Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease News and Research

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Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease or CJD (sometimes incorrectly referred to as mad cow disease) is a degenerative neurological disorder (brain disease) that is incurable and invariably fatal. It is the most common among the types of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy found in humans.

FDA approves Gamunex-C for primary immunodeficiency treatment

Talecris Biotherapeutics announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Gamunex-C (Immune Globulin Injection [Human], 10% Caprylate/Chromatography Purified) for subcutaneous administration in the treatment of primary immunodeficiency (PI).

15 Oct 2010

Talecris Biotherapeutics announces 2010 eALTA award recipients

Talecris Biotherapeutics GmbH announced yesterday the recipients of the 2010 European alpha1-antitrypsin Laurell's Training Awards (eALTA). The annual awards, sponsored by Talecris, provide two fellowships of 50,000 euros to young investigators whose research aims to enhance the understanding and treatment of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (AAT deficiency).

21 Sep 2010

Baxter announces definitive agreement with Kamada for GLASSIA alpha1-proteinase inhibitor

Baxter International Inc. today announced a definitive agreement with Kamada Ltd. for exclusive commercial rights to GLASSIA™ [Alpha 1-Proteinase Inhibitor (Human)], the first and only liquid alpha1-proteinase inhibitor, in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

From Baxter International Inc. 24 Aug 2010

FDA approves CSL Behring's sBLA to extend shelf life of Hizentra from 18 to 24 months

CSL Behring announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to extend the shelf life of Hizentra®, Immune Globulin Subcutaneous (Human), 20% Liquid, from 18 months to 24 months. Hizentra, the first and only 20 percent subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) approved in the U.S. by the FDA, is also the first and only SCIg in the U.S. that may be stored at room temperature.

19 Aug 2010

Researchers identify second type of complete sporadic disease

A new sporadic prion protein disease has been discovered. Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy, as it has been named, is the second type of complete sporadic disease to be identified since Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was reported in the 1920s. The landmark finding from the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center at Case Western Reserve University is published in the August issue of Annals of Neurology.

13 Aug 2010

Neurodegenerative disease-causing infectious protein can erupt from healthy brain tissue: Study

In a startling new study that involved research on both sides of the Atlantic, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute in Florida and the University College London Institute of Neurology in England have shown for the first time that abnormal prions, bits of infectious protein devoid of DNA or RNA that can cause fatal neurodegenerative disease, can suddenly erupt from healthy brain tissue.

27 Jul 2010

GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics reintroduces Optison ultrasound contrast agent for echocardiograms

GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics today announced the market reintroduction of Optison™ (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP), a diagnostic ultrasound contrast agent for use in select echocardiograms. Optison is indicated for use in patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricle and to improve the delineation of the left ventricular endocardial borders. The safety and efficacy of Optison with exercise stress or pharmacologic stress testing have not been established.

12 Jul 2010

Study demonstrates causal relationship between onset of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and general surgery

A new study spearheaded by Spanish scientists demonstrates a causal relationship between the onset of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), caused by a protein called a prion, and general surgery. CJD manifests itself in hereditary acquired; and sporadic forms, or for unknown reasons, which accounts for the majority of cases.

8 Jul 2010

New insight into transmission of prion diseases

Prion diseases are lethal neurodegenerative disorders that include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE; commonly known as mad cow disease) in cows. A team of researchers, led by Adriano Aguzzi and Christina Sigurdson, at Universit-tsSpital Z-rich, Switzerland, has generated data in mice that provides greater understanding of the factors that determine how easy it is for prion diseases to be transmitted to a new host species.

15 Jun 2010

Amorfix, Aragen Bioscience collaborate to develop high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against targets for cancer

Amorfix Life Sciences and Aragen Bioscience, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement to develop high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against a number of targets for cancer. Using its proprietary ProMIS(TM) computational platform discovery technology, Amorfix has identified several disease specific epitopes ("DSEs") on misfolded Fas receptor. Aragen will use those DSEs to generate highly specific monoclonal antibodies ("mAbs").

28 May 2010

Amorfix, Epitomics collaborate to develop high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against cancer targets

Amorfix Life Sciences and Epitomics, Inc. announced today that they have entered into an agreement to develop high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against a number of targets for cancer. Amorfix has identified several disease specific epitopes (DSEs) on misfolded proteins with their proprietary ProMIS(TM) computational platform discovery technology, which will be used by Epitomics to generate highly specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

11 May 2010

Amorfix Life Sciences detects AD-associated aggregated Beta-amyloid in blood plasma

Amorfix Life Sciences, a company focused on treatments and diagnostics for misfolded protein diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), announced today the detection of the AD-associated aggregated Beta-amyloid (ABeta), the hallmark of AD, in the blood from the most-frequently-used animal model of AD. The assay detects both oligomeric and fibrillar aggregates of ABeta, which are generally considered to be the toxic forms and major contributors to brain dysfunction in AD.

4 May 2010

Cellular IPOD plays role in prion biology

Cells take advantage of a biologically ancient compartment to sequester prions, an action that can initially prevent the prions’ phenotypic expression, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. While in this compartment, less heritable prion plaques mature to a more transmissible state.

27 Apr 2010

Structure of Amyloid fibers surprises researchers

The Atomic Force Microscope depicts on its screen the few nanometer thick and few micrometer long fibers as white flexible sticks, crisscrossing the surface on which they are deposited. The very peculiar property of these proteins lies in fact that they can self assemble into complex ribbon-like twisted fibers.

19 Apr 2010

Phase II GAMMAGARD clinical study for Alzheimer's disease: 18-month results announced

Baxter International Inc. and New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center today announced results of an 18-month Phase II clinical study of GAMMAGARD LIQUID and GAMMAGARD S/D [Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)] (marketed as KIOVIG outside of the U.S.) for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. This marked the first announcement of clinical trial results measuring function and cognition in patients who received uninterrupted GAMMAGARD for a period of 18 months.

From Baxter International Inc. 15 Apr 2010

Survey reveals Gamunex as preferred IGIV therapy among neurologists

Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc., today announced results of a new survey showing that Gamunex® (Immune Globulin Intravenous [Human], 10% Caprylate/Chromatography Purified) is the preferred immune globulin intravenous (IGIV) among neurologists who indicated a brand preference. In the survey, conducted online by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Talecris, neurologists selected Gamunex over four times more often than all other available liquid IGIV therapies, with a statistically significant margin (p<0.05).

13 Apr 2010

IGEN Networks signs MOU with Bio Business Development

IGEN Networks Corp. is pleased to announce that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bio Business Development Corp. International, Inc. to negotiate the acquisition of the exclusive global distribution rights to the patented lateral-flow diagnostic testing platform technology for rapid detection of the infectious prion protein diseases.

1 Apr 2010

ViroPharma launches 'Ryze Above' for patients with HAE enrolled in CINRYZESolutions support program

ViroPharma Incorporated today announced the launch of 'Ryze Above' (www.ryzeabove.com), an exclusive patient resources program within the company's patient support program, CINRYZESolutions®. The Ryze Above program was created for HAE patients prescribed Cinryze, the first and only drug specifically approved to help prevent swelling and/or painful attacks in teenagers and adults with HAE.

19 Mar 2010

FDA approves CSL Behring's Hizentra for PI

CSL Behring announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for HizentraTM, Immune Globulin Subcutaneous (Human), 20% Liquid, for treating patients diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency (PI). A once weekly immunoglobulin (Ig) replacement therapy, Hizentra provides effective protection against infection by maintaining a steady and normal level of immunoglobulin in the body.

4 Mar 2010

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals' RECOTHROM solution receives Health Canada approval

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals announced today that RECOTHROM(R) (Thrombin alfa (Recombinant)), the first recombinant, plasma-free thrombin approved by Health Canada, is now available for use as a topical hemostatic solution. According to a recent clinical study, RECOTHROM(R) was found to successfully stop 80 per cent of surgical bleeding within three minutes and 95 per cent of bleeding within 10 minutes.

1 Mar 2010