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Findings may lead to new vaccine strategies for pulmonary tularemia

Immunologists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and the have found a unique quirk in the way the immune system fends off bacteria called Francisella tularensis, which could lead to vaccines that are better able to prevent tularemia infection of the lungs. Their findings were published today in the early, online version of Immunity.

23 Oct 2009

Brain inflammation not linked to Alzheimer's disease

In a surprising reversal of long-standing scientific belief, researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have discovered that inflammation in the brain is not the trigger that leads to buildup of amyloid deposits and development of Alzheimer's disease.

23 Oct 2009

New chromosomal abnormality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Researchers identified a new chromosomal abnormality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that appears to work in concert with another mutation to give rise to cancer. This latest anomaly is particularly common in children with Down syndrome.

19 Oct 2009

Research programme to develop immunological biomarkers for chronic inflammatory diseases

Persistent inflammation and the activation of the immune system is the key pathological mechanism affecting many long-term conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease and is the predominant mechanism underlying organ transplant rejection.

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

Retinoic acid may provide relief for ulcerative colitis

Here's another reason why you should take your vitamins. A new research report appearing in the October 2009 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org) suggests that retinoic acid, the oxidized form of vitamin A, could be a beneficial treatment for people suffering from ulcerative colitis and other irritable bowel diseases.

3 Oct 2009

NK cells keep T cells in check: Study

Natural killer, or NK cells, are part of our innate immune system. A healthy body produces them to respond early during infection. They are activated and they kill cells infected with a given virus.

3 Oct 2009

Can-Fite BioPharma commences preparatory work for a Phase III trial with CF101 to treat Psoriasis

Can-Fite BioPharma, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, an Israeli Biopharmaceutical company, announced today the initiation of preparatory work for a Phase III trial with CF101 in Psoriasis. This is based on the successful conclusion of a Phase II dose-response clinical study with CF101 to treat patients with moderate to severe Psoriasis; the study successfully met its primary objective of efficacy and safety

1 Oct 2009

NCI awards Altor Bioscience a $3 MM grant to develop its targeted cancer therapeutic ALT-801

Altor BioScience Corporation announced today that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Bridge Grant by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The award of $3 MM over three years will help Altor further its clinical development of ALT-801, a novel tumor-targeted immunotherapeutic designed to improve the efficacy and safety of the FDA-approved anticancer cytokine, interleukin-2 (IL-2).

25 Sep 2009

CEL-SCI Corporation engages a CRO for clinical trial of its investigational LEAPS-H1N1 treatment

CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE AMEX: CVM), a developer of vaccines and therapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases and a late-stage oncology company, announced today that it has hired a full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) with an office in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area to support its conduct of the upcoming clinical trial of its investigational LEAPS-H1N1 treatment.

24 Sep 2009

New method found for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

For the first time researchers have shown that by inhibiting the action of an enzyme called TAK-1, it is possible to make pancreatic cancer cells sensitive to chemotherapy, opening the way for the development of a new drug to treat the disease.

24 Sep 2009

Interim data from Micromet's T-cell engaging BiTE antibody study for treating solid tumors

Micromet, Inc. (Nasdaq: MITI), a biopharmaceutical company developing novel, proprietary antibodies for the treatment of cancer, inflammation and autoimmune diseases, today presented first interim data from a phase 1 dose-escalation clinical study for BiTE antibody MT110, the first T-cell engaging antibody for the treatment of solid tumors.

22 Sep 2009

CEL-SCI to commence its LEAPS-H1N1 clinical trial following FDA approval

CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE Amex: CVM), a developer of vaccines and therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and a late-stage oncology company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated that the Company can proceed with its first clinical trial to evaluate the effect of its investigational LEAPS-H1N1 treatment on the white blood cells of hospitalized H1N1 patients.

16 Sep 2009

Aushon BioSystems completes construction of new laboratory and manufacturing facility

Aushon BioSystems, Inc., a leading provider of advanced microarray instrumentation and laboratory services for biomarker discovery, development and analysis, announced today that it has completed the renovation and expansion of its Billerica, MA corporate headquarters.

10 Sep 2009

New technique for diabetes treatment may be in the offing

An exploration of the molecular links between insulin resistance and inflammation may have revealed a novel target for diabetes treatment, say scientists at the John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Their findings were published earlier this month in the online version of Diabetes, one of the journals of the American Diabetes Association.

27 Aug 2009

Results of PCF funded study could impact the standard of care for prostate cancer patients

Twice-yearly intravenous infusion with denosumab, a new targeted therapy to stop bone loss, increased bone density and prevented spinal fractures in men receiving androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. The report from an international research study, the first to document reduced fracture risk in men receiving the hormone-blocking treatment, was published today in the print edition of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Both fundamental research on rank ligand (RANKL) in prostate cancer bone metastasis and other molecular factors involved in the denosumab study were supported at Massachusetts General Hospital with funding from the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF).

21 Aug 2009

CEL-SCI expands work on current H1N1 virus vaccine

CEL-SCI Corporation has announced that it is expanding the scope of its work towards creating a novel treatment and vaccination against the current H1N1 virus, as well as a future mutated form in which the virus has acquired greater morbidity and mortality.

19 Aug 2009

Fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer may be caused by inflammation

Patients who experience fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer may be reacting to activation of the proinflammatory cytokine network, a known inflammatory pathway, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

19 Aug 2009

Flavonoids offer dementia, Alzheimer's hope

A group of chemicals found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as tea, cocoa and red wine, could protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, a dementia expert told scientists at a conference last Friday.

12 Jul 2009

Drug derived from the hydrangea root shows promise for autoimmune disorders

A drug derived from the hydrangea root, used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, shows promise in treating autoimmune disorders, report researchers from the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Immune Disease Institute at Children's Hospital Boston (PCMM/IDI), along with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

4 Jun 2009