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Study results from US Military Malaria Vaccine Program announced

Bioject Medical Technologies Inc., a leading developer of needle-free injection therapy systems, today announced that the US Military Malaria Vaccine Program presented results of its study using the Biojector2000 with a recombinant DNA vaccine at two recent conferences. A Cooperative Research and Development Agreement was signed with the Navy in April 2009 to work together on the study.

28 Apr 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals publishes encouraging results from Phase II GEMINI study in PNAS

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it has published results from its Phase II GEMINI study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). These data, previously presented at the International Symposium on Respiratory Viral Infections in Singapore in 2008, showed human proof of concept with an RNAi therapeutic in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study.

27 Apr 2010

Prime-boost malaria vaccine regimen provides sterile protection: Vical

Vical Incorporated announced today that a prime-boost malaria vaccine regimen provided sterile protection, with no disease symptoms and no detectable malaria parasites, in 4 of 15 vaccinated volunteers a full 28 days after challenge with multiple infected-mosquito bites.

27 Apr 2010

Medivir rights offering to raise approximately SEK 325 million

The Board of Directors has resolved on the terms for the rights offering, that the Board of Directors on 28 March 2010 resolved, subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting. For every share held in Medivir, regardless of share class, the holder is entitled to one subscription right. Four subscription rights entitle the holder to subscribe for one new class B share.

27 Apr 2010

Researchers synthesize metal compounds that can be effective in treatment of cancer

Scientists from Bochum have managed to accurately determine the location of metal complexes within living cancer cells using Raman microscopy. The researchers have thus gained new insights into the mechanism of action of metal-containing drugs, to which they ascribe great potential capacities, e.g. in the treatment of cancer.

26 Apr 2010

Enhancing residence time improves drug effectivity: Study

Studies led by Stony Brook University professor of chemistry Peter J. Tonge indicate that modifications that enhance the time a drug remains bound to its target, or residence time, may lead to better diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

26 Apr 2010

Symphogen's Sympress II technology demonstrates cost-effective single batch production of rpAb

Symphogen A/S today announced the publication of data in the March 20, 2010 online edition of Molecular Biotechnology by Nielsen LS et al. [epub ahead of print] demonstrating the ability of its Sympress II technology to enable cost-effective production of recombinant polyclonal antibodies (rpAb) and antibody mixtures with batch-to-batch consistency that the Company believes could supply drug product for large indications such as cancer and infectious disease.

26 Apr 2010

GBS serotype III more commonly associated with urinary tract infections

Research suggests pathogenic strains of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) are an under-recognised cause of urinary tract infections.

24 Apr 2010

1976 "swine flu" vaccine protects against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus

New evidence shows immunization against "swine flu" in 1976 might provide individuals with some protection against the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, according to new research from St. Jude investigators.

24 Apr 2010

U.N. agencies issue warning, appeal for funds to tackle measles outbreak in West, Central Africa

"Sixteen countries in West and Central Africa are in the throes of a measles outbreak, at a time when there is a shortfall in funding for vaccination campaigns against the disease, two U.N. agencies said in a joint statement on Thursday," Reuters AlertNet reports (Fominyen, 4/22).

24 Apr 2010

Children need to be immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases: Secretary of Health

Pennsylvania parents are strongly urged to protect their children by making certain they are fully immunized against preventable diseases, Secretary of Health Everette James said today to mark the start of National Infant Immunization Week, April 24-May 1.

24 Apr 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

"What is still needed [to fight malaria] is the only tool that has ever truly conquered any infectious disease: an effective and affordable vaccine. And here, the global malaria community has been too complacent," a Lancet editorial asserts in an article highlighting achievements and drawbacks in attempting to provide universal access to malaria prevention and treatment.

24 Apr 2010

PMI releases 6-year malaria strategy

The U.S. government Thursday released a six-year strategy to address malaria globally, Reuters reports (Fox, 4/22). The plan was issued through the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) in conjunction with World Malaria Day, April 25, and is a "core component of President [Barack] Obama's Global Health Initiative," according to a USAID press release (4/22).

24 Apr 2010

News outlets examine H1N1's impact on U.S. vaccine development plans, Mexico's handling of outbreak

"A year after the emergence of swine flu [H1N1], U.S. health authorities and laboratories say the pandemic illustrated the need for new vaccine production techniques that are faster and more reliable," Agence France-Presse writes in an article that examines the challenges associated with current vaccine development practices and plans for future development.

24 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

Interesting heart rate dynamics in premature infants

A normal healthy heart beats at a variable rate with extraordinarily complex fluctuations across a wide range of time scales. Reduced complexity of heart rate has both clinical and dynamical significance - it may provide warning of impending illness, or clues about the dynamics of the heart's pacemaking system.

23 Apr 2010

New USG strategy to combat malaria globally

In conjunction with World Malaria Day, and in accordance with the requirements of the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Lantos-Hyde), the U.S. Government, through the President's Malaria Initiative, today released a comprehensive strategy to combat malaria globally.

23 Apr 2010

Deadly fungus on the move

Researchers revealed this Thursday that a deadly fungus that is usually found only in the tropics is making its way to the Pacific Coast of British Columbia and south into Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

23 Apr 2010

TUM scientists collaborate with Fujitsu Laboratories of Japan to commercialize biosensor chip

In the battle against cancer and other diseases, precise analysis of specific proteins can point the way toward targeted treatments. Scientists at theTechnische Universitaet Muenchen, together with Fujitsu Laboratories of Japan, have developed a novel biosensor chip that not only recognizes proteins that are characteristic for specific diseases, but also can show if these proteins are changed through the influence of disease or drugs.

23 Apr 2010

BUSM professor receives Individual Biomedical Research Award

Richard Goldstein, PhD, a professor of pediatrics, division of pediatric infectious diseases, at Boston University School of Medicine, has been awarded an Individual Biomedical Research Award by The Hartwell Foundation and will receive $300,000 over three years as a Hartwell Investigator for his project titled, "A Vaccine Against Streptococcus Pneumoniae Based on Bacterial Surface Proteins Phylogenically Certified as Highly Conserved."

23 Apr 2010

Infectious Diseases News and Research

Study results from US Military Malaria Vaccine Program announced

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals publishes encouraging results from Phase II GEMINI study in PNAS

Prime-boost malaria vaccine regimen provides sterile protection: Vical

Medivir rights offering to raise approximately SEK 325 million

Researchers synthesize metal compounds that can be effective in treatment of cancer

Enhancing residence time improves drug effectivity: Study

Symphogen's Sympress II technology demonstrates cost-effective single batch production of rpAb

GBS serotype III more commonly associated with urinary tract infections

1976 "swine flu" vaccine protects against 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus

U.N. agencies issue warning, appeal for funds to tackle measles outbreak in West, Central Africa

Children need to be immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases: Secretary of Health

Recent releases in Global Health

PMI releases 6-year malaria strategy

News outlets examine H1N1's impact on U.S. vaccine development plans, Mexico's handling of outbreak

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

Interesting heart rate dynamics in premature infants

New USG strategy to combat malaria globally

Deadly fungus on the move

TUM scientists collaborate with Fujitsu Laboratories of Japan to commercialize biosensor chip

BUSM professor receives Individual Biomedical Research Award

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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