Clostridium Difficile News and Research

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Clostridium difficile is a type of bacterium found in human and animal waste. Clostridium difficile is a common cause of diarrhea that occurs in hospitals. It can also cause diarrhea or other intestinal disorders in patients treated with antibiotics.

Enrollment closed early in Cubist Pharmaceuticals' ecallantide Phase 2 program

Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the early closing of enrollment in its ecallantide Phase 2 program. Ecallantide, in development as therapy to reduce bleeding in on-pump cardiac surgery, is now known as CB-500,929. After a regularly scheduled review meeting, the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) contacted the company to recommend a temporary suspension in enrollment in one of the CB-500,929 trials, CONSERV-2.

3 Dec 2009

Medical Nutrition launches Diff-Stat pre- and probiotic supplement to prevent the onset of AAD and C-diff

Medical Nutrition USA, Inc., a developer and distributor of uniquely engineered, nutrition-medicine products, announced the introduction of Diff-Stat™, a new supplement containing pre- and probiotics to help restore and maintain beneficial bacteria that prevent the onset of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) and clostridium difficile (C-diff).

24 Nov 2009

BD acquires HandyLab for $275 million

BD today announced the completion of its acquisition of HandyLab, Inc., an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company that develops and manufactures molecular diagnostic assays and automation platforms.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 20 Nov 2009

AvidBiotics granted U.S. and European patents concerning its DGR technology platform

AvidBiotics Corp. announced the issuance of foundational patents encompassing a completely novel mechanism for generating massive diversity within precisely targeted sites of protein-encoding DNA sequences. The technology platform is referred to as Diversity Generating Retroelements (DGR) and patents were issued in both the United States (#7,585,957) and in Europe (#1,173,995). UCLA and AvidBiotics Corp are co-assignees of the patents, and AvidBiotics holds exclusive, worldwide rights to the patents from UCLA.

13 Nov 2009

Optimer Pharmaceuticals presents additional data from Phase 3 fidaxomicin study

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of new data from fidaxomicin's North American phase 3 study at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) in Philadelphia, PA.

2 Nov 2009

Unexpected consequences emerge in patients who are prescribed PPI medications for reflux diseases

Despite being highly effective and beneficial for many patients, unexpected consequences are emerging in patients who are prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for reflux diseases. Physicians are warned to monitor these effects and prescribe these medications carefully, according to a new commentary published in the November 2009 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

2 Nov 2009

Gen-Probe receives FDA emergency use authorization for its Prodesse ProFlu-ST test

Gen-Probe Incorporated today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted an EUA (emergency use authorization) for its test, the Prodesse ProFlu-ST(TM), to be used in CLIA high complexity laboratories for the diagnosis of 2009 H1N1 influenza virus infection, aided by an algorithm that relies on seasonal influenza A/H1 virus and seasonal influenza A/H3 virus results, from a single sample in individuals who are diagnosed with influenza A by currently available FDA-cleared or authorized devices.

29 Oct 2009

NIH awards Excelimmune grant to develop treatment for Clostridium difficile infection

Excelimmune, Inc. (www.excelimmune.com) announced today that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the company a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to support research aimed at developing new treatments for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection, employing Excelimmune’s expertise in developing novel antibody therapies for human disease.

28 Oct 2009

HHS funds projects to combat health care-associated infections

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the award of $17 million to fund projects to fight costly and dangerous health care-associated infections, or HAIs.

28 Oct 2009

Stomach infection on the rise in outpatient settings; symptoms can range from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that a sometimes deadly stomach bug, Clostridium difficile, (http://www.mayoclinic.org/c-difficile/) is on the rise in outpatient settings.

27 Oct 2009

BD to acquire HandyLab

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)announced today that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire HandyLab, Inc., an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company that develops and manufactures molecular diagnostic assays and automation platforms. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close during the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 24 Oct 2009

HHS funds $17M for fight against costly and dangerous health care-associated infections

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the award of $17 million to fund projects to fight costly and dangerous health care-associated infections, or HAIs.

24 Oct 2009

Gen-Probe acquires Prodesse

Gen-Probe announced today that the Company has completed its acquisition of Prodesse, Inc., a leader in molecular testing for influenza and other infectious diseases, for approximately $60 million in cash.

23 Oct 2009

Theravance earns milestone payment for bactericidal, injectable lipoglycopeptide antibiotic

Theravance, Inc. announced today that it has earned a milestone payment of $20 million for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of VIBATIV (telavancin) and supplying its collaboration partner, Astellas Pharma US, Inc. (Astellas), with the launch inventory for the first commercial sale in the United States.

23 Oct 2009

Eat healthy food to keep bacteria in the gut healthy

Healthy eating, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy, says a dietitian and researcher.

22 Oct 2009

Optimer Pharmaceuticals to present additional data on fidaxomicin at the 47th IDSA meeting

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that additional data related to fidaxomicin, the Company's lead developmental product candidate for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection, will be presented at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) to be held at The Philadelphia Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 29 through November 1, 2009.

20 Oct 2009

Handwashing with soap is the best way to control flu and respiratory infections

People are more likely to wash their hands when they have been shamed into it, according to a study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

15 Oct 2009

Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority's initiative to raise awareness of healthcare-associated infections

The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority supports "International Infection Prevention Week," October 18-24, 2009, to raise awareness of the need to protect patients and the public from healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

14 Oct 2009

Biocodex secures consumer distribution with CVS stores nationwide for its Florastor

As part of its continued expansion throughout the U.S. retail market, Biocodex, Inc., the U.S. arm of the French manufacturer of Florastor® and Florastor® Kids, has secured consumer distribution with CVS stores nationwide beginning this month. Florastor will be placed on-shelf in the stomach/digestives aisle, while Florastor Kids will be available upon request “behind the counter.”

8 Oct 2009

Gen-Probe to acquire Prodesse for $60 million in cash

Gen-Probe Incorporated announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Prodesse, Inc., a privately held leader in molecular testing for influenza and other infectious diseases, for approximately $60 million in cash. Gen-Probe's purchase price could increase to up to $85 million if Prodesse achieves certain financial and regulatory milestones in 2010 and 2011.

7 Oct 2009