He notes that many companies went after IGF-1 just because of its similarity to EGFR.

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Saturated fats too, the body triggers FGF-21 that blocks IGF-1 when the body burns fats to slow down the metabolism.

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Children who are lacking in insulin-like growth factor one, or IGF-1, can have short stature--making them smaller than 97.5% of normal children.

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Of particular interest is an antibody for a growth factor called IGF-1 that is related to the same biochemical pathway Erbitux hits.

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If IGF-1 fails, it wouldn't be the first time a rush to develop copycat cancer drugs has led drug firms into a dead end.

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Its IGF-1 antibody is in a big trial in lung cancer.

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In a story featured on SI.com yesterday, Sports Illustrated is reporting that Ray Lewis requested products (specifically, deer-antler spray which contains an NFL banned substance called IGF-1) from a small health supplements company based in Alabama.

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The new gene therapy treatment, dreamed up by Salk Institute brain scientist Dr. Fred "Rusty" Gage, avoids this problem by using a harmless virus, called AAV, to deliver genes for the neurotrophic factor IGF-1 directly to the motor nerves.

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Friend says that he is cognizant of the fact that he's trailing Pfizer, and that he is investing in IGF-1 only because he thinks Merck can develop a market for the drug by having a better scientific understanding of how the drug works--and testing it in populations, and as part of drug combinations, where it will be most effective.

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