Liver Disease News and Research

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The liver is one of the largest solid organs of the body. It is located in the upper right part of the abdomen. Most of the organ lies under cover of the rib cage.

Vertex to conduct two Phase 2 studies of VX-135 in combination with daclatasvir

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced it has entered into a non-exclusive agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company to conduct Phase 2 studies of once-daily all-oral treatment regimens containing Vertex's nucleotide analogue hepatitis C virus polymerase inhibitor VX-135 and Bristol-Myers Squibb's NS5A replication complex inhibitor daclatasvir for the treatment of hepatitis C.

6 Apr 2013

Understanding ethics involved in selecting transplant candidates

Results from an anonymous survey of U.S. transplant providers report that incarceration, marijuana use, and psychiatric diagnoses, particularly suicide attempts, may lower patients' eligibility for liver transplantation.

5 Apr 2013

Patients’ eligibility for liver transplantation may be lowered by incarceration, marijuana use, and psychiatric diagnoses

4 Apr 2013

Finding solutions to protect U.S. troops against invisible killers

A Saint Louis University researcher has received a contract worth up to $980,000 to see if two cancer medications have the potential of protecting U.S. troops from biological agents that could be unleashed during an attack.

4 Apr 2013

Imbalance between neutrophil elastase and α1-antitrypsin leads to obesity, inflammation

Many recent studies have suggested that obesity is associated with chronic inflammation in fat tissues. Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have discovered that an imbalance between an enzyme called neutrophil elastase and its inhibitor causes inflammation, obesity, insulin resistance, and fatty liver disease.

3 Apr 2013

Medivir seeks FDA approval for simeprevir

Medivir AB today announced that a new drug application has been filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval for simeprevir.

30 Mar 2013

Stronger protections needed to prevent hepatitis in HIV patients

Stronger protections are needed to prevent people with HIV from also becoming infected with hepatitis, researchers argue in a new study led by Michigan State University.

28 Mar 2013

A new strategy to prevent herpes virus infections

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a novel strategy for preventing infections due to the highly common herpes simplex viruses, the microbes responsible for causing genital herpes (herpes simplex virus 2) and cold sores (herpes simplex virus 1).

26 Mar 2013

New site launched to improve health, wellbeing of U.S. Latinos

Saludify.com, a site designed to provide Latinos with daily news and content to live a better life and improve their health, launched today. With a mission to improve the health and wellbeing of U.S. Latinos, Saludify is providing accurate, convenient and culturally relevant content that goes beyond what's found in mainstream media.

25 Mar 2013

SLU researcher studies effect of bitter melon extract on treating cancer

A Saint Louis University researcher has received a $39,425 grant from the Lottie Caroline Hardy Charitable Trust to continue her research on treating cancer with a natural substance -- the extract taken from a vegetable that is part of her diet.

24 Mar 2013

Hepatitis C and HIV co-infection treatment: an interview with Prof Boecher, Boehringer Ingelheim

Chronic hepatitis C infection is one of the most frequent chronic infectious diseases worldwide. The WHO estimates that 150 million people worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

20 Mar 2013

HCV screening of IV drug users new to the prison system could identify thousands of new HCV cases annually

A study published in the March issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, estimates that the prevalence of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is nearly one percent among newly incarcerated inmates with a history of recent drug use. Findings suggest that systematic screening of intravenous (IV) drug users who are new to the prison system could identify more than 7,000 cases of HCV across the U.S. annually—even among asymptomatic inmates.

19 Mar 2013

Hepatitis C virus rarely transmitted through sex between monogamous heterosexuals

Individuals infected by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have nothing to fear from sex in a monogamous, heterosexual relationship. Transmission of HCV from an infected partner during sex is rare according to new research published in the March issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

19 Mar 2013

Researchers find white blood cells produce and eliminate RBCs

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have found that macrophages - white blood cells that play a key role in the immune response - also help to both produce and eliminate the body's red blood cells (RBCs).

18 Mar 2013

EASL urges UK to press ahead with proposed implementation of minimum unit pricing of alcohol

According to WHO, liver cirrhosis accounts for 1.8% (i.e. 170,000) of all deaths in Europe. In recent years liver cirrhosis has become a serious health threat in some Western European countries such as Ireland and the United Kingdom, where over the last 10 years the associated mortality has increased.

15 Mar 2013

Einstein researchers to develop drug-impregnated intravaginal ring for HIV prevention in women

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have been awarded a $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a drug-impregnated intravaginal ring to prevent HIV infection in women.

11 Mar 2013

Drugs that combat ageing may be available within five years

Drugs that combat ageing may be available within five years, following landmark work led by an Australian researcher.

11 Mar 2013

Laboratorios Grifols, Cadence announce new supply agreement for OFIRMEV

Cadence Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, in-licensing, developing and commercializing proprietary products principally for use in the hospital setting, today announced a new supply agreement with Laboratorios Grifols, S.A. for the development, manufacture and supply of commercial quantities of OFIRMEV (acetaminophen) injection in flexible plastic bags.

6 Mar 2013

Deleting Plin2 gene prevents obesity in mice

Researchers have discovered that deleting a specific gene in mice prevents them from becoming obese even on a high fat diet, a finding they believe may be replicated in humans.