Immune System News and Research

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Nplate reduces treatment failure and splenectomies in adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia

Amgen Inc. today announced the publication of results from the first open-label study to compare Nplate® (romiplostim) treatment to standard of care therapies (SOC) in non-splenectomized adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The study results, which were published today in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), show that both the incidence of treatment failure and need for splenectomy were reduced among the Nplate-treated patients.

11 Nov 2010

Antigen Express awarded Therapeutic Discovery Project grants for cancer vaccine development

Generex Biotechnology Corporationannounced today that its wholly-owned immunotherapeutics subsidiary, Antigen Express, Inc. has been awarded two Therapeutic Discovery Project grants, totaling $488,958.50, by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

10 Nov 2010

Myrexis presents key preclinical findings of MPI-0485520 at ACR/ARHP meeting

Myrexis, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing novel treatments for cancer, today presented key preclinical findings of the Company's novel oral anti-interferon, MPI-0485520, at the 74th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals, in Atlanta, Georgia.

10 Nov 2010

Preclinical data from Idera's autoimmune and inflammatory disease program presented at 74th ACR

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced two presentations of preclinical data from its autoimmune and inflammatory disease program at the 74th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in Atlanta, Georgia. One presentation is entitled "IMO-3100, a Toll-like Receptor (TLR) Antagonist, Suppresses TLR7- and TLR9-mediated Immune Responses in Non-human Primates" (#856).

10 Nov 2010

Epratuzumab reduces SLE disease activity in phase IIB EMBLEM study

UCB and U.S. based partner Immunomedics Inc. announced that results from the phase IIB study, EMBLEM, showed that certain doses of epratuzumab were associated with a meaningful and statistically significant reduction in disease activity in adult patients with moderate to severe active SLE.

10 Nov 2010

Medicinal mushroom formula fights breast cancer

Researchers at Indiana University and Methodist Research Institute studied an innovative medicinal mushroom formula against breast cancer. The impressive results are found in the December issue of the International Journal of Oncology. Lead investigator Dr. Daniel Sliva says, "The formula inhibits growth of highly metastatic human breast cancer cells, and suppresses metastatic potential of these cells."

10 Nov 2010

UC Davis researchers identify new pathway to repair oxidative-damaged DNA

UC Davis researchers have found a new pathway for repairing DNA damaged by oxygen radicals. The results are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

10 Nov 2010

Contraceptive, antiviral gel using bee venom wins 2010 Gates Foundation grant

A vaginal gel that affords both contraception and HIV protection using nanoparticles that carry bee venom is one of the bold, unconventional ideas that won a 2010 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

10 Nov 2010

Albert Einstein researcher receives Medal of Honor from American Cancer Society

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University researcher Jeffrey Pollard, Ph.D., has received the prestigious Medal of Honor in Basic Science from the American Cancer Society (ACS) in recognition of his research into the critical role the tumor microenvironment plays in modulating cancer behavior, specifically the role that members of the innate immune cells called macrophages play both in normal development and in promoting tumor progression. These macrophages could hold the key to more targeted cancer treatments.

10 Nov 2010

Patients with germinal center-like structures face greater risk of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Biopsying the glands that produce saliva to test for germinal center-like formation when someone is diagnosed with primary Sjögren's Syndrome can predict later development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

9 Nov 2010

REF donates $24 million in innovative RA research

The American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation today announced it has raised nearly $28 million, and funded $24 million, in RA research through its Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis campaign - putting the Foundation two million from its initial $30 million goal.

9 Nov 2010

Psychologists discover that social interaction influences individual's sensitivity to physical pain

Psychologists at the University of Toronto have shown that the nature of a social interaction has the ability to influence an individual's sensitivity to physical pain. The discovery could have significant clinical implications for doctor-patient relationships and the general well-being of an individual on a daily basis.

9 Nov 2010

Research reveals body’s defence mechanism against snail fever

Scientists have made a significant discovery about how the body defends itself against snail fever, a parasitic worm infection common in developing countries.

9 Nov 2010

Intercell aggregate revenues decrease 28.4% to EUR 21.1m in 9 months ended September 30, 2010

Today, Intercell AG announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2010 and presented an update on the Company's key R&D programs as well as changes to the Management Board.

9 Nov 2010

ORVACS launches ERAMUNE 01 Phase II study to decrease HIV viral reservoirs

ORVACS has launched a Phase II study designed to test the hypotheses that combination therapy with potent antiviral agents and immunomodulator can lead to a decrease in the HIV viral reservoirs and, ultimately, to eradication of the virus. The study is currently being conducted at clinical sites in France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

9 Nov 2010

AHF joins breakthrough research for HIV control

A study published in Science yesterday, reveals what could be the key to why some HIV/AIDS patients' immune systems keep the disease at bay without medication.

9 Nov 2010

Study discovers role of Vav1 oncogene in several cancers

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered that Vav1 - an oncogene (cancer-causing gene) found in recent years to be one of the factors in tumorous tissue growth -- plays a wider role in several types of cancer than had previously been thought. The discovery has implications for further concentration on targeting this gene in cancer research.

9 Nov 2010

Scientists develop nanobioconjugate drug to target brain tumor

Nine years ago, scientists at Cedars-Sinai's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute detected a subtle shift occurring in the molecular makeup of the most aggressive type of brain tumors, glioblastoma multiforme. With further study, they found that a specific protein called laminin-411 plays a major role in a tumor's ability to build new blood vessels to support its growth and spread. But technology did not exist then to block this protein.

9 Nov 2010

Advaxis collaborates with UBC to develop live attenuated Listeria vaccines

Advaxis, Inc., the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) immunotherapy company, has entered into a structured collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Tobias Kollmann at the University of British Columbia (UBC) to develop live attenuated Listeria vaccines for the treatment of infectious disease and for new dosage forms of Listeria vaccines.

9 Nov 2010

Research on immune system may help in healing chronic inflammatory diseases

Biochemists at Kiel University, along with international scientists, have identified an important messenger in the immune system. The messenger interleukin-27 plays an important role when the human body blocks inflammations.

9 Nov 2010