The present invention relates to obeticholic acid: ##STR00001##
or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate or amino acid conjugate thereof. Obeticholic acid is useful for the treatment or prevention of a FXR mediated disease or condition, cardiovascular disease or cholestatic liver disease, and for reducing HDL cholesterol, for lowering triglycerides in a mammal, or for inhibition of fibrosis. The present invention also relates to processes for the synthesis of obeticholic acid.

The present invention refers to the use of theobromine or its derivatives as an inhibitor of the crystallization of uric acid to avoid the formation of uric acid crystals in urine and as a consequence renal lithiasis or specifically uric acid renal lithiasis.

The present invention comprises methods and compositions for the reduction of oxalate in humans, animals and plants. For example, the invention provides methods and compositions for the delivery of one or more oxalate-reducing enzymes to the intestinal tracts of persons and animals. The methods and compositions can be used in treating and preventing oxalate-related conditions.

The present invention relates to a secretagogue compound derived from oxalate degrading bacteria, for use in the treatment of an oxalate related disease and/or oxalate related imbalance in a subject, wherein the administration of the secretagogue results in a reduction of urinary oxalate and/or plasma oxalate in the subject. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a secretagogue compound, a method for treating a subject suffering from an oxalate related disease, and to a method for preparing a secretagogue.

The present invention relates to specific doses of and dosing regimens for using a 1,2,4-oxadiazole benzoic acid compound in treating or preventing diseases associated with nonsense mutations. In particular, the invention relates to specific doses and dosing regimens for the use of 3-[5-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid in mammals having diseases associated with nonsense mutations.

The present invention belongs to the pharmaceutical field, and relates to a preparation method for a series of benzimidazole derivatives, their pharmaceutical salts and pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs, a pharmaceutical composition containing the derivatives, and the uses of the derivatives and pharmaceutical composition in the preparation of antigout drugs and in the treatment of related diseases.

The present invention relates to a nanoparticle, a preparation method thereof, a stone removing device and its application. The nanoparticle includes a nanoparticle core made of a magnetic material, and a nanoparticle shell formed by attaching a surface modifier monomer to the nanoparticle core with an initiator and/or a crosslinking agent. The prepared nanoparticle can surround stones in ureter, and then small stone remaining in body can be removed quickly without damage from the body under the action of an externally applied magnetic field, that is, the stone can be drawn and moved without injuring ureteral wall, and meanwhile the nanoparticles are placed conveniently without shift.

Bifunctional compounds that increase uric acid excretion and reduce uric acid production, and monofunctional compounds that either increase uric acid excretion or reduce uric acid production. Methods of using these compounds for reducing uric acid levels in blood or serum, for treating disorders or uric acid metabolism, and for maintaining normal uric acid levels in blood or serum are provided. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the bifunctional and monofunctional compounds are also provided.

The present invention relates to methods of synthesizing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, in recombinant cells such as yeast or plant cells. Also provided are recombinant cells or plants which produce long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a group of new enzymes which possess desaturase or elongase activity that can be used in methods of synthesizing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The present invention relates to nanoparticles, a preparation method thereof, a stone removal device, a magnetic target separation instrument and its application. The nanoparticles include a nanoparticle core made of magnetic materials, and a nanoparticle shell formed by attaching surface modifier monomers to the nanoparticle core with an initiator and/or a crosslinking agent. The prepared nanoparticles can wrap stones in ureter, and then small stones remaining in body can be removed quickly without damage from the body under the action of the magnetic target separation instrument. The stones can be drawn and moved without injuring ureteral wall, and meanwhile be disposed conveniently without easy shift.