LG launched a new range of air purifiers, combining effectiveness, convenience, portability and quiet operation. Combining five different air cleaning technologies and a 16 stage multi-layer filtering system, the new air purifier eliminates fine dust, bacteria, asbestos, amonia, formaldehyde, animal hair, allergy causing germs, mold, smoke, strong odors, and Nitrogen Dioxide. LG air purifier helps eliminating toxic gases emitted from cement, timber, insulating material, paint, home decoration as wall paper, rugs, curtains etc.

Researchers of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines indicated that the monoclonal antibody belimumab (Benlysta), which is under investigation, was safe and effective for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in a Phase III trial. After one year of treatment, belimumab reduced disease activity, flare rates and the use of prednisone, while increasing the time to a first flare.

Researchers from Harvard have reported that it may not be cost effective to include boys in a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program. The details of this study were published online in the British Medical Journal on October 8, 2009. The goal of the current study was to assess the cost effectiveness of routinely vaccinating preadolescent boys, as is recommended in girls. These authors suggested that cost effectiveness of vaccinating both boys and girls would improve if the vaccine gave life-long protection against all HPV-related diseases or if the cost of vaccination fell. These authors concluded that “including boys in an HPV vaccination program generally exceeds conventional thresholds of good value for money, even under favorable conditions of vaccine protection and health benefits.”

French biotech firm NicOx has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the US regulatory authority for its anti-inflammatory drug naproxcinod. The naproxcinod drug is developed for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The marketing approval of the drug could deal a blow to sales of the Pfizer medicine Celebrex. The company also plans to submit a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for naproxcinod to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) in the fourth quarter of 2009.