Allergy News and Research

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The term allergy encompasses a wide range of conditions; it is not a disease in itself. In 1906 Clemens von Pirquet was the first to describe allergies as a changed or altered reaction of the immune system in response to exposure to foreign proteins. These days the term allergy – medically termed hypersensitivity, signifies an exaggerated reaction to foreign substances.

Niacin findings could open up new avenues for drug discovery

Deft molecular detective work at Duke University Medical Center suggests that scientists may soon be able to resurrect niacin as one of the best and cheapest ways to manage cholesterol.

6 Apr 2009

Researchers find an increased rate of unintentional injection of epinephrine from auto-injectors for anaphylaxis

Researchers find an increased rate of unintentional injection of epinephrine from auto-injectors for anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) and urge people who may need to administer the life-saving drug to themselves or others in an allergic emergency to receive regular coaching in its proper use.

6 Apr 2009

Allergies may be caused by a malfunction of the respiratory epithelium

One reason for the development of allergy may be malfunction of the respiratory epithelium, which allows allergens to bind to, enter and travel through the epithelium.

6 Apr 2009

Locking parasites in host cell could be new way to fight malaria

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that parasites hijack host-cell proteins to ensure their survival and proliferation, suggesting new ways to control the diseases they cause.

6 Apr 2009

Targeted approach to kill specific disease-causing bacteria in the mouth

Research to develop a narrow-spectrum antibiotic that can target a particular species of bacteria without harming the other "good" bacteria present was described at the Society for General Microbiology meeting at Harrogate today (Thursday April 2).

1 Apr 2009

Explanation for poor infant immune response to certain vaccines

For years, researchers and physicians have known that infants' immune systems do not respond well to certain vaccines, thus the need for additional boosters as children develop.

1 Apr 2009

New HIV drug may help patients not responding to treatment

A potential treatment for HIV may one day help people who are not responding to Anti-Retroviral Therapy, suggests new research published tomorrow in The Journal of Immunology.

1 Apr 2009

Ultrasound saves money, improves rheumatologic care

A few years back, 76-year-old Joseph Buggie woke up to pain so throbbing, he couldn't muster the strength to roll over, let alone crawl out of bed.

31 Mar 2009

Discovery of new role for certain lung cells in the immune response to airborne allergens

Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and at Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium, have identified a new role for certain lung cells in the immune response to airborne allergens.

30 Mar 2009

SARcode announces results of phase 1 trial of SAR 1118 ophthalmic solution in healthy adult subjects

SARcode Corporation announced today the results of its Phase 1 randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial of the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of single- and multiple-escalating doses of SAR 1118 Ophthalmic Solution in healthy volunteers.

30 Mar 2009

Mylan's Matrix receives tentative FDA approval under PEPFAR for generic Truvada

Mylan Inc. has announced that Matrix Laboratories Limited, its India-based subsidiary in which it holds a 71.2% controlling interest, has received the first tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Emtricitabine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Tablets, 200 mg/300 mg.

30 Mar 2009

Steroids and antihistamines alleviate clopidogrel-related allergic reaction symptoms

A clinical study of cardiac patients who suffered an allergic reaction to the widely-prescribed drug clopidogrel, also known by the pharmaceutical name Plavix, found that treatment with a combination of steroids and antihistamines can alleviate the allergic reaction symptoms thereby allowing patients to remain on the drug, say doctors from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

30 Mar 2009

Cepheid announces new TB test for use in developing countries

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company Cepheid on Tuesday announced it has developed a rapid diagnostic test for tuberculosis that it will sell at a reduced cost in developing countries, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The test was developed in partnership with the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

30 Mar 2009

NTRILIPIX (fenofibric acid) in combo with Rosuvastatin calcium shows improvement on key lipids for cholesterol management

Data from a new study showed that Abbott's TRILIPIX (fenofibric acid) delayed-release capsules in combination with rosuvastatin calcium met all of the study's primary endpoints.

29 Mar 2009

Enzyme and vitamin define the yin and yang of asthma

The allergen breathed in by a person with asthma triggers a proteinase or enzyme called MMP7 that activates a cascade of events to prompt an allergic reaction, said a consortium of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in a report that appears online in the journal Nature Immunology.

29 Mar 2009

Discovery of tuberculosis bacterium enzyme paves way for new TB drugs

A team of University of Maryland scientists has paved the way for the development of new drug therapies to combat active and asymptomatic (latent) tuberculosis infections by characterizing the unique structure and mechanism of an enzyme in M. tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes the disease.

29 Mar 2009

Fragrance ingredients used in shampoos, conditioners and soap are frequent causes of eczema

Considerably more people than previously believed are allergic to the most common fragrance ingredient used in shampoos, conditioners and soap.

29 Mar 2009

Protein from tick saliva shows potential for myasthenia gravis treatment

Looking for a better treatment for the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis, researchers have found that a protein in tick saliva shows promise in limiting the severity of the disease in an animal model in a study published in the Annals of Neurology.

29 Mar 2009

Mutations in a gene may stunt lung development in children

Mutations in a gene may cause poor lung development in children, making them more vulnerable to diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) later in life, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and the German Research Center for Environmental Health.

29 Mar 2009

Male circumcision reduces risk of herpes simplex virus type 2 and human papillomavirus

Heterosexual men who undergo medical circumcision can significantly reduce their risk of acquiring two common sexually transmitted infections - herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), the cause of genital herpes, and human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cancer and genital warts, according to a report in the March 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

26 Mar 2009