Autoimmunity News and Research

RSS

Autoimmune Disease is a condition in which the body recognizes its own tissues as foreign and directs an immune response against them.

PCMD forms 6M research and analysis network to investigate role of virus infection in type 1 diabetes

The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD), University of Exeter, is one of 13 academic institutions and businesses across Europe to form a -6m research and analysis network, funded by the EU for a five-year period, which is designed to investigate the possible role of virus infection in the cause of type 1 diabetes.

28 Jan 2011

Research finds link between increased hygiene and higher rates of certain diseases in women

Little girls growing up in western society are expected to be neat and tidy - "all ribbon and curls" - and one researcher who studies science and gender differences thinks that emphasis may contribute to higher rates of certain diseases in adult women.

27 Jan 2011

Scientist develops FMR1 genetic blood test for predicting IVF outcomes

A researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has helped to develop the first genetic blood test for predicting the chances that in vitro fertilization will lead to a successful pregnancy.

13 Jan 2011

New research finds pattern for detecting 'false-positive' ANA results

The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) indicates the possibility of autoimmunity and the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay on HEp-2 cells is the standard blood test (ANA-HEp-2) used to detect ANA. However, studies have shown that a "false-positive" ANA test occurs in up to 13% of healthy individuals. In such cases the test detects the presence of autoantibodies that apparently are not associated with autoimmunity.

4 Jan 2011

Phadia to market diagnostic products in India

Import, sales and distribution of Phadia's allergy, asthma and autoimmunity diagnostics products, including ImmunoCAP and EliA, have been commercially approved by the Indian authorities.

20 Dec 2010

Study reveals immune cell provides new therapeutic strategy for SLE

A new study provides fascinating insight into the underlying pathology associated with the autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus.

16 Dec 2010

BRIC researchers discover new protein that improves immune system

Researchers at BRIC, the University of Copenhagen, have discovered for the first time a protein normally found in the body that can act to prevent chronic tissue inflammation.

15 Dec 2010

Worm eggs may heal ulcerative colitis: Research

A new study involving a man who swallowed worm eggs to relieve symptoms of ulcerative colitis sheds light on how worms promote healing in the intestine. The study, published today in Science Translational Medicine, also identifies potential targets for more conventional ways of treating colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.

2 Dec 2010

Scientists uncover new regulatory mechanism in body's response to eliminate pathogens

A team of scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a previously unknown regulatory mechanism in the body's response to eliminate pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. The findings challenge a long-held dogma in the field of immunology and have potential implications for far-ranging topics from how vaccines should be administered to the origin of autoimmunity.

30 Nov 2010

Dietary intervention reduces emergence of diabetes-predictive autoantibodies by 50%

A Finnish study published in the November 11, 2010 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine confirms the hypothesis that infant feeding plays a role in the initiation of the disease process leading to type 1 diabetes in children carrying increased genetic disease risk.

11 Nov 2010

Emergent BioSolutions awarded five grants totalling $1.2 million under QTDP Program

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced that it has been awarded five separate grants under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) Program to support continued development of its therapeutic programs in oncology and autoimmunity. The grants, with a total value of over $1.2 million, will fund Emergent's TRU-016 Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical (SMIP™), DRACO anti-CD3 SMIP, X1 TNF-based SCORPION™, X2 CTLA4-based SCORPION, and T-Scorps-based SCORPION therapeutic programs.

10 Nov 2010

Study suggests bacterial products contribute to autoimmune diseases

Researchers are using 21st century technologies to investigate the century old hypothesis that certain autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, are caused by bacteria living in the human body and will present their initial data this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

Bortezomib reduces inflammation and promotes bone healing in arthritis models

A new study by Greek researchers suggests that the biologic drug bortezomib (Velcade), a proteasome inhibitor used to treat multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer), may represent a promising treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, bortezomib displayed favorable effects in an animal model of inflammatory arthritis that mimics RA, in reducing disease severity and inflammation, and promoting bone healing. Full findings of this study are published in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

3 Nov 2010

University of Maryland to establish major research enterprise for autoimmune diseases

With a new $45 million private gift from the family of a grateful patient, the University of Maryland School of Medicine is planning to establish the nation's only major research enterprise devoted to the study of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and Type 1 diabetes. The gift, from Indiana couple Ken and Shelia Cafferty, is the largest private donation in the history of the University System of Maryland.

29 Oct 2010

Research on sheep population could help explain variation in vaccine protection

Strong immunity may play a key role in determining long life, but may do so at the expense of reduced fertility, a Princeton University study has concluded.

29 Oct 2010

Emergent BioSolutions completes Trubion acquisition

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., following a majority vote to approve the merger by Trubion stockholders at a special meeting conducted at Trubion's Seattle headquarters on October 28, 2010. The acquisition provides Emergent with multiple, advanced stage candidates in the key disease areas of oncology and autoimmunity as well as access to novel and versatile protein therapeutic platforms.

29 Oct 2010

Regulus present advancements in microRNA platform at Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society meeting

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. announced today that advancements from its leading microRNA platform and product pipeline were presented at the "6th Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society" held October 20 - 23, 2010 in Dana Point, California.

22 Oct 2010

New approaches to explore causes of autoimmunity and immune deficiency diseases

A newly identified regulatory process affecting the biology of immune system T cells should give scientists new approaches to explore the causes of autoimmunity and immune deficiency diseases.

20 Oct 2010

Immune reaction to dystrophin may contribute to muscle disease: Study

An immune reaction to dystrophin, the muscle protein that is defective in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, may pose a new challenge to strengthening muscles of patients with this disease, suggests a new study appearing in the October 7, 2010, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

7 Oct 2010

Researchers identify new type of cell that protects from immune system attack

Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston have identified a new type of cell in mice that dampens the immune system and protects the animal's own cells from immune system attack.

5 Oct 2010