Immunodeficiency News and Research

RSS

Immunodeficiency (or immune deficiency) is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or entirely absent.

Australian scientists unravel mystery behind immune system memory

While the principle of immune memory has been known for decades, the exact molecular mechanisms underpinning it have remained a mystery. Australian scientists have now unraveled part of that mystery, identifying the role of a gene called STAT3, which acts as a kind of roundabout, directing chemical messenger molecules to various destinations.

12 Nov 2013

CytoDyn submits protocol to FDA for Phase IIb clinical trial of PRO 140

CytoDyn Inc. ("CytoDyn") (OTCQB:CYDY), a biotechnology company focused on the development of new therapies for combating infection with immune deficiency viruses, today announced that CytoDyn Chief Medical Officer David Feigal, M.D., has submitted a revised protocol to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration relating to an upcoming Phase IIb clinical trial of PRO 140, CytoDyn's leading product under development as a treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.

31 Oct 2013

HIV risk-reduction counseling at time of HIV testing shows no reduction in STI rates

Brief risk-reduction counseling at the time of a rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test was not effective for reducing new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during the subsequent 6 months among persons at risk for HIV, according to a study in the October 23/30 issue of JAMA.

24 Oct 2013

‘Limit diagnostic investigations’ in children with recurrent CAP

Research shows that pediatric recurrent community-acquired pneumonia in different lung areas is most commonly associated with mild conditions like rhinosinusitis and asthma, and not severe underlying disease.

21 Oct 2013

European Commission approves updated label of Prevenar 13 for high risk pneumococcal disease

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) announced today that the European Commission approved updates to the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for the company's pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevenar 13* (pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed]), regarding its use in certain populations at high risk of pneumococcal disease.

18 Oct 2013

Researchers identify novel gene mutation that causes common variable immunodeficiency

A 30-year-old woman with a history of upper respiratory infections had no idea she carried an immunodeficiency disorder - until her 6-year-old son was diagnosed with the same illness.

18 Oct 2013

Janssen seeks European marketing approval for combination of once-daily darunavir with cobicistat

Janssen-Cilag International NV, today announced it has submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application to the European Medicines Agency seeking approval for a once-daily single tablet fixed-dose antiretroviral combination product containing darunavir, a protease inhibitor developed by Janssen, with cobicistat, a pharmacokinetic enhancer or boosting agent, developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. for use in combination with other human immunodeficiency virus medicines.

15 Oct 2013

Boehringer Ingelheim’s interim data from Phase II HCV clinical collaboration with Presidio Pharmaceuticals accepted for presentation at AASLD

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced that interim data from its Phase II hepatitis C (HCV) clinical collaboration with Presidio Pharmaceuticals have been accepted for presentation as a late breaker poster at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), taking place 1-5 November in Washington, D.C. (1) The poster presentation will be on Monday 4 November.

8 Oct 2013

New research identifies protein that controls formation of different types of mature blood cells

New research in the Journal of Experimental Medicine identifies a protein that controls the formation of different types of mature blood cells - a finding that could be important to developing new treatments for blood diseases and helping realize the potential of regenerative medicine.

8 Oct 2013

Mutant protein blocks HIV infection and transmission, scientists find

A mutant of an immune cell protein called ADAP (adhesion and degranulation-promoting adaptor protein) is able to block infection by HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus 1), new University of Cambridge research reveals. The researchers, who were funded by the Wellcome Trust, believe that their discovery will lead to new ways of combatting HIV.

2 Oct 2013

Patients treated by ID physicians less likely to die in hospital

In a first-of-its-kind study to evaluate the impact of a medical specialty on patient outcomes, researchers found that hospitalized patients with severe infections such as meningitis and Clostridium difficile are significantly less likely to die if they receive care from an infectious diseases specialist. The study, which analyzed nearly 130,000 Medicare patient cases, is now available online and will be published in the December 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

30 Sep 2013

New intravaginal ring delivers drug effectively, guards against HIV for 1 month

It's often said that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has a woman's face. The proportion of women infected with HIV has been on the rise for a decade; in sub-Saharan Africa, women constitute 60 percent of people living with disease. While preventative drugs exist, they have often proven ineffective, especially in light of financial and cultural barriers in developing nations.

28 Sep 2013

FDA expands Hizentra administration options for people with primary immunodeficiency

CSL Behring announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded the administration options for Hizentra, Immune Globulin Subcutaneous (Human), 20% Liquid, to include dosing once every two weeks (biweekly) for people diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency.

28 Sep 2013

State highlights: Jails treat huge number of mentally ill; class action bid denied in Fla. lawsuit over disabled children in nursing homes

America's lockups are its new asylums. After scores of state mental institutions were closed beginning in the 1970s, few alternatives materialized. … The country's three biggest jail systems -- Cook County, in Illinois; Los Angeles County; and New York City -- are on the front lines. With more than 11,000 prisoners under treatment on any given day, they represent by far the largest mental-health treatment facilities in the country. By comparison, the three largest state-run mental hospitals have a combined 4,000 beds.

27 Sep 2013

Japanese MHLW approves Hizentra for treatment of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies

CSL Behring announced today that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has approved Hizentra (Immune Globulin Subcutaneous [Human]) for the treatment of primary immunodeficiency (PID) and for the treatment of secondary immunodeficiency (SID). Hizentra is now the first and only 20 percent subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) therapy in the world for the treatment of these conditions, both of which belong to group of rare and serious diseases of the immune system.

27 Sep 2013

Janssen signs license agreement with PATH for early development HIV-1 medicine rilpivirine

Janssen R&D Ireland announced today it has signed a license agreement with PATH for the early development of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 medicine rilpivirine in a long-acting injection (depot formulation) as potential pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV infection.

25 Sep 2013

More AIDS-defining illnesses and severe side effects occur with appropriate comparator therapy

The drug combination of elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil (elvitegravir fixed combination, trade name: Stribild) has been approved in Germany since May 2013 for the treatment of adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).

21 Sep 2013

Drexel University researchers create molecule that can cause AIDS virus to destroy itself

Pinning down an effective way to combat the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus, the viral precursor to AIDS, has long been challenge task for scientists and physicians, because the virus is an elusive one that mutates frequently and, as a result, quickly becomes immune to medication.

20 Sep 2013

Study: Higher rates of acute hepatitis C virus clearance are seen in women

A study of patients infected with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection found that women had higher rates of spontaneous viral clearance—undetectable levels of the virus without initiating drug therapy.

13 Sep 2013

Helper T cells important for AIDS vaccine development

A major new finding that will significantly advance efforts to create the world's first antibody-based AIDS vaccine was published today by researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology.