The Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva on Tuesday announced a company record - a net profit of $539 million in the second quarter of 2008.
Teva's in-house developed Azilect, a drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, generated $42 million in revenue in the second quarter of 2008.Photo: Courtesy
Sales of Copaxone, a revolutionary medicine for treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) which is the first medicine designed, manufactured and tested entirely in Israel, jumped to a record $536 million in sales, an increase of 29 percent over the corresponding quarter in 2007.
Copaxone is among very few medications engineered by Teva, known mainly as a manufacturer of generic drugs.
The company's total revenue reached $2.82 billion, 18% higher than the corresponding quarter in 2007.
56% of the company's revenue in the last quarter, $1.51 billion, stemmed from sales in North America. European sales generated $762 million, 29% of the company's revenue.
Teva's second in-house development, Azilect, a drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, jumped in sales by 50%, generating $42 million in revenue.
In June, the company published a study that concluded Azilect was efficient not only in relieving the symptoms of Parkinson's but also in holding back the progress of the disease.
Teva's total cash and stock reserves at the end of the second quarter of 2008 reached $3.6 billion.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Trainer uses boxing to help Parkinson's patients
By ELY PORTILLO
McClatchy Newspapers
MIAMI --Personal trainer Craig Marks wants to help his clients slam Parkinson's disease with a knockout blow - literally.
Marks and his fellow trainer Onyedikachi Ibeji, who run a gym in Davie, lead a group of about eight Parkinson's patients twice a week through a workout routine that includes boxing. And members swear by the unconventional methods.
"I hadn't climbed steps in 10 years" before starting to work out with Marks and Ibeji, said Robin Caradonna, 61. She's had Parkinson's for 15 years but barely used the railing while scaling two flights.
There are 1.5 million Americans living with the disease, according to the National Parkinson Foundation. The illness is a degenerative condition where the brain doesn't produce enough of a chemical called dopamine.
That chemical is needed to transmit signals to muscles. People who have Parkinson's can't control their muscles well and, over time, they develop endless tremors or lock up into rigid positions.
Boxing, along with other exercises like jogging, crunches and medicine-ball tosses, helps fight those symptoms and keep muscles strong, Marks said. Even though his Parkinson's clients hit punching bags, Marks and Ibeji do not go easy on them.
"This promises to be very, very painful today," he told Abe Taback, 63, on his third visit to the class.
"I tell you, he's a killer," said Taback, laughing. Marks laughed too - but he hadn't been exaggerating.
Taback sweated as Marks pushed him to do crunches. He grunted while swinging at Marks' gloved hands - left jab, right, left, with a quick counter-feint from Marks to keep him on his toes. Pretty soon Taback, who's had Parkinson's for 15 years and shakes regularly, was even jumping up and down for the first time in years.
"I haven't done this before!" Taback panted.
"Well, you're doing it now," Marks said.
Then it was back to the punching.
"It's far from easy. It felt like I went through a 10-round fight with (Muhammad) Ali and I wasn't the winner, but it's worth it in the end," a tomato-red Taback said after an hour.
For Marks, his job is personal. The 42-year-old Miami native spent plenty of time with physical therapists and personal trainers following a bad neck injury when he was a wrestler at the University of Tennessee. Then, Marks' father was diagnosed with Parkinson's more than a decade ago.
When Marks saw that normal physical therapy wasn't helping him, he designed his own program.
Although his father passed away three years ago, Marks said he saw him improve thanks to the workouts. He decided to offer his training program to others.
Malka Silk, 77, of Tamarac, has been working out with Marks for several months. "I've worked with many physical therapists, and these guys are different," she said. "They have heart."
"And I have this nice young man to help me with my punching," she said, smiling at Jake Marks, Craig Marks' 12-year-old son, who helps out at the gym during the summer.
Getting out aggression is another key benefit. With a pair of boxing gloves strapped on, the 98-pound Silk whaled away on a punching bag like Ali in his prime. In 1983, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinsonism, a movement-disorder syndrome that mirrors Parkinson's disease.
"I get very angry that I even have this lousy disease," Silk said.
Similar programs using nontraditional exercises have shown encouraging results. A study published last year by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis showed that Parkinson's patients who were taught the tango in place of standard exercises gained more balance and could stand up from a chair and walk around more easily.
Only about 10 percent of Marks' clients are disabled, he said. The rest just want a personal trainer.
The Parkinson's class costs $15 per session, and Marks said he donates profits to a Parkinson's charity.
Next month, Marks said he is meeting with a neurologist from the Cleveland Clinic in Weston who is interested in studying his methods.
Marks views his program as a personal mission। "As long as I have the strength, I'll keep doing this," he said.
McClatchy Newspapers
MIAMI --Personal trainer Craig Marks wants to help his clients slam Parkinson's disease with a knockout blow - literally.
Marks and his fellow trainer Onyedikachi Ibeji, who run a gym in Davie, lead a group of about eight Parkinson's patients twice a week through a workout routine that includes boxing. And members swear by the unconventional methods.
"I hadn't climbed steps in 10 years" before starting to work out with Marks and Ibeji, said Robin Caradonna, 61. She's had Parkinson's for 15 years but barely used the railing while scaling two flights.
There are 1.5 million Americans living with the disease, according to the National Parkinson Foundation. The illness is a degenerative condition where the brain doesn't produce enough of a chemical called dopamine.
That chemical is needed to transmit signals to muscles. People who have Parkinson's can't control their muscles well and, over time, they develop endless tremors or lock up into rigid positions.
Boxing, along with other exercises like jogging, crunches and medicine-ball tosses, helps fight those symptoms and keep muscles strong, Marks said. Even though his Parkinson's clients hit punching bags, Marks and Ibeji do not go easy on them.
"This promises to be very, very painful today," he told Abe Taback, 63, on his third visit to the class.
"I tell you, he's a killer," said Taback, laughing. Marks laughed too - but he hadn't been exaggerating.
Taback sweated as Marks pushed him to do crunches. He grunted while swinging at Marks' gloved hands - left jab, right, left, with a quick counter-feint from Marks to keep him on his toes. Pretty soon Taback, who's had Parkinson's for 15 years and shakes regularly, was even jumping up and down for the first time in years.
"I haven't done this before!" Taback panted.
"Well, you're doing it now," Marks said.
Then it was back to the punching.
"It's far from easy. It felt like I went through a 10-round fight with (Muhammad) Ali and I wasn't the winner, but it's worth it in the end," a tomato-red Taback said after an hour.
For Marks, his job is personal. The 42-year-old Miami native spent plenty of time with physical therapists and personal trainers following a bad neck injury when he was a wrestler at the University of Tennessee. Then, Marks' father was diagnosed with Parkinson's more than a decade ago.
When Marks saw that normal physical therapy wasn't helping him, he designed his own program.
Although his father passed away three years ago, Marks said he saw him improve thanks to the workouts. He decided to offer his training program to others.
Malka Silk, 77, of Tamarac, has been working out with Marks for several months. "I've worked with many physical therapists, and these guys are different," she said. "They have heart."
"And I have this nice young man to help me with my punching," she said, smiling at Jake Marks, Craig Marks' 12-year-old son, who helps out at the gym during the summer.
Getting out aggression is another key benefit. With a pair of boxing gloves strapped on, the 98-pound Silk whaled away on a punching bag like Ali in his prime. In 1983, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinsonism, a movement-disorder syndrome that mirrors Parkinson's disease.
"I get very angry that I even have this lousy disease," Silk said.
Similar programs using nontraditional exercises have shown encouraging results. A study published last year by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis showed that Parkinson's patients who were taught the tango in place of standard exercises gained more balance and could stand up from a chair and walk around more easily.
Only about 10 percent of Marks' clients are disabled, he said. The rest just want a personal trainer.
The Parkinson's class costs $15 per session, and Marks said he donates profits to a Parkinson's charity.
Next month, Marks said he is meeting with a neurologist from the Cleveland Clinic in Weston who is interested in studying his methods.
Marks views his program as a personal mission। "As long as I have the strength, I'll keep doing this," he said.
Parkinson's disease won't beat me, says football legend Paul Sturrock
Jul 29 2008
DUNDEE United great Paul Sturrock yesterday revealed he has Parkinson's disease.
The 51-year-old former Scotland striker was diagnosed with a mild form of the incurable condition eight years ago.
Parkinson's is a disease of the central nervous system that affects speech and movement, causing shaking and stiffness.
Sturrock - nicknamed Luggy because of his ears - said the illness would not stop him managing his club, Plymouth Argyle.
In a statement on their website, he said: "I don't want sympathy. I don't want people feeling sorry for me.
"I just thought this was the right time to bring things out into the open.
"It's an illness, yes, but one I am perfectly comfortable with.
"It is not a severe form by any means. It doesn't really affect me unless I forget to take a tablet.
"Then I just get a few tremors in my hand or leg. It will not affect the way I go about my job. There's plenty of life in the old dog yet." Sturrock said he decided to go public after "bottling it up" for years.
He added: "I'd started to have a flicking foot and people were starting to put two and two together."
Around 120,000 people in the UK have the illness. Parkinson's Disease Society chief executive Steve Ford said: "Those diagnosed will have a number of symptoms, which will vary.
"The nature and severity of these symptoms and the rate at which the condition progresses is again, individual."
Born in Aberdeenshire, Sturrock was signed by United in July 1974.
He played for the Tannadice club for 15 years, scoring 171 goals in 576 appearances. He played 20 times for Scotland and was in the squad for the Spain 82 and Mexico 86World Cups, appearing twice in his second tournament.
Sturrock set a Premier League scoring record with five goals against Morton in 1984.
He coached at United after retiring as a player, before going on to manage St Johnstone.
He was reported to have had a heart attack during one of the Perth side's games in 1993 but he claims it was hyperventilation caused by tiredness and stress.
Sturrock later returned to United as manager, before time at Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town. He is in his second spell with Argyle.
Sturrock has been married to wife Barbara for 29 years. They have three sons and a daughter.
Son Blair, 26, plays for his dad's old team Swindon Town.
DUNDEE United great Paul Sturrock yesterday revealed he has Parkinson's disease.
The 51-year-old former Scotland striker was diagnosed with a mild form of the incurable condition eight years ago.
Parkinson's is a disease of the central nervous system that affects speech and movement, causing shaking and stiffness.
Sturrock - nicknamed Luggy because of his ears - said the illness would not stop him managing his club, Plymouth Argyle.
In a statement on their website, he said: "I don't want sympathy. I don't want people feeling sorry for me.
"I just thought this was the right time to bring things out into the open.
"It's an illness, yes, but one I am perfectly comfortable with.
"It is not a severe form by any means. It doesn't really affect me unless I forget to take a tablet.
"Then I just get a few tremors in my hand or leg. It will not affect the way I go about my job. There's plenty of life in the old dog yet." Sturrock said he decided to go public after "bottling it up" for years.
He added: "I'd started to have a flicking foot and people were starting to put two and two together."
Around 120,000 people in the UK have the illness. Parkinson's Disease Society chief executive Steve Ford said: "Those diagnosed will have a number of symptoms, which will vary.
"The nature and severity of these symptoms and the rate at which the condition progresses is again, individual."
Born in Aberdeenshire, Sturrock was signed by United in July 1974.
He played for the Tannadice club for 15 years, scoring 171 goals in 576 appearances. He played 20 times for Scotland and was in the squad for the Spain 82 and Mexico 86World Cups, appearing twice in his second tournament.
Sturrock set a Premier League scoring record with five goals against Morton in 1984.
He coached at United after retiring as a player, before going on to manage St Johnstone.
He was reported to have had a heart attack during one of the Perth side's games in 1993 but he claims it was hyperventilation caused by tiredness and stress.
Sturrock later returned to United as manager, before time at Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town. He is in his second spell with Argyle.
Sturrock has been married to wife Barbara for 29 years. They have three sons and a daughter.
Son Blair, 26, plays for his dad's old team Swindon Town.
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