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Idenix second-quarter total revenues decrease to $1.3 million

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today reported unaudited financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. At June 30, 2010, Idenix's cash and cash equivalents totaled $51.0 million.

27 Jul 2010

Scientists find MODS technique most accurate for testing tuberculosis in children

An international team of researchers comparing recently-developed methods for diagnosing tuberculosis in children in resource-poor countries has concluded that the best test for high-risk children is the microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) technique using two gastric aspirate specimens from each child tested. MODS detects the presence of bacteria causing tuberculosis using microscopes to detect typical growth patterns in culture broth.

27 Jul 2010

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange reported today that a significant decrease in HCV viral load was detected in 3 patients with liver cancer who are treated daily orally with CF102. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). The results announced today relate to data which came out of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

26 Jul 2010

Achillion nominates ACH-2928 NS5A clinical candidate for treatment of HCV

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the discovery and development of treatments for the most challenging infectious diseases, today announced the nomination of a lead clinical candidate in its fourth proprietary program against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The candidate, ACH-2928, is an NS5A inhibitor that in preclinical studies has demonstrated excellent potency against HCV RNA replication, as well as good pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.

22 Jul 2010

AiCuris presents preclinical data on AIC246 anti-HCMV drug at International Herpesvirus Workshop

AiCuris announced today publication of preclinical data on AIC246, at the International Herpesvirus Workshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA from 24 – 29 July 2010. AIC246 is a novel anti-HCMV drug currently in clinical phase 2 testing.

21 Jul 2010

Meridian Bioscience completes acquisition of Bioline group of companies

Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio announces that effective today it will have completed the purchase of all the outstanding capital stock of the Bioline group of companies consisting of Bioline Ltd (UK), Bioline GmbH (Germany), Bioline (Aust) Pty Ltd (Australia), Bioline Reagents Ltd, and Bioline USA, Inc for $23.3 million in cash on hand.

20 Jul 2010

Microbiologists work to decrease mold growth in flooded homes through improved prevention, cleanup

A team of microbiologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory is working with Tuskegee University and Mississippi State University to decrease mold growth in flooded homes through improved prevention and cleanup.

15 Jul 2010

Asuragen, Life Technologies announce European launch of BCR/ABL1 Quant Test

Asuragen, Inc. and Life Technologies Corporation announced today that they have achieved CE-marking and commercial launch in Europe of the BCR/ABL1 Quant™ Test, Asuragen's clinically validated and cGMP manufactured test intended to aid clinicians in the monitoring and treatment of individuals afflicted with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Asuragen manufacturers the monitoring test, which is exclusively distributed by Life Technologies and runs on the company's Applied Biosystems CE-marked 7500 Fast Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument™.

13 Jul 2010

Biomagnetics, LANL collaborate to develop device for tuberculosis diagnosis

Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., a developer of revolutionary technology for diagnostic systems for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis and malaria detection, today announced the signing of an agreement with Los Alamos National Security, LLC where Los Alamos National Laboratory's scientific and engineering staffs will attempt to identify new potential human tuberculosis biomarkers and will develop a validated assay to detect human tuberculosis using a currently known biomarker to be used in combination with the waveguide-based optical biosensor platform.

9 Jul 2010

Roche Molecular Systems receives FDA clearance for new LightCycler MRSA Advanced Test

Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cleared its new LightCycler® MRSA Advanced Test for the detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for clinical use in the United States.

9 Jul 2010

Research findings link some autoimmune disorders with cancer

Patients with a certain type of scleroderma may get cancer and scleroderma simultaneously, Johns Hopkins researchers have found, suggesting that in some diseases, autoimmunity and cancer may be linked.

8 Jul 2010

Olaparib shows promising results against inherited forms of breast and ovarian cancer

Olaparib, a new type of experimental drug called a PARP inhibitor, has shown promising results against inherited forms of breast and ovarian cancer in two small clinical trials led by scientists at the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at King's College London.

8 Jul 2010

Novel therapy slows tumor growth in 85% of advanced breast cancer patients: Study

A novel therapy designed to attack tumors in patients with a genetic mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2, slowed tumor growth in 85 percent of advanced breast cancer patients treated in a small study, researchers report in the July 6 issue of The Lancet.

6 Jul 2010

Medivir's rights issue changes number of shares and votes

The number of shares and the number of votes in Medivir have changed as a result of the rights issue carried out by the company as well as the exercise of employee stock options.

30 Jun 2010

TLR4 may provide new strategy for treating patients with PDAC: Study

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a highly malignant digestive tumor with a very poor prognosis. Hypoxia-inducible transcription factor-1α is involved in malignant progression in many solid tumors, including PDAC, upregulation of HIF-1α accelerates PDAC progression, but the exact regulatory mechanisms of HIF-1αin PDAC has not been unequivocally addressed.

28 Jun 2010

Merck proposes to initiate Phase II proof-of-concept clinical study of posaconazole for chronic Chagas disease

Merck today announced plans to initiate a Phase II investigational proof-of-concept clinical study to evaluate its oral antifungal agent posaconazole for the treatment of chronic Chagas disease. Chagas disease results from infection with the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that is spread by biting insects. The disease is estimated to affect approximately eight million people in Latin America, of whom approximately 30-40 percent will develop serious cardiac disease, digestive disease, or both as a result of this infection.

24 Jun 2010

Researchers find why patients with XPV are more susceptible to skin cancer

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found why patients with a variant form of xeroderma pigmentosum, an inherited genetic disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to the sun, are more susceptible to skin cancers than the general population. The data are published in the current issue of the journal Nature. Their finding sets the stage for research into therapies that would help protect people with XPV from developing skin cancers.

24 Jun 2010

OvaGene Oncology opens new advanced molecular research and clinical laboratory facility

OvaGene Oncology Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the development and commercialization of personalized DNA-based diagnostics for gynecologic cancer, announced today the opening of its new clinical and research laboratory in Irvine, California. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as the central headquarters for operations, research, and molecular clinical lab testing.

23 Jun 2010

Electron cryomicroscopy helps observe molecules in hydrated state close to natural state

Gene expression takes place in two stages: the transcription of DNA to RNA by an enzyme called RNA polymerase, , followed by the translation of this RNA into proteins, whose behaviour affects the characteristics of each individual.

21 Jun 2010

Exiqon licenses LNA technology to BD for diagnosing infectious diseases

Exiqon A/S, today announced that it has granted a non-exclusive license to BD to use Exiqon's proprietary locked nucleic acids technology in defined products for infectious disease diagnostics.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 21 Jun 2010