity containing an organ, so that the organ protrudes through it.
Hg – The chemical symbol for mercury. Blood pressure readings are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
High-throughput screening – Running multiple compounds from a compound library past a drug target in order to determine if any are able to hit the target.
Histology – The study of tissue, done by examining thin slices of the material being examined.
Hippocampus – A part of the brain information for memory and spatial navigation.
HIV – The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which ultimately causes AIDS.
HLA match – HLA is short for Human Leukocyte Antigen complex, a group of genes on chromosome 6 that play a role in the body's immune response to foreign substances. Six genes in particular are used to determine the level of match (eg 3/6 or 6/6) between donor and recipient in bone marrow transplants.
HMA – Short for hexamethylene amiloride, HMA was Biotron’s BIT009 proof-of-concept compound. HMA was superseded by BIT225 in 2005.
Hormone – A protein that serves as chemical messenger from one cell or group of cells to another.
HPV – Human Papilloma Virus, infection which can lead to genital warts and cervical cancer.
HSV-1 – The Herpes Simplex Virus 2, which causes cold sores on the lips of infected individuals.
HSV-2 – The Herpes Simplex Virus 2, the virus most commonly responsible for genital herpes.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) – A virus which can cause cervical cancer in women. Merck’s Gardasil vaccine generates immunity to a number of strains of HPV.
Humate - CSL’s vWD products, marketed as Humate in the US and as Haemate in Europe.
Humoral arm – The part of the immune system that deals with an antibody response.
Huntington’s disease – An inherited, degenerative brain disease characterized by intellectual decline and involuntary limb movement. Its most famous victim was the American folk singer Woody Guthrie (1912-1967). The disease is caused by an errant protein called huntingtin.
HVAD – The pump that comes with the HeartWare Ventricular Assist System.
HyACT – Short for Hyaluronic Acid Chemotransport Technology, Alchemia’s drug delivery technology.
Hyaluronan – Another name for hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid - A naturally occurring polysaccharide that is found particularly in the joints and is often injected into the joints as a therapy.
HyAMP – HyACT armed to carry amphotericin B.
Hybridoma – A hybrid cell resulting from the fusion of a lymphocyte and a tumour cell, used to culture a specific monoclonal antibody.
HyDox – HyACT armed to carry Doxorubicin.
Hydrocolloid – A substance that forms a gel in the presence of water. Hydrocolloids are often used in wound dressings because they can keep a wound moist.
Hydrogen peroxide – A chemical (H2O2) that is often used in textiles and hair as a bleaching agent. The interaction of redox-active copper ions and amyloid beta results in the production of hydrogen peroxide.
Hydromorphone – A narcotic analgesic.
Hydrophilic – Able to dissolve in water.
Hydropolymer – A foamed-gel wound care material.
HyFive – HyACT armed to carry 5FU.
HyMEX – HyACT armed to carry methotrexate.
HyperImmune – An immunoglobulin obtained from the blood of people who naturally overproduce antibodies specific to a particular condition.
Hypertension – High blood pressure.
Hypoglycemia – A situation where a diabetic gets too much insulin and therefore has an excessively low blood sugar level, resulting in dizziness, sweating, shaking and palpitations. Commonly called a ‘hypo’.
Hypogonadism - Diminished functional activity of the gonads – the testes or ovaries – which causes testosterone levels to fall below the normal range. Hypogonadism comes with a number of adverse health impacts including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and erectile dysfunction.
Hypoxic-ischemic injury – Brain damage caused by reduced blood flow to the brain (ischemia) as well as reduced brain oxygen (hypoxia).This can be modelled in rats and mice by tying up one of the carotid arteries and then placing them in a chamber with low levels of oxygen.
Ibuprofen - A non-opioid analgesic that is often used as supplemental analgesia when opioids aren’t working well.
ICD – Short for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, a device which send electrical signals to the heart to correct irregular heartbeat.
ICD-9-CM – A universally-accepted classification system for medical diagnoses and procedures, with each diagnosis or procedure being given a numeric code, such as 84.65 for ‘insertion of total spinal disc prosthesis, lumbosacral area’.
IDE – Short for Investigational Device Exemption, FDA permission for a clinical trial of a medical device to proceed.
Ig – Short for Immunoglobulin.
IGF-1 – See Insulin-like growth factor 1.
IGF-1(1-3) – The first three amino acids in Insulin-like growth factor 1. Neuren initially trialled IGF-1(1-3) as Glypromate but is now focused on a Glypromate derivative called NNZ-2566.
IGFBP – IGF-binding protein. There are six IGFBPs.
IgG – The kind of immunoglobulin that makes up conventional monoclonal antibody drugs today.
IgM – The kind of immunoglobulin that makes up Patrys’ antibodies.
Iliad Chemicals – A company which Bionomics acquired in 2005 which brought the Multicore and ionX drug discovery platforms, the Kv1.3 discovery programme, and the drug discovery programme which led to BNC105.
Immediate release – A drug which works fairly quickly once it gets into the bloodstream, but also has only a relatively short period of therapeutic activity.
Immortalisation – A process where a cell line is transformed for that it won’t die but can keep growing and dividing indefinitely in laboratory culture.
Immune Coricode – A table that Coridon’s scientists used when searching for the codon that will maximise the antibody response of its DNA vaccines.
Immunoassay - A test using antibodies to identify and quantify substances. The ‘immuno’ part refers to the fact that antibodies are generated by the immune system.
Immunogen – A substance provoke an immune responses in a subject.
Immunogenic – Prompting an immune response.
Immunoglobulin - An antibody protein. There are five different types, known as IgG, IgA, IgD, IgM and IgE.
Immunosuppressant – A drug that lowers the body's normal immune response, often taken following an organ transplant to prevent rejection. Immunosuppressant drugs are often used in drug eluting stents because of their anti-restenosis properties. Sirolimus, everolimus, and zotarolimus are all immunosuppressants.
Immunotherapy – A treatment that seeks to make use of the immune system so as to manage a disease condition.
Impeller – The rotor that pumps blood through continuous flow LVAD devices.
Incidence – New cases of a disease condition over the course of a year.
IND – Short for Investigational New Drug application. It is a request filed with the FDA for authorization to conduct human trials of a new drug or biological product in the United States.
Indication - A reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure.
induced Pluripotent Stem cells – Stem cells derived from adult cells that have been transformed, through the transfection of various genes, into cells having the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.
Infarct – A localised area of dead tissue resulting from failure of blood supply.
Influenza – A disease mainly of the upper respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus and characterised by high fever and severe malaise, among other things.
Inhibitor – An anti-viral drug that can inhibit a particular viral action, thereby slowing or stopping the rate of infection.
Inhibitory neurotransmitter – A neurotransmitter designed to turn down the frequency on other nerve system signals, so as to keep recipient nerve cells from being overwhelmed with too much information.
Innate immune system – The part of the immune system that responds to antigens with immune system memory, as opposed to the adaptive immune system. IgM antibodies are part of the innate immune system.
Innovator drug – The initial branded version of a drug from which generic versions are derived after the loss of patent protection.
In silico – A Latin term to refer to a biological experiment performed on computer or via computer simulation.
Insulin – The hormone that regulates blood sugar levels which diabetics lack and which they have to take regularly, generally by injection. Insulin is a large molecule.
Insulin-like Growth Factor I (1GF-1) – A protein similar to insulin that plays a role in growth and metabolism. Glypromate, or IGF-1(1-3), is the first three amino acids of 1GF-1.
Insulin lispro – A short-acting insulin analogue. Insulin lispro is insulin with some amino acid differences to improve the product’s speed of action. The best known insulin lispro brand is Eli Lilly’s Humalog product (www.humalog.com).
Integ Neuro – A precursor product to WebNeuro that is based on a touchscreen. It remains in clinical use but lacks the scalability of WebNeuro.
Integrase – HIV enzyme that integrates the viral genetic material into human chromosomes.
Integrin – A receptor that mediates attachment between a cell and the tissues surrounding it.
Interferon – One of suite of drugs currently used in the treatment of Hepatitis C infection, in conjunction with ribavirin.
Interleukins – Cytokines important in the process of inflammation.
INTERMACS – Short for Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support, INTERMACS is a US registry for patients who are receiving mechanical circulatory support device therapy. Data gathered by INTERMACS is used as the control in HeartWare’s Bridge to Transplant trial.
International Trial – HeartWare’s clinical trial for CE Marking of the device, which was conducted between 2006 and 2008 in Australia, Austria, Germany and the UK.
Interventional cardiology – The medical specialty focused on catheter-based treatment of heart disease including angioplasty.
Interventional radiology – The use of diagnostic imaging equipment to treat rather than merely to diagnose a patient.
Intervertebral discs – The cartilage-based discs that make up the spine. Mesoblast is seeking to apply its stem cells to repair of this cartilage.
In-transit melanoma – A form of cutaneous melanoma confined to the skin.
Intraaortic ballon pump - A polyethylene balloon that sits in the aorta and counterpulsates in order to improve the heart’s pumping capacity.
Intraperitoneal – Injections into the peritoneum, the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity.
INTREPID-2566 – The Phase II clinical trial of NNZ-2566 in Traumatic Brain Injury.
Invion – AN ASX-listed company, code IVX, which reprofiles old drugs.
In vitro – Latin for ‘in glass’, referring to data obtained through testing in a test tube.
In-vitro diagnostics (IVD) - Diagnostic tests suitable for central laboratories rather than point of care tests.
In vivo – Latin for ‘in life’, referring to data obtained through testing in live organisms including animal models and humans.
Ion Channel - A ‘tunnel’ in a cell’s membranes through which ions - mainly sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride - travel in and out.
Ions -Atoms or group of atoms with an electrical charge.
ionX – Bionomics’ platform for the discovery of CNS drug targets, involving ion channels.
iPS cells – See induced Pluripotent Stem cells
IR – Short for ‘immediate release’.
Irinotecan - An anticancer agent that is part of the family of topoisomerase inhibitor drugs. It is a camptothecin analogue. The branded version is Pfizer’s Camptosar.
Ischemia – Lack of adequate blood flow to support the normal functioning of a tissue.
Ischemic heart failure – Heart failure resulting from coronary artery disease.
ISCOMATRIX – CSL’s adjuvant technology.
ISHLT – The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, whose annual meeting is held every April and which has been a forum in recent years for release of new HeartWare data.
ISO13485 – Published in 2003, ISO13485 is the international standard for management systems related to the design and manufacture of medical devices.
Isoform/isotype – Any of several different forms of the same protein.
iSonea – An ASX-listed company, Code ISN, which has developed a lung function diagnostic.
Isotope – One of several 'versions' of a particular chemical element where the variation is in the number of neutrons in the atom. Yttrium-90 is an isotope of the element yttrium. Scientists obtain this particular isotope by bombarding the yttrium material with neutrons.
iSPOT – Short for International Study to Predict Optimized Treatment Response, iSPOT is a clinical trial which Brain Resource is currently conducting in order to be able to predict treatment response in Depression and ADHD.
ITP – Short for Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura, a blood disorder involving the destruction of platelets necessary for clotting. CSL’s Rhophylac product is indicated for the treatment of ITP.
IV – Short for ‘intravenous’.
IVIG – Short for Intravenous Immunoglobulin, a blood product consisting of pooled IgG immunoglobulins, that is, antibodies extracted from the plasma of over a thousand blood donors.
Jejenum – The part of the small intestine between the duodenum and ileum.
kDa – Short for kiloDaltons, a measure of molecular weight.
Keratin – The basic protein of skin cells.
Keratinocytes - The primary cell types found in the epidermis, the outer layer of skin.
KGaA – Short for Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, a German corporate designation standing for 'Association limited by shares,' and corresponding roughly to the idea of a limited partnership. Anteo’s licensee Merck KGaA of Germany is a different company to Merck & Co. of the US.
Killer T cells – see T lymphocytes.
Kinase – An enzyme that phosphorylates, or adds a phosphate group onto, other molecules in order to turn them ‘on’ or ‘off’. Kinases are often cancer drug targets.
Knockout mice – Mice that have been bred to lack a particular gene, so that the effect of that loss can be studied.
K-Ras – A gene which, when mutated in colorectal cancer patients, lowers the potential treatment outcome.
Kv1.3 - A potassium ion channel in T cells which is the target for a Bionomics drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
L1 – A protein in the Human Papilloma Virus. L1 is the target of Merck & Co.’s Gardasil HPV vaccine.
Lactobacillus – Bacteria normally present in the mouth, intestinal tract and vagina that produces lactic acid. They are considered ‘beneficial’ bacteria.
Lamellar – Fine, alternating layers of different materials Phosphagenics’s TPM vesicular entrapment system results in a multi-lamellar and malleable carrier.
Lap band – Short for ‘laparoscopic adjustable gastric band’, a plastic band surgically placed around the upper stomach so as to allow only a small portion of the stomach to be able to hold food. This forces obese patients to restrict their food intake.
Large molecule – A drug with a molecular weight of >500 daltons. Biological drugs tend to be large molecules.
Late loss - The difference in measurements of blood vessel lumen diameter before and after a stent procedure. Small late loss is indicative of the effectiveness of a stent device.
Lateral cortex – The parts of the cortex covering the sides of the brain’s two hemispheres.
Late stent thrombosis - A blood clot that forms on a stent after it has been in place 30 days or more, although late stent thrombosis that occurs years after the stent implant is of more concern to cardiologists since it involves decisions on discontinuation of DAPT.
LD50 – The ‘lethal dose’ of a drug formulation that can kill 50% of the cells in a sample population.
LDL – Short for ‘low-density lipoprotein’, LDL is ‘bad’ cholesterol because it can be deposited in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Leaflet – The thin, triangle-shaped flap of a heart valve.
Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation – A validation method for a machine-learning algorithm in which individual parts of a dataset (those ‘left out’) are used to ‘train’ the algorithm, which is then tested against other parts of the dataset.
Left ventricle - The chamber on the left side of the heart responsible for its pumping action. Blood flows from the left ventricle into the aorta.
Left Ventricular Assist Device - A mechanical device that can assist in the pumping of blood through the left ventricle of the heart.
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (DVOL) – The volume of blood in the left ventricle at the end of filling. DVOL is a measure of how hard the heart has to pump, with rising DVOL an indication of worsening heart failure.
Lesion – Any localized abnormal structural change in a bodily part. In coronary artery disease a lesion is a blockage in a blood vessel that is interrupting blood flow.
Leucopenia – Low white blood cell count.
Leucovorin – A drug used in combination with the in systemic chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil. Leucovorin is a form of folic acid, which the body uses for the formation of red and white blood cells and lacks after the patient has undergone chemotherapy.
Leukemia – A cancer of the white blood cells.
Levodopa – A dopamine precursor used to treat Parkinson’s Disease in its early stages.
LID – Short for Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia, which is dyskinesia in Parkinson’s patients resulting from prolonged use of levodopa.
Lidocaine – A topical anaesthetic drug. Phosphagenics has adapted lidocaine for delivery with its TPM platform. Lidocaine is often branded as Xylocaine.
Ligand - A molecule that binds to another molecule (the name comes from the Latin verb ligare, ‘to bind’).
Light chain – Antibodies are made up of two immunoglobulin chains, a light chain and a heavy chain. There are two kinds of light chain – kappa (k) and lambda (l). PAT-SM6 and PAT-LM1 have l light chains.
Limbic – Related to the limbic system, a group of structures in the brain associated with emotions and drives.
Lipids – A group of compounds basically heavy on carbon and hydrogen and light on oxygen that includes substances such as fats, oils and cholesterol.
Lipiodol – A mixture of iodine and poppy seed oil that originated as an agent in myelography (the science of spinal canal X-rays) but has since become used in TACE. The thinking is that since cancerous cells preferentially take up lipiodol, they likewise take up the chemotherapy drug used.
Lipolysis – Breakdown of fat tissue.
Lipophilic – Able to dissolve in fats.
Liposomes - Fatty molecules ideal for antigen delivery because of their ability to get to a cell in the body and deliver their payload. They are used as drug delivery vehicles.
Lispro – See insulin lispro.
Liver – An organ in the abdominal cavity that has a number of responsibilities. It plays an important role in metabolism, not least through its production of bile; it stores glycogen, a carbohydrate the body converts to glucose for energy purposes when required; and it helps detoxify certain poisons. Liver cancer is among the most deadly of all cancers.
LMWH – See Low-molecular-weight heparin.
Loading dose – An initial dose of an analgesic drug to achieve rapid analgesia.
LoD – Short for ‘Limit of Detection’, which is the lowest level of analyte that a diagnostic technology can detect.
Long bone fracture – A break in bones such as those between the hip and the knee. Mesoblast’s stem cells have been used to repair long bone fractures.
Lorazepam –A benzodiazepine against which BNC210 has been compared in clinical trials.
Lovenox - A low molecular weight heparin drug from Sanofi.
Low-molecular-weight heparin – Heparins made out of short chains of polysaccharide, allowing them to be lighter than naturally-occurring heparins.
LRTI – Short for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, that is, infections of the windpipe and lungs. LRTIs include bronchitis, bronchiolitis, croup, influenza and pneumonia.
Lumbar spine – The lower back.
Lumen – The inside space of a tubular biological structure, such as an artery or intestine.
LV – see Leucovorin.
LVAD – Short for Left Ventricular Assist Device, a mechanical device that can assist in the pumping of blood through the left ventricle of the heart.
LVEF – Short for Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (EF), a measure of the capacity at which the heart is pumping, calculated by percentage of blood ejected with each contraction of the left ventricle. A normal LVEF is 55% to 70%.
Lymph nodes – Points in the lymphatic system rich in immune system cells designed to filter harmful substances.
Lymphoma – A cancer of the lymphocytes which the immune system needs to create T and B cells as well as Natural Killer cells. There are two main types of lymphoma, Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins, with Hodgkins lymphoma being characterised by a particular cell type.
Lymphocytes – White blood cells.
Lymphokine - A general term for immune system cells that are not antibodies or complement proteins (that is, proteins in blood sera that are activated by antibodies to destroy foreign cells). The role of lymphokines is, broadly speaking, to direct and regulate an immune response, which is why they’re often called ‘immunomodulating proteins’.
Lyophilized – Freeze-dried.
Lysosomal storage disorder – A rare disorder in which harmful amounts of fatty materials accumulate in various tissues in the body due to the failure of organelles in cells called lysosomes. Fabry’s disease and Gaucher’s disease are lyosomal storage disorders.
Lysine – An amino acid. Lysine units lie at the core of many dendrimer molecules including SPL7013.
Mab – See monoclonal antibody.
Machine learning – A computing paradigm in which computers are programmed to use example data or past experience to solve a given problem.
Macrocyclic – A drug with a large ring structure.
Macrophages – White blood cells involved in the immune system’s response to infection. Macrophages are not found in the bloodstream but at locations where body organs interface with the environment or the bloodstream. They are often the ‘reservoir’ that allows HIV to hide in the body. BIT225 can hit HIV that is in danger of ‘hiding’ in macrophages.
Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) - The incidence of death, revascularisation, ischemia-driven TLR and TVF and heart attack during a clinical trial.
Major Depressive Disorder – The technical term for depression, a mental disorder characterised by low mood, low self-esteem and loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities.
Major Histocompatibility Complex – A group of genes on chromosome 6 that codes for a class of proteins located on the surface of human white blood cells. MHC molecules play a role in the body's immune response to foreign substances. MHC Class I molecules pass antigens to Cytotoxic T Cells while MHC Class II molecules call forth a helper T cell response.
Maleic anhydride - An organic compound used in the manufacture of food additives. Anteo uses maleic anhydride as a monomer in its surface coating technology.
Managed Care – A health care system in which health insurance fund members agree to visit only certain doctors and hospitals, allowing health care costs to be better managed.
Mannan Fusion Protein (MFP)– A combination of mannan and MUC-1 that Cancer Vac uses to prime dendritic cells.
Mannose – A sugar, C6H12O6, found in many cells. Cancer Vac’s Mannan Fusion Protein makes use of the mannose receptor on dendritic cells to induce an immune response to MUC-1.
Matrix - The body substance in which tissue cells are embedded. Also called the ‘extracellular matrix’.
Matrix metalloproteinase – An enzyme within the extracellular matrix that breaks down matrix proteins. Matrix metalloproteinases are targets for new wound healing therapies because too much of them can destroy other proteins vital for wound healing.
Matrix patch – A drug delivery patch in which the drug to be delivered is embedded throughout the patch material (called a ‘matrix’). Matrix patches are more suitable than reservoir patches for delivery of opioid drugs, since the patch structure makes extraction of the drug difficult, thereby hindering drug abuse.
mCRC – Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.
MDTS – Short for ‘Metered-Dose Transdermal System’, MDTS is Acrux’s main drug delivery technology. MDTS involves solutions in which the active ingredient is formulated with two penetration enhancers called ‘padimate O’ and ‘octyl salicylate’, both non-toxic chemicals commonly used in sunscreens.
Meal tolerance test – A diagnostic for diabetes that involves test subjects eating a meal, after which blood samples are checked at regular intervals for levels of glucose.
Mechanism of action – The way in which a drug affects a disease’s underlying pathology so as to bring about an improvement in the patient.
Meditech – A company which Alchemia took over in 1996 that developed the HyACT technology from 1999.
Melanoma – A cancer of the melanin-forming cells, typically a malignant tumour associated with skin cancer.
Membranes – In diagnostics, the material, generally made from nitrocellulose, used in lateral flow immunochromatography, where the sample being tested flows along the membrane, on which are placed binding agents for the target being assayed.
Meniscal tears – Tears in the meniscus, a cartilage which provides shock absorbent properties to the knee. There is potential for MPCs to be applied to the treatment of such tears.
Mesenchymal Precursor Cells (MPCs) – Mesoblast’s adult stem cells, being cells of the mesenchymal lineage.
Mesenchymal stem cells – Stem cells that give rise to a variety of cell types in the body such as fats, blood vessels and bones.
Mesh – The structure of most scaffolding material used in soft tissue repair.
Mesoblast – A Melbourne-based stem cell developer, ASX Code MSB. In biology a mesoblast is the middle ‘germinal’ layer of an early embryo.
Mesothelioma – A cancer of the mesothelium, that is, the cells that line the lungs or abdomen. This cancer in the majority of cases has its origins in exposure to asbestos fibres.
Messenger RNA – The nucleic acid ‘photocopier’, in that it copies each individual strand of DNA so that the DNA can be turned into proteins. mRNA can be synthesised into cDNA for use in sequencing the genome.
Metabolic syndrome – The cluster of medical conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes that increase the risk of heart disease, strokes, and vascular disease.
Metabolite – A breakdown product of a particular chemical substance.
Metal Protein Attenuating Compound (MPAC) – A compound that can weaken the interaction between metals and proteins. Clioquinol is an MPAC. The ‘MPAC approach’ is a method of treating Alzheimer’s pathology using MPACs.
Metastatic cancer – Cancer that has spread from the site of the original tumour to another part of the body.
Methotrexate – An anti-metabolite cancer drug which is also used in the treatment of autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. It first gained FDA approval as a cancer drug in 1953.
MFI – Short for mean fluorescence index, the average fluorescence of a group of capture agents tagged with fluorescent molecules - the higher the MFI, the more of the analyte that has been captured.
mGluR4 – Short for metabotropic glutamate receptor 4. mGluR4 is a negative modulator of neurotransmission at synapses that response to glutamate. The receptor has generated much interest as a potential Parkinson’s target.
MHC - see Major Histocompatibility Complex.
Microarray – A small surface holding various probes specific for DNA fragments, antibodies, or proteins that can be used to test for multiple targets at once. Microarrays are often called ‘biochips’.
Microbicide – Any compound that can kill microbes such as viruses or bacteria.
Microemulsion – A liquid mixture of oil, water and surfactant. Microemulsions are part of the TPM formulation process.
Microflora – Bacteria to be found in a particular location. Vaginal microflora such as Lactobacillus bacteria is generally considered beneficial.
Microglia – Specialised cells which provide the brain with its own immune system by attacking and engulfing foreign bodies.
Micrometre – One millionth of a metre.
Micron – One millionth of a metre.
Microplate – A plate with multiple sample wells (often 96 although any number can be used) containing the binding agent for the target being assayed.
Microspheres – Microspheres – Tiny sphere-shaped particles, often thought about by researchers as a technique for drug delivery. See beads.
Microtubules – ‘Train-track’-like structures within a cell, which route nutrients and molecules around the cell. Tau protein forms the ‘railway ties’ that hold the microtubule tracks in place.
Middle Cerebral Artery occlusion (MCAo) – The most frequently used model in experimental stroke research, in which a blockage is placed inside the middle cerebral artery, stopping blood flow into the cerebral area.
Mild cognitive impairment – Significant cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia.
Mimetic – See biomimetic.
Minimally invasive – Surgery that involves only a small incision, allowing more rapid recovery for the patient.
Minimal residual disease – The small number of cancer cells still in the body after treatment.
Mix&Go – A surface coating for diagnostic products that Anteo developed using the Anteo Surface Technology. Mix&Go uses metal oligomers as ligands to bind the capture agent to the diagnostic surface.
Mix&Select – A surface coating for diagnostic products that Anteo has developed using the Anteo Surface Technology but has yet to commercialise. Mix&Select uses a combination of ligands to preferentially bind the capture agent to the diagnostic surface.
MJFF – The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (www.michaeljfox.org), a major funder of early stage research in Parkinson’s Disease founded by the American actor Michael J. Fox, who has early-onset Parkinson’s.
Modified Rankin Scale – A measure of stroke disability.
Molecular diagnostics – Diagnostics that can detect disease-causing genes and proteins at the molecular level.
Molecular weight – The size of a drug molecule, the standard unit of measurement of which is the dalton.
Mono-a-tocopheryl phosphate – A single unit of a-tocopherol phosphates, also called ‘TP’.
Monoclonal antibodies - Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies cloned from a particular antibody-making cell that is highly specific for a particular antigen. Monoclonal antibodies are increasingly used as drugs.
Monocyte – The class of white blood cells that includes the macrophages. BIT225 appears to be able to hit HIV in monocyte-derived macophages.
Monomer – A simple compound whose molecules can join together to form oligomers or polymers.
Monosaccharide – A simple sugar molecule that can be put together with others to form disaccharides (two molecules), oligosaccharides (a few sugar molecules) and so on.
Monotherapy – A single-drug approach to the treatment of disease.
Morphine – An opioid analgesic.
Motif – A combination of various biological building blocks into recognisable patterns.
Motiva – A Neuren drug, generic name nefiracetam, for the treatment of Apathy Syndrome in stroke victims as well as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients.
Motor function - The ability to use and control muscles and movements, something which degenerates in Parkinson’s Disease.
MoxDuo – QRx’s brand name for its opioid analgesic combination of morphine and oxycodone. There are three MoxDuo products – immediate release (IR), controlled release (CR), and intravenous (IV).
MPAC – See Metal Protein Attenuating Compound.
MPCs – Short for Mesenchymal Precursor Cells, cells capable of differentiating into Mensechymal Stem Cells.
M Protein – 1) Abnormal immunoglobulin produced by myeloma cells; 2) A protein in the Dengue virus which Biotron’s compounds seem to be able to block.
MPTP - A by-product of ‘synthetic heroin’, or MPPP, which causes Parkinsonian symptoms in users. This drug, when administered to rats, can be used to create an animal model of the disease.
MRI – Short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the diagnostic imaging technique. Structural MRI reveals brain anatomy. Functional MRI reveals brain function by measuring changes in blood flow related to neural activity.
MSCs – Short for Mensechymal Stem Cells.
MS-DRG – Short for Medicare Severity-based Diagnosis-Related Group, the diagnostic group under which a hospital stay is coded for reimbursement purposes by CMS. LVADs are coded under MS-DRG 001, one of the most severe, allowing a high level of reimbursement.
MTA – Short for Material Transfer Agreement, a contract that governs the transfer of tangible research materials between two organisations.
MUC-1 – A mucin that Cancer Vac’s Mannan Fusion Protein targets. MUC-1 is of interest to cancer researchers because a wide variety of tumour cells, including those from breast, colon, prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers, not only overproduce mucin, and in particular MUC-1, but seem to produce a variety that is poorly glycosylated.
Mucin – A ‘mucoprotein’ occurring in secretions of mucous membranes. MUC-1 is a mucin.
MultiCore – Bionomics’ chemistry platform.
Multiple Myeloma – A cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow.
Multiple Sclerosis – An autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of axons, leading to numbness, co-ordination difficulty, memory loss and paralysis.
Multiplex – A diagnostic test for more than one analyte at the same time.
Multipotent – A stem cell capable of turning into various, albeit limited, cell types. MPCs are multipotent.
MVAD – HeartWare’s next generation heart assist device, which we believe could launch around 2017.
MW – Short for molecular weight, the size of a molecule in daltons.
MyBrainSolutions – Online brain training software which Brain Resource has built using BRID.
MyCalmBeat – A stress reduction application in MyBrainSolutions.
Myelin – The protein which surrounds axons and protects them. Myelin basic protein is a protein believed to be important in the process of myelination.
Myeloma – A cancer of the B cells that the immune system needs to produce antibodies.
Myocardial Infarction (AMI) – See Acute Myocardial Infarction.
Naked DNA – DNA delivered to a vaccine subject without a viral or protein coating.
Nanometer – One billionth of a metre.
Nanoparticle – Any microscopic particle less than about 100 nanometres in diameter.
Nanoscale – A size range from around 1 to 100 nanometres.
Nanotechnology - Technology that seeks to manipulate particles at the nano scale.
Narcotic analgesic – See Opioid analgesic.
National Institutes of Health – The various medical research centres maintained by the US government. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is one of the National Institutes of Health.
Natural killer cells – White blood cells that are specialised to kill certain types of target cells, especially cells that have become infected with virus or have turned cancerous.
NDA - 1) Short for Non-Disclosure Agreement, an agreement to confidentiality between two parties. 2) Short for New Drug Application, a filing with the FDA for permission to market a new drug. Before filing, applicants generally have a pre-NDA meeting with the FDA to check what the agency will be requiring in the filing.
Necrosis –– The ‘unprogrammed’ death of a cell, as opposed to apoptosis, which is ‘programmed’ cell death.
Nefiracetam – The generic name for Motiva.
Neofuse – Mesoblast’s trademark for the orthopaedic applications of its stem cells.
Neonatal asphyxia – The inability of an infant to breath at birth, often resulting in brain damage.
Neovascularisation – The formation of new blood vessels.
Neuren Pharmaceuticals – An ASX-listed company, Code NEU, involved in neuroprotection drugs.
Neurite - Projections from cell body of a nerve cell.
Neuromodulation – Alteration of nervous system activity, often achieved through drugs.
Neurons – Nerve cells or brain cells.
Neuropathic pain - Pain caused by damage to or dysfunction of the nervous system.
Neuroprotection – The ability to keep brain cells from dying when stressed.
Neurotransmitters - Chemicals that neurons use to communicate with each other.
Neurotrophic – Inducing the survival, development, and function of neurons.
Neutropenia – A condition in which there are an abnormally low number of the white blood cell called the neutrophils circulating in a patient’s immune system, leaving the patient susceptible to infection.
Neutrophil – A white blood cell vital for immune system function. Neutrophils work by ingesting foreign cells. Neutrophil recovery is a key measure of the effectiveness of a bone marrow transplant.
New Chemical Entity – A drug that has yet to gain FDA approval.
Ng – Short for nanogram, ie one billionth of a gram.
NHANES – The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an ongoing survey which tracks the health and nutritional status of Americans.
NHLBI – See National Institutes of Health.
NH&MRC – The National Health and Medical Research Council, an Australian government agency that provides grants to medical research.
Nigrostriatal – Referring to the part of the brain that connects the substantia nigra with the striatum.
NIH – The National Institutes of Health, the US government’s medical research agency.
Nitinol – A biocompatible nickel/titanium alloy used to anchor the EndoBarrier in place.
Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) – An enzyme that helps make nitric oxide, a cellular signalling molecule.
NMDA receptor – A brain cell receptor normally triggered by glutamate. Over-excitation of the NMDA receptor has also been shown to cause nerve damage.
NNRTI – See Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
NNZ-2566 – A Neuren drug for the treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury that is a synthetic analogue of Glypromate. NNZ-2566 is G-2Methyl PE. Neuren has worked on intravenous and oral formulations of NNZ-2566. As well as TBI, Neuren believes the drug can be used in stroke recovery as well as in Rett Syndrome.
NNZ-2591 – A diketopiperazine drug developed by Neuren for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and peripheral neuropathy.
Non-convulsive seizure – A brain seizure characterised by behaviour such as staring, lapses of awareness and abrupt loss of muscle tone, but no convulsion.
Non-Esterified Fatty Acids – Fatty acids whose blood levels increase during the breakdown of fats in the body.
Non-Ischemic heart failure – Heart failure resulting from causes other than coronary artery disease such as hypertension or atrial fibrillation.
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors - Drugs that interfere with HIV’s reverse transcriptase by preventing that enzyme from binding to the nucleic acid that is going to be copied by the enzyme. The first such drug, Nevirapine, came on the market in 1996.
NonO – The target of PAT-LM1. NonO is mainly found in the cell’s nucleus and is involved in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation.
Non-responders – Patients that fail to enjoy a clinical response to a particular drug.
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) – One of two main types of lung cancer, the other being – you guessed it – small-cell lung carcinoma. Non-small cell lung cancer is easier to surgically remove while small cell lung cancer responds better to chemotherapy and radiation.
NOS – See Nitric oxide synthase.
Notified Body – In the European Union, an organisation that has been accredited by a Member State to assess whether a product meets the required standards for approval as a healthcare product.
NPWT – Short for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, a treatment in which a wound is closed by creating a vacuum over the wound site.
NRTI – See nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
NS3 – HCV’s protease protein.
NS5b – HCV’s polymerase protein.
NSAID – Short for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, that is, a drug such as aspirin designed to relieve pain and reduce inflammation and fever, but which is not a steroid or a narcotic.
NTB – Short for Neuropsychological Test Battery, a set of tests used to evaluate the mental state of Alzheimer’s patients that is considered particularly useful in measuring Executive Function. Prana tested PBT2 using NTB.
Nucleic acids – DNA, which carries the genetic code, and RNA which transfers it to the protein-making units of cells.
Nucleoside – Nucleotides without the phosphate groups.
Nucleoside analogue – A drug that can interfere with the process of DNA production, making it useful as a cancer treatment.
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor – A drug that interferes with HIV’s reverse transcriptase through a process whereby a nucleoside analogue causes the copying process of stop short. AZT, the first drug specifically approved as an anti-HIV treatment (in 1987), is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
Nucleotides – Combination of sugar, phosphate and one of four ‘bases’ that make up DNA and RNA. Nucleotides are genetic ‘letters’ in what is a four-letter alphabet.
Nude mice - Mice without a functioning immune system, allowing cancerous human tissue to be grafted on, thereby providing an animal model of cancer.
Numerical Pain Rating Scale – A rating of pain intensity where 0 is no pain and 10 is extremely intense pain.
Nutraceutical – A food product that also has pharmaceutical properties.
NYHA Class – One of four classes of heart failure patients as determined by the New York Heart Association, ranging from Class I (least affected) to Class IV (death’s door).
Ob/Ob – A mouse model of obesity based on a gene called Ob.
Obesity – A disease condition of excess body weight generally indicated by a BMI greater than 30. Obesity often has various co-morbidities including cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. See morbid obesity.
Objective Response Rate – The rate at which tumours shrink as a result of medical treatment, where the response is measured by the RECIST criteria.
Occlusion – The covering of a transdermal drug delivery site with a patch. Occlusion tends to help in transdermal drug delivery by hydrating the skin in the area, which allows drugs to pass through.
Octyl salicylate – See MDTS.
Off-label – Usage of a drug or medical device in a manner different to which it was approved by the FDA. Off-label use is permitted so long as a doctor is doing the prescribing.
OGTT – See oral glucose tolerance test.
Oligomer – A protein molecule that consists of repeating molecular subunits. Amyloid oligomers are considered a toxic element in Alzheimer’s disease.
Oligonucleotides – Short strings of nucleotides, often use in antisense.
Oncogenic – Capable of causing cancer.
Oncomab – A Prima Biomed subsidiary working on antibodies to Cripto-1.
On/off time – A Parkinson patient’s ‘on time’ is the period of the day when a patient’s Parkinson’s medication is working well. Off time is when it isn’t.
Open label – A clinical trial in which both patients and doctors know what treatment is being administered.
Opioid analgesics – Pain killing drugs that work by interacting the nervous system’s opioid receptors. The best-known opioid analgesic is morphine, which is a derivative of opium. Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic.
Oral glucose tolerance test – A diagnostic for diabetes that involves administration of a high-glucose drink, after which blood samples are checked.
Orally available – Drugs that can be reduced to pill form, with obvious advantages in terms of delivery to patients.
Organising granulation tissue – Collagen-rich tissue which forms at the site of an injury and retains the function of skin as an organ. Excess organised granulation tissue contributes to scarring.
Orphan Drug – A drug that benefits less than 200,000 potential patients in the US. Orphan drug designation provides tax benefits as well as market exclusivity in both Europe and the US.
Osteoarthritis - Progressive degeneration of bone tissue such as cartilage resulting from inflammation.
Osteogenic - Capable of bone formation.
Ostomy – A surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening for the elimination of bodily wastes.
Outflow tract reconstruction – Repair to the ventricular outflow tract through which blood from the ventricles of the heart pass before entering the large arteries. Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction is most commonly done to prevent tachycardia, which is abnormally rapid heartbeat. ADAPT patches have been used in outflow tract reconstruction.
Overall Survival (OS) – The percentage of subjects in a clinical trial who have survived for a defined period of time.
Oxaliplatin – A platinum-based anti-cancer drug. The branded version of the drug is Sanofi’s Eloxatin.
Oxidative stress – Cell damage that results from oxygen-linked free radicals.
Oxycodone – A small molecule opioid analgesic drug. The leading brand of oxycodone is Oxyontin, a sustained release formulation from the American drug company Purdue Pharmaceuticals.
p7 – A protein in Hepatitis C known to form ion channels in cells that assist in viral budding and release.
Paclitaxel – The generic name for Taxol, a chemotherapy drug used in breast, ovarian and lung cancer. It first gained FDA approval as a cancer drug in 1992.
Padimate O – See MDTS.
Pain intensity score – A measurement for pain in which the patient rates his current experience of pain using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale.
PAMAM – See polyamidoamine.
Pandemic influenza – Influenza of the H5N1 strain, which could, theoretically, cause a severe pandemic of the virus if human-to-human transmission began.
Paracetamol – See Acetaminophen
Paragraph IV – A certification by the filer of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (seeking approval of a generic drug) indicating that the certifier intends to legally challenge patents covering the innovator drug.
Paraprotein – See M Protein.
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) – A hormone which acts to increase the concentration of calcium in the blood, making it essential for maintenance of bone health. PTH is a large molecule. Phosphagenics has used TPM-01 and TPM-02 to transdermally deliver Forteo. That drug is the 1-34 bioactive fragment of PTH, that is, the first 34 out of a total of 84 amino acids.
Parkinson’s disease – A neurodegenerative disease associated with a drop in dopamine levels. Parkinson’s is characterized by tremors, speech impediments, movement difficulties, and often dementia.
Partial Response – A partial reduction in tumour size brought about by a cancer drug.
Partial thickness – A burn that features damage to the epidermis and part of the dermis. A full thickness burn features injury to the subcutaneous tissue underneath the dermis, including fat.
Partnering – A deal in which a drug or medical device developer licenses a product to another company, generally in return for upfront payments, milestone payments as the product develops in a clinical or regulatory sense, and royalties on sales.
Paste – A solid form of a blood fraction.
Patent – When referring to an artery, the extent to which the artery is open.
Patient-controlled analgesia – A situation where the patient is able to administer analgesic drugs to himself or herself on demand.
Paw withdrawal latency – A measure of the effectiveness of an analgesic when tested in animal models. Paw withdrawal latency looks at the speed with which the test rat withdraws its paw from a heat source. The longer time period before withdrawal, the more the presumed analgesic effect of the drug being tested.
PAT-CM1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against multiple solid tumours.
PAT-SC1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against gastric and potentially other solid tumours.
PAT-LM1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against multiple solid tumours.
PAT-PA1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use in gastric and pancreatic cancers, among others.
PAT-SM6 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against melanoma and multiple solid tumours.
Patrys - An ASX-listed antibody company, Code PAB.
PBT1 – Prana’s code name for clioquinol.
PBT2 – A ‘rationally designed’ MPAC for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. PBT2 completed a Phase IIa clinical trial in Alzheimer’s in early 2008.
PBT3, PBT4, PBT5 – New classes of MPACs developed by PBT.
PCA – Short for patient-controlled analgesia.
Pd – short for plasma-derived, that is extracted from donated blood rather than being made using recombinant DNA technology.
PDE4 – See Phosphodiesterase.
PDGF – Short for Platelet-Derived Growth Factor, a growth factor known to promote the proliferation of fibroblasts.
PDUFA date – The day by which the FDA seeks to review an NDA under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which allows the agency to charge drug makers for the review process.
Pegylation – Conjugation of polyethylene glycol to a drug to slow its release into the body. Often pegylated interferon is used to treat Hepatitis C infection.
Pelvic inflammatory disease - Inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries.
Penetration enhancer – A compound that helps other compounds to penetrate through the skin.
Penetrating TBI – TBI resulting from penetration into the brain area of an object such as a bullet or a knife.
Pentameric – A protein composed out of five sub-units. Patrys’ IgM antibodies are pentameric.
Peptide – Two or more amino acids linked by chemical bonds.
PEQ – Plasma equivalent measure. A comparison of blood products on the basis of the plasma in the products.
PER.C6 – A continuous human cell line from the Dutch company Crucell that can be used to produce monoclonal antibodies.
Percocet – A pain management drug from the US specialty pharma company Endo which is a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen. MoxDuo IR has been trialled against Percocet.
Percutaneous – Passed through the skin.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) - A procedure in which a catheter is inserted into the artery in order to open it up. Stenting is a form of PCI.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty – The full name for a balloon angioplasty.
Pericardial – Located in the vicinity of the pericardium, which is the bilayered serous membrane surrounding the heart.
Peripheral blood - Blood circulating in the body as opposed to bone marrow.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell – Any cell having a round nucleus. Most white blood cells are PBMCs.
Peripheral neuropathy – Damage to the peripheral nervous system, that is, the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral stent – Stents used to treat peripheral vascular disease, a condition in which the arteries that carry blood to the arms or legs become narrowed or clogged. REVA believes ReZolve could be used to create a peripheral stent.
Perseis Therapeutics – A Neuren subsidiary developing monoclonal antibodies to breast and other cancers.
Personalised medicine – Medical treatment customised for each individual patient.
Pertussis – The correct name for ‘whooping cough’, which is caused by an infection of the nose and throat with the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
PFS – See Progression Free Survival.
Pharmacodynamics – The study of the physiological effects of drugs on the body.
Pharmacokinetics - The study of the time course of a drug’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion from the body.
Phase – A stage of the clinical trialling process for a drug candidate. Phase I tests for safety. Phase II tests for efficacy in a small sample. Phase III tests for efficacy in a large sample.
Phase I – A clinical trial in humans (can be healthy volunteers or patients) to test safety in a small sample. Phase I allows ‘proof of concept’ to be gathered regarding the viability of a particular technology.
Phase I/II – An early-stage safety study (a Phase I study) but one conducted in patients rather than in healthy volunteers.
Phase I/IIa – An early-stage safety study (a Phase I study) but one conducted in patients rather than in healthy volunteers.
Phase II – A clinical trial in humans to test efficacy in a small sample. Phase IIa trials test primarily for safety while Phase IIb are more focused on efficacy.
Phase IIb – A clinical trial to test the efficacy of a drug in a small number of test subjects. IIb trials are generally different from IIa trials in that the latter are performed in patients whereas the former are in healthy people.
Phase III – A clinical trial in humans to test efficacy in a large sample. Phase III trials are also called ‘pivotal trials’.
Phase IV – A study of a drug in patients after it has gained regulatory approval.
PHLX Medical Device Sector Index – A stock price index (Bloomberg symbol MXZ) composed of companies engaged in the development and manufacturing of device-based therapies and surgical devices.
Phosphagenics (POH) – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code POH, commercialising a transdermal drug delivery technology called TPM.
Phospha E – Phosphagenics’s Vitamin E dietary supplement, which Nestlé trialled as a functional food for the prevention of Metabolic syndrome.
Phosphate group – A compound based on phosphorus. Addition of a phosphate group to a biochemical compound can significantly change its function.
Phosphodiesterase (PDE) – An enzyme that facilitates intra-cellular signalling. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors have become common drug targets in recent years, with PDE4 and PDE7 of interest in Parkinson’s Disease.
Phospholipids – Compounds composed of fatty acids and phosphoric acid with a nitrogenous base. Phospholipids are found in cell membranes, among other places.
Phosphorylation – The addition of a phosphate group to a chemical. Phosphagenics’s technology centres on phosphorylation of Vitamin E.
PID – Short for Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders.
Pilot study – An early stage clinical study designed to gain proof of concept before a formal IND submission.
Pilot trial – A clinical trial in humans designed to provide proof-of-concept.
Pivotal study - A clinical trial in humans to test efficacy in a large sample.
Pivotal trial – A Phase III clinical trial to prove that the drug is effective in a large patient group.
PK – Short for ‘pharmacokinetics’.
Plaque - A fatty deposit that accumulates in blood vessels.
Plasma – The clear fraction of the blood that contains the white blood cells. The presence of drug in plasma indicates successful delivery of the drug.
Platform technology – A technology with multiple uses.
Plasmid - A circle of DNA that resides inside the cells of bacteria apart from the DNA that comprises the sole bacterial chromosome. A plasmid is typically denoted by a lower case p at the start of its name.
Platinum – A metal (element No 78) often used in cancer drugs because of its ability to bind to DNA strands, interfering with DNA replication.
Plavix – A blood thinning drug (generic name clopidogrel) used in DAPT.
Pluripotent – A stem cell capable of turning into almost all cell types. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent.
PMA – Short for Pre-Market Approval, FDA approval to market a drug or device for which there was no functional equivalent approved prior to 1976.
Pneumonia – An acute lung infection, caused by either viruses or bacteria, in which the air sacs become inflamed or filled with fluid.
Point-of-care – A diagnostic test done at the patient’s bedside or in a physician’s office rather than in a central laboratory.
Poly adenylation sequence – A DNA sequence featuring repeated adenines, which in bacteria and viruses often codes for the terminator.
Polyamidoamine – A polymer in which amide and amine groups are repeated. Polyamidoamine units lie at the core of many dendrimer molecules.
Polycapralactone – A biodegradable polyester used in various medical applications. Polycapralactone is a key ingredient in the ReZolve polymer.
Polyethylene glycol – A material often used as an excipient for drug delivery.
Polymer - A large molecule composed of repeating structural units connected by chemical bonds.
Polymerase – An enzyme which viruses use to copy their DNA or RNA. Many HCV drug candidates are polymerase inhibitors. As with NRTIs and NNRTIs in the HIV field, HCV polymerase inhibitors can be nucleoside or non-nucleoside.
Polymerat – An early name of the venture that eventually became Anteo Diagnostics.
Polyp - An abnormal growth of tissue projecting from a mucous membrane. Untreated colorectal polyps can develop into colorectal cancer.
Polypeptide - A chain of peptides.
Polysaccharide – A polymer made up of sugar molecules.
Polyvalent – A molecule that can bind other molecules in multiple different ways.
Porcine – From pigs. Porcine tissue is often used in soft tissue repair.
Positive allosteric modulator – A drug that binds to a receptor target without displacing that receptor’s usual ligand.
Posterior lateral interbody fusion – A kind of spinal fusion in which the bone graft is placed between the vertebrae in the area usually occupied by the intervertebral disc, with the incision being made from the back. This kind of spinal fusion is considered ‘minimally invasive’.
Posterolateral spinal fusion – Spinal fusion where the bone graft is placed between the transverse processes.
Postherpetic neuralgia - Pain resulting from reactivation of the chicken pox virus that lasts longer than three months.
Post Stroke Apathy – Apathy Syndrome following a stroke, which is estimated to occur in around 20% of cases.
Potency assay – A test used to evaluate the consistency of vaccine product from batch to batch in a manufacturing process.
PPACA – America’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the major healthcare reform law which President Obama signed into law in March 2010.
Prana Biotechnology – AN ASX-listed company, code PBT, working on drugs to treat memory disorders.
Pre-clinical – The stage of a drug’s development in which a candidate drug has been selected and it is being tested for its safety ahead of human trials.
Precursor – A cell that will divide and differentiate into a mature version of the cell.
Precursor cells – A cell that turns into another kind of cell. Precursor denotes a relatively immature cell. With stem cells, the less mature the cell is, the more desirable from a potential therapy point of view.
Predicate device – See 510(k)
Pre IND meeting – A meeting with FDA officials in which the sponsor of a new drug can discuss what the Agency will require in an IND submission.
Pre-market approval – Regulatory clearance for a drug or medical device to be marketed.
Pre-NDA – See NDA.
Pre-Submission Meeting – A meeting with FDA officials where medical device developers can gain guidance on the regulatory pathway for their product.
Presenile dementia – Another term for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Pressure ulcers – Chronic wounds arising from a patient’s immobility.
Pre-sutured – A C-Pulse balloon cuff in which the sutures (that is, stitches) are pre-placed on one of the tabs of the cuff, prior to wrapping.
Prevalence – The total number of cases of a disease condition in a population.
Prima Biomed – Developer of CVac, a cellular therapy. ASX Code PRR.
Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders - Disorders in which part of the body's immune system is missing or does not function properly. PIDs are often treated with Immunoglobulins.
Primary Liver Cancer – A cancer that actually begins in the liver. Also called Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Prime-boost - A vaccine regimen, in which the immune system is first ‘primed’ with a DNA vaccine, which is then boosted using delivery of the same antigen with viral vectors.
Priming – Action to get immune system cells to recognise an antigen.
Priority date – The date on which an invention is considered to have ‘occurred’ for patent protection purposes. In recent years basic patent protection has been granted to inventions for 20 years from priority date.
Priostar – Starpharma’s new generation dendrimer building blocks, which are much more efficient than earlier dendrimers.
Privigen – CSL’s 10% liquid IVIG product. Privigen gained FDA approval in July 2007.
Prodrug – A drug that is administered in an inactive form and then metabolised into an active drug. Prodrugs are useful in targeting therapies to the right place in the body.
Progression Free Survival (PFS) – The length of time a cancer patient undergoing treatment can see no worsening of his or her cancer. Also called Progression Free Interval.
Proline – An amino acid, common abbreviation P.
Promoter – A DNA sequence that begins the process of translation.
Proof-of-concept – A ‘pilot’ trial of a compound on a small number of patients that is conducted so as to prove that a particular scientific idea has merit rather than to persuade a regulator to approve the compound for commercial use. It is generally the Phase I Trial.
Prophylactic vaccine – A vaccine used to prevent disease, rather than treat existing disease (which is a therapeutic vaccine).
Protease – An enzyme which viruses use in virus assembly.
Protease inhibitors – Drugs that inhibit viral replication by hitting the enzyme that completes assembly of the virus. The first anti-HIV protease inhibitor was Roche’s Saquinavir, approved in 1995. Protease inhibition is also widely regarded as a viable anti-HCV drug strategy.
Proteasome – A protein degradation machine in cells.
Proteins – A class of fairly common molecules in the living things that includes antibodies and enzymes. Protein-based drugs have a high molecular weight compared to small molecules. A hormone is a protein.
Proteins A and G – Protein known to bind the Fc region of antibodies (ie the main non-antigen-binding region), making them useful to attach antibodies to surfaces for diagnostic purposes.
Proteomics - The large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions.
Prothrombin - A substance produced by the liver that helps with clotting. CSL’s Beriplex product is a prothrombin complex concentrate.
Psoriasis - A chronic skin disease, which sees the sufferer developing unsightly patches of raised red skin covered by a flaky white buildup. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder.
Psychosis – A mental condition best characterised as a ‘loss of contact with reality’.
PTCA – See Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty.
PTH – See parathyroid hormone.
PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) – A blockage of the main artery of the lung from a blood clot.
Pulsatile – Characterised by pulses.
Pulse oximetry – The measurement of blood oxygen saturation through a medical device, generally one that fits on the finger.
Pump thrombus – Blood clots caused by an LVAD.
p-value – A measure of statistical significance. Generally a p-value below 0.05 is considered ‘statistically significant’.
PYY – Short for peptide YY 3-36, a hormone that appears to be the intestine's signal of satiety.
QRxPharma – An ASX-listed company, code QRX, working on MoxDuo, a combination of the analgesics morphine and oxycodone.
RA – Short for retinoic acid.
Radial strength - Resistance to compressive forces in the radial direction, that is, perpendicular to the axis.
Radioembolisation – See embolisation.
Radiopaque - Not transparent to X-rays or other forms of radiation. REVA avoids radiopacity for ReZolve by adding iodine to the polymer.
Randomised - A clinical trial in which a participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the various trial groups.
Reagent – A chemical used to bring about a reaction.
Receptor – A molecule in a cell to which a signalling molecule such as a growth factor may attach.
RECIST – Short for the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours, RECIST is a set of rules that define when a tumour has responded to treatment, is stable, or has progressed.
Recoil - The amount of spring-back a blood vessel experiences after it has been expanded in a stenting procedure, measured in percentage terms.
Recombinant – Proteins produced using the tools of genetic engineering. Recombinant proteins are made using expression systems.
Registration study – A definitive clinical trial which allows a drug to gain regulatory approval.
Regulatory T cells – T cells which turn down immune response.
Relapsed/refractory – A disease condition that does not respond to therapy very well.
REMATCH – The Thoratec clinical trial, which published results in 2001 and which established that LVADs were better than medical management of late stage heart failure.
Remodeling – Expansion or constriction of blood vessels in response to physiologic or pathophysiologic conditions. After stenting, arteries are able to remodel by becoming wider.
Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) – A cancer of the kidneys.
Repeat Insult Patch Test – A test used to determine if a material has the potential to cause contact sensitisation or skin allergies. In the RIPT a small patch of the test material is applied to the skin of a human volunteer on two occasions to see if a contact allergy results on the second application.
Reperfusion – The return of blood supply to tissue after a period of ischemia.
Reproducibility – The ability of a diagnostic to get the same result twice.
Reprofiling – The process of taking a drug that has failed in one indication and retrialing it in another where it has shown promise.
Resect – To cut a tumour out of the body.
Reservoir patch – A drug delivery patch in which the drug is stored in a gel-type reservoir within the body of the patch, rather than spread through the material of the match, as in a matrix patch.
Resorption – The breakdown of materials within the body.
Response – A situation where a tumour has shrunk in size as a result of a medical intervention.
Restenosis - A re-narrowing or blockage of an artery at a site where angioplasty was previously done.
Retinoic acid – One of various derivatives of vitamin A that are often used in the treatment of acne and other skin problems. Tretinoin is a retinoic acid.
Retrovirus - A virus whose method of replication is the reverse of the usual method used. Generally viruses have DNA cores and replicate via RNA. Retroviruses, by contrast, consist of only a single strand of RNA coated with protein and replicate via reverse transcriptase. The HIV viruses are retroviruses.
Rett Syndrome – An Autism Spectrum Disorder that affects only girls.
REVA Medical – An ASX listed company, code RVA, developing one of the world’s first bioresorbable stents. The name REVA comes from the word ‘revascularisation’.
Revascor – The Mesoblast trademark for the cardiovascular applications of MPCs.
Revascularisation – Stenting or CABG procedures. The formation of new blood vessels.
Reverse transcriptase – An enzyme used by retroviruses in their replication process, allowing viral RNA to be converted to DNA. The NRTI and NNRTI anti-HIV drugs work by impacting on reverse transcriptase.
ReZolve – REVA’s polymer-based bioresorbable stent product.
RHAMM – Short for Receptor for Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility, RHAMM is a hyaluronic acid receptor.
Rhophylac - Rho(D) IVIG, indicated for the treatment of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) as well as ITP. The IVIG is designed to combat the anti-D antibodies in the mother’s blood. Rhophylac was introduced to the European market in 1996 and in the US in 2004.
Riastap – The American name for Haemocomplettan.
Ribavirin – An anti-viral drug currently used in conjunction with one of the interferons to treat Hepatitis C infection.
Ribosome – A protein-making ‘factory’ within the cell.
Right heart failure – Heart failure in which the right ventricle ceases to function normally.
RIPT – See Repeat Insult Patch Test.
RNA – A nucleic acid ‘photocopier’, used in copying each individual strand of DNA for use in making proteins (messenger RNA) and in delivering amino acids to the ribosome for assembling into a protein (transfer RNA).
Roux-en-Y – See gastric bypass.
SAB – Scientific Advisory Board.
Saccharide – A carbohydrate.
Salvage therapy – A therapy used as a last-ditch effort to rescue a patient from death after a number of other therapies have been tried.
SARAH - A 400-patient clinical study that will compare SIR-Spheres alone with sorafenib alone.
SARS – Short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a potentially fatal lung disorder resulting from infection with the SARS virus. SARS was first identified during its sole outbreak to date, in 2003. Biotron’s compounds are capable of blocking the E protein in the SARS virus.
Scale up – The process of taking a laboratory process for manufacturing a drug to commercial scale.
Schizophrenia – A mental condition characterised by disturbances in a person's thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviours.
Scientific Advice – Guidance from the EMA about what they require in order to approve a drug or medical device.
SCIG – Short for subcutaneous IgG
Scopolamine – An amnesia drug.
Secondary Liver Cancer – A cancer that begins in parts of the body other than the liver but spreads to the liver as it metastasises.
Second line – A drug regimen that is used in patients who have failed in a previous drug regimen (ie the ‘first line’).
Secretase – An enzyme that cuts APP to form amyloid beta. There are three secretases, alpha-secretase, beta-secretase, and gamma-secretase. The secretases have often been targets for Alzheimer’s drugs.
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy – The process whereby tumour cells are irradiated by SIR-Spheres.
Sensitisation – Provoking an immune response.
Sensitivity – The ability of a diagnostic to detect the substance being assayed for. Sensitivity is measured by LoD.
Sepsis – Serious and potentially life-threatening inflammation caused by severe infection.
Septal defect– A defect in the walls that divide the chambers of the heart. A ventricular septal defect is a hole in the wall dividing the left and right ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) while an atrial septal defect is a hole in the wall dividing the left and right atria (the upper chambers). ADAPT has been used to repair both kinds of septal defects.
Seroconversion – The development of detectable specific antibodies to microbes in blood plasma.
Serological staging – The use of blood samples to determine if a cancer drug has brought about a Complete or Partial Response.
Seropositive – Having antibodies to a particular microbe in the bloodstream, indicating a previous infection.
Serum - Plasma from which the clotting proteins have been removed.
Sham arm – The control arm of a clinical trial involving a medical procedure, in which the procedure does not actually take place.
Signal – The amount of fluorescence given off by a diagnostic test, allowing the presence of an analyte to be measured.
Signalling pathway – The succession of biochemicals that interact with each other in order to signal a part of the body to perform a particular biological function. Often an aberrant signalling pathway is a cause of cancer.
SIRFLOX - A 518-patient clinical study which will compare SIR-Spheres plus FOLFOX±Avastin or FOLFOX±Avastin alone as a first line treatment in mCRC patients with liver metastases.
Sirolimus – An immunosuppressant drug, also known as rapamycin, that is used as the anti-restenotic drug in some drug-eluting stents. Sirolimus is the drug eluted from ReZolve.
SIRT – see Selective Internal Radiation Therapy.
Sirtex Medical – A Sydney-based company, ASX Code SRX, whose SIR-Spheres product enables SIRT in the liver.
SIRveNIB - A 360-patient clinical study that will compare SIR-Spheres alone or daily sorafenib alone.
Slide and lock – The mechanism that allows ReZolve to be expanded without deforming the stent.
Small cell lung cancer – The type of lung cancer which responds better to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Non-small cell lung cancer responds better to surgery.
Small intestine – The part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine. The small intestine is made up of the duodenum, followed by the jejunum, followed by the ileum.
Small molecules – Drugs that have a low molecular weight (<500 daltons), making them easier to penetrate cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier.
SNP – Short for Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, DNA sequence variations within the same gene.
Soft tissue - Tissues of the body that are not bone. ADAPT is useful in soft tissue repair.
Solid phase – A diagnostic in which the target being assayed for is bound to a solid such as a glass or plastic surface rather than being detected in a liquid.
Solid tumour – In cancer, a tumour that is a localised mass of tissue rather than a blood cancer like leukaemia.
Somatostatin - A hormone which helps to control the production of insulin.
SORAMIC - A 375-patient clinical study that will compare SIR-Spheres plus sorafenib against sorafenib alone.
SPA – See Special Protocol Assessment.
Spacer – A chemical compound used to link other compounds together.
Special Protocol Assessment - A prior agreement with the FDA that if a clinical trial hits certain endpoints the drug being trialled will be approved. This ensures that the FDA can’t change its mind and ask for further data when the final results come in.
Specialty pharma – A drug company with approved products that specialises in a particular kind of drug.
Specificity – The ability of a diagnostic to only detect what is being assayed for. Specificity is the proportion of patients without the disease who receive a negative test result.
SPID48 - The change in pain intensity scores over the 48 hr dosing period from baseline. SPID is short for ‘Sum of Pain Intensity Differences’.
Spinal augmentation – Use of a medical device to strengthen the spine where it has been compressed.
Spinal fusion – Surgery to fuse the vertebrae in the spine, generally through the use of a bone graft or bone substitute. Mesoblast is seeking to commercialise a stem cell alternative.
Spleen – An organ in the abdomen that is made up of various immune system cells including B cells.
SPL7013 – The active ingredient in VivaGel. SPL7013 is a large molecule.
SpO2 - A measurement of the amount of oxygen attached to the haemoglobin cells in the circulatory system. The "S" stands for saturation, since at normal levels SpO2 is around 96%. SpO2 below 90% is indicative of oxygen dessaturation and therefore of respiratory depression. SpO2 is measured by pulse oximetry.
SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, the class of antidepressant drug to which Prozac belongs.
Stable angina – See angina.
Stable disease – In oncology, a situation in which tumours are not getting any bigger.
Standard of care – The current ‘best practice’ therapy for a disease, which Mesoblast generally uses as ‘placebo’ in its clinical trials.
Starpharma – An ASX-listed company, code SPL, commercialising the science of dendrimers.
Statins – A class of drugs that lower cholesterol.
Statistical significance - The probability, measured by the ‘p-value’, that an observed outcome of an experiment or trial is due to chance alone. Generally p-values below 0.05 are taken as markers of statistical significance.
Stator - The stationary part of a motor or generator, in or around which the rotor revolves.
Stem cells – Cells that can differentiate into many different cell types when subjected to the right biochemical signals.
Stent – A mesh tube used to prop open an artery during angioplasty.
Sternotomy - A surgical procedure involving incisions in the breastbone.
STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection.
Stratum corneum – The outermost layer of skin, at the edge of the epidermis.
Streptavidin – A molecule often used in diagnostics because it binds to biotin. This allows it to select from a solution antibodies or other capture agents that have been ‘biotinylated’ so as to capture the analyte.
Striatum – A brain region known to be important for learning and that governs habitual actions.
STRO-1 – The primary cell surface marker on bone marrow cells that characterises undifferentiated mesenchymal precursor cells. STRO is short for ‘stromal cell’.
STRO-3 – An antibody specific to TNAP that Mesoblast uses to identify MPCs.
Stroke – Brain damage which results from blockage of an artery (acute 'ischemic stroke') or, less commonly, from breakage of a blood vessel ('hemorrhagic strokes'), interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain.
Stromal cells - The connective tissue cells that form the supportive structure in which the functional cells of the tissue reside. Mensechymal stem cells come primarily from marrow stromal cells.
Structure-activity relationship - The relationship between the chemical or three-dimensional structure of a molecule and its biological activity.
Styrene – An organic compound used in the manufacture of plastics, rubber, and resins. Anteo uses styrene as a monomer in its surface coating technology.
Subcutaneous – Refers to matters ‘below the skin’. A subcutaneous injection is one that is given below the skin rather than directly into the bloodstream.
Subcutaneous IgG –Immunoglobulin delivered subcutaneously, rather than intravenous infusions of immunoglobulin. Vivaglobin is CSL’s Subcutaneous IgG product.
Substantia nigra – The brfain region that hosts dopamine-producing cells.
Substrate – In diagnostics, the surface on which functional groups are assembled.
Sunshine Heart – Developer of a heart assist device called C-Pulse.
Supernatant - Material floating on the surface of a liquid mixture.
Surface-to-artery – The ratio of stent surface area to artery surface area. Surface to artery is useful as a measure of the ease with which a catheter can be slid past a stent in order to access a side branch artery downstream.
Surfactant – Short for ‘surface active agent’, surfactants are substances that can reduce the surface tension of a liquid, making is easier for the liquid to penetrate solids. Surfactants are often found in cleaning fluids, since reducing the fluid’s surface tension makes it easier for it to penetrate solids (in this case what is being cleaned).
Sustained release – See controlled release.
Synapse - A junction between two nerve cells.
Synaptic function – Synapses are the junction between the terminal of a neuron and another neuron, over which nerve impulses pass. There is evidence that PBT2 can prevent loss of synaptic connection between neurons.
Synovium - The membrane that surrounds each joint in the body. The synovium is rich in hyaluronic acid.
Systemic – Delivered to the bloodstream rather than to a particular tissue of a clinical trial subject.
Systolic blood pressure – Blood pressure measured when the ventricle contracts. Systolic blood pressure is the highest of the pressures measured.
T2P – See di-a-tocopheryl phosphates.
T9001 – QRx’s drug candidate for the treatment of dystonia.
TACE – see Trans Arterial Chemo-Embolisation.
Tamper resistance – A quality in an analgesic drug that limits the ability of addicts to abuse the drug.
Tape stripping – A method of determining the penetration of topically-applied drugs into the skin where, after the drug is applied to the skin, adhesive films are repeatedly put on the treated areas and taken off again. The presence of drug in the film indicates that the drug has penetrated that far.
Targeted radiotherapy – Radiotherapy that seeks to irradiate simply the tumor and not the body in general. SIRT is a targeted radiotherapy.
Target Lesion Revascularisation (TLR) - The incidence of restenting or heart bypass required in a stent trial.
Tau protein – A protein named after the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet whose function is form the ‘railway ties’ that hold the microtubule ‘tracks’ in place. In some neurodegerative disorders Tau is altered so that so-called ‘neurofibrillary tangles’ result.
Taxol – A chemotherapy drug, generic name paclitaxel, that was first discovered in the mid-1960s from bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, but not introduced into general use until the early 1990s. Taxol is often used in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
TBI – See Traumatic Brain Injury.
T-cell receptors – Receptors on the surface of Helper T lymphocytes that recognise the combined MHC Class II and peptide epitope and then pass the word on to create the appropriate B lymphocytes.
T Cells – White blood cells that are responsible for killing cells infected by viruses (, in the case of ‘Cytotoxic T cells’), and inducing B lymphocytes to produce antibodies (in the case of ‘Helper T cells’).
TCR – See T-cell receptors.
Telehealth – Healthcare delivered remotely where the patient and physician interact via the Internet or smartphones and tablets.
Telomerase - An enzyme that has been associated with cellular immortality.
Terminal groups - The groups of atoms in the outermost layer of a dendrimer sphere.
Testosterone – A hormone that helps stimulate and maintain sexual function and maintain bone strength, among other functions.
Textilinin - An antifibrinolytic agent that is being developed as part of QRx’s Venomics project.
Th – the common symbol for ‘Helper T lymphocytes.
Therapeutic Index – In pharmacology, the ratio of effective dose to minimum tolerated dose. The higher this number, the better.
Therapeutic vaccine – A vaccine used to treat an existing disease, rather than prevent that disease (which is a prophylactic vaccine).
Therapeutic window - The range of doses of a drug which are effective without being harmful.
Thimerosal - A mercury containing preservative that was commonly found in vaccines.
Thoracotomy – A surgical procedure involving incisions made on the right or left side of the chest between the ribs. Such procedures are considered less invasive than a sternotomy.
Thrombocytopenia – A deficiency of platelets in the blood, leading to bleeding.
Thromboembolism - A condition in which a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel or the heart and then breaks off and travels inside the bloodstream to plug another blood vessel, causing organ damage.
Thrombosis – Formation of a thrombus, that is, a blood clot.
Tissue – A group of specialised cells with a common structure and function, such as ‘muscle tissue’.
Tissue engineering – The process of creating tissue for use in repairing tissue defects in patients.
Tissue Therapies – A Brisbane-based company, ASX Code TIS, commercialising VitroGro, a wound-healing product.
TLR - See Target Lesion Revascularisation.
T Lymphocytes – White blood cells that are responsible for killing cells infected by viruses, in the case of ‘Cytotoxic T cells’, and inducing B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, in the case of ‘Helper T lymphocytes’.
TNAP – Short for tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase, a marker which Mesoblast uses to identify undifferentiated MPCs.
TNF-a – Short for Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha, a pro-inflammatory cytokine.
Tocopherol – A form of vitamin E. Tocopherol comes in a variety of forms, the most common of which is a-tocopherol, which is what Phosphagenics uses to make TPM. The company has also used g-tocopherol to create a potential cancer drug.
Tocopheryl phosphate – Phosphagenics’s drug delivery platform, obtained by phosphorylation of Vitamin E.
Tocotrienol – A form of vitamin E.
Tolerable – Having a low level of side effects that are not life threatening.
Toll-like-Receptors – Receptors on many cell surfaces in the body whose function is to recognise molecules derived from microbes, and thereby stimulate the innate immune system.
Topical – Medication applied to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes such as the vagina or anus.
Topoisomerase inhibitor - Topoisomerase is an enzyme that uncoils DNA in the nuclei of cells, allowing cell division to take place. Since inhibiting the action of this enzyme can limit cell division, topoisomerase inhibitor drugs like irinotecan are among a new generation of anti-cancer drugs.
TorsinA – A protein that is understood to prevent the protein misfolding associated with movement disorders. QRx’s T9001 drug for the treatment of dystonia is based on TorsinA.
Toxicology – Tests to see if a drug is harmful in the body.
TP – See mono-a-tocopheryl phosphates.
TPM – Short for ‘Tocopheryl Phosphate Mixture’, or ‘Targeted Penetration Matrix’. TPM is Phosphagenics’s drug delivery platform. TPM is a phosphorylated version of Vitamin E.
TPM-01 – Phosphagenics’s first generation carrier, which was a-tocopheryl phosphate plus a surfactant.
TPM-02 – Phosphagenics’s second generation carrier, which is a 2:1 mixture of mono- and di- a-tocopheryl phosphates plus an alcohol such as ethanol as an excipient.
Transcription factor - A protein that binds to specific DNA sequences and thereby controls the transfer of genetic information to messenger RNA and ultimately into protein.
Transarterial Chemoembolisation – Embolisation of liver tumours achieved using a mixture of lipiodol and other chemotherapy drugs that are sent into the liver via a catheter in the hepatic artery.
Transdermal – Delivered across the skin.
Transfection - The transfer of DNA into a cell, often with the help of a virus.
Transfer RNA – RNA which delivers amino acids to the ribosome for assembling into a protein.
Transient ischemic attack – Often called a ‘mini stroke’, a transient episode of neurologic dysfunction caused by loss of blood flow to the brain but without tissue death.
Transgenic mouse model - A mouse whose genetic make-up has been altered so as to model a particular disease state.
Transverse processes - Small bones that connect the vertebrae to the back muscles.
Traumatic bone fractures – Bone fractures that are the result of wound or injury.
Traumatic Brain Injury – The loss of cognitive function that results from a blow to the head. Traumatic brain injury is classified as mild, moderate, or severe.
Treatment-naive – A patient whom has yet to be treated with drugs for a particular disease.
Trefoil Factors – Estrogen-regulated proteins secreted by cancer cells that act as growth factors to the cancer. Neuren has developed antibodies to Trefoil Factors 1 and 3.
Tretinoin – The form of retinoic acid used to treat acne and other scaly skin disorders. Phosphagenics has adapted tretinoin for delivery with its TPM platform. The leading brand of tretinoin is Retin-A, from J&J’s Ortho Dermatologics unit.
Triglycerides – The major form of fat consisting of three molecules of fatty acid combined with the alcohol glycerol. High levels of triglycerides are linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis.
Tripeptide – A peptide made up of three amino acids. Glypromate is a tripeptide.
Tubulin – A protein involved in maintaining cellular shape.
Tubulin Polymerisation Inhibitors – The class of drug to which BNC105 belongs.
TVF – Short for Target Vessel Failure.
Type 1 diabetes – ‘Insulin-dependent’ diabetes, where the body can’t produce any insulin at all. This affliction generally shows up before the age of 35 but only 5% of diabetics are type 1.
Type 2 diabetes – A disease condition where the body can’t generate enough insulin, or alternately can’t respond to what is produced. 95% of diabetics have type 2. Most are over the age of 40.
Tyrosine – An amino acid which is the main constituent of the ReZolve polymer.
Ubiquitin – A protein which plays a role in the degradation of defective and superfluous proteins by directing them to the proteasome. Ubiquitination is the use of an ubiquitin-encoding sequence in a DNA vaccine.
Ulcer – An open sore on a body surface caused by a break in the skin or mucous membrane that fails to heal.
Unblinded – A clinical trial in which both investigators and patients know which arm of the trial they are in.
Up-regulating - Promoting the expression of a particular molecule.
Unstable angina – See angina.
URTI – Short for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, that is, infections of the throat, nose and sinuses. Basically, this is the common cold.
VAD – Short for Ventricular Assist Device. LVADs are a type of VAD.
Vaginal prolapse – A female health condition in which the organs inside the pelvis protrude into the vaginal wall. Vaginal prolapse is treated via a pelvic floor reconstruction.
Variable Number of Tandem Repeats – Sequences of amino acids that repeat themselves in the MUC-1 structure.
Vascular Disrupting Agent (VDA) – A drug that destroys the blood vessels that feed tumours.
Vasomotion – Oscillation of smooth muscles in blood vessels, independent of heart beat.
VAST – Short for Versatile Assembly on Stable Templates, Alchemia’s platform for the discovery and optimisation of new drugs.
Vector - A virus or plasmid used as a carrier of antigenic material in a vaccine.
Venomics – A scientific discipline in which collections of animal venom are searched for potential drugs.
Venous ulcer – A chronic wound, generally on the leg, resulting from complications of cardiovascular disease.
Ventricle – One of the heart’s two pumping chambers (left or right).
Ventricular septal defect – See Septal defect.
Verification testing – Testing of medical device parts to prove that the device fulfils the requirements for intended use.
Vesicle – A pharmaceutical formulation that is hollow on the inside, enabling drugs to be carried. See vesicular entrapment.
Vesicular entrapment – The method by which TPM-02 works, with the molecule to be delivered entrapped inside vesicles of a-tocopheryl phosphate.
Vicodin - A narcotic analgesic product containing hydrocodone and paracetamol.
Vinca alkaloid – A cancer drug originally obtained from the Madagascar periwinkle, former scientific name Vinca rosea. Vinorelbine is a vinca alkaloid.
Viral budding – The process by which a newly created virus ‘buds’ off from an infected cell. BIT225 works to inhibit viral budding.
Viral load – The amount number of viruses that an infected individual is carrying.
Viral reservoirs – Cells in the body in which a virus such as HIV is able to ‘hide’ for long periods of time, out of the reach of drug therapy.
Viral wheeze – A wheezing sound caused by viral infection which is similar to wheezing caused by asthma.
Viralytics - A Sydney-based company, ASX Code VLA, focused on oncolytic virus technology.
Virion – The name of Biotron’s ‘platform’ technology, involving the blockage of viral ion channels in cells.
Virologic response – The extent to which an anti-viral therapy lowers levels of virus in the bloodstream of patients.
Viroporins - Hydrophobic viral proteins with ion channel activity
Virus – A strip of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat that is capable of replication only within human or animal cells. HIV is a virus as are Hepatitis C, Dengue and SARS.
Vital ET – The brand name of Phosphagenics’s Vitamin E excipient product which is sold via a distribution agreement with the US chemical company International Speciality Products.
Vitamin E – A vitamin best known for its antioxidant properties. Phosphagenics has adapted Vitamin E as a drug delivery agent with its TPM platform. Tocopherols and tocotrienols are two kinds of Vitamin E.
VitroGro ECM – A synthetic protein made from parts of IGF-1 and vitronectin used in wound care.
Vitronectin – A monomeric glycoprotein that promotes cell attachment, migration, proliferation and differentiation.
VivaGel – A trademarked anti-microbial gel being developed by Starpharma. VivaGel is based on SPL7013.
Vivaglobin – CSL’s subcutaneous immunoglobulin product. Vivaglobin was the first SCIG registered in the US.
VNTR – See Variable Number of Tandem Repeats.
von Willebrand factor (VWF) - The clotting protein that is deficient in von Willebrand’s disease, the inherited bleeding disorder.
VPU – Short for ‘Viral Protein U’, a protein in HIV that forms ion channels in the membrane of the cell that the virus has infected, thereby facilitating viral budding.
VTE – Short for Venous Thromboembolism, a blood clot in a vein. VTE includes deep vein thrombosis ( DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).
Vulnerable plaque – Plaque that has a soft core, making it ‘vulnerable’ to sudden rupture. Bioresorbable stents may provide a treatment option for vulnerable plaque.
WebNeuro – A clinical decision support system which Brain Resource has developed using BRID.
West Process – The process whereby Phosphagenics phosphorylates molecules to improve their bioavailabiliy. The West process was invented by Dr Simon West, who did much of the early work on what became Phosphagenics’s TPM technology. Basically the West Process involves cooking the chemical to be phosphorylated with phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10) at under 40 degrees Celsius.
Wet cough – Also called a ‘productive’ cough, a wet cough is one that produces phlegm.
WBC – Short for white blood cells.
White blood cells – The cells of the immune system, including T cells.
White matter – The part of the brain mostly containing myelin, as opposed to grey matter, which contains mostly neuronal cell bodies and glial cells.
Wild-type – The natural version of a particular gene, protein, or strain.
WRAIR – Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
XELOX – A chemotherapy regimen made up of capecitabine, brand name Xeloda (XE) plus Oxaliplatin (OX).
Xenograft – An animal model of cancer in which a human tumour is grafted onto a mouse without a functioning immune system, so that the tumour will stay in place.
Yttrium-90 - An isotope of yttrium (element no. 39, whose natural isotope is Yttrium-89) commonly used in radiotherapy.
Zemaira – A blood product to treat alpha1-proteinase inhibitor deficiency. The product came on the US market in 2003.
Zotarolimus – See Immunosuppressant.
Z score - A measure of how many standard deviations from the mean a particular value of data lies.
a-GAL epitope – A shape or marker on the surface of animal cells that triggers an immune response in people.
a-synuclein - A small soluble protein expressed primarily at presynaptic terminals in the central nervous system. α-synuclein dysfunction is a common feature of all forms of Parkinson’s Disease.
a-tocopherol – See tocopherol.
B2-opioid receptor – The receptor to which opioids such as morphine, hydrocodone and fentanyl bind.
g-radiation – (pronounced ‘gamma’ radiation – g or gamma is the third letter of the Greek alphabet) High frequency radiation which Anteo has used to apply physical stress to polymer surfaces in order to make them suitable for grafting to other polymers.
g-tocopherol – See tocopherol.
m-opioid receptor – The neural receptor to which oxycodone binds.
505(B)2 – An FDA regulatory approval process that applies for new drug delivery technologies and formulations where the drug being delivered is already FDA approved. With 505(B)2 applications only the safety and efficacy of the delivery technology needs to be demonstrated to the agency. 505(B)2 refers to the relevant section of America's Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act.
510(k) – Regulatory approval for a medical device in the US where the device has been found to be functionally equivalent to a device (called the ‘predicate device’) that was on the market before 1976.
5-fluorouracil (5-FU) – A drug used in systemic chemotherapy, particular in cancers of the breast and intestine, which was introduced by Roche in the late 1950s. The drug works by inhibiting take-up of DNA and RNA by cells, with rapid-growth cancer cells thereby being starved. 5-FU is generally administered with leucovorin (LV).
5-FU – See 5-Fluorouracil
6-OHDA – An animal model of Parkinson’s disease. In the 6-OHDA model the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine is used to selectively kill dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons.
A2A – Short for adenosine 2A receptor, a receptor for the RNA molecule adenosine that seems to play a role in dopamine release.
Abiotic – Use of capture agents other than antibodies or other biological molecules in diagnostics.
Absolute weight loss – The amount of weight a patient loses in a weight loss programme regardless of that person’s ideal weight, as opposed to Excess Weight Loss.
Accuracy – A composite measure of sensitivity and specificity to show how well a diagnostic works.
Acetaminophen – A non-opioid analgesic that is anti-inflammatory and anti-fever. Acetaminophen is often called ‘paracetamol’. It is an ingredient in Percocet. Tylenol is an acetaminophen brand.
Acetylcholine – A neurotransmitter.
Acrux – A Melbourne-based transdermal drug delivery company, whose first commercial product was the testosterone replacement product Axiron. The name comes from the star called Acrux, which is Alpha Crucis, the brightest star in the constellation Crux, the Southern Cross.
ACS – See Acute Coronary Syndrome.
Active controlled – A clinical trial in which a drug is measured against a drug or drug combination rather than placebo.
Active ingredient – The part of a drug with pharmaceutical activity, also called ‘the active’. It is the compound within a drug-like preparation that is active against the drug’s target.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient – The part of a drug with pharmaceutical activity as opposed to a mere ‘support’ role.
Actuator - A mechanical device that converts energy into motion.
Acute Coronary Syndrome - A disease situation where patients are suffering both angina and heart attack.
Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) - The medical term for a heart attack, that is, a blockage of blood supply to the heart muscle (the myocardium).
Acute pain – Pain that the patient experiences for only a short period.
ADAPT – Allied Healthcare’s tissue fixing and sterilisation technology, being developed by Celxcel.
ADAS-cog – Short for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale - Cognitive Subscale. It is a measure of cognition in Alzheimer’s disease patients. An ADAS-Cog test is a battery of individual tests of such abilities as word recall and recall of test instructions etc.
ADHD – Short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, a mental health condition in which a patient finds it hard to pay attention, be organised, think slowly and sit still.
Adipose tissue – Fat tissue (‘adeps’ is Greek for fat)
Adjuvant – In immunology, a substance that assists in increasing immune system response.
ADME – See pharmacokinetics.
ADVANCE – The name of HeartWare’s Bridge to Transplant trial in the US.
Affective disorder – A mental disorder characterised by alteration in mood. Depression is an affective disorder.
Afluria – CSL’s thiomersal-free influenza vaccine. Afluria gained FDA approval in October 2007.
Agenix – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code AGX, which works on a blood clot diagnostic.
Agonist – A drug that stimulates or enhances the activity of cell receptors.
AIDS – The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, a condition in which the immune system ceases to function effectively due to destruction of white blood cells by HIV.
AlbRx – CSL’s albumin product.
Albumin – A blood protein often administered by injection to treat or prevent shock, following serious injury, bleeding, surgery, or burns, by increasing the volume of blood plasma.
Alchemia – A Brisbane based company, ASX Code ACL, which is working on delivery of cancer drugs using hyaluronic acid.
Alginate – A polysaccharide that occurs naturally in brown algae and is often used in wound dressing products because they can absorb up to twenty times their weight in fluid, making them good at draining wet wounds.
Alkaloids – Compounds often found in plants that are based on nitrogen and are physiologically active.
Allied Healthcare – A Brisbane-based company, ASX Code AHZ, working on tissue preparation and vaccine technology.
Allogeneic – A type of bone marrow or stem cell transplant in which the donor and recipient are genetically dissimilar. Mesoblast’s stem cells products can be used in allogeneic transplants, enabling them to be used as ‘off the shelf’ products.
Allosteric modulator – A drug that binds to a receptor target without displacing that receptor’s usual ligand. Allosteric modulators can be positive (turns ‘up’ the signal from the receptor) or negative (turns it down).
Alopecia – Complete or partial hair loss.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin – CSL’s Zemaira product. Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an hereditary condition that increases the risk of the lung disorder emphysema.
Alzheimer’s disease (also called presenile dementia) - A brain disorder that affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Alzheimer’s is understood to afflict between 1 and 2% of the population of the Western world.
Ambulatory – Medical care given to patients who do not need to be admitted to a hospital.
AMD – Short for Age-related Macular Degeneration, an eye disease in which the central area of the retina (the macula) loses function and leaves the patient with only peripheral vision. Mesoblast has done preclinical work indicating that its stem cells can be useful in the treatment of AMD.
AMI – see Acute Myocardial Infarction.
Amide – A nitrogen-based organic compound. Currently amide bonds obtained using EDC are the main way in which antibodies are linked to surfaces for diagnostic purposes.
Amiloride – A cardiovascular drug that is a sodium ion channel blocker. Biotron-associated scientists initially used amiloride analogues when searching for a VPU inhibitor drug. See HMA below.
Amino – A nitrogen-based organic compound derived from ammonia (NH3) in which one or more of the hydrogens are replaced by a side chain. Amino groups have the compound NH2 as part of their structure. Amino acids, of which there are twenty occurring naturally, are the building blocks of proteins.
Amino acids - The building blocks of proteins. There are around twenty naturally occurring amino acids.
Ampicillin – An antibiotic that is being studied for potential analogues in QRx’s Torsin project.
Amyloid – A starch-like protein that is found deposited in plaques in the brain tissue of people who have died from Alzheimer’s.
Amyloid beta – An amyloid protein that results when Amyloid Precursor Protein is cut by a secretase enzyme. Amyloid beta can form into plaque in brain tissue and contribute to loss of brain function. A Beta 40, an amyloid beta protein which is 40 amino acids in length, is the more common, however a slightly longer protein called A Beta 42, which as the name suggests is 42 amino acids long, tends to aggregate into plaques more easily.
Amyloid hypothesis – The hypothesis that beta amyloid protein is the primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloid plaques – The clumps of amyloid in the brain that indicate that a person died of Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloid targeting metallocomplexes – PBT-designed drugs that can block amyloid beta’s metal bind site.
Analgesics – Pain management drugs.
Analogue – A protein drug similar to the natural protein but with some amino acids changed so as to improve the drug’s performance.
Analogues – Chemical compounds that are based on a known substance but with various elements of the original compound altered. Scientists often create analogues of known compounds when looking for new drugs that have similar properties to the compound but are better as drugs.
Analyte – The substance or chemical constituent that is determined by a diagnostic.
ANDA – Short for ‘Abbreviated’ New Drug Application, a filing with the FDA for approval to market a generic drug. In an ANDA the generic drug maker has to prove ‘bioequivalence’ to the branded drug.
Angene – Bionomics’ platform for drug discovery of angiogenesis drug targets.
Angina – Chest pains associated with coronary heart disease. Stable angina has a regular pattern that only occurs if the heart is working harder than usual. Unstable angina doesn't follow a pattern, can occur without physical exertion, and in 10-20% of cases is the prelude to a heart attack. Chronic refractory angina is angina in patients for whom there are no treatment options available.
Angioblasts - Adult blood vessel stem cells.
Angioblast Systems - A privately-held US company which has licensed the rights to Mesoblast’s stem cells for cardiovascular conditions. Mesoblast owned 39% of Angioblast Systems fully diluted until it acquired the other 61% in 2010.
Angioedema – A disease condition where fluid accumulation leads to swelling of the skin, mucosa and submucosal tissues.
Angiogenesis – The process underlying the formation of new blood vessels. Anti-angiogenesis drugs are increasing being found to be useful in the treatment of cancers.
Angioplasty - A procedure to open clogged arteries, performed after a heart attack.
Antagonist – A drug that blocks the action of a particular receptor.
Anteo Diagnostics – A Brisbane-based company, ASX Code ADO, which works on surface design technology.
Anteo Surface Technology – Anteo’s core technology of surface discovery through high throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry.
Antibodies – Also called immunoglobulins, antibodies are immune system proteins that can bind to an antigen and help to neutralise the potentially harmful effects of the cells carrying the antigen. Antibodies are commonly used in drug therapy for this reason. Antibodies are often used in diagnostics to create immunoassays.
Antibody Capture – Patrys’ suite of technologies for identifying cancer antibodies.
Antigen - The ‘bad guy’ substance that stimulates the immune system to respond to the perceived threat. It is the protein to which antibodies bind.
Antigen-presenting cells - White blood cells that instruct the immune cells on what foreign thing (antigen) they should attack. They eat what they identify to be foreign substances in the blood then process (degrade) antigen into small peptides, place the peptides that indicate the characteristics of an antigen on their surface, and present the antigen to T cells so as to produce the appropriate immune system response. The class of cells called antigen presenting cells also includes dendritic cells or dendritic macrophages.
Anti-microbial – A compound that can kill viruses and bacteria. SPL7013 is an anti-microbial dendrimer.
Antioxidants – Substances that neutralise oxygen in free radicals, which can damage cells in the body. Various vitamins including Vitamin E have antioxidant properties.
Antiplatelet therapy – The use of drugs that inhibit blood clots such as the BMS/Sanofi drug Plavix, or aspirin.
Antiproliferative drug – Any drug that prevents abnormal tissue growth. Antiproliferative drugs such as the cancer drug taxol or the immunosuppressant drug everolimus are used as the coating in drug-eluting stents to prevent fibrosis-driven re-blockage of the artery at the stent site.
Antiretroviral – A drug used in the treatment of HIV infection (HIV is a retrovirus).
Antisense – Methods for blocking the message – the ‘sense’- of the DNA behind the creation of a protein.
Antisense Therapeutics – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code ANP, working on the use of antisense constructs to disease genes.
ANVISA - The Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, Brazil’s answer to the FDA.
Anxiolysis – The process of anxiety reduction.
AOP9604 – A peptide drug originally developed for the treatment of obesity as AOD9604 (AOD stands for ‘Advanced Obesity Drug’). The drug is a modified peptide fragment of Human Growth Hormone. Phosphagenics is reprofiling AOP9604 as an anti-cellulite cream.
Aorta - The large artery that carries blood from the left ventricle of the heart to branch arteries.
Aortic root enlargement – An aneurysm (ie balloon-like deformity) in the wall of the aorta, which is the large artery that carries blood from the left ventricle of the heart to branch arteries. ADAPT has been used in surgery to treat aortic root enlargement.
Apathy Syndrome – Lack of motivation, initiative or enthusiasm, as well as low variety of expression, often resulting from stroke.
Apheresis – Removal of blood from a patient so that certain cells can be extracted therefrom, after which the blood is returned to the patient.
API – See Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient.
APOE4 – A gene that codes for a version of Apolipoprotein E, a cholesterol transport protein. The E4 version of the APOE gene contains a polymorphism associated with a majority of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease cases. The gene for APOE was discovered in 1992 on chromosome 19. Elan is targeting APOE4 positive patients with its bapineuzumab drug.
Apoptosis – ‘Programmed’ cell death, that is, death that is naturally-occurring. Cancer cells tend to avoid apoptosis.
APP – Short for Amyloid beta Precursor Protein, a protein found in the outer layer of brain cells which, when snipped by the secretases, results in amyloid beta. The gene for APP was located on chromosome 21 around 1987.
ARCBS – Australian Red Cross Blood Service, a blood collection agency.
Argon plasma treatment – The application of ionised argon gas to a surface. Anteo has used this heat-based method to apply physical stress to polymer surfaces in order to make them suitable for grafting to other polymers.
Aricept – A cholinesterase inhibitor drug from Pfizer (generic name donepezil) that treats Alzheimer’s by boosting the amount of acetylcholine in the brain.
Arixtra - A synthetic heparin from GSK. Arixtra’s generic name is fondaparinux.
Ascending aorta – The blood's 'superhighway' from the heart out to the rest of the body.
Assay – A test that allows the presence or absence of a substance in a test tube to be verified.
Asthma – A chronic respiratory condition marked by periodic spasms in the bronchi, causing difficulty in breathing.
Astrocyte – A glial cell which helps regulate neurotransmitter levels in the brain.
AtCor Medical – A developer of blood pressure diagnostic systems, ASX Code ACG.
Atherosclerosis – The clogging or hardening of blood vessels caused by plaques of fatty deposits, usually cholesterol.
Atria – One of the heart’s two upper chambers (left or right).
Atrial fibrillation – A type of arrhythmia involving irregular heartbeat. Around one in 100 people have AF.
Atrial septal defect –See Septal defect.
Atropine – A small molecule drug used to accelerate heart rate in patients. Phosphagenics has used TPM to deliver atropine in rat models.
Atypical pneumonia – Pneumonia caused by certain bacteria (such as Legionella pneumophila, the cause of Legionnaire’s Disease) where the symptoms differ from pneumonia caused by common bacteria.
Auscultation – The diagnosis of internal medical conditions using a stethoscope.
Autism – Developmental disability characterised impaired communication, difficulty in social interaction, and restricted and repetitive interests and behaviours.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) – A developmental disability with similar symptoms to autism. Rett’s Syndrome is considered an Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Autograft – Use of a patient’s own bone in orthopaedics work.
Autoimmune disease – Disease in which the immune system is attacking ‘self’ antigens rather than ‘non-self antigens’. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis are autoimmune diseases.
Autologous - A type of bone marrow or stem cell transplant in which the recipient receives his own cells. Mesoblast’s stem cells were initially trialled in autologous transplants before work began on allogeneic applications of the cells.
Autonomic – Refers to nervous system activity that controls activities such as heart rate. It is often measured using electrodermal activity, where sensors attached to the palm are used to monitor sweat output.
Avastin – A Roche antibody drug that is an anti-angiogenesis agent. See bevacizumab.
Avidity – The strength of an antibody’s binding to its antigen, as opposed to affinity, which is whether or not it can bind.
Avita Medical – A developer of skin repair technology, ASX Code AVH.
Axial flow - An LVAD pump where blood flows enter and exit along the same direction parallel to the impeller.
Axiron – Acrux’s transdermal testosterone spray, which is marketed by Eli Lilly.
Axon – An extension of a neuron responsible for nerve transmission. Axons are sheathed in myelin.
B3 adrenergic receptors – Receptors located mainly in adipose tissue involved in the regulation of lipolysis.
Bacteria – Single-celled organisms that are typically a few micrometres in length.
Bacterial vaginosis - Excessive ‘bad’ bacteria in the vagina, such as Gardnerella vaginalis, leading to symptoms such as discharge or odour.
Balloon angioplasty - An operation to repair a damaged blood vessel or unblock a coronary artery in which a balloon is inserted into the vessel via the femoral artery using a catheter and then expanded.
Bapineuzumab – An Alzheimer’s antibody drug currently being developed by Elan and Wyeth.
Bare metal – A stent without the drug coating used in drug-eluting stents.
Bariatric surgery – Surgery to reduce the size of the stomach to help morbidly obese people lose weight. Bariatrics is the field of medicine concerned with weight loss.
Basal Insulin – Insulin that keeps blood sugar stable between meals and overnight.
Base – A constituent of nucleic acids that combines with sugar and phosphate in nucleotides. There are four bases – adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C).
Baseline – The starting point for measurement in a scientific experiment or clinical trial.
Base pair - Two nucleotide bases on different strands of the nucleic acid molecule that bond together. The bases can pair in one way only: adenine with thymine and guanine with cytosine.
Bax – A pro-apoptosis protein.
B cells – Another name for B-Lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that are responsible for the production of antibodies.
Bcl2 – An anti-apoptosis protein.
BCLC – A staging system for liver cancer developed by the Barcelona Clinic for Liver Cancer, ranked from BCLC A (early) to BCLC B (intermediate), BCLC C (advanced) and BCLC D (terminal).
Beads – Small spheres used in immunoassays where a binding agent specific for the target of interest is coated to the bead. Beads are often magnetic, allowing detection of analyte through magnetism.
Benitec – A Sydney based company, ASX Code BLT, involved in gene silencing technology.
Benzodiazepines – The class of tranquilliser drugs best known for Valium.
Beriate – CSL’s freeze-dried human Factor VIII concentrate.
Berinert - A C1 esterase inhibitor used to treat angioedema.
Beriplex – A plasma-derived prothrombin complex concentrate used to stop bleeding in patients on oral anti-coagulants.
Beta radiation – The radiation emitted by SIR-Spheres, which is the stream of electrons given off by the spheres.
Bevacizumab – An antibody drug, brand name Avastin, that is often used in the treatment of mCRC. Bevacizumab works by targeting vascular endothelial growth factor A, thereby cutting the vasculature of tumours.
Big Pharma – A collective term referring to the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly, J&J, Merck & Co., Novartis and Pfizer.
Bile – A substance produced by the liver which the body uses to digest fats.
Bioavailability – The quantity of a drug that is able to make it to its target once inside the body. High bioavailability is an important component in a drug’s prospects for commercial success. High oral bioavailability is even more desirable because then the drug can be administered in pill form. Some drugs have high bioavailability when injected intravenously but low bioavailability orally.
Biochip – See Microarray.
Biocompatibility – The ability of a material to not be injurious or toxic to living tissue, as well as avoid generating an immunologic reaction.
Bioinformatics – The use of information technology to analyse biological data.
Bio-Layer – The former name (2005-2008) of Anteo Diagnostics. Bio-Layer’s ASX Code was BLS.
Biologicals – Drugs based on proteins that occur naturally in living organisms. Most biologicals are large molecule drugs.
Biomarker – A natural substance used as an indicator of a biological state, especially to detect the presence or severity of disease.
Biomimetic – A synthesised compound that is similar to an actual biological compound.
Bionomics - An Adelaide based drug development company, ASX Code BNO.
Bioresorbable - Materials that can be broken down by the body and that do not require mechanical removal.
Biostate – CSL’s brand name for human Factor VIII.
Biotin – A molecule used in diagnostics because it binds to streptavidin. Biotinylated antibodies or other capture agents can capture the analyte and then be selected out of a solution using streptavidin.
Biotron – A Sydney-based company, ASX Code BIT, working on drugs to treat Hepatitis C and HIV infection.
BIT009 – Biotron’s initial proof-of-concept compound, based on HMA. BIT009 was superseded in 2005 by BIT225.
BIT225 – A rationally designed drug that Biotron has developed for the treatment of HCV and HIV infection.
BLA – Biologics License Application, a filing with the FDA seeking marketing approval for a biotech product.
Blockbuster – A pharmaceutical drug with more than US$1bn in annual sales.
Blood-brain barrier – A wall of cells which line the blood vessels in the brain so tightly that only selected substances are permitted to pass through.
BMI – Short for Body Mass Index, which is one’s body weight in kilograms divided by the square of one’s height in metres. BMI of greater than 25 is generally considered ‘overweight’ while over 30 is considered obese.
BMP – Short for Bone Morphogenetic Protein, a growth factor that can help create new bone. Mesoblast is seeking to displace BMP’s use in spinal fusion.
BN069 – A Bionomics angiogenesis drug target.
BNC105 – Bionomics’ main anti-cancer drug. BNC105 is a Vascular Disrupting Agent.
BNC210 – Bionomics’ anti anxiety drug.
BNC245 – A drug which Bionomics scientists have synthesised which has demonstrated effectiveness against Multiple Sclerosis in animal models.
Bolus Insulin – Extra insulin needed to cope with a sudden glucose influx at mealtimes.
Bone graft – Material which helps an orthopaedics patient grow new bone.
Bone marrow transplantation – A treatment for leukaemia in which a patient’s bone marrow is destroyed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and then replaced by previously harvested bone marrow from a donor or the patient himself. Mesoblast is working on using its stem cells to enhance the effectiveness of bone marrow transplantation through expansion of cord blood.
Bony bridging – The fusion of two bones.
Bovine – From cows. Bovine tissue is often used in soft tissue repair.
Brachytherapy – Internal radiation treatment given by placing radioactive material directly onto a tumour or close to it. The word comes from Greek word ‘brachys’, meaning ‘short distance’. SIRT is a form of brachytherapy.
Brain Resource – An ASX-listed company, Code BRC, which owns the Brain Resource International Database, the world's largest brain function database.
Brain Resource methodology – The methods and protocols and analysis tools which Brain Resources uses to gather and integrate brain data.
Breakthrough pain - Acute periods of pain that start rapidly despite the use of analgesics.
Bridge to Decision – The use of an LVAD to bridge a patient through to the point where a decision is made as to whether or not to list the patient on a heart transplant waiting list.
Bridge to Recovery – Use of an LVAD to bridge a patient through to the point where the heart has recovered.
Bridge to Transplant – Use of a heart assist device to bridge a heart failure patient through to cardiac transplantation.
Bronchi, bronchioles – The bronchi are the two large airways that branch off from the lower end of the windpipe, one for each lunch. Each bronchus divides into many branches that end with smaller tubes called bronchioles.
Bronchiectasis – A condition where damage to the bronchi causes them to widen and become flabby and scarred.
Bronchiolitis – Infection of the bronchioles.
Bronchitis – Inflammation of the bronchi.
Buccal delivery – Delivery of drugs through the buccal mucosa in the inner cheek of the mouth.
Bunionectomy – Surgical removal of bunions, which are bony protrusions at the base of the big toe.
C1q – A subunit of the C1 enzyme complex that activates the serum complement system. PAT-SM6 is known to bind C1q and mediates complement deposition on cancer cells.
CA1, CA2 – Two subregions of the hippocampus.
CA125 - A tumour marker that is indicative of ovarian cancer.
CABG – See Coronary Artery Bypass Graft.
Cadaver – A dead human body.
Calcification –The build-up of calcium in tissues, which reduces their flexibility and durability.
Calzada - A Melbourne-based company which works on biodegradable polymer technology. The company’s name in Spanish means ‘roadway’.
Camptothecin – A naturally-occurring DNA topoisomerase inhibitor derived from a tree native to China called the ‘xu shi’, scientific name Camptotheca acuminata. Camptosar/irinotecan is a camptothecin analogue.
Camptosar – A drug from Pfizer approved in 1996 for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Camptosar is the brand name of irinotecan.
Cancer stem cell – A cell that can give rise to a tumour. Cancer stem cells traditionally have been difficult to kill with conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Cancer vaccine – A vaccine that has been developed to target a cancer molecule to either prevent cancer (prophylactic vaccine) or treat existing cancer (therapeutic vaccine). CVac is a cancer vaccine.
Cannula – A tube inserted into the body.
CAP – See Continuous Access Protocol.
Capecitabine – A prodrug of 5FU. The branded form of capecitabine is the Roche drug Xeloda.
Capping groups – See terminal groups.
Capsid – The protein coat or shell of a virus particle.
Capture agent – The part of a diagnostic which captures the analyte by binding to it. Also called a ligand.
Carbidopa – A drug often used in conjunction with levodopa to treat Parkinson’s Disease in its early stages.
Carbohydrate – A sugar-based organic compound
Carboplatin – A platinum-based cancer drug that was approved by the FDA in 1989.
Carbopol – A water soluble vinyl polymer often used as a gelling agent. Carbopol is the gel material for VivaGel.
Carcinoma – Another word for 'cancer'.
Cardiac index – The ratio of blood flow, in litres per minute, to a patient’s body surface area. The lower this figure, the worse the patient’s experience. Normal cardiac index ranges from 2.6 to 4.2.
Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRT) - The use of specialised pacemakers to re-coordinate the action of the right and left ventricles of the heart where an abnormality in the heart's electrical conducting system has caused the two ventricles to beat in an asynchronous fashion. Also called ‘Biventricular Pacing’.
Cardiac transplantation – Replacement of a failing heart with a donated heart.
Cardiocel – Celxcel’s trademark for ADAPT when used for cardiovascular conditions.
Cardiovascular disease – The various medical conditions that affect the heart and the blood vessels, such as heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Carimmmune – The brand name for CSL’s lyophilized IVIG.
Cartilage – The connective tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Mesoblast’s stem cells are being applied to the treatment of cartilage damage in osteoarthritis.
Carrier – Material used to carry a drug for delivery into the body. TPM is a carrier technology.
Caspase 8 – An effector of apoptosis.
Category B – A Medicare classification in which a device is deemed to be ‘nonexperimental/investigational’ and therefore eligible for reimbursement during a clinical trial.
Catheter - A tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel to allow drainage, injection of fluids, or implantation of devices.
CCK-4 – Short for cholecystokinin tetrapeptide, a peptide that can induce panic attacks in people.
CCR5 – A receptor on the surface of some immune system cells that HIV uses to enter the cell. Many ‘entry inhibitor’ drugs work by blocking CCR5 or its co-receptor, CXCR4.
CD34+ cells – Another term for haemopoietic stem cells.
CD44 – A hyaluronic acid receptors that are overexpressed on cancer cells, including cancer stem cells.
CD55 – The target of PAT-SC1. CD55 is also called Decay-Accelerating Factor.
CD4 cells - White blood cells that assist in the body’s immune response through the creation of antibodies. HIV uses the CD4 structure on the cell surface, as well as the co-receptors CCR5 and CXCR4, to enter and infect cells.
CD4+ cells - White blood cells that assist in the body’s immune response by helping B cells create antibodies. CD4+ cells receive the antigen of foreign cells from the MHC Class II molecules on Antigen Presenting Cells.
CD8+ cells – White blood cells that assist in the body’s immune response by killing foreign cells, which is why CD8+ cells are also called Cytotoxic T-Lymphocytes or Killer T-cells. CD8+ cells receive the antigen of foreign cells from the MHC Class I molecules on Antigen Presenting Cells.
CDC – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a US government agency charged with investigating and diagnosing, as well as controlling or preventing, disease.
CDI – Short for CHESS Depositary Interests, a type of security used by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) to allow stocks of international companies to trade in Australia. CHESS is the ASX’s Clearing House Electronic Subregister System, which manages the settlement of transactions executed on the ASX.
Cell-mediated arm – The arm of the immune system involved with generation of T-Cells against an antigen, as opposed to antibodies.
Cellmid – A Sydney-based company working on midkine, which is a heparin-binding cytokine that plays a role in cancer and heart disease.
Cellular therapy - The process of introducing new cells into a tissue in order to treat a disease.
Cellulite - The dimples and bumps in the skin, usually around the thighs and buttocks, caused when the natural structure of the skin is stretched by fat tissue.
Celxcel – A subsidiary of Allied Healthcare that is working on the ADAPT tissue fixing and sterilisation technology.
CE marking – The process of gaining European approval for a medical device. CE stands for Conformité Européenne.
Central laboratory – A large pathology laboratory where samples are shipped for analysis in a factory-style setting for high throughput. Central laboratories make heavy use of in-vitro diagnostics.
Central Nervous System (CNS) – The brain and the spinal column, which is mostly made up of nerve cells.
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) – A fluid that surrounds the central nervous system. Physicians can check on the levels of amyloid beta in the brain by using a lumbar puncture to assay for the fluid.
Cervical spine – The upper back which supports the neck area.
Cetuximab – An antibody drug that has been indicated in head and neck cancer as well as colorectal cancer. The branded version is Erbitux, from BMS and Merck KGaA. In colorectal cancer cetuximab works better if the patients don’t have a mutated version of KRAS. Cetuximab targets EGFR, the epidermal growth factor receptor.
CFR1 ––Short for Cysteine-rich Fibroblast growth factor Receptor 1, CFR1 is the target of PAT-PA1. This growth factor receptor plays a role in various cancers including pancreatic.
Chemoform – An Alchemia term referring to the individual 3D shapes a peptide of three amino acids can take.
Chemokine – A protein that activates immune cells, stimulates their migration, and helps direct immune cell traffic throughout the body.
Chemotherapy - The use of chemical agents to treat cancer, as opposed to radiotherapy.
CHF – Short for congestive heart failure.
Chlamydia – An STI caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman's reproductive organs. Symptoms of infection are usually mild or absent.
CHO – Short for Chinese Hamster Ovary, a cell line that is often used to produce therapeutic proteins.
Cholesterol - A lipid produced by the liver with many functions including the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins and the production of sex hormones. Too much cholesterol, however, is bad for cardiovascular health. See LDL and HDL.
Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) – A neuronal enzyme that makes the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, important for functions such as muscle contraction, the regulation of heart rate and learning. In Alzheimer’s disease ChAT is less active than in non-Alzheimer’s brains.
Chromatographic fractionation – A blood fractionation technique used by CSL.
Chromatographic Liquid IVIG – 10% liquid IVIG.
Chronic pain – Pain that the patient experiences over some period of time. Generally pain that has persisted for longer than three months is considered chronic.
Circadian Technologies – An ASX-listed company, Code CIR, company working on VEGF inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and eye disease.
Circulatory support – Use of mechanical devices to support the body’s cardiovascular system. An LVAD is a circulatory support device.
Cisplatin – A platinum-containing chemotherapy drug first approved by the FDA in 1978. In conjunction with Taxol, it is the current standard for ovarian cancer treatment.
Class – a) In US medical device regulation, a device goes in one of three classes – Class I (low risk), Class II (moderate risk) and Class III (high risk); b) See Major Histocompatibility Complex.
Cleared – A clinical trial for which approval has been gained from the FDA.
Clinical hold – An FDA order to delay or suspend a clinical trial.
Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code CUV, which develops drugs to treat skin disorders.
Clioquinol – An old anti-amoebic drug with which Prana conducted their proof of concept studies for the MPAC approach. The drug was banned from the Japanese market in 1970 because up to 10,000 Japanese patients developed peripheral nerve damage and sometimes blindness partly as a result of taking it.
CMC – Short for Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Control, the description of a how a drug is manufactured. CMC data is included in a Drug Master File.
CMI – Short for Cell Mediated Immunity, where specific defence cells are mounted against a foreign substance, as in Killer T Cells.
CMS – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which administers these programmes for America’s federal Department of Health and Human Services. CMS reimbursement helps drive commercial value for US-approved drugs and medical devices.
CNS – Short for Central Nervous System, that is, the brain and the spinal cord.
Codons – A sequence of three nucleotides that code for an amino acid.
Codon optimisation – A process whereby codons are changed in an antigen in order to increase the expression of that antigen in cells.
Cognition - A term which covers multiple aspects of mental function such as a memory and language. In Alzheimer’s cognition is often measured by ADAS-Cog.
Cohort – A group of patients in a clinical trial on the same dose or with other features in common.
Collagen – The fibrous protein that makes up connective tissue.
Colorectal cancer – Cancers of the colon and rectum. Around 70% of colorectal cancers originate in the colon.
Combination Rule study – A clinical trial in which the drug combination is being trialled against each of its components separately rather than placebo.
Combinatorial chemistry – A method of synthesising large numbers of chemical compounds by combining sets of chemical building blocks.
Combretastatin A4 – An anti-cancer drug originally identified in the bark of the African bush willow tree Combretum caffrum.
Co-morbidities – Diseases that tend to occur alongside a main disease.
Comparative study – A study comparing a drug with an existing drug or drug combination rather than placebo.
Complementary – The nucleotide that acts as partner to another nucleotide in a base pairing. In DNA adenine (A) is complementary to thymine (T) and cytosine (C) is complementary to guanine (G).
Complementary DNA – The synthesised mRNA that scientists use to read genomes.
Complement system – A suite of proteins which help or ‘complement’ antibodies and T cells to clear pathogens from the body. Decay-Accelerating Factor is a regulatory protein in the complement system.
Complete Response – Elimination of a tumour brought about by a cancer drug.
Complete Response Letter - A letter issued by the FDA explaining why it won’t yet approve a particular drug.
Compliance – The following by a patient of a prescribed course of treatment.
Composition of matter – A patent that covers the chemical make-up of a drug.
Compound library – A collection of proprietary chemical compounds that a drug developer uses when looking for a drug to hit a particular target. Biotron has over 300 compounds in its library.
Compression therapy – The use of a compressing bandage or stocking to treat venous ulcers, by encouraging better functioning of the veins in the leg.
Concussion – Temporary unconsciousness caused by a blow to the head. Concussion is mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
Congestive heart failure – See heart failure.
Construct – When used as a noun, in genetics, a construct is a genetically engineered plasmid, such as Coridon’s DNA vaccines.
Continuous Access Protocol – FDA approval of continuing use of a device by patients or doctors who have participated in a clinical trial.
Control arm – The group of patients in a clinical study that are not being administered the treatment and are used for comparison purposes.
Controlled release – A drug which works in the body over a long period of time.
Controlled substances – In the US, drugs scheduled under the Controlled Substances Act that have ‘high potential for abuse’ which the Feds are watching out for. Oxycodone and morphine are drugs on ‘Schedule II’, the second most serious of five schedules of controlled substances.
COPD – Short for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, COPD is an umbrella term for a number of progressive, long-term lung conditions characterised by shortness of breath due to reduced airflow through the. The most common COPD conditions are emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic asthma.
Copolymer – A polymer made out of two monomer building blocks rather than one.
Cord blood – Blood from the umbilical cord of a newborn child. Cord blood is rich in haemopoietic stem cells.
Coridon – A company associated with Allied Healthcare that is working on DNA vaccines.
Coronary arteries – The arteries that supply heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood.
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), commonly known as ‘heart bypass’ surgery, in which a section of vein, usually from the patient's leg, is used to create an alternative pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle.
Coronary artery disease - A narrowing or hardening of the heart's arteries due to a build-up of plaque, leading to other cardiovascular problems such as heart attack.
Coronavirus – A virus with a halo or crown-like appearance mainly known for infections of the upper respiratory tract. SARS is a coronavirus.
Cortex – The outermost part of the brain, where all the important mental processes occur.
Cortical – A term referring to the cerebral cortex, the area of the brain where most of the high-level brain activity takes place.
Cortisol – A stress hormone.
Cosmeceutical – A cosmetic that also has pharmaceutical properties.
Counterpulsation – Pumping of the heart counter to its natural rhythm in order to improve cardiac output.
C-Peptide – A peptide produced during the synthesis of insulin. Rising C-peptide insulin levels indicate that a person is making more of their own insulin.
C-Pulse – An external aortic counterpulsation support system being commercialised by Sunshine Heart.
C-Reactive Protein (CRP) – A protein in the blood, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation.
Cripto-1 – An antigen of cancer cells for which Oncomab has developed a monoclonal antibody.
Cross-links – Bonds that link one polymer chain to another.
Crossover trial – A type of clinical trial in which the study subjects receive each treatment being studied in a random order, with each patient serving as his or her own control.
Croup – An infection that causes inflammation of the windpipe and voice box.
CRT-D – A pacemaker device that performs ‘Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy’ in which the pacemaker is combined with a defibrillator.
Cryoprecipitate - A blood component made from plasma, containing VWF and factor VIII. Because there is no method to kill viruses in cryoprecipitate, it is no longer recommended.
Cryopreserved – Frozen for long-term storage purposes.
CRYSTAL – Short for “Cetuximab combined with iRinotecan in first line therapY for metaSTatic colorectAL cancer”, CRYSTAL was a clinical trial that evaluated the performance of Erbitux (generic name cetuximab) in colorectal cancer.
C-terminal – The right hand side of an amino acid sequence. AOD960-4 comes from the C terminal of Human Growth Hormone.
CTL - see Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes.
CVac – The trade name for Prima Biomed’s Mannan Fusion Protein product.
CVD – Short for cardiovascular disease.
CXCR4 – A receptor on the surface of some immune system cells that HIV uses to enter the cell. Many ‘entry inhibitor’ drugs work by blocking CXCR4 or its co-receptor, CCR5.
Cycle – A regular dose of a chemotherapy drug that is followed by a rest period.
Cystic Fibrosis – A genetic disorder that affects the lung’s ability to clear mucus, resulting in breathing difficulties and frequent lung infections.
CytoGam – An immunoglobulin product specific for cytomegalovirus. CSL bought Cytogam in late 2006. Cytomegalovirus infection is an issue in organ transplantation.
Cytokines - Protein secreted by white blood cells involved in activating various other immune system cells. CytoKines are often called an ‘immunomodulating proteins’ due to their role in immune system regulation.
Cytotoxics – Drugs that can kill cancer cells.
Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes – see T lymphocytes.
cGMP – See Good Manufacturing Practice.
Dalton - A unit of mass, defined as one-twelve of the mass of a carbon-12 nucleus. Molecular weight is measured in daltons. A drug less than 500 daltons in size is a small molecule.
DAPT – Short for Dual Antiplatelet Therapy, the use of either Plavix or Effient with aspirin to prevent blood clots from occurring in stent recipients.
DC - Short for dendritic cell.
Decay-Accelerating Factor (DAF) – A protein found in the membrane of cells that inhibits the activation of elements of the complement system. DAF is also called CD55.
Decision support – Software which enables clinicians to recommend treatment options to patients.
Deep Brain Stimulation – A treatment for Parkinson’s Disease that involves electrical stimulation of the area of the brain that controls movement.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) – Formation of a blood clot in veins that are not superficial. The legs are a common site for such thromboses.
Defibrillator – Devices which treat ventricular or atrial fibrillation, which is where the heart muscle has a quivering motion rather than normal pumping action as a result of disorganised electrical signals. The electrical signals from defibrillators correct this by shocking the heart back into its normal rhythm.
Dementia – The group of brain disorders that seriously affects the patient’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Dermis – The deep vascular inner layer of the skin underneath the epidermis.
Denaturisation - The alteration of a protein’s shape through some form of external stress.
Dendrimer – A type of precisely defined, branched nanoparticle.
Dendrite – An extension of a neuron designed to receives input from an axon.
Dendritic cells, dendritic macrophages – Types of antigen presenting cells.
Dengue virus – The virus that causes Dengue fever, a disease characterized not only by fever but also rashes, headaches and muscle pain. Biotron has demonstrated that its compounds are capable of blocking the M protein in Dengue virus.
De Novo – An FDA regulatory pathway for medical devices. Basically De Novo is for novel devices where there is no 510(k)-relevant predicate but where the device is deemed a low or moderate risk. The De Novo process leads to a Class I or Class II classification and has a 120-day review cycle, compared to a 90-day review period for a 510(k).
Depot effect – The forming within the skin of a ‘depot’ of drug that then slowly released into the bloodstream, allowing extended release of the drug.
Depression – A mental health condition characterised by generally lowered mood.
Dermis – The deep vascular inner layer of the skin underneath the epidermis.
Destination Therapy (DT) – Use of a heart assist device as a permanent implant in a heart failure patient rather than as a Bridge to Transplant.
Detection agent - The part of a diagnostic which helps measure the amount of captured analyte, by binding to the analyte while also being bound to a fluorescent molecule.
Di-a-tocopheryl phopshates – Two units of a-tocopheryl phosphates joined together. Also called ‘T2P’.
Diabetes - A disease condition in which a person’s pancreas fails to produce enough of the hormone insulin, which the body needs in order to be able to regulate levels of glucose in the blood. There are two types of diabetes, Type I, which generally shows up in childhood and where the pancreas produce no insulin at all, and Type II, representing 95% of total diabetes incidence, where insulin production gradually declines, generally after the age of 40.
Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) – A chronic wound on the foot resulting from complications of diabetes.
Diabetic nephropathy – Kidney damage resulting from diabetes, which can often lead to kidney failure.
Diabetic retinopathy - A disease of the small blood vessels of the retina in the eye that originates from the diabetic condition of the patient. Diabetic retinopathy results in blurred vision and ultimately blindness. Mesoblast is seeking to apply its stem cells to the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
Diamine - An organic compound containing two amino groups.
Diastolic blood pressure – The minimum blood pressure that remains within the artery when the heart is at rest. Diastolic blood pressure is the lowest of the pressures measured.
Diazepam - A benzodiazepine.
Diclofenac – An NSAID. Phosphagenics has adapted diclofenac for delivery with its TPM platform. The leading brand of diclofenac is Voltaren, from Novartis.
Differentiation - The process by which a less specialised cell becomes a more specialised cell type.
Diketopiperazines – Cyclic organic compounds that result from peptide bonds between two amino acids to form a lactam. They are the smallest possible cyclic peptides. NNZ-2591 is a diketopiperazine.
Dimebon – A competitor drug to PBT2 from the San Francisco-based Medivation. Dimebon is an old Russian anti-histamine that performed particularly well in a Phase II trial as an Alzheimer’s drug.
Distal – When referring to stents, ‘downstream’ from the stent.
Diversity Scanning Library – An Alchemia drug discovery tool that comprises a set of proprietary compounds covering the diversity of ‘drug-like’ molecules. The basic building blocks of the Diversity Scanning Library are the Chemoform and the motif.
DNA - Short for deoxyribonucleic acid, a complicated molecule that houses the body’s operating instructions. It is made up of a long string of base pairs twisted around in a helical shape. Every living being has DNA, none as complicated as the human being’s.
DNA vaccines - Vaccines made of sequences of DNA.
Docetaxel – A cancer drug used mainly in the treatment of breast, ovarian, and non-small cell lung cancer. Starpharma has developed a dendrimer-based doxetaxel formulation with markedly improved water solubility.
Dopamine – A neurotransmitter sometimes called the ‘happiness chemical’ because it plays a role in signaling reward in the brain. It also plays a role in body movement. A hallmark of Parkinson’s disease is a drop in dopamine levels.
Dose escalation – A situation in a drug trial where an increasing dose is administered in order to find an optimal dose.
Dose finding – A small clinical trial for a drug designed to find the optimal dose at which to conduct a larger trial. Often Phase I trials are used for dose finding.
Dose response – A situation in which an increased dose of a drug results in a higher level of biochemical effect in the patient. Often this is an indication of therapeutic effectiveness.
Double-blind – A clinical trial in which investigators or patients do not know who is getting drug and who is getting placebo.
Doublecortin – A protein that causes migration of neurons into the cerebral cortex.
Duodenal bulb – The portion of the duodenum which is closest to the stomach.
Down-regulating - Suppressing the expression of a particular molecule.
Doxorubicin - An off-patent anti-cancer drug that has been in use for some decades, mainly for treating breast and liver cancers. It was originally developed in the late 1960s as an antibiotic obtained from the bacterium Streptomyces peuceticus. It first gained FDA approval as a cancer drug in 1974.
Drug eluting stent – A stent coated with an antiproliferative drug that inhibits restenosis.
Drug Master File – The file of information submitted to a regulator when seeking approval of a new drug. The Drug Master File includes the CMC data.
Dual-opioid – A combination of two opioid analgesics in one package. MoxDuo is a dual opioid combination of morphine and oxycodone.
Duodenum – The part of the small intestine between the stomach and the jejunum.
DVOL – Short for Left ventricular end-diastolic volume.
Dynamic range – The range of concentrations of an analyte that can be accurately detected using a diagnostic.
Dyskinesia - Abnormality or impairment of voluntary movement.
Dyslipidemia – An abnormal cholesterol profile.
Dystonia – A movement disorder characterised by tightening and twisting of limbs.
DYT-1 – The gene which encodes the Torsin protein.
EAE - Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis, a disorder that when induced in rats partly mimics the auto-inflammation that occurs in multiple sclerosis.
e-Catch the Feeling – An application at MyBrainSolutions that help users tune into positive thinking.
E coli – A bacterium typically used in laboratory experiments because of its ability to rapidly multiply.
EDC – Short for 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide, a chemical usually used to couple antibodies to surfaces using amide bonds.
EEG – Short for electroencephalogram, a measure of brain waves used to assess the electrical activity of the brain. EEGs measure brain activity when the subject is at rest and not involved in a task.
e-Faces and Names - An application at MyBrainSolutions that help users improve their memory for people's faces and names.
Effector cells – Cells that bring about an appropriate immune system response. CD4+ and CD8+ cells are effector cells.
Effector memory T Cells – Cells in the immune system that provide ‘memory’ of previously encountered antigens. Kv1.3 sits on the surface of Effector memory T Cells.
Effient – A blood thinning drug (generic name plasugrel) used in DAPT.
e-Healthcare – Healthcare solutions that involve the use of information technology.
EHR – Electronic Health Record.
Ejection Fraction (EF) – A measure of the capacity at which the heart is pumping, calculated by percentage of blood ejected with each contraction of the ventricles. A normal left ventricular EF is 55% to 70%.
Electroporation – The use of electricity to open channels in cell membranes, allowing biological material such as DNA to pass through.
ELISA – Short for Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay, a test method for antigens in blood that involves the detection of a linked enzyme. ELISAs represent a way of screening many samples at once, through the use of trays containing multiple sample wells.
Elixia – Phosphagenics’s range of cosmeceuticals.
Eluting – ‘Washing out’ one substance from another. Drug-eluting stents elute drug from a polymer that binds it to the mesh framework of the stent.
EMA – The European Medicines Agency, Europe’s answer to the FDA.
Embolisation – The process of injecting a foreign substance into a tumour to starve the tumour of blood flow by way of embolisms, that is, blockages in the relevant blood vessels. Radioembolisation uses radioactive particles to create the embolisms.
Embolism - A body in the circulation which restricts blood flow.
Embryonic stem cells – Stem cells derived from human embryos. Embryonic stem cells are controversial in the Western world due to ethical issues and the potential of such cells to be carcinogenic.
EMEA – Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Emphysema – A condition in which air sacs called alveoli at the end of the bronchial tubes become damaged.
EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner – GI Dynamics’ core product, a plastic liner which, when implanted in the duodenum and proximal jejunum, helps reduce obesity and diabetes.
EndoBarrier Flow Restrictor – An EndoBarrier with an adjustable restriction at the outlet of the stomach designed to delay gastric emptying.
Endoscope – A flexible fibre-optic tube used in medicine for diagnostic or therapeutic functions. An endoscope usually is introduced into the body through a natural opening without the need for surgical incisions.
Endoscopy – A diagnostic or other procedure performed using an endoscope.
Endpoint – The outcome or outcomes that a clinical trial is designed to evaluate, such as disease progression or death. Generally clinical trials have primary and secondary endpoints.
End stage heart failure - NYHA Class IV heart failure.
ENDURANCE – The name of HeartWare’s Destination Therapy trial in the US.
Enteral administration – A situation where a drug is delivered orally and therefore enters the body via the gastrointestinal tract.
Entry inhibitor – Anti-HIV drugs that prevent the entry of virus into cells, generally by blocking the cell surface receptors CXCR4 and CCR5.
Enzyme - A protein that helps speed up biochemical reactions in the body. Enzymes generally have the suffix ‘ase’ in their name.
Epidermis – The outer layer of the skin, with the stratum corneum at its outermost point.
Epithelial cells – Cells that line the surface of organs in the body.
Epithelialisation – The growth of new epidermal cells over a wound.
Epithelium – The membranous tissue covering internal surfaces of the body.
Epitope - The shape or marker on the surface of an antigen that triggers a corresponding antibody response.
E Protein - A protein in the SARS virus which Biotron’s compounds seem to be able to block.
Epstein-Barr Virus – A virus that plays a role in glandular fever as well as various cancers.
Equianalgesic - Providing equal amounts of pain relief.
Erbitux – A cancer antibody drug. See cetuximab
Erectile dysfunction - Inability to sustain an erection which is sufficient for sexual intercourse
ERP – Short for event-related potential, a recording of the brain’s electrical activity while the subject is performing a sensory or cognitive task.
Erythema – An abnormal redness of the skin resulting from inflammation.
Estradiol – A female sex hormone, being one of the estrogens.
Evamist - MDTS engineered to deliver estradiol.
Everolimus – A drug used in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.
Excess Weight Loss (EWL) – The amount of weight an obese person loses through a weight loss regimen, measured as a percentage of the weight which at baseline is in excess of what is normal for that person (eg BMI >25).
Excipient – An inert substance used to prepare a drug for administration rather than being an active part of the drug itself.
Excitatory neurotransmitter – A neurotransmitter designed to turn up the frequency on other nerve system signals.
Executive Function – A general term to describe the brain’s ability to organise itself to get things done.
Expansion – The creation of more cells from a starting batch.
Expansion range – The extent to which a stent can be expanded by the catheter balloon within the artery.
Explant – Removal of a medical device from the patient’s body.
Expression system – A yeast or bacterial cell used to express a recombinant protein. VitroGro ECM will be made using a yeast expression system.
Extended release – An orally available drug that has been formulated so that it dissolves slowly and releases the active over time.
Extension trial – A clinical trial in which patients are studied beyond an initial measurement window in order to ascertain the longer-term effects of the drug.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) – The proteins that surround cells and provide structural support for them.
Exudate – Fluid that flows from a wound.
Ex vivo – Latin for ‘out of the body’.
Ex vivo dendritic cell priming – The priming of dendritic cells outside the body to go after a certain antigen, these dendritic cells being extracted from a sample of the patient’s blood, after it has been removed from his or her body.
Factor VIII - An essential clotting factor. The lack of normal FVIII causes Hemophilia A. CSL supplies both plasma-derived and recombinant product.
Factor IX - An essential clotting factor. The lack of normal FIX causes Hemophilia B.
Fast Track – An FDA designation that accelerates the approval of Investigational New Drugs. Companies with drugs on the Fast Track receive more frequent meetings and written correspondence with the FDA.
Fatigue testing – Testing of a medical device to determine its resistance to stress.
Fc – The region of an antibody at the bottom of the protein’s ‘Y’ shape. Metal oligomers in Mix&Go binds to antibodies via the Fc region, resulting in uniform surface orientation for the antibodies in a Mix&Go-enabled immunoassay.
FDA - The Food and Drug Administration, the American government body which regulates the pharmaceutical industry and from whom approval must be received before a drug can be marketed in the US.
Femoral artery – A large artery that starts in the lower abdomen and goes down into the thigh.
Femur – The thigh bone.
Fentanyl – A narcotic analgesic.
Fibroblast – A type of cell commonly present in tissues including skin that makes matrix components eg. collagen.
Fibrinogen – A blood coagulation protein, also known as Factor I, that is converted to fibrin by the action of an enzyme in blood thrombin. Haemocomplettan is freeze-dried fibrinogen.
Fibrosis – The abnormal formation of scar tissue, which generally limits the flexibility of the surrounding tissue.
First-in-man study – Clinical work on a device at the earliest stage of its development to establish proof of concept.
First line – The initial drug regimen that a patient is treated with immediately after diagnosis.
FIX – See Factor IX.
Flexible dose – A situation where various doses of MoxDuo are used depending on the level of pain experienced, rather than an unchanging dose.
Floxuridine – An anticancer drug of family of drugs called antimetabolites, most often used in the treatment of colorectal cancer but also used in Hepatic Artery Chemotherapy. The drug, also known as FUDR, was originally introduced by Roche in 1970.
Fluorouracil – See 5-fluorouracil.
FOLFIRI – A drug combination used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer involving folic acid (FOL) plus 5-fluorouracil (F) plus irinotecan (IRI).
FOLFOX – A chemotherapy regimen made up of folinic acid (FOL) plus 5-fluorouracil (F) and Oxaliplatin (OX). There are various FOLFOX regimens including FOLFOX4 (85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin, 600 mg/m2 5-FU over 22 hours), FOLFOX6 (100 mg/m2 oxaliplatin, 2,400-3,000 mg/m2 5-FU over 46-48 hours105) and modified FOLFOX6 (85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin but with the same 5-FU infusion as FOLFOX6).
Folic acid – A type of B vitamin known to enhance the effect of 5-fluorouracil.
Fondaparinux – A synthetic heparin drug. Fondaparinux is marketed by GSK as Arixtra.
Forced Swim Test – A test of the effectiveness of an antidepressant in which a rat is forced to swim in a glass tube.
Forteo – Eli Lilly’s osteoporosis drug, which is the bioactive portion of PTH.
FOXFIRE - A 490-patient clinical study which will compare SIR-Spheres plus FOLFOX versus FOLFOX alone.
Fragile X – An Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Fragments – A portion of a full antibody obtained when the antibody is cleaved using the enzyme papain. The antibody’s variable domains and the adjacent constant domains together form two Fab fragments, Fab standing for ‘fragment antibody binding’. The remaining fragment is Fc, that is ‘fragment crystallisable’.
Free radicals – Molecules with unpaired electrons that therefore have to combine with complementary molecules before they become stable. If a free radical bonds with a positive charge molecule, its charge is neutralised. Oxygen in the free radical form can damage cells in the body in a process called oxidative stress.
FUDR – The common abbreviation for floxuridine.
Full-output – A circulatory support device that can assist the heart to pump at full capacity. HVAD is a full output device.
Functional food – Food that provides health benefits beyond energy and essential nutrients.
Functional group - Specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules.
Fusion inhibitor – A drug that can prevent HIV from fusing with its target cell. Fuzeon is a fusion inhibitor.
G-2Methyl PE – See NNZ-2566.
GABA – Short for Gamma Amino Butyric Acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is the subject of a number of anti-epilepsy drugs.
GABAA – A subunit within GABA that Bionomics has sought to target with an anti-epilepsy drug.
GAD – See Glutamic acid decarboxylase.
Gag - Short for ‘Group Antigens’, Gag is one of three major proteins encoded within the HIV genome and represents the core structure of the virus.
Gardasil – An HPV vaccine developed by CSL and ultimately brought to market by Merck in 2006. The vaccine is designed to prevent cervical cancer.
Gastric bypass – A surgical procedure in which the stomach is stapled to create a small ‘pouch’, which is then connected to the small intestine but bypassing the duodenum and upper jejunum. Gastric bypass is also called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
Gastric cancer – A cancer of the stomach which is rare in Western countries today (around 21,000 cases annually in the US and 11,000 deaths).
Gastric sleeve – A stomach reduction operation in which a large portion of the stomach is removed and then stapled together to form a ‘sleeve’ shape.
Gavage – Force feeding through a tube inserted through the mouth or nose into the stomach.
GDNF – Glial-cell Derived Neurotrophic Factor, a protein found in the brain believes to nourish the growth of new brain cells.
Gene – The collection of DNA that codes for a protein.
Gene gun – An air gun which enables gold beads coated with DNA to be propelled into the skin, thereby facilitating uptake of a DNA vaccine.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder - An anxiety disorder that is independent of situation.
Generic – A drug that is a copy of an existing, marketing product that has gone off-patent.
Gene therapy – The insertion of genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat a disease.
Genital herpes - A genital infection by a herpes virus, usually HSV2, leading to genital sores.
Genetic engineering – Taking DNA from a living organism, and ‘cutting and splicing’ so as to add or delete extra blocks of genetic code, in order to perform some new function with the resulting ‘recombinant’ DNA.
Genome - A body’s entire collection of genes.
Genomics – The study of an organism's entire collection of genes.
Genotype – A distinct genetic subtype of an organism. There are six genotypes of the Hepatitis C Virus with genotype 1 having historically proved hard to treat.
GI Dynamics – A developer of a device to treat obesity and Type II diabetes. ASX Code GID.
Glasgow Coma Scale – A measure of consciousness that ranges between 3 (indicating deep unconsciousness) and 15 (fully conscious), evaluated using tests of the ability to open eyes, speak and move. Patients suffering severe TBI have GCS scores between 4 and 8 while patients with moderate TBI have GCS scores of 9 to 12.
Glial cells – Cells that surround and support neurons.
Global assessment – A subjective assessment by clinicians of the effectiveness of a drug, usually using a numeric scale.
Glomerular sclerosis - A disease condition in which the glomeruli – the network of capillaries that performs the kidney’s first step of filtering blood – become scarred and gradually lose their function.
GLP – Short for Good Laboratory Practice, the generally accepted system of management controls for laboratories to ensure the consistency and reliability of experimental results.
GLP-1 – Short for Glucagon-like peptide-1, a peptide known to increase insulin secretion from the pancreas. The mechanism of action of many new generation diabetes drugs involves the GLP-1 pathway.
Glucagon - A hormone secreted by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels.
Glutamate – A salt or ester of glutamic acid. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter.
Glutamic acid – One of the amino acids, common abbreviation E (because G is already taken by glycine).
Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) – An enzyme that makes the neurotransmitter GABA.
Glutaraldehyde - A chemical used to stabilise the collagen structures in animal tissue when fixing them for surgical implantation in people.
Glycemic control – A person’s ability to keep the level of sugar in their blood down. Diabetics have poor natural glycemic control, as measured by HbA1c >7%.
Glycine – An amino acid, common abbreviation G.
Glycosylated – Coated with sugars. The correct glycosylation profile is necessary if a drug protein is not to prove immunogenic.
Glypromate – Neuren’s name for IGF-1(1-3). The name comes from GLYcine-PROline-GlutaMATE.
Glycoproteins – Substances that are sugar-protein combinations.
Glycosylation – The act of putting sugar molecules in a glycoprotein, usually by an enzyme.
GMP – See Good Manufacturing Practice.
Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) – The set of standards that have been laid down by regulators such as the FDA for the production of clinical-grade pharmaceuticals. cGMP refers to ‘current’ Good Manufacturing Practice, since GMP standards tend to change over time.
GPE – Another name for Glypromate, which comes from the common abbreviations for each of the amino acids in the tripeptide – Glycine (G), Proline (P) and Glutamate (E).
G-Protein Coupled Receptors – Cell signalling agents that make useful drug targets.
GRAS – Short for ‘Generally Regarded as Safe’.
Growth factor – A protein that stimulates cell division, differentiation and proliferation.
Growth hormone – A hormone naturally synthesised by the body to stimulates growth and cell reproduction. AOD9604 is a modified peptide fragment of human Growth Hormone.
GRP78 – The target of PAT-SM6. GRP78 is a major endoplasmic reticulum chaperone protein.
GvHD – Short for Graft-versus-host-disease, a condition where the patient’s own immune system rejects transplanted tissues or cells. This results in skin inflammation, diarrhoea and jaundice.
Gynecel – Celxcel’s trademark for ADAPT when used for gynaecological conditions such as vaginal prolapse.
H1N1 – The ‘swine flu’ strain which generated a human pandemic in 2009.
H5N1 – The strain of influenza virus commonly known as ‘bird flu’. Biotron compounds have been shown to be active against this strain of virus.
HA – Short for hyaluronic acid.
HAART – Short for Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy, HAART is the various ‘drug cocktail’ regimes that physicians use to treat HIV infection. HAART is generally one three or more antiretrovirals, one of which has to be a protease inhibitor, one an NNRTI and one an NRTI. Integrase and entry inhibitors are now being included in HAART as well. Biotron considers BIT225 to be a good candidate to fit into HAART.
HAB-1 – Patrys’ hybridoma.
HAC – See Hepatic Artery Chemotherapy.
Haemate – See Humate.
Haemocomplettan - A CSL pasteurized fibrinogen concentrate administered to people suffering congenital deficiency.
Haemodynamic monitoring – Measurement of the level of blood movement, often using sensors in the bloodstream (called invasive haemodynamic monitoring).
Haemolysis – Damage to red blood cells.
Haemophilia – An inherited clotting disorder. There are three – A (lack of the clotting Factor VIII, which is 90% of cases), B (lack of the clotting Factor IX) and C (lack of the clotting Factor XI).
Haemopoietic stem cells – Stem cells that help build the body's blood supply. Also known as CD34+ cells.
Haemostatic – Able to stop bleeding.
Haempatch - A pro-coagulant that is being developed as part of QRx’s Venomics project.
HA-Irinotecan - HyACT armed to carry Camptosar, generic name irinotecan. This product was formerly called HyCAMP.
HAS2 – Short for hyaluronan synthase 2, a potential breast cancer target on which Alchemia’s scientists are working.
HA/TPC – Short for hydroxyapatite / tricalcium phosphate, materials used as bone substitutes in orthopaedic surgery. Mesoblast’s MPC cells have performed well in orthopaedic applications against HA/TPC.
Hazard ratio - The risk of one group experiencing an outcome not experienced by another. A hazard ratio of 0.5 suggests around half the risk for one group in a comparison.
HbA1c – Short for glycated haemoglobin, a measure of blood glucose levels important in measuring diabetes. Generally HbA1c levels below 7% of total haemoglobin is considered good glycemic control.
HCC – Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
HCV – Short for Hepatitis C Virus.
HDN - Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn – see Rhophylac.
Heart assist device – A medical device that assists the heart in its natural pumping action.
Heart failure – A condition where the heart is unable to pump adequate amounts of blood around the body. There are four classes of heart failure (see NYHA class). Heart failure is sometimes called congestive heart failure or CHF due to congestion in the lungs being one of its symptoms.
Heart valves - Tissue flaps that control the flow of blood through the heart in the correct direction.
HeartWare - A US company commercialising HVAD. HeartWare is traded on both ASX (HIN) and Nasdaq (HTWR).
HeartWare Ventricular Assist System – HeartWare’s initial LVAD product suite.
Heat Shock Protein – Proteins expressed at increased levels when a cell is exposed to elevated temperatures. Heat Shock Proteins are overexpressed in a wide range of human cancers.
HEC – Short for hydroxyethyl cellulose, a water-soluble polymer often used as the placebo gel in microbicide trials.
Helixate – Recombinant antihemophilic Factor VIII, formulated with sucrose. Helixate is manufactured by Bayer and marketed in the U.S. by CSL Behring.
Helper T-Cells, Helper T-Lymphocytes – see CD4+ cells.
Hepatic artery – The main artery supplying blood to the liver.
Hepatic Artery Chemotherapy – A kind of chemotherapy in which the drug is injected directly into the hepatic artery.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) – Primary liver cancer.
Heparin - A polysaccharide drug used as a blood thinning agent.
Hepatitis C – A virus that infects liver cells. Biotron’s compounds including BIT225 are capable of blocking the p7 protein in Hepatitis C.
Her2/neu – The protein targeted by the cancer antibody drug Herceptin which is overexpressed on breast cancer cells.
Hernia – A rupture of the wall or cavity containing an organ, so that the organ protrudes through it.
Hg – The chemical symbol for mercury. Blood pressure readings are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
High-throughput screening – Running multiple compounds from a compound library past a drug target in order to determine if any are able to hit the target.
Histology – The study of tissue, done by examining thin slices of the material being examined.
Hippocampus – A part of the brain information for memory and spatial navigation.
HIV – The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which ultimately causes AIDS.
HLA match – HLA is short for Human Leukocyte Antigen complex, a group of genes on chromosome 6 that play a role in the body's immune response to foreign substances. Six genes in particular are used to determine the level of match (eg 3/6 or 6/6) between donor and recipient in bone marrow transplants.
HMA – Short for hexamethylene amiloride, HMA was Biotron’s BIT009 proof-of-concept compound. HMA was superseded by BIT225 in 2005.
Hormone – A protein that serves as chemical messenger from one cell or group of cells to another.
HPV – Human Papilloma Virus, infection which can lead to genital warts and cervical cancer.
HSV-1 – The Herpes Simplex Virus 2, which causes cold sores on the lips of infected individuals.
HSV-2 – The Herpes Simplex Virus 2, the virus most commonly responsible for genital herpes.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) – A virus which can cause cervical cancer in women. Merck’s Gardasil vaccine generates immunity to a number of strains of HPV.
Humate - CSL’s vWD products, marketed as Humate in the US and as Haemate in Europe.
Humoral arm – The part of the immune system that deals with an antibody response.
Huntington’s disease – An inherited, degenerative brain disease characterized by intellectual decline and involuntary limb movement. Its most famous victim was the American folk singer Woody Guthrie (1912-1967). The disease is caused by an errant protein called huntingtin.
HVAD – The pump that comes with the HeartWare Ventricular Assist System.
HyACT – Short for Hyaluronic Acid Chemotransport Technology, Alchemia’s drug delivery technology.
Hyaluronan – Another name for hyaluronic acid.
Hyaluronic acid - A naturally occurring polysaccharide that is found particularly in the joints and is often injected into the joints as a therapy.
HyAMP – HyACT armed to carry amphotericin B.
Hybridoma – A hybrid cell resulting from the fusion of a lymphocyte and a tumour cell, used to culture a specific monoclonal antibody.
HyDox – HyACT armed to carry Doxorubicin.
Hydrocolloid – A substance that forms a gel in the presence of water. Hydrocolloids are often used in wound dressings because they can keep a wound moist.
Hydrogen peroxide – A chemical (H2O2) that is often used in textiles and hair as a bleaching agent. The interaction of redox-active copper ions and amyloid beta results in the production of hydrogen peroxide.
Hydromorphone – A narcotic analgesic.
Hydrophilic – Able to dissolve in water.
Hydropolymer – A foamed-gel wound care material.
HyFive – HyACT armed to carry 5FU.
HyMEX – HyACT armed to carry methotrexate.
HyperImmune – An immunoglobulin obtained from the blood of people who naturally overproduce antibodies specific to a particular condition.
Hypertension – High blood pressure.
Hypoglycemia – A situation where a diabetic gets too much insulin and therefore has an excessively low blood sugar level, resulting in dizziness, sweating, shaking and palpitations. Commonly called a ‘hypo’.
Hypogonadism - Diminished functional activity of the gonads – the testes or ovaries – which causes testosterone levels to fall below the normal range. Hypogonadism comes with a number of adverse health impacts including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis and erectile dysfunction.
Hypoxic-ischemic injury – Brain damage caused by reduced blood flow to the brain (ischemia) as well as reduced brain oxygen (hypoxia).This can be modelled in rats and mice by tying up one of the carotid arteries and then placing them in a chamber with low levels of oxygen.
Ibuprofen - A non-opioid analgesic that is often used as supplemental analgesia when opioids aren’t working well.
ICD – Short for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, a device which send electrical signals to the heart to correct irregular heartbeat.
ICD-9-CM – A universally-accepted classification system for medical diagnoses and procedures, with each diagnosis or procedure being given a numeric code, such as 84.65 for ‘insertion of total spinal disc prosthesis, lumbosacral area’.
IDE – Short for Investigational Device Exemption, FDA permission for a clinical trial of a medical device to proceed.
Ig – Short for Immunoglobulin.
IGF-1 – See Insulin-like growth factor 1.
IGF-1(1-3) – The first three amino acids in Insulin-like growth factor 1. Neuren initially trialled IGF-1(1-3) as Glypromate but is now focused on a Glypromate derivative called NNZ-2566.
IGFBP – IGF-binding protein. There are six IGFBPs.
IgG – The kind of immunoglobulin that makes up conventional monoclonal antibody drugs today.
IgM – The kind of immunoglobulin that makes up Patrys’ antibodies.
Iliad Chemicals – A company which Bionomics acquired in 2005 which brought the Multicore and ionX drug discovery platforms, the Kv1.3 discovery programme, and the drug discovery programme which led to BNC105.
Immediate release – A drug which works fairly quickly once it gets into the bloodstream, but also has only a relatively short period of therapeutic activity.
Immortalisation – A process where a cell line is transformed for that it won’t die but can keep growing and dividing indefinitely in laboratory culture.
Immune Coricode – A table that Coridon’s scientists used when searching for the codon that will maximise the antibody response of its DNA vaccines.
Immunoassay - A test using antibodies to identify and quantify substances. The ‘immuno’ part refers to the fact that antibodies are generated by the immune system.
Immunogen – A substance provoke an immune responses in a subject.
Immunogenic – Prompting an immune response.
Immunoglobulin - An antibody protein. There are five different types, known as IgG, IgA, IgD, IgM and IgE.
Immunosuppressant – A drug that lowers the body's normal immune response, often taken following an organ transplant to prevent rejection. Immunosuppressant drugs are often used in drug eluting stents because of their anti-restenosis properties. Sirolimus, everolimus, and zotarolimus are all immunosuppressants.
Immunotherapy – A treatment that seeks to make use of the immune system so as to manage a disease condition.
Impeller – The rotor that pumps blood through continuous flow LVAD devices.
Incidence – New cases of a disease condition over the course of a year.
IND – Short for Investigational New Drug application. It is a request filed with the FDA for authorization to conduct human trials of a new drug or biological product in the United States.
Indication - A reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure.
induced Pluripotent Stem cells – Stem cells derived from adult cells that have been transformed, through the transfection of various genes, into cells having the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells.
Infarct – A localised area of dead tissue resulting from failure of blood supply.
Influenza – A disease mainly of the upper respiratory tract caused by the influenza virus and characterised by high fever and severe malaise, among other things.
Inhibitor – An anti-viral drug that can inhibit a particular viral action, thereby slowing or stopping the rate of infection.
Inhibitory neurotransmitter – A neurotransmitter designed to turn down the frequency on other nerve system signals, so as to keep recipient nerve cells from being overwhelmed with too much information.
Innate immune system – The part of the immune system that responds to antigens with immune system memory, as opposed to the adaptive immune system. IgM antibodies are part of the innate immune system.
Innovator drug – The initial branded version of a drug from which generic versions are derived after the loss of patent protection.
In silico – A Latin term to refer to a biological experiment performed on computer or via computer simulation.
Insulin – The hormone that regulates blood sugar levels which diabetics lack and which they have to take regularly, generally by injection. Insulin is a large molecule.
Insulin-like Growth Factor I (1GF-1) – A protein similar to insulin that plays a role in growth and metabolism. Glypromate, or IGF-1(1-3), is the first three amino acids of 1GF-1.
Insulin lispro – A short-acting insulin analogue. Insulin lispro is insulin with some amino acid differences to improve the product’s speed of action. The best known insulin lispro brand is Eli Lilly’s Humalog product (www.humalog.com).
Integ Neuro – A precursor product to WebNeuro that is based on a touchscreen. It remains in clinical use but lacks the scalability of WebNeuro.
Integrase – HIV enzyme that integrates the viral genetic material into human chromosomes.
Integrin – A receptor that mediates attachment between a cell and the tissues surrounding it.
Interferon – One of suite of drugs currently used in the treatment of Hepatitis C infection, in conjunction with ribavirin.
Interleukins – Cytokines important in the process of inflammation.
INTERMACS – Short for Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support, INTERMACS is a US registry for patients who are receiving mechanical circulatory support device therapy. Data gathered by INTERMACS is used as the control in HeartWare’s Bridge to Transplant trial.
International Trial – HeartWare’s clinical trial for CE Marking of the device, which was conducted between 2006 and 2008 in Australia, Austria, Germany and the UK.
Interventional cardiology – The medical specialty focused on catheter-based treatment of heart disease including angioplasty.
Interventional radiology – The use of diagnostic imaging equipment to treat rather than merely to diagnose a patient.
Intervertebral discs – The cartilage-based discs that make up the spine. Mesoblast is seeking to apply its stem cells to repair of this cartilage.
In-transit melanoma – A form of cutaneous melanoma confined to the skin.
Intraaortic ballon pump - A polyethylene balloon that sits in the aorta and counterpulsates in order to improve the heart’s pumping capacity.
Intraperitoneal – Injections into the peritoneum, the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity.
INTREPID-2566 – The Phase II clinical trial of NNZ-2566 in Traumatic Brain Injury.
Invion – AN ASX-listed company, code IVX, which reprofiles old drugs.
In vitro – Latin for ‘in glass’, referring to data obtained through testing in a test tube.
In-vitro diagnostics (IVD) - Diagnostic tests suitable for central laboratories rather than point of care tests.
In vivo – Latin for ‘in life’, referring to data obtained through testing in live organisms including animal models and humans.
Ion Channel - A ‘tunnel’ in a cell’s membranes through which ions - mainly sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride - travel in and out.
Ions -Atoms or group of atoms with an electrical charge.
ionX – Bionomics’ platform for the discovery of CNS drug targets, involving ion channels.
iPS cells – See induced Pluripotent Stem cells
IR – Short for ‘immediate release’.
Irinotecan - An anticancer agent that is part of the family of topoisomerase inhibitor drugs. It is a camptothecin analogue. The branded version is Pfizer’s Camptosar.
Ischemia – Lack of adequate blood flow to support the normal functioning of a tissue.
Ischemic heart failure – Heart failure resulting from coronary artery disease.
ISCOMATRIX – CSL’s adjuvant technology.
ISHLT – The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, whose annual meeting is held every April and which has been a forum in recent years for release of new HeartWare data.
ISO13485 – Published in 2003, ISO13485 is the international standard for management systems related to the design and manufacture of medical devices.
Isoform/isotype – Any of several different forms of the same protein.
iSonea – An ASX-listed company, Code ISN, which has developed a lung function diagnostic.
Isotope – One of several 'versions' of a particular chemical element where the variation is in the number of neutrons in the atom. Yttrium-90 is an isotope of the element yttrium. Scientists obtain this particular isotope by bombarding the yttrium material with neutrons.
iSPOT – Short for International Study to Predict Optimized Treatment Response, iSPOT is a clinical trial which Brain Resource is currently conducting in order to be able to predict treatment response in Depression and ADHD.
ITP – Short for Immune Thrombocytopenia Purpura, a blood disorder involving the destruction of platelets necessary for clotting. CSL’s Rhophylac product is indicated for the treatment of ITP.
IV – Short for ‘intravenous’.
IVIG – Short for Intravenous Immunoglobulin, a blood product consisting of pooled IgG immunoglobulins, that is, antibodies extracted from the plasma of over a thousand blood donors.
Jejenum – The part of the small intestine between the duodenum and ileum.
kDa – Short for kiloDaltons, a measure of molecular weight.
Keratin – The basic protein of skin cells.
Keratinocytes - The primary cell types found in the epidermis, the outer layer of skin.
KGaA – Short for Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, a German corporate designation standing for 'Association limited by shares,' and corresponding roughly to the idea of a limited partnership. Anteo’s licensee Merck KGaA of Germany is a different company to Merck & Co. of the US.
Killer T cells – see T lymphocytes.
Kinase – An enzyme that phosphorylates, or adds a phosphate group onto, other molecules in order to turn them ‘on’ or ‘off’. Kinases are often cancer drug targets.
Knockout mice – Mice that have been bred to lack a particular gene, so that the effect of that loss can be studied.
K-Ras – A gene which, when mutated in colorectal cancer patients, lowers the potential treatment outcome.
Kv1.3 - A potassium ion channel in T cells which is the target for a Bionomics drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
L1 – A protein in the Human Papilloma Virus. L1 is the target of Merck & Co.’s Gardasil HPV vaccine.
Lactobacillus – Bacteria normally present in the mouth, intestinal tract and vagina that produces lactic acid. They are considered ‘beneficial’ bacteria.
Lamellar – Fine, alternating layers of different materials Phosphagenics’s TPM vesicular entrapment system results in a multi-lamellar and malleable carrier.
Lap band – Short for ‘laparoscopic adjustable gastric band’, a plastic band surgically placed around the upper stomach so as to allow only a small portion of the stomach to be able to hold food. This forces obese patients to restrict their food intake.
Large molecule – A drug with a molecular weight of >500 daltons. Biological drugs tend to be large molecules.
Late loss - The difference in measurements of blood vessel lumen diameter before and after a stent procedure. Small late loss is indicative of the effectiveness of a stent device.
Lateral cortex – The parts of the cortex covering the sides of the brain’s two hemispheres.
Late stent thrombosis - A blood clot that forms on a stent after it has been in place 30 days or more, although late stent thrombosis that occurs years after the stent implant is of more concern to cardiologists since it involves decisions on discontinuation of DAPT.
LD50 – The ‘lethal dose’ of a drug formulation that can kill 50% of the cells in a sample population.
LDL – Short for ‘low-density lipoprotein’, LDL is ‘bad’ cholesterol because it can be deposited in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Leaflet – The thin, triangle-shaped flap of a heart valve.
Leave-One-Out Cross-Validation – A validation method for a machine-learning algorithm in which individual parts of a dataset (those ‘left out’) are used to ‘train’ the algorithm, which is then tested against other parts of the dataset.
Left ventricle - The chamber on the left side of the heart responsible for its pumping action. Blood flows from the left ventricle into the aorta.
Left Ventricular Assist Device - A mechanical device that can assist in the pumping of blood through the left ventricle of the heart.
Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (DVOL) – The volume of blood in the left ventricle at the end of filling. DVOL is a measure of how hard the heart has to pump, with rising DVOL an indication of worsening heart failure.
Lesion – Any localized abnormal structural change in a bodily part. In coronary artery disease a lesion is a blockage in a blood vessel that is interrupting blood flow.
Leucopenia – Low white blood cell count.
Leucovorin – A drug used in combination with the in systemic chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil. Leucovorin is a form of folic acid, which the body uses for the formation of red and white blood cells and lacks after the patient has undergone chemotherapy.
Leukemia – A cancer of the white blood cells.
Levodopa – A dopamine precursor used to treat Parkinson’s Disease in its early stages.
LID – Short for Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia, which is dyskinesia in Parkinson’s patients resulting from prolonged use of levodopa.
Lidocaine – A topical anaesthetic drug. Phosphagenics has adapted lidocaine for delivery with its TPM platform. Lidocaine is often branded as Xylocaine.
Ligand - A molecule that binds to another molecule (the name comes from the Latin verb ligare, ‘to bind’).
Light chain – Antibodies are made up of two immunoglobulin chains, a light chain and a heavy chain. There are two kinds of light chain – kappa (k) and lambda (l). PAT-SM6 and PAT-LM1 have l light chains.
Limbic – Related to the limbic system, a group of structures in the brain associated with emotions and drives.
Lipids – A group of compounds basically heavy on carbon and hydrogen and light on oxygen that includes substances such as fats, oils and cholesterol.
Lipiodol – A mixture of iodine and poppy seed oil that originated as an agent in myelography (the science of spinal canal X-rays) but has since become used in TACE. The thinking is that since cancerous cells preferentially take up lipiodol, they likewise take up the chemotherapy drug used.
Lipolysis – Breakdown of fat tissue.
Lipophilic – Able to dissolve in fats.
Liposomes - Fatty molecules ideal for antigen delivery because of their ability to get to a cell in the body and deliver their payload. They are used as drug delivery vehicles.
Lispro – See insulin lispro.
Liver – An organ in the abdominal cavity that has a number of responsibilities. It plays an important role in metabolism, not least through its production of bile; it stores glycogen, a carbohydrate the body converts to glucose for energy purposes when required; and it helps detoxify certain poisons. Liver cancer is among the most deadly of all cancers.
LMWH – See Low-molecular-weight heparin.
Loading dose – An initial dose of an analgesic drug to achieve rapid analgesia.
LoD – Short for ‘Limit of Detection’, which is the lowest level of analyte that a diagnostic technology can detect.
Long bone fracture – A break in bones such as those between the hip and the knee. Mesoblast’s stem cells have been used to repair long bone fractures.
Lorazepam –A benzodiazepine against which BNC210 has been compared in clinical trials.
Lovenox - A low molecular weight heparin drug from Sanofi.
Low-molecular-weight heparin – Heparins made out of short chains of polysaccharide, allowing them to be lighter than naturally-occurring heparins.
LRTI – Short for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, that is, infections of the windpipe and lungs. LRTIs include bronchitis, bronchiolitis, croup, influenza and pneumonia.
Lumbar spine – The lower back.
Lumen – The inside space of a tubular biological structure, such as an artery or intestine.
LV – see Leucovorin.
LVAD – Short for Left Ventricular Assist Device, a mechanical device that can assist in the pumping of blood through the left ventricle of the heart.
LVEF – Short for Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (EF), a measure of the capacity at which the heart is pumping, calculated by percentage of blood ejected with each contraction of the left ventricle. A normal LVEF is 55% to 70%.
Lymph nodes – Points in the lymphatic system rich in immune system cells designed to filter harmful substances.
Lymphoma – A cancer of the lymphocytes which the immune system needs to create T and B cells as well as Natural Killer cells. There are two main types of lymphoma, Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins, with Hodgkins lymphoma being characterised by a particular cell type.
Lymphocytes – White blood cells.
Lymphokine - A general term for immune system cells that are not antibodies or complement proteins (that is, proteins in blood sera that are activated by antibodies to destroy foreign cells). The role of lymphokines is, broadly speaking, to direct and regulate an immune response, which is why they’re often called ‘immunomodulating proteins’.
Lyophilized – Freeze-dried.
Lysosomal storage disorder – A rare disorder in which harmful amounts of fatty materials accumulate in various tissues in the body due to the failure of organelles in cells called lysosomes. Fabry’s disease and Gaucher’s disease are lyosomal storage disorders.
Lysine – An amino acid. Lysine units lie at the core of many dendrimer molecules including SPL7013.
Mab – See monoclonal antibody.
Machine learning – A computing paradigm in which computers are programmed to use example data or past experience to solve a given problem.
Macrocyclic – A drug with a large ring structure.
Macrophages – White blood cells involved in the immune system’s response to infection. Macrophages are not found in the bloodstream but at locations where body organs interface with the environment or the bloodstream. They are often the ‘reservoir’ that allows HIV to hide in the body. BIT225 can hit HIV that is in danger of ‘hiding’ in macrophages.
Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) - The incidence of death, revascularisation, ischemia-driven TLR and TVF and heart attack during a clinical trial.
Major Depressive Disorder – The technical term for depression, a mental disorder characterised by low mood, low self-esteem and loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities.
Major Histocompatibility Complex – A group of genes on chromosome 6 that codes for a class of proteins located on the surface of human white blood cells. MHC molecules play a role in the body's immune response to foreign substances. MHC Class I molecules pass antigens to Cytotoxic T Cells while MHC Class II molecules call forth a helper T cell response.
Maleic anhydride - An organic compound used in the manufacture of food additives. Anteo uses maleic anhydride as a monomer in its surface coating technology.
Managed Care – A health care system in which health insurance fund members agree to visit only certain doctors and hospitals, allowing health care costs to be better managed.
Mannan Fusion Protein (MFP)– A combination of mannan and MUC-1 that Cancer Vac uses to prime dendritic cells.
Mannose – A sugar, C6H12O6, found in many cells. Cancer Vac’s Mannan Fusion Protein makes use of the mannose receptor on dendritic cells to induce an immune response to MUC-1.
Matrix - The body substance in which tissue cells are embedded. Also called the ‘extracellular matrix’.
Matrix metalloproteinase – An enzyme within the extracellular matrix that breaks down matrix proteins. Matrix metalloproteinases are targets for new wound healing therapies because too much of them can destroy other proteins vital for wound healing.
Matrix patch – A drug delivery patch in which the drug to be delivered is embedded throughout the patch material (called a ‘matrix’). Matrix patches are more suitable than reservoir patches for delivery of opioid drugs, since the patch structure makes extraction of the drug difficult, thereby hindering drug abuse.
mCRC – Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.
MDTS – Short for ‘Metered-Dose Transdermal System’, MDTS is Acrux’s main drug delivery technology. MDTS involves solutions in which the active ingredient is formulated with two penetration enhancers called ‘padimate O’ and ‘octyl salicylate’, both non-toxic chemicals commonly used in sunscreens.
Meal tolerance test – A diagnostic for diabetes that involves test subjects eating a meal, after which blood samples are checked at regular intervals for levels of glucose.
Mechanism of action – The way in which a drug affects a disease’s underlying pathology so as to bring about an improvement in the patient.
Meditech – A company which Alchemia took over in 1996 that developed the HyACT technology from 1999.
Melanoma – A cancer of the melanin-forming cells, typically a malignant tumour associated with skin cancer.
Membranes – In diagnostics, the material, generally made from nitrocellulose, used in lateral flow immunochromatography, where the sample being tested flows along the membrane, on which are placed binding agents for the target being assayed.
Meniscal tears – Tears in the meniscus, a cartilage which provides shock absorbent properties to the knee. There is potential for MPCs to be applied to the treatment of such tears.
Mesenchymal Precursor Cells (MPCs) – Mesoblast’s adult stem cells, being cells of the mesenchymal lineage.
Mesenchymal stem cells – Stem cells that give rise to a variety of cell types in the body such as fats, blood vessels and bones.
Mesh – The structure of most scaffolding material used in soft tissue repair.
Mesoblast – A Melbourne-based stem cell developer, ASX Code MSB. In biology a mesoblast is the middle ‘germinal’ layer of an early embryo.
Mesothelioma – A cancer of the mesothelium, that is, the cells that line the lungs or abdomen. This cancer in the majority of cases has its origins in exposure to asbestos fibres.
Messenger RNA – The nucleic acid ‘photocopier’, in that it copies each individual strand of DNA so that the DNA can be turned into proteins. mRNA can be synthesised into cDNA for use in sequencing the genome.
Metabolic syndrome – The cluster of medical conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes that increase the risk of heart disease, strokes, and vascular disease.
Metabolite – A breakdown product of a particular chemical substance.
Metal Protein Attenuating Compound (MPAC) – A compound that can weaken the interaction between metals and proteins. Clioquinol is an MPAC. The ‘MPAC approach’ is a method of treating Alzheimer’s pathology using MPACs.
Metastatic cancer – Cancer that has spread from the site of the original tumour to another part of the body.
Methotrexate – An anti-metabolite cancer drug which is also used in the treatment of autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. It first gained FDA approval as a cancer drug in 1953.
MFI – Short for mean fluorescence index, the average fluorescence of a group of capture agents tagged with fluorescent molecules - the higher the MFI, the more of the analyte that has been captured.
mGluR4 – Short for metabotropic glutamate receptor 4. mGluR4 is a negative modulator of neurotransmission at synapses that response to glutamate. The receptor has generated much interest as a potential Parkinson’s target.
MHC - see Major Histocompatibility Complex.
Microarray – A small surface holding various probes specific for DNA fragments, antibodies, or proteins that can be used to test for multiple targets at once. Microarrays are often called ‘biochips’.
Microbicide – Any compound that can kill microbes such as viruses or bacteria.
Microemulsion – A liquid mixture of oil, water and surfactant. Microemulsions are part of the TPM formulation process.
Microflora – Bacteria to be found in a particular location. Vaginal microflora such as Lactobacillus bacteria is generally considered beneficial.
Microglia – Specialised cells which provide the brain with its own immune system by attacking and engulfing foreign bodies.
Micrometre – One millionth of a metre.
Micron – One millionth of a metre.
Microplate – A plate with multiple sample wells (often 96 although any number can be used) containing the binding agent for the target being assayed.
Microspheres – Microspheres – Tiny sphere-shaped particles, often thought about by researchers as a technique for drug delivery. See beads.
Microtubules – ‘Train-track’-like structures within a cell, which route nutrients and molecules around the cell. Tau protein forms the ‘railway ties’ that hold the microtubule tracks in place.
Middle Cerebral Artery occlusion (MCAo) – The most frequently used model in experimental stroke research, in which a blockage is placed inside the middle cerebral artery, stopping blood flow into the cerebral area.
Mild cognitive impairment – Significant cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia.
Mimetic – See biomimetic.
Minimally invasive – Surgery that involves only a small incision, allowing more rapid recovery for the patient.
Minimal residual disease – The small number of cancer cells still in the body after treatment.
Mix&Go – A surface coating for diagnostic products that Anteo developed using the Anteo Surface Technology. Mix&Go uses metal oligomers as ligands to bind the capture agent to the diagnostic surface.
Mix&Select – A surface coating for diagnostic products that Anteo has developed using the Anteo Surface Technology but has yet to commercialise. Mix&Select uses a combination of ligands to preferentially bind the capture agent to the diagnostic surface.
MJFF – The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (www.michaeljfox.org), a major funder of early stage research in Parkinson’s Disease founded by the American actor Michael J. Fox, who has early-onset Parkinson’s.
Modified Rankin Scale – A measure of stroke disability.
Molecular diagnostics – Diagnostics that can detect disease-causing genes and proteins at the molecular level.
Molecular weight – The size of a drug molecule, the standard unit of measurement of which is the dalton.
Mono-a-tocopheryl phosphate – A single unit of a-tocopherol phosphates, also called ‘TP’.
Monoclonal antibodies - Monoclonal antibodies are antibodies cloned from a particular antibody-making cell that is highly specific for a particular antigen. Monoclonal antibodies are increasingly used as drugs.
Monocyte – The class of white blood cells that includes the macrophages. BIT225 appears to be able to hit HIV in monocyte-derived macophages.
Monomer – A simple compound whose molecules can join together to form oligomers or polymers.
Monosaccharide – A simple sugar molecule that can be put together with others to form disaccharides (two molecules), oligosaccharides (a few sugar molecules) and so on.
Monotherapy – A single-drug approach to the treatment of disease.
Morphine – An opioid analgesic.
Motif – A combination of various biological building blocks into recognisable patterns.
Motiva – A Neuren drug, generic name nefiracetam, for the treatment of Apathy Syndrome in stroke victims as well as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s patients.
Motor function - The ability to use and control muscles and movements, something which degenerates in Parkinson’s Disease.
MoxDuo – QRx’s brand name for its opioid analgesic combination of morphine and oxycodone. There are three MoxDuo products – immediate release (IR), controlled release (CR), and intravenous (IV).
MPAC – See Metal Protein Attenuating Compound.
MPCs – Short for Mesenchymal Precursor Cells, cells capable of differentiating into Mensechymal Stem Cells.
M Protein – 1) Abnormal immunoglobulin produced by myeloma cells; 2) A protein in the Dengue virus which Biotron’s compounds seem to be able to block.
MPTP - A by-product of ‘synthetic heroin’, or MPPP, which causes Parkinsonian symptoms in users. This drug, when administered to rats, can be used to create an animal model of the disease.
MRI – Short for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the diagnostic imaging technique. Structural MRI reveals brain anatomy. Functional MRI reveals brain function by measuring changes in blood flow related to neural activity.
MSCs – Short for Mensechymal Stem Cells.
MS-DRG – Short for Medicare Severity-based Diagnosis-Related Group, the diagnostic group under which a hospital stay is coded for reimbursement purposes by CMS. LVADs are coded under MS-DRG 001, one of the most severe, allowing a high level of reimbursement.
MTA – Short for Material Transfer Agreement, a contract that governs the transfer of tangible research materials between two organisations.
MUC-1 – A mucin that Cancer Vac’s Mannan Fusion Protein targets. MUC-1 is of interest to cancer researchers because a wide variety of tumour cells, including those from breast, colon, prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers, not only overproduce mucin, and in particular MUC-1, but seem to produce a variety that is poorly glycosylated.
Mucin – A ‘mucoprotein’ occurring in secretions of mucous membranes. MUC-1 is a mucin.
MultiCore – Bionomics’ chemistry platform.
Multiple Myeloma – A cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow.
Multiple Sclerosis – An autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of axons, leading to numbness, co-ordination difficulty, memory loss and paralysis.
Multiplex – A diagnostic test for more than one analyte at the same time.
Multipotent – A stem cell capable of turning into various, albeit limited, cell types. MPCs are multipotent.
MVAD – HeartWare’s next generation heart assist device, which we believe could launch around 2017.
MW – Short for molecular weight, the size of a molecule in daltons.
MyBrainSolutions – Online brain training software which Brain Resource has built using BRID.
MyCalmBeat – A stress reduction application in MyBrainSolutions.
Myelin – The protein which surrounds axons and protects them. Myelin basic protein is a protein believed to be important in the process of myelination.
Myeloma – A cancer of the B cells that the immune system needs to produce antibodies.
Myocardial Infarction (AMI) – See Acute Myocardial Infarction.
Naked DNA – DNA delivered to a vaccine subject without a viral or protein coating.
Nanometer – One billionth of a metre.
Nanoparticle – Any microscopic particle less than about 100 nanometres in diameter.
Nanoscale – A size range from around 1 to 100 nanometres.
Nanotechnology - Technology that seeks to manipulate particles at the nano scale.
Narcotic analgesic – See Opioid analgesic.
National Institutes of Health – The various medical research centres maintained by the US government. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is one of the National Institutes of Health.
Natural killer cells – White blood cells that are specialised to kill certain types of target cells, especially cells that have become infected with virus or have turned cancerous.
NDA - 1) Short for Non-Disclosure Agreement, an agreement to confidentiality between two parties. 2) Short for New Drug Application, a filing with the FDA for permission to market a new drug. Before filing, applicants generally have a pre-NDA meeting with the FDA to check what the agency will be requiring in the filing.
Necrosis –– The ‘unprogrammed’ death of a cell, as opposed to apoptosis, which is ‘programmed’ cell death.
Nefiracetam – The generic name for Motiva.
Neofuse – Mesoblast’s trademark for the orthopaedic applications of its stem cells.
Neonatal asphyxia – The inability of an infant to breath at birth, often resulting in brain damage.
Neovascularisation – The formation of new blood vessels.
Neuren Pharmaceuticals – An ASX-listed company, Code NEU, involved in neuroprotection drugs.
Neurite - Projections from cell body of a nerve cell.
Neuromodulation – Alteration of nervous system activity, often achieved through drugs.
Neurons – Nerve cells or brain cells.
Neuropathic pain - Pain caused by damage to or dysfunction of the nervous system.
Neuroprotection – The ability to keep brain cells from dying when stressed.
Neurotransmitters - Chemicals that neurons use to communicate with each other.
Neurotrophic – Inducing the survival, development, and function of neurons.
Neutropenia – A condition in which there are an abnormally low number of the white blood cell called the neutrophils circulating in a patient’s immune system, leaving the patient susceptible to infection.
Neutrophil – A white blood cell vital for immune system function. Neutrophils work by ingesting foreign cells. Neutrophil recovery is a key measure of the effectiveness of a bone marrow transplant.
New Chemical Entity – A drug that has yet to gain FDA approval.
Ng – Short for nanogram, ie one billionth of a gram.
NHANES – The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an ongoing survey which tracks the health and nutritional status of Americans.
NHLBI – See National Institutes of Health.
NH&MRC – The National Health and Medical Research Council, an Australian government agency that provides grants to medical research.
Nigrostriatal – Referring to the part of the brain that connects the substantia nigra with the striatum.
NIH – The National Institutes of Health, the US government’s medical research agency.
Nitinol – A biocompatible nickel/titanium alloy used to anchor the EndoBarrier in place.
Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) – An enzyme that helps make nitric oxide, a cellular signalling molecule.
NMDA receptor – A brain cell receptor normally triggered by glutamate. Over-excitation of the NMDA receptor has also been shown to cause nerve damage.
NNRTI – See Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
NNZ-2566 – A Neuren drug for the treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury that is a synthetic analogue of Glypromate. NNZ-2566 is G-2Methyl PE. Neuren has worked on intravenous and oral formulations of NNZ-2566. As well as TBI, Neuren believes the drug can be used in stroke recovery as well as in Rett Syndrome.
NNZ-2591 – A diketopiperazine drug developed by Neuren for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and peripheral neuropathy.
Non-convulsive seizure – A brain seizure characterised by behaviour such as staring, lapses of awareness and abrupt loss of muscle tone, but no convulsion.
Non-Esterified Fatty Acids – Fatty acids whose blood levels increase during the breakdown of fats in the body.
Non-Ischemic heart failure – Heart failure resulting from causes other than coronary artery disease such as hypertension or atrial fibrillation.
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors - Drugs that interfere with HIV’s reverse transcriptase by preventing that enzyme from binding to the nucleic acid that is going to be copied by the enzyme. The first such drug, Nevirapine, came on the market in 1996.
NonO – The target of PAT-LM1. NonO is mainly found in the cell’s nucleus and is involved in transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation.
Non-responders – Patients that fail to enjoy a clinical response to a particular drug.
Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) – One of two main types of lung cancer, the other being – you guessed it – small-cell lung carcinoma. Non-small cell lung cancer is easier to surgically remove while small cell lung cancer responds better to chemotherapy and radiation.
NOS – See Nitric oxide synthase.
Notified Body – In the European Union, an organisation that has been accredited by a Member State to assess whether a product meets the required standards for approval as a healthcare product.
NPWT – Short for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy, a treatment in which a wound is closed by creating a vacuum over the wound site.
NRTI – See nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
NS3 – HCV’s protease protein.
NS5b – HCV’s polymerase protein.
NSAID – Short for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, that is, a drug such as aspirin designed to relieve pain and reduce inflammation and fever, but which is not a steroid or a narcotic.
NTB – Short for Neuropsychological Test Battery, a set of tests used to evaluate the mental state of Alzheimer’s patients that is considered particularly useful in measuring Executive Function. Prana tested PBT2 using NTB.
Nucleic acids – DNA, which carries the genetic code, and RNA which transfers it to the protein-making units of cells.
Nucleoside – Nucleotides without the phosphate groups.
Nucleoside analogue – A drug that can interfere with the process of DNA production, making it useful as a cancer treatment.
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor – A drug that interferes with HIV’s reverse transcriptase through a process whereby a nucleoside analogue causes the copying process of stop short. AZT, the first drug specifically approved as an anti-HIV treatment (in 1987), is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.
Nucleotides – Combination of sugar, phosphate and one of four ‘bases’ that make up DNA and RNA. Nucleotides are genetic ‘letters’ in what is a four-letter alphabet.
Nude mice - Mice without a functioning immune system, allowing cancerous human tissue to be grafted on, thereby providing an animal model of cancer.
Numerical Pain Rating Scale – A rating of pain intensity where 0 is no pain and 10 is extremely intense pain.
Nutraceutical – A food product that also has pharmaceutical properties.
NYHA Class – One of four classes of heart failure patients as determined by the New York Heart Association, ranging from Class I (least affected) to Class IV (death’s door).
Ob/Ob – A mouse model of obesity based on a gene called Ob.
Obesity – A disease condition of excess body weight generally indicated by a BMI greater than 30. Obesity often has various co-morbidities including cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. See morbid obesity.
Objective Response Rate – The rate at which tumours shrink as a result of medical treatment, where the response is measured by the RECIST criteria.
Occlusion – The covering of a transdermal drug delivery site with a patch. Occlusion tends to help in transdermal drug delivery by hydrating the skin in the area, which allows drugs to pass through.
Octyl salicylate – See MDTS.
Off-label – Usage of a drug or medical device in a manner different to which it was approved by the FDA. Off-label use is permitted so long as a doctor is doing the prescribing.
OGTT – See oral glucose tolerance test.
Oligomer – A protein molecule that consists of repeating molecular subunits. Amyloid oligomers are considered a toxic element in Alzheimer’s disease.
Oligonucleotides – Short strings of nucleotides, often use in antisense.
Oncogenic – Capable of causing cancer.
Oncomab – A Prima Biomed subsidiary working on antibodies to Cripto-1.
On/off time – A Parkinson patient’s ‘on time’ is the period of the day when a patient’s Parkinson’s medication is working well. Off time is when it isn’t.
Open label – A clinical trial in which both patients and doctors know what treatment is being administered.
Opioid analgesics – Pain killing drugs that work by interacting the nervous system’s opioid receptors. The best-known opioid analgesic is morphine, which is a derivative of opium. Oxycodone is an opioid analgesic.
Oral glucose tolerance test – A diagnostic for diabetes that involves administration of a high-glucose drink, after which blood samples are checked.
Orally available – Drugs that can be reduced to pill form, with obvious advantages in terms of delivery to patients.
Organising granulation tissue – Collagen-rich tissue which forms at the site of an injury and retains the function of skin as an organ. Excess organised granulation tissue contributes to scarring.
Orphan Drug – A drug that benefits less than 200,000 potential patients in the US. Orphan drug designation provides tax benefits as well as market exclusivity in both Europe and the US.
Osteoarthritis - Progressive degeneration of bone tissue such as cartilage resulting from inflammation.
Osteogenic - Capable of bone formation.
Ostomy – A surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening for the elimination of bodily wastes.
Outflow tract reconstruction – Repair to the ventricular outflow tract through which blood from the ventricles of the heart pass before entering the large arteries. Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction is most commonly done to prevent tachycardia, which is abnormally rapid heartbeat. ADAPT patches have been used in outflow tract reconstruction.
Overall Survival (OS) – The percentage of subjects in a clinical trial who have survived for a defined period of time.
Oxaliplatin – A platinum-based anti-cancer drug. The branded version of the drug is Sanofi’s Eloxatin.
Oxidative stress – Cell damage that results from oxygen-linked free radicals.
Oxycodone – A small molecule opioid analgesic drug. The leading brand of oxycodone is Oxyontin, a sustained release formulation from the American drug company Purdue Pharmaceuticals.
p7 – A protein in Hepatitis C known to form ion channels in cells that assist in viral budding and release.
Paclitaxel – The generic name for Taxol, a chemotherapy drug used in breast, ovarian and lung cancer. It first gained FDA approval as a cancer drug in 1992.
Padimate O – See MDTS.
Pain intensity score – A measurement for pain in which the patient rates his current experience of pain using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale.
PAMAM – See polyamidoamine.
Pandemic influenza – Influenza of the H5N1 strain, which could, theoretically, cause a severe pandemic of the virus if human-to-human transmission began.
Paracetamol – See Acetaminophen
Paragraph IV – A certification by the filer of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (seeking approval of a generic drug) indicating that the certifier intends to legally challenge patents covering the innovator drug.
Paraprotein – See M Protein.
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) – A hormone which acts to increase the concentration of calcium in the blood, making it essential for maintenance of bone health. PTH is a large molecule. Phosphagenics has used TPM-01 and TPM-02 to transdermally deliver Forteo. That drug is the 1-34 bioactive fragment of PTH, that is, the first 34 out of a total of 84 amino acids.
Parkinson’s disease – A neurodegenerative disease associated with a drop in dopamine levels. Parkinson’s is characterized by tremors, speech impediments, movement difficulties, and often dementia.
Partial Response – A partial reduction in tumour size brought about by a cancer drug.
Partial thickness – A burn that features damage to the epidermis and part of the dermis. A full thickness burn features injury to the subcutaneous tissue underneath the dermis, including fat.
Partnering – A deal in which a drug or medical device developer licenses a product to another company, generally in return for upfront payments, milestone payments as the product develops in a clinical or regulatory sense, and royalties on sales.
Paste – A solid form of a blood fraction.
Patent – When referring to an artery, the extent to which the artery is open.
Patient-controlled analgesia – A situation where the patient is able to administer analgesic drugs to himself or herself on demand.
Paw withdrawal latency – A measure of the effectiveness of an analgesic when tested in animal models. Paw withdrawal latency looks at the speed with which the test rat withdraws its paw from a heat source. The longer time period before withdrawal, the more the presumed analgesic effect of the drug being tested.
PAT-CM1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against multiple solid tumours.
PAT-SC1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against gastric and potentially other solid tumours.
PAT-LM1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against multiple solid tumours.
PAT-PA1 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use in gastric and pancreatic cancers, among others.
PAT-SM6 – A Patrys antibody drug suitable for use against melanoma and multiple solid tumours.
Patrys - An ASX-listed antibody company, Code PAB.
PBT1 – Prana’s code name for clioquinol.
PBT2 – A ‘rationally designed’ MPAC for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. PBT2 completed a Phase IIa clinical trial in Alzheimer’s in early 2008.
PBT3, PBT4, PBT5 – New classes of MPACs developed by PBT.
PCA – Short for patient-controlled analgesia.
Pd – short for plasma-derived, that is extracted from donated blood rather than being made using recombinant DNA technology.
PDE4 – See Phosphodiesterase.
PDGF – Short for Platelet-Derived Growth Factor, a growth factor known to promote the proliferation of fibroblasts.
PDUFA date – The day by which the FDA seeks to review an NDA under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which allows the agency to charge drug makers for the review process.
Pegylation – Conjugation of polyethylene glycol to a drug to slow its release into the body. Often pegylated interferon is used to treat Hepatitis C infection.
Pelvic inflammatory disease - Inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries.
Penetration enhancer – A compound that helps other compounds to penetrate through the skin.
Penetrating TBI – TBI resulting from penetration into the brain area of an object such as a bullet or a knife.
Pentameric – A protein composed out of five sub-units. Patrys’ IgM antibodies are pentameric.
Peptide – Two or more amino acids linked by chemical bonds.
PEQ – Plasma equivalent measure. A comparison of blood products on the basis of the plasma in the products.
PER.C6 – A continuous human cell line from the Dutch company Crucell that can be used to produce monoclonal antibodies.
Percocet – A pain management drug from the US specialty pharma company Endo which is a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen. MoxDuo IR has been trialled against Percocet.
Percutaneous – Passed through the skin.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) - A procedure in which a catheter is inserted into the artery in order to open it up. Stenting is a form of PCI.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty – The full name for a balloon angioplasty.
Pericardial – Located in the vicinity of the pericardium, which is the bilayered serous membrane surrounding the heart.
Peripheral blood - Blood circulating in the body as opposed to bone marrow.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell – Any cell having a round nucleus. Most white blood cells are PBMCs.
Peripheral neuropathy – Damage to the peripheral nervous system, that is, the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral stent – Stents used to treat peripheral vascular disease, a condition in which the arteries that carry blood to the arms or legs become narrowed or clogged. REVA believes ReZolve could be used to create a peripheral stent.
Perseis Therapeutics – A Neuren subsidiary developing monoclonal antibodies to breast and other cancers.
Personalised medicine – Medical treatment customised for each individual patient.
Pertussis – The correct name for ‘whooping cough’, which is caused by an infection of the nose and throat with the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.
PFS – See Progression Free Survival.
Pharmacodynamics – The study of the physiological effects of drugs on the body.
Pharmacokinetics - The study of the time course of a drug’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion from the body.
Phase – A stage of the clinical trialling process for a drug candidate. Phase I tests for safety. Phase II tests for efficacy in a small sample. Phase III tests for efficacy in a large sample.
Phase I – A clinical trial in humans (can be healthy volunteers or patients) to test safety in a small sample. Phase I allows ‘proof of concept’ to be gathered regarding the viability of a particular technology.
Phase I/II – An early-stage safety study (a Phase I study) but one conducted in patients rather than in healthy volunteers.
Phase I/IIa – An early-stage safety study (a Phase I study) but one conducted in patients rather than in healthy volunteers.
Phase II – A clinical trial in humans to test efficacy in a small sample. Phase IIa trials test primarily for safety while Phase IIb are more focused on efficacy.
Phase IIb – A clinical trial to test the efficacy of a drug in a small number of test subjects. IIb trials are generally different from IIa trials in that the latter are performed in patients whereas the former are in healthy people.
Phase III – A clinical trial in humans to test efficacy in a large sample. Phase III trials are also called ‘pivotal trials’.
Phase IV – A study of a drug in patients after it has gained regulatory approval.
PHLX Medical Device Sector Index – A stock price index (Bloomberg symbol MXZ) composed of companies engaged in the development and manufacturing of device-based therapies and surgical devices.
Phosphagenics (POH) – A Melbourne-based company, ASX Code POH, commercialising a transdermal drug delivery technology called TPM.
Phospha E – Phosphagenics’s Vitamin E dietary supplement, which Nestlé trialled as a functional food for the prevention of Metabolic syndrome.
Phosphate group – A compound based on phosphorus. Addition of a phosphate group to a biochemical compound can significantly change its function.
Phosphodiesterase (PDE) – An enzyme that facilitates intra-cellular signalling. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors have become common drug targets in recent years, with PDE4 and PDE7 of interest in Parkinson’s Disease.
Phospholipids – Compounds composed of fatty acids and phosphoric acid with a nitrogenous base. Phospholipids are found in cell membranes, among other places.
Phosphorylation – The addition of a phosphate group to a chemical. Phosphagenics’s technology centres on phosphorylation of Vitamin E.
PID – Short for Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders.
Pilot study – An early stage clinical study designed to gain proof of concept before a formal IND submission.
Pilot trial – A clinical trial in humans designed to provide proof-of-concept.
Pivotal study - A clinical trial in humans to test efficacy in a large sample.
Pivotal trial – A Phase III clinical trial to prove that the drug is effective in a large patient group.
PK – Short for ‘pharmacokinetics’.
Plaque - A fatty deposit that accumulates in blood vessels.
Plasma – The clear fraction of the blood that contains the white blood cells. The presence of drug in plasma indicates successful delivery of the drug.
Platform technology – A technology with multiple uses.
Plasmid - A circle of DNA that resides inside the cells of bacteria apart from the DNA that comprises the sole bacterial chromosome. A plasmid is typically denoted by a lower case p at the start of its name.
Platinum – A metal (element No 78) often used in cancer drugs because of its ability to bind to DNA strands, interfering with DNA replication.
Plavix – A blood thinning drug (generic name clopidogrel) used in DAPT.
Pluripotent – A stem cell capable of turning into almost all cell types. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent.
PMA – Short for Pre-Market Approval, FDA approval to market a drug or device for which there was no functional equivalent approved prior to 1976.
Pneumonia – An acute lung infection, caused by either viruses or bacteria, in which the air sacs become inflamed or filled with fluid.
Point-of-care – A diagnostic test done at the patient’s bedside or in a physician’s office rather than in a central laboratory.
Poly adenylation sequence – A DNA sequence featuring repeated adenines, which in bacteria and viruses often codes for the terminator.
Polyamidoamine – A polymer in which amide and amine groups are repeated. Polyamidoamine units lie at the core of many dendrimer molecules.
Polycapralactone – A biodegradable polyester used in various medical applications. Polycapralactone is a key ingredient in the ReZolve polymer.
Polyethylene glycol – A material often used as an excipient for drug delivery.
Polymer - A large molecule composed of repeating structural units connected by chemical bonds.
Polymerase – An enzyme which viruses use to copy their DNA or RNA. Many HCV drug candidates are polymerase inhibitors. As with NRTIs and NNRTIs in the HIV field, HCV polymerase inhibitors can be nucleoside or non-nucleoside.
Polymerat – An early name of the venture that eventually became Anteo Diagnostics.
Polyp - An abnormal growth of tissue projecting from a mucous membrane. Untreated colorectal polyps can develop into colorectal cancer.
Polypeptide - A chain of peptides.
Polysaccharide – A polymer made up of sugar molecules.
Polyvalent – A molecule that can bind other molecules in multiple different ways.
Porcine – From pigs. Porcine tissue is often used in soft tissue repair.
Positive allosteric modulator – A drug that binds to a receptor target without displacing that receptor’s usual ligand.
Posterior lateral interbody fusion – A kind of spinal fusion in which the bone graft is placed between the vertebrae in the area usually occupied by the intervertebral disc, with the incision being made from the back. This kind of spinal fusion is considered ‘minimally invasive’.
Posterolateral spinal fusion – Spinal fusion where the bone graft is placed between the transverse processes.
Postherpetic neuralgia - Pain resulting from reactivation of the chicken pox virus that lasts longer than three months.
Post Stroke Apathy – Apathy Syndrome following a stroke, which is estimated to occur in around 20% of cases.
Potency assay – A test used to evaluate the consistency of vaccine product from batch to batch in a manufacturing process.
PPACA – America’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the major healthcare reform law which President Obama signed into law in March 2010.
Prana Biotechnology – AN ASX-listed company, code PBT, working on drugs to treat memory disorders.
Pre-clinical – The stage of a drug’s development in which a candidate drug has been selected and it is being tested for its safety ahead of human trials.
Precursor – A cell that will divide and differentiate into a mature version of the cell.
Precursor cells – A cell that turns into another kind of cell. Precursor denotes a relatively immature cell. With stem cells, the less mature the cell is, the more desirable from a potential therapy point of view.
Predicate device – See 510(k)
Pre IND meeting – A meeting with FDA officials in which the sponsor of a new drug can discuss what the Agency will require in an IND submission.
Pre-market approval – Regulatory clearance for a drug or medical device to be marketed.
Pre-NDA – See NDA.
Pre-Submission Meeting – A meeting with FDA officials where medical device developers can gain guidance on the regulatory pathway for their product.
Presenile dementia – Another term for Alzheimer’s Disease.
Pressure ulcers – Chronic wounds arising from a patient’s immobility.
Pre-sutured – A C-Pulse balloon cuff in which the sutures (that is, stitches) are pre-placed on one of the tabs of the cuff, prior to wrapping.
Prevalence – The total number of cases of a disease condition in a population.
Prima Biomed – Developer of CVac, a cellular therapy. ASX Code PRR.
Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders - Disorders in which part of the body's immune system is missing or does not function properly. PIDs are often treated with Immunoglobulins.
Primary Liver Cancer – A cancer that actually begins in the liver. Also called Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
Prime-boost - A vaccine regimen, in which the immune system is first ‘primed’ with a DNA vaccine, which is then boosted using delivery of the same antigen with viral vectors.
Priming – Action to get immune system cells to recognise an antigen.
Priority date – The date on which an invention is considered to have ‘occurred’ for patent protection purposes. In recent years basic patent protection has been granted to inventions for 20 years from priority date.
Priostar – Starpharma’s new generation dendrimer building blocks, which are much more efficient than earlier dendrimers.
Privigen – CSL’s 10% liquid IVIG product. Privigen gained FDA approval in July 2007.
Prodrug – A drug that is administered in an inactive form and then metabolised into an active drug. Prodrugs are useful in targeting therapies to the right place in the body.
Progression Free Survival (PFS) – The length of time a cancer patient undergoing treatment can see no worsening of his or her cancer. Also called Progression Free Interval.
Proline – An amino acid, common abbreviation P.
Promoter – A DNA sequence that begins the process of translation.
Proof-of-concept – A ‘pilot’ trial of a compound on a small number of patients that is conducted so as to prove that a particular scientific idea has merit rather than to persuade a regulator to approve the compound for commercial use. It is generally the Phase I Trial.
Prophylactic vaccine – A vaccine used to prevent disease, rather than treat existing disease (which is a therapeutic vaccine).
Protease – An enzyme which viruses use in virus assembly.
Protease inhibitors – Drugs that inhibit viral replication by hitting the enzyme that completes assembly of the virus. The first anti-HIV protease inhibitor was Roche’s Saquinavir, approved in 1995. Protease inhibition is also widely regarded as a viable anti-HCV drug strategy.
Proteasome – A protein degradation machine in cells.
Proteins – A class of fairly common molecules in the living things that includes antibodies and enzymes. Protein-based drugs have a high molecular weight compared to small molecules. A hormone is a protein.
Proteins A and G – Protein known to bind the Fc region of antibodies (ie the main non-antigen-binding region), making them useful to attach antibodies to surfaces for diagnostic purposes.
Proteomics - The large-scale study of proteins, particularly their structures and functions.
Prothrombin - A substance produced by the liver that helps with clotting. CSL’s Beriplex product is a prothrombin complex concentrate.
Psoriasis - A chronic skin disease, which sees the sufferer developing unsightly patches of raised red skin covered by a flaky white buildup. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder.
Psychosis – A mental condition best characterised as a ‘loss of contact with reality’.
PTCA – See Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty.
PTH – See parathyroid hormone.
PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) – A blockage of the main artery of the lung from a blood clot.
Pulsatile – Characterised by pulses.
Pulse oximetry – The measurement of blood oxygen saturation through a medical device, generally one that fits on the finger.
Pump thrombus – Blood clots caused by an LVAD.
p-value – A measure of statistical significance. Generally a p-value below 0.05 is considered ‘statistically significant’.
PYY – Short for peptide YY 3-36, a hormone that appears to be the intestine's signal of satiety.
QRxPharma – An ASX-listed company, code QRX, working on MoxDuo, a combination of the analgesics morphine and oxycodone.
RA – Short for retinoic acid.
Radial strength - Resistance to compressive forces in the radial direction, that is, perpendicular to the axis.
Radioembolisation – See embolisation.
Radiopaque - Not transparent to X-rays or other forms of radiation. REVA avoids radiopacity for ReZolve by adding iodine to the polymer.
Randomised - A clinical trial in which a participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the various trial groups.
Reagent – A chemical used to bring about a reaction.
Receptor – A molecule in a cell to which a signalling molecule such as a growth factor may attach.
RECIST – Short for the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours, RECIST is a set of rules that define when a tumour has responded to treatment, is stable, or has progressed.
Recoil - The amount of spring-back a blood vessel experiences after it has been expanded in a stenting procedure, measured in percentage terms.
Recombinant – Proteins produced using the tools of genetic engineering. Recombinant proteins are made using expression systems.
Registration study – A definitive clinical trial which allows a drug to gain regulatory approval.
Regulatory T cells – T cells which turn down immune response.
Relapsed/refractory – A disease condition that does not respond to therapy very well.
REMATCH – The Thoratec clinical trial, which published results in 2001 and which established that LVADs were better than medical management of late stage heart failure.
Remodeling – Expansion or constriction of blood vessels in response to physiologic or pathophysiologic conditions. After stenting, arteries are able to remodel by becoming wider.
Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) – A cancer of the kidneys.
Repeat Insult Patch Test – A test used to determine if a material has the potential to cause contact sensitisation or skin allergies. In the RIPT a small patch of the test material is applied to the skin of a human volunteer on two occasions to see if a contact allergy results on the second application.
Reperfusion – The return of blood supply to tissue after a period of ischemia.
Reproducibility – The ability of a diagnostic to get the same result twice.
Reprofiling – The process of taking a drug that has failed in one indication and retrialing it in another where it has shown promise.
Resect – To cut a tumour out of the body.
Reservoir patch – A drug delivery patch in which the drug is stored in a gel-type reservoir within the body of the patch, rather than spread through the material of the match, as in a matrix patch.
Resorption – The breakdown of materials within the body.
Response – A situation where a tumour has shrunk in size as a result of a medical intervention.
Restenosis - A re-narrowing or blockage of an artery at a site where angioplasty was previously done.
Retinoic acid – One of various derivatives of vitamin A that are often used in the treatment of acne and other skin problems. Tretinoin is a retinoic acid.
Retrovirus - A virus whose method of replication is the reverse of the usual method used. Generally viruses have DNA cores and replicate via RNA. Retroviruses, by contrast, consist of only a single strand of RNA coated with protein and replicate via reverse transcriptase. The HIV viruses are retroviruses.
Rett Syndrome – An Autism Spectrum Disorder that affects only girls.
REVA Medical – An ASX listed company, code RVA, developing one of the world’s first bioresorbable stents. The name REVA comes from the word ‘revascularisation’.
Revascor – The Mesoblast trademark for the cardiovascular applications of MPCs.
Revascularisation – Stenting or CABG procedures. The formation of new blood vessels.
Reverse transcriptase – An enzyme used by retroviruses in their replication process, allowing viral RNA to be converted to DNA. The NRTI and NNRTI anti-HIV drugs work by impacting on reverse transcriptase.
ReZolve – REVA’s polymer-based bioresorbable stent product.
RHAMM – Short for Receptor for Hyaluronan-Mediated Motility, RHAMM is a hyaluronic acid receptor.
Rhophylac - Rho(D) IVIG, indicated for the treatment of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) as well as ITP. The IVIG is designed to combat the anti-D antibodies in the mother’s blood. Rhophylac was introduced to the European market in 1996 and in the US in 2004.
Riastap – The American name for Haemocomplettan.
Ribavirin – An anti-viral drug currently used in conjunction with one of the interferons to treat Hepatitis C infection.
Ribosome – A protein-making ‘factory’ within the cell.
Right heart failure – Heart failure in which the right ventricle ceases to function normally.
RIPT – See Repeat Insult Patch Test.
RNA – A nucleic acid ‘photocopier’, used in copying each individual strand of DNA for use in making proteins (messenger RNA) and in delivering amino acids to the ribosome for assembling into a protein (transfer RNA).
Roux-en-Y – See gastric bypass.
SAB – Scientific Advisory Board.
Saccharide – A carbohydrate.
Salvage therapy – A therapy used as a last-ditch effort to rescue a patient from death after a number of other therapies have been tried.
SARAH - A 400-patient clinical study that will compare SIR-Spheres alone with sorafenib alone.
SARS – Short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a potentially fatal lung disorder resulting from infection with the SARS virus. SARS was first identified during its sole outbreak to date, in 2003. Biotron’s compounds are capable of blocking the E protein in the SARS virus.
Scale up – The process of taking a laboratory process for manufacturing a drug to commercial scale.
Schizophrenia – A mental condition characterised by disturbances in a person's thoughts, perceptions, emotions and behaviours.
Scientific Advice – Guidance from the EMA about what they require in order to approve a drug or medical device.
SCIG – Short for subcutaneous IgG
Scopolamine – An amnesia drug.
Secondary Liver Cancer – A cancer that begins in parts of the body other than the liver but spreads to the liver as it metastasises.
Second line – A drug regimen that is used in patients who have failed in a previous drug regimen (ie the ‘first line’).
Secretase – An enzyme that cuts APP to form amyloid beta. There are three secretases, alpha-secretase, beta-secretase, and gamma-secretase. The secretases have often been targets for Alzheimer’s drugs.
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy – The process whereby tumour cells are irradiated by SIR-Spheres.
Sensitisation – Provoking an immune response.
Sensitivity – The ability of a diagnostic to detect the substance being assayed for. Sensitivity is measured by LoD.
Sepsis – Serious and potentially life-threatening inflammation caused by severe infection.
Septal defect– A defect in the walls that divide the chambers of the heart. A ventricular septal defect is a hole in the wall dividing the left and right ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart) while an atrial septal defect is a hole in the wall dividing the left and right atria (the upper chambers). ADAPT has been used to repair both kinds of septal defects.
Seroconversion – The development of detectable specific antibodies to microbes in blood plasma.
Serological staging – The use of blood samples to determine if a cancer drug has brought about a Complete or Partial Response.
Seropositive – Having antibodies to a particular microbe in the bloodstream, indicating a previous infection.
Serum - Plasma from which the clotting proteins have been removed.
Sham arm – The control arm of a clinical trial involving a medical procedure, in which the procedure does not actually take place.
Signal – The amount of fluorescence given off by a diagnostic test, allowing the presence of an analyte to be measured.
Signalling pathway – The succession of biochemicals that interact with each other in order to signal a part of the body to perform a particular biological function. Often an aberrant signalling pathway is a cause of cancer.
SIRFLOX - A 518-patient clinical study which will compare SIR-Spheres plus FOLFOX±Avastin or FOLFOX±Avastin alone as a first line treatment in mCRC patients with liver metastases.
Sirolimus – An immunosuppressant drug, also known as rapamycin, that is used as the anti-restenotic drug in some drug-eluting stents. Sirolimus is the drug eluted from ReZolve.
SIRT – see Selective Internal Radiation Therapy.
Sirtex Medical – A Sydney-based company, ASX Code SRX, whose SIR-Spheres product enables SIRT in the liver.
SIRveNIB - A 360-patient clinical study that will compare SIR-Spheres alone or daily sorafenib alone.
Slide and lock – The mechanism that allows ReZolve to be expanded without deforming the stent.
Small cell lung cancer – The type of lung cancer which responds better to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Non-small cell lung cancer responds better to surgery.
Small intestine – The part of the gastrointestinal tract following the stomach and followed by the large intestine. The small intestine is made up of the duodenum, followed by the jejunum, followed by the ileum.
Small molecules – Drugs that have a low molecular weight (<500 daltons), making them easier to penetrate cell membranes and the blood-brain barrier.
SNP – Short for Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, DNA sequence variations within the same gene.
Soft tissue - Tissues of the body that are not bone. ADAPT is useful in soft tissue repair.
Solid phase – A diagnostic in which the target being assayed for is bound to a solid such as a glass or plastic surface rather than being detected in a liquid.
Solid tumour – In cancer, a tumour that is a localised mass of tissue rather than a blood cancer like leukaemia.
Somatostatin - A hormone which helps to control the production of insulin.
SORAMIC - A 375-patient clinical study that will compare SIR-Spheres plus sorafenib against sorafenib alone.
SPA – See Special Protocol Assessment.
Spacer – A chemical compound used to link other compounds together.
Special Protocol Assessment - A prior agreement with the FDA that if a clinical trial hits certain endpoints the drug being trialled will be approved. This ensures that the FDA can’t change its mind and ask for further data when the final results come in.
Specialty pharma – A drug company with approved products that specialises in a particular kind of drug.
Specificity – The ability of a diagnostic to only detect what is being assayed for. Specificity is the proportion of patients without the disease who receive a negative test result.
SPID48 - The change in pain intensity scores over the 48 hr dosing period from baseline. SPID is short for ‘Sum of Pain Intensity Differences’.
Spinal augmentation – Use of a medical device to strengthen the spine where it has been compressed.
Spinal fusion – Surgery to fuse the vertebrae in the spine, generally through the use of a bone graft or bone substitute. Mesoblast is seeking to commercialise a stem cell alternative.
Spleen – An organ in the abdomen that is made up of various immune system cells including B cells.
SPL7013 – The active ingredient in VivaGel. SPL7013 is a large molecule.
SpO2 - A measurement of the amount of oxygen attached to the haemoglobin cells in the circulatory system. The "S" stands for saturation, since at normal levels SpO2 is around 96%. SpO2 below 90% is indicative of oxygen dessaturation and therefore of respiratory depression. SpO2 is measured by pulse oximetry.
SSRI – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, the class of antidepressant drug to which Prozac belongs.
Stable angina – See angina.
Stable disease – In oncology, a situation in which tumours are not getting any bigger.
Standard of care – The current ‘best practice’ therapy for a disease, which Mesoblast generally uses as ‘placebo’ in its clinical trials.
Starpharma – An ASX-listed company, code SPL, commercialising the science of dendrimers.
Statins – A class of drugs that lower cholesterol.
Statistical significance - The probability, measured by the ‘p-value’, that an observed outcome of an experiment or trial is due to chance alone. Generally p-values below 0.05 are taken as markers of statistical significance.
Stator - The stationary part of a motor or generator, in or around which the rotor revolves.
Stem cells – Cells that can differentiate into many different cell types when subjected to the right biochemical signals.
Stent – A mesh tube used to prop open an artery during angioplasty.
Sternotomy - A surgical procedure involving incisions in the breastbone.
STI – Sexually Transmitted Infection.
Stratum corneum – The outermost layer of skin, at the edge of the epidermis.
Streptavidin – A molecule often used in diagnostics because it binds to biotin. This allows it to select from a solution antibodies or other capture agents that have been ‘biotinylated’ so as to capture the analyte.
Striatum – A brain region known to be important for learning and that governs habitual actions.
STRO-1 – The primary cell surface marker on bone marrow cells that characterises undifferentiated mesenchymal precursor cells. STRO is short for ‘stromal cell’.
STRO-3 – An antibody specific to TNAP that Mesoblast uses to identify MPCs.
Stroke – Brain damage which results from blockage of an artery (acute 'ischemic stroke') or, less commonly, from breakage of a blood vessel ('hemorrhagic strokes'), interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain.
Stromal cells - The connective tissue cells that form the supportive structure in which the functional cells of the tissue reside. Mensechymal stem cells come primarily from marrow stromal cells.
Structure-activity relationship - The relationship between the chemical or three-dimensional structure of a molecule and its biological activity.
Styrene – An organic compound used in the manufacture of plastics, rubber, and resins. Anteo uses styrene as a monomer in its surface coating technology.
Subcutaneous – Refers to matters ‘below the skin’. A subcutaneous injection is one that is given below the skin rather than directly into the bloodstream.
Subcutaneous IgG –Immunoglobulin delivered subcutaneously, rather than intravenous infusions of immunoglobulin. Vivaglobin is CSL’s Subcutaneous IgG product.
Substantia nigra – The brfain region that hosts dopamine-producing cells.
Substrate – In diagnostics, the surface on which functional groups are assembled.
Sunshine Heart – Developer of a heart assist device called C-Pulse.
Supernatant - Material floating on the surface of a liquid mixture.
Surface-to-artery – The ratio of stent surface area to artery surface area. Surface to artery is useful as a measure of the ease with which a catheter can be slid past a stent in order to access a side branch artery downstream.
Surfactant – Short for ‘surface active agent’, surfactants are substances that can reduce the surface tension of a liquid, making is easier for the liquid to penetrate solids. Surfactants are often found in cleaning fluids, since reducing the fluid’s surface tension makes it easier for it to penetrate solids (in this case what is being cleaned).
Sustained release – See controlled release.
Synapse - A junction between two nerve cells.
Synaptic function – Synapses are the junction between the terminal of a neuron and another neuron, over which nerve impulses pass. There is evidence that PBT2 can prevent loss of synaptic connection between neurons.
Synovium - The membrane that surrounds each joint in the body. The synovium is rich in hyaluronic acid.
Systemic – Delivered to the bloodstream rather than to a particular tissue of a clinical trial subject.
Systolic blood pressure – Blood pressure measured when the ventricle contracts. Systolic blood pressure is the highest of the pressures measured.
T2P – See di-a-tocopheryl phosphates.
T9001 – QRx’s drug candidate for the treatment of dystonia.
TACE – see Trans Arterial Chemo-Embolisation.
Tamper resistance – A quality in an analgesic drug that limits the ability of addicts to abuse the drug.
Tape stripping – A method of determining the penetration of topically-applied drugs into the skin where, after the drug is applied to the skin, adhesive films are repeatedly put on the treated areas and taken off again. The presence of drug in the film indicates that the drug has penetrated that far.
Targeted radiotherapy – Radiotherapy that seeks to irradiate simply the tumor and not the body in general. SIRT is a targeted radiotherapy.
Target Lesion Revascularisation (TLR) - The incidence of restenting or heart bypass required in a stent trial.
Tau protein – A protein named after the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet whose function is form the ‘railway ties’ that hold the microtubule ‘tracks’ in place. In some neurodegerative disorders Tau is altered so that so-called ‘neurofibrillary tangles’ result.
Taxol – A chemotherapy drug, generic name paclitaxel, that was first discovered in the mid-1960s from bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia, but not introduced into general use until the early 1990s. Taxol is often used in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
TBI – See Traumatic Brain Injury.
T-cell receptors – Receptors on the surface of Helper T lymphocytes that recognise the combined MHC Class II and peptide epitope and then pass the word on to create the appropriate B lymphocytes.
T Cells – White blood cells that are responsible for killing cells infected by viruses (, in the case of ‘Cytotoxic T cells’), and inducing B lymphocytes to produce antibodies (in the case of ‘Helper T cells’).
TCR – See T-cell receptors.
Telehealth – Healthcare delivered remotely where the patient and physician interact via the Internet or smartphones and tablets.
Telomerase - An enzyme that has been associated with cellular immortality.
Terminal groups - The groups of atoms in the outermost layer of a dendrimer sphere.
Testosterone – A hormone that helps stimulate and maintain sexual function and maintain bone strength, among other functions.
Textilinin - An antifibrinolytic agent that is being developed as part of QRx’s Venomics project.
Th – the common symbol for ‘Helper T lymphocytes.
Therapeutic Index – In pharmacology, the ratio of effective dose to minimum tolerated dose. The higher this number, the better.
Therapeutic vaccine – A vaccine used to treat an existing disease, rather than prevent that disease (which is a prophylactic vaccine).
Therapeutic window - The range of doses of a drug which are effective without being harmful.
Thimerosal - A mercury containing preservative that was commonly found in vaccines.
Thoracotomy – A surgical procedure involving incisions made on the right or left side of the chest between the ribs. Such procedures are considered less invasive than a sternotomy.
Thrombocytopenia – A deficiency of platelets in the blood, leading to bleeding.
Thromboembolism - A condition in which a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel or the heart and then breaks off and travels inside the bloodstream to plug another blood vessel, causing organ damage.
Thrombosis – Formation of a thrombus, that is, a blood clot.
Tissue – A group of specialised cells with a common structure and function, such as ‘muscle tissue’.
Tissue engineering – The process of creating tissue for use in repairing tissue defects in patients.
Tissue Therapies – A Brisbane-based company, ASX Code TIS, commercialising VitroGro, a wound-healing product.
TLR - See Target Lesion Revascularisation.
T Lymphocytes – White blood cells that are responsible for killing cells infected by viruses, in the case of ‘Cytotoxic T cells’, and inducing B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, in the case of ‘Helper T lymphocytes’.
TNAP – Short for tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase, a marker which Mesoblast uses to identify undifferentiated MPCs.
TNF-a – Short for Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha, a pro-inflammatory cytokine.
Tocopherol – A form of vitamin E. Tocopherol comes in a variety of forms, the most common of which is a-tocopherol, which is what Phosphagenics uses to make TPM. The company has also used g-tocopherol to create a potential cancer drug.
Tocopheryl phosphate – Phosphagenics’s drug delivery platform, obtained by phosphorylation of Vitamin E.
Tocotrienol – A form of vitamin E.
Tolerable – Having a low level of side effects that are not life threatening.
Toll-like-Receptors – Receptors on many cell surfaces in the body whose function is to recognise molecules derived from microbes, and thereby stimulate the innate immune system.
Topical – Medication applied to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes such as the vagina or anus.
Topoisomerase inhibitor - Topoisomerase is an enzyme that uncoils DNA in the nuclei of cells, allowing cell division to take place. Since inhibiting the action of this enzyme can limit cell division, topoisomerase inhibitor drugs like irinotecan are among a new generation of anti-cancer drugs.
TorsinA – A protein that is understood to prevent the protein misfolding associated with movement disorders. QRx’s T9001 drug for the treatment of dystonia is based on TorsinA.
Toxicology – Tests to see if a drug is harmful in the body.
TP – See mono-a-tocopheryl phosphates.
TPM – Short for ‘Tocopheryl Phosphate Mixture’, or ‘Targeted Penetration Matrix’. TPM is Phosphagenics’s drug delivery platform. TPM is a phosphorylated version of Vitamin E.
TPM-01 – Phosphagenics’s first generation carrier, which was a-tocopheryl phosphate plus a surfactant.
TPM-02 – Phosphagenics’s second generation carrier, which is a 2:1 mixture of mono- and di- a-tocopheryl phosphates plus an alcohol such as ethanol as an excipient.
Transcription factor - A protein that binds to specific DNA sequences and thereby controls the transfer of genetic information to messenger RNA and ultimately into protein.
Transarterial Chemoembolisation – Embolisation of liver tumours achieved using a mixture of lipiodol and other chemotherapy drugs that are sent into the liver via a catheter in the hepatic artery.
Transdermal – Delivered across the skin.
Transfection - The transfer of DNA into a cell, often with the help of a virus.
Transfer RNA – RNA which delivers amino acids to the ribosome for assembling into a protein.
Transient ischemic attack – Often called a ‘mini stroke’, a transient episode of neurologic dysfunction caused by loss of blood flow to the brain but without tissue death.
Transgenic mouse model - A mouse whose genetic make-up has been altered so as to model a particular disease state.
Transverse processes - Small bones that connect the vertebrae to the back muscles.
Traumatic bone fractures – Bone fractures that are the result of wound or injury.
Traumatic Brain Injury – The loss of cognitive function that results from a blow to the head. Traumatic brain injury is classified as mild, moderate, or severe.
Treatment-naive – A patient whom has yet to be treated with drugs for a particular disease.
Trefoil Factors – Estrogen-regulated proteins secreted by cancer cells that act as growth factors to the cancer. Neuren has developed antibodies to Trefoil Factors 1 and 3.
Tretinoin – The form of retinoic acid used to treat acne and other scaly skin disorders. Phosphagenics has adapted tretinoin for delivery with its TPM platform. The leading brand of tretinoin is Retin-A, from J&J’s Ortho Dermatologics unit.
Triglycerides – The major form of fat consisting of three molecules of fatty acid combined with the alcohol glycerol. High levels of triglycerides are linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis.
Tripeptide – A peptide made up of three amino acids. Glypromate is a tripeptide.
Tubulin – A protein involved in maintaining cellular shape.
Tubulin Polymerisation Inhibitors – The class of drug to which BNC105 belongs.
TVF – Short for Target Vessel Failure.
Type 1 diabetes – ‘Insulin-dependent’ diabetes, where the body can’t produce any insulin at all. This affliction generally shows up before the age of 35 but only 5% of diabetics are type 1.
Type 2 diabetes – A disease condition where the body can’t generate enough insulin, or alternately can’t respond to what is produced. 95% of diabetics have type 2. Most are over the age of 40.
Tyrosine – An amino acid which is the main constituent of the ReZolve polymer.
Ubiquitin – A protein which plays a role in the degradation of defective and superfluous proteins by directing them to the proteasome. Ubiquitination is the use of an ubiquitin-encoding sequence in a DNA vaccine.
Ulcer – An open sore on a body surface caused by a break in the skin or mucous membrane that fails to heal.
Unblinded – A clinical trial in which both investigators and patients know which arm of the trial they are in.
Up-regulating - Promoting the expression of a particular molecule.
Unstable angina – See angina.
URTI – Short for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, that is, infections of the throat, nose and sinuses. Basically, this is the common cold.
VAD – Short for Ventricular Assist Device. LVADs are a type of VAD.
Vaginal prolapse – A female health condition in which the organs inside the pelvis protrude into the vaginal wall. Vaginal prolapse is treated via a pelvic floor reconstruction.
Variable Number of Tandem Repeats – Sequences of amino acids that repeat themselves in the MUC-1 structure.
Vascular Disrupting Agent (VDA) – A drug that destroys the blood vessels that feed tumours.
Vasomotion – Oscillation of smooth muscles in blood vessels, independent of heart beat.
VAST – Short for Versatile Assembly on Stable Templates, Alchemia’s platform for the discovery and optimisation of new drugs.
Vector - A virus or plasmid used as a carrier of antigenic material in a vaccine.
Venomics – A scientific discipline in which collections of animal venom are searched for potential drugs.
Venous ulcer – A chronic wound, generally on the leg, resulting from complications of cardiovascular disease.
Ventricle – One of the heart’s two pumping chambers (left or right).
Ventricular septal defect – See Septal defect.
Verification testing – Testing of medical device parts to prove that the device fulfils the requirements for intended use.
Vesicle – A pharmaceutical formulation that is hollow on the inside, enabling drugs to be carried. See vesicular entrapment.
Vesicular entrapment – The method by which TPM-02 works, with the molecule to be delivered entrapped inside vesicles of a-tocopheryl phosphate.
Vicodin - A narcotic analgesic product containing hydrocodone and paracetamol.
Vinca alkaloid – A cancer drug originally obtained from the Madagascar periwinkle, former scientific name Vinca rosea. Vinorelbine is a vinca alkaloid.
Viral budding – The process by which a newly created virus ‘buds’ off from an infected cell. BIT225 works to inhibit viral budding.
Viral load – The amount number of viruses that an infected individual is carrying.
Viral reservoirs – Cells in the body in which a virus such as HIV is able to ‘hide’ for long periods of time, out of the reach of drug therapy.
Viral wheeze – A wheezing sound caused by viral infection which is similar to wheezing caused by asthma.
Viralytics - A Sydney-based company, ASX Code VLA, focused on oncolytic virus technology.
Virion – The name of Biotron’s ‘platform’ technology, involving the blockage of viral ion channels in cells.
Virologic response – The extent to which an anti-viral therapy lowers levels of virus in the bloodstream of patients.
Viroporins - Hydrophobic viral proteins with ion channel activity
Virus – A strip of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat that is capable of replication only within human or animal cells. HIV is a virus as are Hepatitis C, Dengue and SARS.
Vital ET – The brand name of Phosphagenics’s Vitamin E excipient product which is sold via a distribution agreement with the US chemical company International Speciality Products.
Vitamin E – A vitamin best known for its antioxidant properties. Phosphagenics has adapted Vitamin E as a drug delivery agent with its TPM platform. Tocopherols and tocotrienols are two kinds of Vitamin E.
VitroGro ECM – A synthetic protein made from parts of IGF-1 and vitronectin used in wound care.
Vitronectin – A monomeric glycoprotein that promotes cell attachment, migration, proliferation and differentiation.
VivaGel – A trademarked anti-microbial gel being developed by Starpharma. VivaGel is based on SPL7013.
Vivaglobin – CSL’s subcutaneous immunoglobulin product. Vivaglobin was the first SCIG registered in the US.
VNTR – See Variable Number of Tandem Repeats.
von Willebrand factor (VWF) - The clotting protein that is deficient in von Willebrand’s disease, the inherited bleeding disorder.
VPU – Short for ‘Viral Protein U’, a protein in HIV that forms ion channels in the membrane of the cell that the virus has infected, thereby facilitating viral budding.
VTE – Short for Venous Thromboembolism, a blood clot in a vein. VTE includes deep vein thrombosis ( DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).
Vulnerable plaque – Plaque that has a soft core, making it ‘vulnerable’ to sudden rupture. Bioresorbable stents may provide a treatment option for vulnerable plaque.
WebNeuro – A clinical decision support system which Brain Resource has developed using BRID.
West Process – The process whereby Phosphagenics phosphorylates molecules to improve their bioavailabiliy. The West process was invented by Dr Simon West, who did much of the early work on what became Phosphagenics’s TPM technology. Basically the West Process involves cooking the chemical to be phosphorylated with phosphorus pentoxide (P4O10) at under 40 degrees Celsius.
Wet cough – Also called a ‘productive’ cough, a wet cough is one that produces phlegm.
WBC – Short for white blood cells.
White blood cells – The cells of the immune system, including T cells.
White matter – The part of the brain mostly containing myelin, as opposed to grey matter, which contains mostly neuronal cell bodies and glial cells.
Wild-type – The natural version of a particular gene, protein, or strain.
WRAIR – Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
XELOX – A chemotherapy regimen made up of capecitabine, brand name Xeloda (XE) plus Oxaliplatin (OX).
Xenograft – An animal model of cancer in which a human tumour is grafted onto a mouse without a functioning immune system, so that the tumour will stay in place.
Yttrium-90 - An isotope of yttrium (element no. 39, whose natural isotope is Yttrium-89) commonly used in radiotherapy.
Zemaira – A blood product to treat alpha1-proteinase inhibitor deficiency. The product came on the US market in 2003.
Zotarolimus – See Immunosuppressant.
Z score - A measure of how many standard deviations from the mean a particular value of data lies.
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