Respiratory Disease News and Research

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Tens of thousands of premature deaths could be prevented each year

Heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and unintentional injuries cause nearly 900,000 premature deaths in the US each year. A recent study showed that 20–40% of deaths from each of these causes could be prevented.

2 May 2014

Researchers develop animal model of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have developed an animal model of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in rhesus macaques, an advance that may lead to treatments, vaccines and improved methods of diagnosing the disease.

29 Apr 2014

Scientists identify natural human antibodies against virus that causes MERS

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified natural human antibodies against the virus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a step toward developing treatments for the newly emerging and often-fatal disease.

29 Apr 2014

GSK, Theravance announce availability of Anoro Ellipta in the US for COPD treatment

GlaxoSmithKline plc and Theravance, Inc. today announced that Anoro Ellipta (umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder), the first once-daily product approved in the US that combines two long-acting bronchodilators in a single inhaler for the maintenance treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is now available to retail pharmacies in the US.

28 Apr 2014

FDA proposes new regulations for tobacco products

The American Thoracic Society applauds the Food and Drug Administration for moving forward with proposed rules to regulate all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and cigars. This long awaited proposed rule is an important next step toward reducing the death and disease caused by tobacco use in the United States.

26 Apr 2014

Study shows effect of whooping cough vaccination on Bordetella pertussis bacteria

The most comprehensive study to date of the family of bacteria that causes whooping cough points to more effective vaccine strategies and reveals surprising findings about the bacteria's origin and evolution. The new results could alter public health strategies to control this respiratory disease, which kills 195,000 children worldwide each year.

25 Apr 2014

Bayer's Ciprofloxacin DPI receives FDA orphan drug designation for NCFB treatment

Bayer HealthCare today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Office of Orphan Products Development has granted orphan drug designation for its investigational Ciprofloxacin Dry Powder for Inhalation (Ciprofloxacin DPI) for the treatment of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB).

23 Apr 2014

Study finds ginseng can help prevent, treat influenza and RSV infection

Ginseng can help treat and prevent influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages, according to research findings by a scientist in Georgia State University's new Institute for Biomedical Sciences.

22 Apr 2014

Docs who treat patients with severe LAM face agonizing treatment decision

Doctors who treat patients with a severe and progressive respiratory disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) can face an agonizing treatment decision.

18 Apr 2014

Novartis’ investigational compound achieves overall response rate of 58% in patients with ALK+ NSCLC

Novartis today announced that The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published clinical trial results showing the investigational compound LDK378 (ceritinib) achieved an overall response rate (ORR, including complete response [CR] and partial response [PR]) of 58% and a median progression-free survival (PFS) of seven months in adults with advanced anaplastic lymphoma kinase positive (ALK+) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received 400 mg or higher of LDK378 per day.

28 Mar 2014

ATS develops clinical practice guidelines to help clinicians identify, manage patients with sickle cell disease

The American Thoracic Society has developed clinical practice guidelines to help clinicians identify and manage patients with sickle cell disease who are at increased risk for mortality from pulmonary hypertension.

18 Mar 2014

Higher levels of exposure to traffic-related air pollution linked to changes in right ventricle of the heart

Exposure to high levels of traffic-related air pollution is associated with changes in the right ventricle of the heart that may contribute to the known connection between air pollution exposure and heart disease, according to a new study.

7 Mar 2014

Study: 55% of women are passive smokers due to exposure to tobacco smoke

As shown in a study carried out by researchers at 13 research centres in Asturias, Gipuzkoa, Sabadell and Valencia, over half of non-smoking pregnant women, 55%, are passive smokers.

5 Mar 2014

Study: Direct camel-to-human transmission of MERS virus is possible in Saudi Arabia

An estimated three-quarters of camels recently surveyed in Saudi Arabia have evidence of infection with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), the virus responsible for human cases of MERS.

27 Feb 2014

CSL Behring enrolls first patient in phase III study of C1-INH for prevention of HAE attacks

CSL Behring today announced it has enrolled the first patient in COMPACT, an international phase III study of a volume-reduced, subcutaneous formulation of C1-esterase inhibitor oncentrate in patients with frequent hereditary angioedema attacks (NCT01912456).

20 Feb 2014

Ario Pharma begins XEN-0501 Phase IIa study for treatment persistent cough in COPD patients

Ario Pharma Ltd, the Cambridge biopharmaceutical company developing innovative new approaches to treat respiratory disease, announced today that it has commenced a Phase IIa study of its TRPV1 antagonist, XEN-0501, for the treatment and prevention of cough in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Persistent cough in COPD and other respiratory conditions present as a huge unmet medical need, with novel therapies urgently needed to improve the quality of life of patients.

11 Feb 2014

Zoetis reports revenue of $1.25 billion for Q4 2013

Zoetis Inc. today reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2013. The company reported revenue of $1.25 billion for the fourth quarter of 2013, an increase of 7% from the fourth quarter of 2012. Revenue reflected an operational increase of 9%, with foreign currency having a negative impact of 2 percentage points.

11 Feb 2014

Continued use of statins may help prevent delirium in critically ill patients

Continued use of statins may help prevent delirium in critically ill patients who received statins before hospital admission, according to a new study of 470 intensive care patients in the UK.

17 Jan 2014

AIT initiates Phase II clinical trial of NOxCureCF for patients with cystic fibrosis

Advanced Inhalation Therapies, an Israeli drug development company, announced today that it has begun enrollment in Israel for a multicenter, open label, Phase II clinical trial of NOxCureCF, a respiratory treatment for patients with cystic fibrosis.

8 Jan 2014

Consumption of nuts promotes health and longevity, finds study

In a study published November 20, 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine1, researchers looked at the association of nut consumption with total and cause-specific mortality among 76,464 women in the Nurses' Health Study and 42,498 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Consumption of nuts, including tree nuts (such as pistachios, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, and walnuts), was inversely associated with total mortality in both men and women, independent of other predictors for death.

28 Dec 2013