Immunosuppression News and Research

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Immunosuppression involves an act that reduces the activation or efficacy of the immune system. Some portions of the immune system itself have immuno-suppressive effects on other parts of the immune system, and immunosuppression may occur as an adverse reaction to treatment of other conditions.

Center for LAM Research and Clinical Care at BWH to conduct phase I combination drug trial

The Center for LAM Research and Clinical Care at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has been awarded a $1 million plus, four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to fund their work on lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

8 Feb 2012

Skin cells converted to brain cells without intermediate stem cell stage

Researchers from California have successfully converted mouse skin cells into cells which develop into the main components of the brain. The experiment, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is notable because it skipped the middle “stem cell” stage in the process.

2 Feb 2012

Majority of children can safely quit anti-rejection drugs after liver transplant from parents

Physicians at three transplant centers have found in a pilot study that a majority of children who receive liver tissue from a parent can eventually stop using immunosuppression (anti-rejection) medications safely. These drugs, which tamp down natural immune function, have been linked to a bevy of complications, including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and kidney failure.

1 Feb 2012

Non-smoking, non-drinking transplant patients more likely to develop head and neck cancer

Transplant patients who develop head and neck cancer are more likely to be non-smokers and non-drinkers, and less likely than their non-transplant counterparts to survive past one year of diagnosis, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

30 Jan 2012

Veloxis commences LCP-Tacro Phase IIIb study in kidney transplant patients

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S today announced dosing of the first patient in the STRATO (Switching kidney TRAnsplant patients with Tremor to LCP-tacrO) Phase IIIb study of LCP-Tacro in kidney transplant recipients experiencing drug-induced tremors.

4 Jan 2012

Osiris provides update on Prochymal Phase 2 trial for type 1 diabetes

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., today provided an update on its Phase 2 trial evaluating Prochymal, a formulation of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes.

4 Jan 2012

Three successful full face transplants: Brigham and Women’s report

A team of Brigham and Women’s surgeons performed three full face transplants at the hospital this year and have published a detailed account of the procedures in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors outline the three cases with before and after photos and explanations of how the patients - Dallas Wiens, Mitch Hunter, and Charla Nash - fared in the aftermath of surgery. While all three had infections and two had episodes of rejection, all were successfully treated.

29 Dec 2011

Veloxis, Athena partner to establish competitive presence for AtorFen in emerging markets

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals and Athena Drug Delivery Solutions Pvt. Ltd. today announced an alliance whereby Athena will obtain exclusive rights in certain emerging market territories to manufacture and, with third parties, develop, register and commercialize Veloxis' AtorFen (Fenofibrate Atorvastatin fixed dose combination).

23 Dec 2011

Study assesses evidence of immunosuppression in sepsis

An analysis of lung and spleen tissue from patients who died of sepsis revealed certain biochemical, cellular and histological findings that were consistent with immunosuppression, according to a study in the December 21 issue of JAMA.

21 Dec 2011

UCB initiates EXXELERATE study in rheumatoid arthritis

UCB today announced the start of the EXXELERATE study which will evaluate the short- and long-term efficacy of Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) plus methotrexate (MTX) compared with that of Humira(adalimumab) plus MTX in the treatment of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The start of this study confirms previously announced plans.

21 Dec 2011

Immunosuppressant combination improves survival of human spinal stem cells in ALS rat model

A team of researchers grafting human spinal stem cells into rats modeled with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," a degenerative, lethal, neuromuscular disease, have tested four different immunosuppressive protocols aimed at determining which regimen improved long-term therapeutic effects.

20 Dec 2011

Link between malaria and salmonella infections

The link between malaria and salmonella infections has been explained for the first time, opening the way to more effective treatments.

19 Dec 2011

Maraviroc reduces incidence of GvHD in blood cancer patients after ASCT

An HIV drug that redirects immune cell traffic appears to significantly reduce the dangerous complication graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in blood cancer patients following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT), according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that will be presented today at the 53rd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.

14 Dec 2011

Drug users with HIV infection have 74% higher risk of overdose

A study from Rhode Island Hospital is the first to systematically review and analyze the literature on the association between HIV infection and overdose risk.

13 Dec 2011

Technique expands scarce resources used for cord blood transplant procedure

A new method to boost the number of immune cells in umbilical cord blood prior to cord blood transplants for cancer patients appears to lead to a quicker rebuilding of a new immune system in the patient's body than with a conventional cord blood transplant procedure, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania that will be presented today at the 53rd American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.

12 Dec 2011

Novartis to showcase 160 presentations on breast cancer, hematological disease drugs at SABCS and ASH

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation will showcase more than one hundred and sixty presentations on data from its robust oncology portfolio at two key medical congresses this month, demonstrating significant advances for patients with cancers and hematological diseases.

3 Dec 2011

Potential test to diagnose membranous nephropathy in early stages

Research conducted by a pair of physicians at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) has led to the development of a test that can help diagnose membranous nephropathy in its early stages.

1 Dec 2011

Mycophenolate mofetil superior to azathioprine for lupus nephritis

A new large, international study finds that the immunosuppressant drug mycophenolate mofetil is superior to azathioprine, an older immunosuppressant, as a maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis.

17 Nov 2011

Highmark now covers AlloMap for monitoring heart transplant rejection

XDx, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high value non-invasive diagnostic tests to monitor immune-mediated conditions, today announced that Highmark Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is now covering AlloMap for its beneficiaries.

9 Nov 2011

UCB to sponsor several key sets of Cimzia data on RA at ACR 2011 meeting

UCB, a leading biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of immunology treatment and research, is proud to sponsor several key sets of Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) data at the American College of Rheumatology's 2011 Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago, November 5-9.

7 Nov 2011