Immunomodulatory News and Research

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Discovery may yield new strategies for blocking malaria transmission

Scientists studying the Anopheles gambiae mosquito - the main vector of malaria - have found that when the mosquito takes a blood meal, that act triggers two enzymes to form a network of crisscrossing proteins around the ingested blood.

15 Mar 2010

Peptimmune granted US patent for PI-2301 peptide copolymer in treatment of multiple sclerosis

Peptimmune, Inc. a privately held biotechnology company, announced today the grant of US Patent Number 7,655,221 (the '221 patent) which protects the target product profile for its PI-2301 peptide copolymer for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, and other autoimmune diseases.

6 Mar 2010

Teva Pharmaceutical announces clinical study results of Copaxone in RRMS patients

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced the publication of data from the 15-year clinical study with Copaxone® (glatiramer acetate injection), which is the longest prospective and continuous evaluation ever conducted in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients. The data were published in the February issue of the journal Multiple Sclerosis.

26 Feb 2010

α-defensins1-3 may be potential prophylactic agents in treatment of HIV / AIDS

HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges, particularly in developing countries. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1), the variant responsible for the pandemic, has the ability to infect different cell types such as T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells (DC). These latter cells are crucial in the defense against infectious agents and play a major role in viral pathogenesis.

25 Feb 2010

AMA awards unique CPT code for Cylex' ImmuKnow assay

Cylex Incorporated® announced today that the American Medical Association (AMA) CPT Editorial Panel approved the creation of new CPT coding based on the uniqueness, clinical value and widespread use of ImmuKnow, and the fact that existing CPT codes insufficiently captured all steps and costs of testing.

12 Jan 2010

Phase 3 registration clinical trial for perifosine initiated by Keryx Biopharmaceuticals

AEterna Zentaris Inc. (the "Company"), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and endocrine therapy, today announced the initiation, by its partner Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc. ("Keryx") ( KERX), of a Phase 3 registration clinical trial for perifosine (KRX-0401), the Company's PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients.

16 Dec 2009

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals initiates Phase 3 registration clinical trial for perifosine

Æterna Zentaris Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and endocrine therapy, today announced the initiation, by its partner Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., of a Phase 3 registration clinical trial for perifosine (KRX-0401), the Company's PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients.

16 Dec 2009

Researchers explore optimal induction therapies for managing blood cancer

There have been significant scientific advances in the field of blood cancers, and leading experts continue to gain a better understanding of how certain diseases progress in order to discover new treatment options and provide patients with the best care.

7 Dec 2009

Bortezomib can improve control of GVHD and immune system recovery

A drug that has become a mainstay of multiple myeloma treatment may outperform alternative therapies in re-establishing the immune system of patients who have received stem cell transplants from unrelated, partially matched donors, according to early clinical trial results to be presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators at the American Society of Hematology's (ASH) annual meeting on Sunday, Dec. 6 (Abstract 48, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 243-245, 5:45 pm CT).

6 Dec 2009

European Patent Office grants patent EP1392642 for 4SC AG's lead auto-immune compound

4SC AG, a drug discovery and development company, today announced that the European Patent Office has granted patent EP1392642, which covers its lead auto-immune compound 4SC-101.

1 Dec 2009

Chrysanthemum indicum extract holds promise for treating human cancer

A series of studies have demonstrated that Chrysanthemum indicum possesses antimicrobial, antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. Recently, much attention has been devoted to the anticancer activity of Chrysanthemum indicum, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its anticancer mechanism of action is still not clear and needs further investigation.

19 Oct 2009

Cytheris initiates Phase I/IIa dose escalation study of patients suffering from ICL

Cytheris SA, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced the initiation of a Phase I/IIa dose escalation study of patients suffering from idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia (ICL).

15 Oct 2009

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries to present MS treatment research data

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that new research data furthering the clinical understanding of its diverse multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment franchise will be presented at the 25th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Düsseldorf, Germany, September 9-12, 2009.

9 Sep 2009

Rapid progression of multiple sclerosis linked to smoking

Patients with multiple sclerosis who smoke appear to experience a more rapid progression of their disease, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Sep 2009

Association of Specialty Professors announces the 2009 T. Franklin Williams scholars

The Association of Specialty Professors (ASP) is pleased to announce the eighth class of T. Franklin Williams Scholars. These scholars are recipients of two- to four-year career development awards funded by a generous grant from the Atlantic Philanthropies (USA) Inc. and the John A. Hartford Foundation, and co-sponsored by 12 internal medicine specialty societies.

10 Aug 2009

Researchers map how staph infections alter immune system

Infectious disease specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have mapped the gene profiles of children with severe Staphylococcus aureus infections, providing crucial insight into how the human immune system is programmed to respond to this pathogen and opening new doors for improved therapeutic interventions.

14 Jul 2009

90 per cent of the world's population won't have access to antivirals in pandemic - generic drugs may help though

Almost 90 per cent of the world's population will not have timely access to affordable supplies of vaccines and antiviral agents in the current influenza pandemic, but it is possible that inexpensive generic drugs that are readily available, even in developing countries, could save millions of lives.

13 Jun 2009

Peregrine's PS-targeting antibodies highlighted in AACR Annual Meeting studies

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has reported that two preclinical studies presented during the AACR 100th Annual Meeting 2009 provided further confirmation of the immunomodulatory mechanisms contributing to the anti-tumor activity of its phosphatidylserine (PS) targeting antibodies.

22 Apr 2009

New method to stimulate immune system may be effective at reducing amyloid burden in Alzheimer?s

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a novel way to stimulate the innate immune system of mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD) - leading to reduced amyloid deposits and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease related pathology - without causing toxic side effects.

15 Feb 2009

Breakthrough on type 1 diabetes development

Finnish scientists have reported a breakthrough in the attempts to understand the development of type 1 diabetes.

17 Dec 2008