Sidra Medical and Research Center today announced that Dr. Ziyad M. Hijazi has been appointed Clinical Chief for Pediatrics. In this role, the pioneering and highly experienced clinician will drive the strategic direction of the Department of Pediatrics and integrate research and education priorities into a program of excellent clinical service delivery. He will also hold the position of Chair of Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College – Qatar, Sidra’s partner for medical education.

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ESPR), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing first-in-class, oral, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering therapies for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia, today announced full results of a Phase 2 clinical study of its lead product candidate ETC-1002 in patients with hypercholesterolemia and a history of statin intolerance. The study, ETC-1002-006, met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that ETC-1002 significantly lowered LDL-C compared to placebo by an average of 32 percent and was well tolerated. The data were presented today in an oral presentation at the 2013 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in Dallas by principal investigator Paul D. Thompson, M.D. Esperion previously announced positive topline results from this study in June 2013.

James A. DeWeese, M.D., a pioneer in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery and a former chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center, died Nov. 14, 2013. He was 88.

Singulex, Inc., the developer and leading provider of Single Molecule Counting (SMC(tm)) technology for clinical diagnostics and scientific discovery, today announced new data highlighting the Company's ultrasensitive Erenna(r) Immunoassay System in the detection of cardiac troponin-I (cTnI). Two studies utilized the Erenna System to measure previously undetectable levels of cTnI in order to assess cardiovascular disease risk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and heart failure (HF) patients. The data were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Dallas, Texas.

The American Heart Association has presented its Research Achievement Award for 2013 to Roberto Bolli, M.D., of the University of Louisville, “for the profound and lasting impact of his extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular research.”

The American Heart Association has awarded its 2013 Population Research Prize to Lewis H. Kuller, M.D., Dr.P.H., of Pittsburgh, “for 40 years of inspired leadership of a worldwide effort to better understand and prevent heart disease and stroke in populations.”

The American Heart Association today awarded its Basic Research Prize for 2013 to pediatric cardiologist and researcher Jeffrey A. Towbin, M.D., of Cincinnati, for “highly significant additions to our basic knowledge of cardiovascular disease in children.”

New guidelines for managing patients’ cholesterol won’t greatly affect the statin industry, the New York Times reported, but they could put a damper on new classes of drugs under development such as PCSK9 inhibitors.