Immune System News and Research

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Blocking quorum sensing would prevent bacteria from turning pathogenic

Bacteria are among the simplest organisms in nature, but many of them can still talk to each other, using a chemical "language" that is critical to the process of infection. Sending and receiving chemical signals allows bacteria to mind their own business when they are scarce and vulnerable, and then mount an attack after they become numerous enough to overwhelm the host's immune system.

7 Dec 2010

Studies shows that social stress accelerates atherosclerosis development

Studies on genetically engineered mice show that social stress activates the immune system and accelerates the development of atherosclerosis. Commonly used drugs to reduce blood pressure, however, may stop this process. This is the conclusion of a thesis presented at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

7 Dec 2010

GeoVax expands Phase 2a clinical trial for MVA62B HIV/AIDS vaccine

GeoVax Labs, Inc., announced today the expansion of the Phase 2a clinical trial testing of its HIV/AIDS vaccine products. The expanded Phase 2a trial will test the administration of three doses of the recombinant poxvirus vaccine MVA62B without the use of the recombinant DNA-vectored vaccine, which was used to prime immune responses in the first part of this trial.

7 Dec 2010

No evidence of toxicity in hemophilia B patients enrolled in gene therapy trial

Investigators report no evidence of toxicity in the four hemophilia B patients enrolled to date in a gene therapy trial using a vector under development at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and UCL (University College London) to correct the inherited bleeding disorder.

7 Dec 2010

Experimental flu vaccine triggers immune response, protects against flu

Vaccine production hinges on the availability of hundreds of millions of eggs - and even with the vaccine, flu still claims somewhere around 36,000 lives in the United States during a typical year.

7 Dec 2010

New tool for predicting disease course in children with Crohn's disease

A new study published in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases develops a computer based visual tool that can be used in “real time” to show pediatric Crohn’s disease (CD) patients’ predicted disease course and how this might be influenced by different treatment options.

6 Dec 2010

New, HIV-like retroviruses linked to CFS, prostate cancer detected in healthy blood donors

In an unprecedented move, chronic fatigue syndrome patients published a half-page ad in The Washington Post today. The ad brings attention to new, HIV-like retroviruses, including XMRV, which have been linked to CFS and aggressive prostate cancer, and have been detected in healthy blood donors.

6 Dec 2010

Preclinical study results for Syk, JAK inhibitor program presented at ASH 2010

Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of preclinical study results for its novel Syk and JAK inhibitor program at the American Society of Hematology's 52nd Annual Meeting and Exposition. Portola's novel Syk and JAK inhibitors are in development to treat chronic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, and certain cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

6 Dec 2010

Amgen announces final study results of Nplate in adults with chronic ITP

Amgen Inc. today announced the final results from a 5-year open-label extension study investigating the long-term efficacy and safety of Nplate (romiplostim) in adult chronic immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura. Chronic ITP is a serious autoimmune disorder characterized by low platelet counts in the blood (thrombocytopenia), which can lead to serious bleeding events.

6 Dec 2010

Research highlighting treatment for pediatric SCD, malaria presented at ASH 2010

Red blood cells have the very important role of carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body; therefore, disorders that affect RBCs can have a significant impact on quality of life. Sickle cell disease and malaria are two common RBC diseases that affect a significant portion of the U.S. and global populations. Sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder that causes deformed and dysfunctional red blood cells, affects an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 Americans, while malaria affects approximately 1,500 Americans annually and 190 to 311 million people worldwide.

6 Dec 2010

Alexion Pharmaceuticals reports interim results from phase 1 trial on samalizumab antibody

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXN) today announced the presentation of interim results from the first Phase I/II trial of samalizumab, the company's investigational, first-in-class humanized monoclonal antibody.

6 Dec 2010

Study: REVLIMID and dexamethasone for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma reduce risk of disease progression

Celgene International Sàrl (NASDAQ: CELG) announced that data evaluating combination therapy REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) and dexamethasone in patients with high-risk asymptomatic smoldering multiple myeloma were presented during the American Society of Hematology's annual meeting. The study reported REVLIMID and dexamethasone prolonged time to progression.

6 Dec 2010

Patients with H1N1 flu die due to over-reactive immune response: Research

On November 19, Jason Martin returned to the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the first time since he nearly died there during last year's H1N1 flu pandemic. The tall and burly Warren County, TN, ambulance worker - a 30-year-old, father of three young children - broke down and hugged some of the nurses he recognized.

6 Dec 2010

New studies answer questions related to stem cell transplant procedures in treating hematologic malignancies

Results from four innovative studies help answer outstanding questions about stem cell transplant procedures in treating various hematologic malignancies. Research that will be presented today at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology reveals that there is no increase in overall cancer risk in people who donate stem cells and that the utilization of a double cord blood stem cell transplant is associated with better overall outcomes when used early in the treatment of acute leukemias.

6 Dec 2010

Researchers adapt gene chip microarray technology to study glycans

Sugar molecules coat every cell in our bodies and play critical roles in development and disease, yet the components of these "glycans" have been difficult for scientists to study, because of their complexity.

6 Dec 2010

New drug for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma shows promise

Genentech Inc., now part of Swiss drug developer Roche, and Biogen Idec Inc. on Sunday have announced positive and encouraging results from a clinical study of cancer drug Rituxan in patients with advanced type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. An estimated 65,540 people in the US were diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma this year, and follicular lymphoma accounts for about 15 to 20 percent of those cases. The disease can occur at any time during adulthood, though people are typically diagnosed during their 50s and 60s.

5 Dec 2010

Appropriate level of Static Magnetic Field exposure for wound patients needs to be considered

The interest in the biological effects of non-ionizing Electro Magnetic Fields (EMFs) and Static Magnetic Fields (SMFs) on the whole organism, as well on cellular systems, has noticeably increased in recent years in consideration of their increased production (from the generation and transmission of electricity, to domestic appliances and industrial equipment, to telecommunications and broadcasting) and the possible health risk for humans.

4 Dec 2010

Closer to restoring vision loss due to optic nerve damage

Damage to the optic nerve, connecting the eye with the brain, is a major cause of blindness. The most common culprit is glaucoma, estimated to affect more than 4 million Americans. There is currently no way to restore the lost vision, because the optic nerve, like other nerves in the mature central nervous system (CNS), cannot regenerate. Now, scientists at Children's Hospital Boston report achieving the greatest regeneration to date in the mammalian optic nerve.

4 Dec 2010

IDRI awarded $1.8M contract to develop adjuvant formulations for pandemic influenza

The Infectious Disease Research Institute has been awarded an $1.8 million contract from the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority. IDRI's work will focus on development of adjuvant formulations with options up to $8.5 million over three years when further development and manufacture of priority candidates are approved by the agency.

4 Dec 2010

IDRI receives $790,200 BARDA grant to develop pandemic flu vaccine

The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) today announced it has received a $790,200 grant from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the US Department of Health and Human Services. The grant enables technology transfer between IDRI and the Cantacuzino National Institute of Research and Development for Microbiology and Immunology (Bucharest, Romania), with the goal of producing a pandemic flu vaccine.

4 Dec 2010

Immune System News and Research

Blocking quorum sensing would prevent bacteria from turning pathogenic

Studies shows that social stress accelerates atherosclerosis development

GeoVax expands Phase 2a clinical trial for MVA62B HIV/AIDS vaccine

No evidence of toxicity in hemophilia B patients enrolled in gene therapy trial

Experimental flu vaccine triggers immune response, protects against flu

New tool for predicting disease course in children with Crohn's disease

New, HIV-like retroviruses linked to CFS, prostate cancer detected in healthy blood donors

Preclinical study results for Syk, JAK inhibitor program presented at ASH 2010

Amgen announces final study results of Nplate in adults with chronic ITP

Research highlighting treatment for pediatric SCD, malaria presented at ASH 2010

Alexion Pharmaceuticals reports interim results from phase 1 trial on samalizumab antibody

Study: REVLIMID and dexamethasone for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma reduce risk of disease progression

Patients with H1N1 flu die due to over-reactive immune response: Research

New studies answer questions related to stem cell transplant procedures in treating hematologic malignancies

Researchers adapt gene chip microarray technology to study glycans

New drug for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma shows promise

Appropriate level of Static Magnetic Field exposure for wound patients needs to be considered

Closer to restoring vision loss due to optic nerve damage

IDRI awarded $1.8M contract to develop adjuvant formulations for pandemic influenza

IDRI receives $790,200 BARDA grant to develop pandemic flu vaccine

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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