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Immunocellular Therapeutics' pilot study can help in early cancer detection

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 results from its pilot study evaluating the cancer detection abilities of one of its lead monoclonal antibody product candidates, ICT-109. Data from this study demonstrated that ICT-109 had a statistically significant ability to discriminate between cancerous and non-cancerous samples, suggesting the potential to detect pancreatic and lung cancer in plasma and serum study sets.

30 Sep 2009

International Medica Foundation sponsors rotavirus vaccine trial in Ghana

More than half a million children – or 1,400 to 1,600 each day – die from rotavirus, the most common cause of severe childhood diarrhea. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries, where lifesaving medical care may not be affordable or available to the families with the most critical needs. In addition, income loss due to the need for parents to take care of sick children can have a very significant economic burden on families that can least afford it.

29 Sep 2009

Merck to distribute Afluria in the U.S. for CSL Biotherapies

CSL Biotherapies and its parent company, CSL Limited, one of the world's leading manufacturers of influenza vaccine, have reached an agreement with Merck & Co., Inc. on rights to market and distribute Afluria® in the United States under an exclusive, six-year agreement effective September 3, 2009.

28 Sep 2009

American Lung Association in Indiana holds flu panel discussion

In an effort to educate Indianapolis area residents about the importance of annual seasonal influenza vaccination, the American Lung Association in Indiana is kicking off the 2009-2010 influenza season by holding a flu panel discussion at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School on September 24 at 6:30 p.m. to educate the community about the dangers of influenza.

28 Sep 2009

ProSperus, Genesis Physicians Group launch GenPro Practice Management Solutions

ProSperus, a Mequon, Wis.,-based, full-service practice management company, and Genesis Physicians Group, a Dallas-based independent physicians association (IPA), today announced the launch of GenPro Practice Management Solutions.

26 Sep 2009

Seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines from Priority Health

Priority Health has announced its coverage of both the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccines. “Preventing the flu through immunization is the best way to keep yourself and your family healthy,” said John Fox, M.D., associate vice president of Medical Affairs at Priority Health. “We encourage our members to receive both vaccines to protect themselves against the two viruses.”

25 Sep 2009

Clinton Global Initiative to raise awareness and funding for NTD control and elimination

At the Clinton Global Initiative today, the Inter-American Development Bank joined with the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases to announce their commitment to mobilize $30 million from the public and private sectors to raise awareness and funding for NTD control and elimination in the Americas, supported by technical assistance from the Pan American Health Organization, regional office of the World Health Organization for the Americas.

24 Sep 2009

Mayo Clinic Health Manager users have access to blood pressure trackers

As part of Mayo Clinic and Microsoft Corp.'s shared vision to help families take better care of their health, the two companies have made enhancements to Mayo Clinic Health Manager, a free online application designed to help people organize and better manage their health. People with conditions such as hypertension and high cholesterol will now have access to a variety of trackers and up-to-date information to help keep their conditions under control.

24 Sep 2009

Regence offers coverage to meet the costs associated with H1N1

To remove financial barriers associated with administration of the H1N1 vaccine and to encourage members to seek vaccination, Regence BlueCross BlueShield will provide coverage for the costs associated with the administration of the H1N1 vaccine during the 2009-2010 flu season, waiving co-pays and deductibles for all members covered by its insured plans. Regence will strongly encourage self-insured employers to cover the full cost to ensure that the greatest number of people are protected.

24 Sep 2009

Merck, QIAGEN to collaborate to increase access to HPV vaccination and HPV DNA testing in developing countries

Merck & Co., Inc. and QIAGEN N.V. today announced their intent to collaborate on a new program to increase access to HPV vaccination and HPV DNA testing in some of the most resource-poor areas of the world.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 24 Sep 2009

Pregnant women must be vaccinated against H1N1 and seasonal flu

Pregnant women should be sure to get all their flu shots as soon as the vaccines become available this year to protect them against both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 (swine) flu, according to eight leading national maternal and infant health organizations.

24 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

Sanofi Pasteur receives additional order H1N1 vaccine

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that the company has received an additional order from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to produce vaccine to help protect against the Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 virus. The new order is for the production of bulk antigen equivalent to 27.3 million doses based on 15 mcg of antigen per dose.

22 Sep 2009

CGI commitment to Action improves health services in Rwanda and Haiti

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) today reported that the first year of its four-year $12.5 million CGI Commitment to Action to introduce and expand Performance-Based Financing (PBF) has resulted in dramatically improved quality and delivery of health services for millions of people in Rwanda and Haiti. PBF empowers health managers to allocate resources in a way that rewards meeting health goals. By improving financial management capacity and expertise, PBF strengthens the sustainability and performance of ministries of health, district and community institutions, and NGOs.

22 Sep 2009

CDC recommends seasonal influenza vaccination to counter H1N1

Public health experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommend seasonal influenza vaccination as the first line of defense this year in protecting against the influenza virus.

22 Sep 2009

U.S. HHS orders for an additional 29 million doses of MedImmune's influenza vaccine

MedImmune announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has placed an order for an additional 29 million doses of its live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. This brings HHS orders to date to more than 40 million vaccine doses, with a total cumulative contract value of approximately $453 million.

22 Sep 2009

U.N. report calls for $1.48B to help developing nations cope with H1N1

The U.N. this week will request that wealthy nations and development banks donate $1.48 billion to help developing countries fight H1N1 (swine flu), Bloomberg reports. "Most of the money is needed for vaccines and drugs … to help the least-developed nations cope with the influenza pandemic, according to a U.N. report obtained" Monday by the news service.

21 Sep 2009

Inhalable H1N1 vaccine to arrive in U.S. first week of October, CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced it anticipates 3.4 million doses of inhalable H1N1 vaccines will be available by the first week of October - the initial influx of 195 million doses purchased by the U.S. government, CNN reports. The vaccine is approved for healthy people between the ages of two and 49, but not for pregnant women (9/18).

21 Sep 2009

Griffin Securities' report features stem cell hypothesis of cancer

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is developing immune based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers, announced today that it has been featured in an in-depth report by Griffin Securities, a New York-based brokerage firm, highlighting the importance of the role that cancer stem cell (CSCs) targeting technology such as that employed by its lead product candidate, ICT-121, may play in developing future cancer treatments.

18 Sep 2009

Intermittent preventive treatment could prevent a third of infant malaria cases, study finds

Research into intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in infants (IPTi) found that one-third of malaria cases in African babies can be prevented by giving them regular doses of malaria drugs even if they have not contracted the disease, according to a Lancet study, published on Thursday, Reuters reports. The study found that IPTi "helped children build better immunity to the disease and reduced the risk of the parasite becoming drug-resistant," but "these benefits decrease if treatment is given continuously as a prophylaxis," Reuters writes.

18 Sep 2009