Immune System News and Research

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Golden nanotubes detect tumor cells, map sentinel lymph nodes

Biomedical researchers at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock have developed a special contrast-imaging agent made of gold-coated carbon nanotubes that is capable of molecular mapping of lymphatic endothelial cells and detecting cancer metastasis in sentinel lymph nodes.

23 Sep 2009

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics completes humanization of its ICT-37 and ICT-109 antibody candidates

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (OTCBB: IMUC), a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is developing immune based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers, announced today that it has completed humanization of ICT-37 and ICT-109.

23 Sep 2009

FDA accepts Sangamo's IND for repeat-dosing in Phase 1 clinical trial of SB-728-T ZFN-based therapeutic

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed and accepted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to initiate an open-label, repeat-dosing Phase 1 clinical trial (SB-728-T-902) of the company's ZFN-based therapeutic, SB-728-T. A single dose Phase 1 clinical study of SB-728-T was initiated in February 2009 and is ongoing at the University of Pennsylvania.

23 Sep 2009

NIST collaborates with private industry to release a new reference material for beryllium

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with private industry and other government agencies, have produced a new reference material for beryllium. Beryllium, an exotic rare-earth metal used as a hardener in high-performance alloys and ceramics, can cause berylliosis-a chronic, incurable and sometimes fatal illness.

23 Sep 2009

New method to identify active tuberculosis in patients

Active tuberculosis can be rapidly identified in patients with negative sputum tests by a new method, according to European researchers. Active tuberculosis (TB) is the seventh-leading cause of death worldwide, and while the diagnosis of active TB can be rapidly established when the bacteria can be identified on sputum microscopy, in about half of all cases, the TB bacterium cannot be detected, making another diagnostic option critical in efforts to control the spread of TB.

23 Sep 2009

SEA technology to increase potency of monoclonal antibodies

Seattle Genetics, Inc. announced today the introduction of its sugar engineered antibody (SEA) technology, a novel approach to increasing the potency of monoclonal antibodies through enhanced effector function. The technology will be presented today by Dennis Benjamin, Ph.D., Senior Director, Chemistry, during the Americas Antibody Congress being held in Washington, DC.

23 Sep 2009

New method to diagnose active tuberculosis

23 Sep 2009

Obesity can increase cancer incidence in leukemic children

Obesity is an important factor contributing to chemotherapy resistance and increasing relapse rates among children with leukemia, according to recent findings published online first in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

23 Sep 2009

BioMarin commences PEG-PAL Phase 2 clinical trial for phenylketonuria

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) announced today that the first patient has initiated treatment in the Phase 2 clinical study of PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase) for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). Initial top-line results are expected in mid-2010.

23 Sep 2009

Chan calls for additional H1N1 vaccines for poor countries during WHO Asia-Pacific regional meeting

During the WHO Asia-Pacific regional meeting Monday, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan discussed the organization's efforts to ensure that poor nations have access to H1N1 vaccines, VOA News reports (Bayron, 9/21).

23 Sep 2009

Government orders additional H1N1 vaccine

Associated Press/Boston Globe reports that on Monday, "the United States ordered more swine flu vaccine, bringing its eventual total to 251 million doses, up from the long-planned 195 million doses.

23 Sep 2009

Advaxis' patent approval enables the development of new vaccines with additional properties

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted and issued Advaxis, Inc. (OTCBB: ADXS), the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) vaccine company, patent 7,588,930 “Compositions and Methods for Enhancing Immunogenicity of Antigens.” This patent expands the Company’s intellectual property portfolio to cover another family of adjuvant proteins based upon the Lm protein Act-A.

22 Sep 2009

Cancer Research UK invests £16 million in new Drug Discovery Programes at Manchester and Glasgow

CANCER RESEARCH UK is set to extend its drug discovery effort by investing up to £16 million in two new Drug Discovery Programmes at the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in Manchester and the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research in Glasgow.

22 Sep 2009

Macrophages play a crucial role in muscle regeneration

For scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Monterotondo, Italy, what seemed like a disappointing result turned out to be an important discovery.

22 Sep 2009

Next Generation Waters wins "Best New Functional Drink" award

In a category that seems to be expanding by the second, Next Generation Waters is pleased to announce that it has won "Best New Functional Drink" at the 2009 Beverage Innovation Awards, the academy awards of the Beverage Industry. NGW beat out 38 other competitors from 12 different countries including PepsiCo's Lipton Linea, Gatorade's No Artificials, and SoBe's Pure Rush to name a few.

22 Sep 2009

Antigen to block infection by genetically-diverse strains of HIV

Scientists working to develop a vaccine for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) report they have created the first antigen that induces protective antibodies capable of blocking infection of human cells by genetically-diverse strains of HIV. The new antigen differs from previously-tested vaccines by virtue of its chemically-activated property that enables close sharing of electrons and produces strong covalent bonding.

22 Sep 2009

Tregs to set the pace of recovery after serious lung injury

After more than 50 experiments in mice, medical scientists at Johns Hopkins have mapped out the basic steps taken by a particular set of white blood cells in setting the pace of recovery after serious lung injury.

22 Sep 2009

Study on mice reveals that short term stress can prevent cancer

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that, at least in laboratory mice, bouts of relatively short-term stress can boost the immune system and protect against one type of cancer. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of this occasional angst seem to last for weeks after the stressful situation has ended. The finding is surprising because chronic stress has the opposite effect -- taxing the immune system and increasing susceptibility to disease.

22 Sep 2009

Investigative drug hampers the survival of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells

An investigative drug deprived non-Hodgkin lymphoma cells of their ability to survive too long and multiply too fast, according to an early study published recently in the journal Experimental Hematology.

22 Sep 2009

GeoVax requests FDA meeting to discuss IND for its therapeutic HIV/AIDS vaccine

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GOVX) (the "Company"), an Atlanta-based, biopharmaceutical company developing human vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and other infectious agents, today announced that it has requested a pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss a proposed IND for GeoVax's therapeutic vaccine as a treatment for individuals infected with HIV/AIDS.

22 Sep 2009