Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it has initiated a Phase IIb trial in adult lung transplant patients with ALN-RSV01, an RNAi therapeutic for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. RSV infection in lung transplant patients represents an important unmet medical need; the condition is associated with significant morbidity, including the development of acute lung transplant rejection in 10% to 20% of infected patients.
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22Feb
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19Feb
Insufficient attention to HIV prevention among couples in long-term relationships contributes to the spread of the virus in sub-Saharan Africa, according to scientists presenting research at a recent conference, the Washington Post reports. Researchers at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections said that African health authorities have focused primarily on HIV-prevention strategies for casual sex encounters and young people…
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17Feb
Immune Targeting Systems (ITS) Limited (“ITS”), one of the leading developers of synthetic vaccines for mutating viruses, announced it had secured a Series-A equity funding round extension for £8.65m which brings the total Series A financing to £13.15m. The company’s key investors HealthCap (Sweden), London Technology Fund (UK), Novartis Venture Fund (US & Basel) and Truffle Capital (France) are all participating. The round will be kept open until mid-2010 for new potential investors to invest…
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16Feb
Oncogenic retroviruses are a particular family of viruses that can cause some types of cancer. Thierry Heidmann and his colleagues in the CNRS-Institut Gustave Roussy-Universite Paris Sud 11 “Rétrovirus endogènes et elements retroides des eucaryotes superieurs” Laboratory have studied these viruses. They have identified a “virulence factor” that inhibits the host immune response and allows the virus to spread throughout the body. This factor is a sequence of amino acids that is located in the envelope protein of the virus…
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15Feb
A rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) can provide a diagnosis of flu within 30 minutes -speeding the delivery of antiviral medication if needed – but studies have shown these tests often give false negative results. A new study, “Sensitivity of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Testing for Swine-Origin 2009 A (H1N1) Influenza Virus in Children,” published in the March issue of Pediatrics (appearing online February 15), examined RIDTs in a large pediatric cohort and found the tests may be more effective at diagnosing influenza in children than in adults…
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15Feb
An article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet reports that recent research indicates that aciclovir, used to treat HSV2, could delay HIV-1 disease progression in patients co-infected with both conditions. In most cases, people who are infected with HIV-1 are dually infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2). The article is the work of Dr Jairam Lingappa, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, and colleagues in Africa and internationally. It is established that daily suppression of the herpes virus reduces plasma HIV-1 concentrations…
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08Feb
Inovio Biomedical Corporation, a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced today additional interim safety and immunogenicity data from its therapeutic cervical cancer vaccine (VGX-3100) trial. VGX-3100 is a DNA vaccine targeting the E6 and E7 proteins of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 and is delivered via in vivo electroporation.
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08Feb
Tiny circles of DNA are the key to a new and easier way to transform stem cells from human fat into induced pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Unlike other commonly used techniques, the method, which is based on standard molecular biology practices, does not use viruses to introduce genes into the cells or permanently alter a cell’s genome.
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30Jan
WHO spokesman, Gregory Hartl, said in a new briefing that the H1N1 flu pandemic (swine flu) continues to spread in parts of eastern and southeastern Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa. However, he added that globally it is generally declining. The H1N1 pandemic virus continues to be the main influenza virus circulating globally. WHO (World Health Organization) said the virus is a health risk to people with underlying conditions, such as asthma, as well as pregnant women. Hartl said that activity in general is decreasing…
Tags: Africa, Asia, Asthma, Europe, Flu, Gene, Health, Pregnant, Virus
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27Jan
An assay to aid in the early detection of HIV infection may soon be available in the United States. Abbott announced today it has submitted a Premarket Approval application for the ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for expedited review. Upon approval, the assay is expected to be the first test available in the United States to simultaneously detect the combined presence of HIV antigens (proteins produced by the HIV virus) and antibodies (proteins produced by the body to fight HIV antigens), which would allow for the early detection and ongoing monitoring of the virus.
Tags: Drug, Food and Drug Administration, HIV, U.S., Virus
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14Jan
Cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) spreads readily and quickly among partners in new sexual relationships, new research indicates.
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08Jan
Joseph W. Stubbs, MD, FACP, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and a practicing internist, knows all too well that the number of people who get vaccinated against the flu typically drops after November. But flu viruses can circulate into February – even into the spring and summer. “National Influenza Vaccination Week (January 10-16) provides an important opportunity for physicians to remind people how important it is to get their H1N1 and seasonal flu shots,” said Dr. Stubbs…
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02Jan
Researchers at National Jewish Health have discovered that a naturally occurring lipid in the lung can prevent RSV infection and inhibit spread of the virus after an infection is established. RSV is the major cause of hospitalization for children in the first two years of life, and is increasingly recognized as a dangerous pathogen in adults with chronic lung diseases, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Currently, there is no effective vaccine for the virus…
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19Dec
Rates of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus testing in the U.S. have declined more than 75 percent since their peak in late October, suggesting that the “second wave” of virus infection that sickened tens of millions of Americans since it began four months ago may be coming to an end, according to a new report by Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services…
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11Dec
“Flu vaccine shortages in developing nations may destabilize global security should the H1N1 [swine flu] virus become more deadly … David Heymann, a former deputy head of the World Health Organization” said Monday, Bloomberg reports.
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09Dec
Lentigen Corporation, a biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of lentiviral gene delivery technologies, announced today that it has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) small business innovation research (SBIR) grant for a program on “A Novel Method of Generating Hepatitis C Virus-Like Particles using Lentivirus”. In this program, Lentigen will collaborate with Epixis SA (Paris, France).
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08Dec
Source: Food and Drug Administration
Related MedlinePlus Topic: Food Contamination and PoisoningTags: Drug, Food and Drug Administration, Health, Virus
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05Dec
National Handwashing Awareness Week is from Dec. 6 to 12, and a Geisinger physician advises that with the presence of the H1N1 virus this year, handwashing is more important than ever. “Washing your hands is one of the simplest and most effective ways to avoid infections such as H1N1 and seasonal influenza,” said Lisa Esolen, M.D., Medical Director of Infection Control, Geisinger Health System. “Because this year’s H1N1 virus has been so contagious and has rapidly spread widely, it is especially important to remember to wash your hands…
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03Dec
A durable DNA molecule that blocks tiny RNA molecules in the liver safely keeps hepatitis C virus in check, chimp studies find. A human study is under way.
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01Dec
Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE Amex:INO), a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced today that its partner Tripep AB of Sweden has completed its phase I clinical study of its ChronVac-C hepatitis C virus DNA vaccine delivered using Inovio’s electroporation technology. The study established the safety and tolerability of this therapy, with vaccine-induced immune responses and transient effects on the serum levels of hepatitis C virus in these chronically infected patients providing proof-of-concept of DNA vaccines delivered using electroporation…
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