Cytomegalovirus News and Research

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Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the herpes virus group, which includes herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus (which causes chickenpox), and Epstein-Barr virus (which causes infectious mononucleosis). Infection with CMV is a major cause of disease and death in immunocompromised patients, including organ transplant recipients, patients undergoing hemodialysis, patients with cancer, patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs, and HIV-infected patients. While drugs are available for treatment of these conditions, the primary drug choices carry significant side effects and warnings. Currently, there are no anti-CMV drugs indicated for treatment of primary CMV infection during pregnancy resulting in infections that can have catastrophic consequences to the newborn. Maternal-fetal transfer of CMV infection results in a fetal death rate of 12% and most survivors have permanent debilitating disorders, including mental retardation, vision loss, and sensorineural deafness.

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

Japanese researchers identity useful markers for early diagnosis of CMV gastritis

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is a serious complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), which is widely accepted as a curative therapy for advanced hematological malignancies including leukemia and malignant lymphoma.

25 Jun 2010

APP Pharmaceuticals receives FDA approval to market Ganciclovir for Injection, USP

APP Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceuticals Holding, Inc., announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market Ganciclovir for Injection, USP. Ganciclovir for Injection, USP is therapeutically equivalent to the reference-listed drug Cytovene-IV, which is marketed by Roche Laboratories, Inc.

22 Jun 2010

Vical receives $4.0M grant to support development of novel vaccine for CMV infection

Vical Incorporated announced today that the company is collaborating with leading pediatric infectious disease researchers Stuart P. Adler, M.D., and Michael A. McVoy, Ph.D., of Virginia Commonwealth University under a five-year, approximately $4.0 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

25 May 2010

Sangamo's ZFP Therapeutics technology highlighted at ASGCT Annual Meeting

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today that data from research and preclinical programs focused on the development of zinc finger DNA-binding protein Therapeutics were described in fifteen presentations given by Sangamo scientists and collaborators at the 13th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.

24 May 2010

Chimerix commences first-in-human study of CMX157 for HIV

Chimerix, Inc., a biotechnology company developing orally-available antiviral therapeutics, announced the commencement of a first-in-human study of CMX157, a novel lipid conjugate of the nucleotide tenofovir with in vitro activity against both tenofovir-sensitive and tenofovir-resistant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). CMX157 has the potential to increase efficacy and decrease toxicity as compared to tenofovir, and may enable the creation of new 'one pill, once-a-day', fixed-dose combination regimens for the treatment of HIV infection.

14 May 2010

pSivida reports consolidated net loss of $2.7 million for third-quarter 2010

pSivida Corp., a drug delivery company with two of the only three ophthalmic sustained release delivery products approved by the FDA for treatment of back-of-the-eye diseases, today announced financial results for its third quarter and nine months ended March 31, 2010.

13 May 2010

Vical reports net loss of $8.5 million for first-quarter 2010

Vical Incorporated today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Revenues were $1.5 million for the first quarter of 2010 compared with $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2009, reflecting lower revenues under the company's license agreement with AnGes MG, Inc. Operating expenses were $10.1 million for the first quarter of 2010 compared with $10.6 million for the first quarter of 2009.

6 May 2010

MicroStockProfit.com releases investment report on Vical

MicroStockProfit.com announces an investment report featuring Vical Inc. The report includes financial, comparative and investment analyses, and industry information you need to know to make an educated investment decision.

4 May 2010

Study finds standard heel-stick test ineffective in identifying CMV infection in babies

A national study involving a UT Southwestern Medical Center neonatologist and pediatric infectious diseases specialist suggests that a screening test routinely performed in newborns is not very good at identifying cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, a leading cause of hearing loss in children.

4 May 2010

pSivida announces presentations on bioerodible technologies for degenerative eye disease

pSivida Corp., a leader in the development of back of the eye drug delivery systems, today announced that two poster presentations will be made at the upcoming ARVO meeting on one of pSivida's next generation bioerodible technologies for degenerative eye disease. It marks a key step toward the ability to use pSivida's bioerodible technologies to develop treatments for glaucoma and other degenerative eye diseases, diseases that affect millions of Americans.

30 Apr 2010

pSivida receives full payment of $15M note from Alimera Sciences

pSivida Corp., a leader in the development of ophthalmic sustained release drug delivery products, today said it had received full payment of a $15 million note, including an additional $225,000 in accrued interest, from Alimera Sciences, Inc., pSivida's licensee developing Iluvien® for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).

29 Apr 2010

QF-CMV test helps predict transplant recipients at increased risk of CMV disease after surgery

New international guidelines published in the journal Transplantation reinforce the use of a new type of blood test to assess cytomegalovirus (CMV) risk in solid organ transplant recipients (i.e. transplant recipients). This blood test, QuantiFERON®-CMV (QF-CMV), is the first commercially-available blood test to allow physicians to monitor a person's risk of CMV disease. Most commonly used in the transplant setting, QF-CMV may predict which transplant recipients are at increased risk of CMV disease after transplant surgery.

23 Apr 2010

Vical presents Phase 2 trial results of TransVax CMV vaccine at World Vaccine Congress

Vical Incorporated announced today that the company's TransVax cytomegalovirus vaccine elicited sustained increases in both cellular and antibody immune responses compared with placebo through the final 12-month follow-up in an ongoing Phase 2 trial in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.

22 Apr 2010

A*STAR's BMRC and SIgN award grants for twelve research projects on infectious diseases and immunology

Twelve research projects on infectious diseases and immunology have been awarded grants by A*STAR's Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) and Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) this year.

21 Apr 2010

Universal screening test for CMV infection is not effective, says study

DNA analysis of dried blood samples routinely collected from newborns did not effectively identify an infection that is a major cause of hearing loss in children, according to a study in the April 14 issue of JAMA.

15 Apr 2010

PS-targeting antibodies can block HIV virus from entering into certain blood cells

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the publication of data showing phosphatidylserine -targeting antibodies can block one of the key ways the AIDS virus gains entry into certain blood cells. The data were generated by scientists at Duke University as part of their ongoing AIDS vaccine research.

6 Apr 2010

Peregrine's PS-targeting antibodies block HIV from entry into blood cells

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the publication of data showing phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibodies can block one of the key ways the AIDS virus gains entry into certain blood cells. The data were generated by scientists at Duke University as part of their ongoing AIDS vaccine research. The article titled "Anti-Phospholipid Human Monoclonal Antibodies Inhibit CCR5-Tropic HIV-1 and Induces β-Chemokines" is available online today and will be published in the April 12, 2010 edition of the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

5 Apr 2010

Inovio Biomedical's total revenue increased to $2.6M for quarter ended December 31, 2009

Inovio Biomedical Corporation today reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009.

29 Mar 2010

Chimerix initiates CMX001 Phase 2 clinical trial in stem cell transplant patients for CMV

Chimerix, Inc., a biotechnology company developing orally-available antiviral therapeutics, today announced the initiation of a multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial designed to evaluate CMX001 in stem cell transplant recipients who are seropositive for cytomegalovirus (CMV).

9 Mar 2010