Flu News and Research

RSS

Duke University awarded $19.5M to design a portable viral infection detection device

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the research arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, has awarded Duke University $19.5 million for an effort led by the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP) to design a portable, easy-to-use diagnostic device that can reveal who is infected with an upper respiratory virus before the first cough or sneeze.

22 Sep 2009

U.N. report calls for $1.48B to help developing nations cope with H1N1

The U.N. this week will request that wealthy nations and development banks donate $1.48 billion to help developing countries fight H1N1 (swine flu), Bloomberg reports. "Most of the money is needed for vaccines and drugs … to help the least-developed nations cope with the influenza pandemic, according to a U.N. report obtained" Monday by the news service.

21 Sep 2009

Inhalable H1N1 vaccine to arrive in U.S. first week of October, CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced it anticipates 3.4 million doses of inhalable H1N1 vaccines will be available by the first week of October - the initial influx of 195 million doses purchased by the U.S. government, CNN reports. The vaccine is approved for healthy people between the ages of two and 49, but not for pregnant women (9/18).

21 Sep 2009

Nanoviricides and Southern Research sign agreement to test anti-Influenza and anti-HIV drug candidates

NanoViricides, Inc. (OTC BB: NNVC.OB) (the "Company"), reported today that it has signed a “Master Service Agreement” with the Southern Research Institute (“Southern Research”), Birmingham, AL. Southern Research is a well established, prestigious institution that has performed preclinical testing services for several vaccines and antivirals.

21 Sep 2009

Chronic viruses found living in prostate tumors

According to Dr. Ila R. Singh, an associate professor of pathology at the University of Utah, "for the first time we have analyzed prostate cancer and normal prostate tissue and found cancers are much more likely to have [the XMRV virus] ... It was also more likely to be present in more aggressive tumors," Singh said. "We found it in 20 percent of the least aggressive tumors and over 45 percent of the most aggressive tumors."

21 Sep 2009

HHS awards $77.2 million contract to BioCryst to complete Phase 3 development of peramivir

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) today announced that it has been awarded a $77.2 million contract modification by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to complete Phase 3 development of its influenza neuraminidase inhibitor, intravenous (i.v.) peramivir, for the treatment of complicated influenza.

21 Sep 2009

Flu Preparedness Program offering latest information on the H1N1 virus

TeleVox Software, Inc., a leading provider of communication solutions for the healthcare industry, today launched its Flu Preparedness Program (www.televox.com/fluprogram), designed to enable health care providers to give their patients the latest information about fighting the Flu and the H1N1 virus, commonly referred to as the swine flu. Doctors can easily communicate with their patients through a variety of methods such as voice, email, postcards and text messages.

21 Sep 2009

No communication to workers from employers about policies in the workplace pertaining to H1N1: Study

Most workers have not had any direction from their employers about the upcoming flu season, according to a national survey released today by Mansfield Communications Inc.

21 Sep 2009

SmarterTravel releases precautionary checklist for travelers regarding swine flu

SmarterTravel(R), a comprehensive travel advice resource for the budget-conscious traveler, today released a checklist of strategies for staying safe while traveling during this highly anticipated flu season.

21 Sep 2009

Vaccine Global Congress organized by Elsevier's Vaccine journal

Elsevier, a leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, announced today, that its journal Vaccine, the most comprehensive and pre-eminent journal for those interested in vaccines and vaccination, will organize the 3rd Vaccine Global Congress from 4-6 October, 2009, in Singapore.

21 Sep 2009

Amgen announces results of Phase 3 trial in the treatment of bone metastases

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) today announced detailed results from a Phase 3 trial evaluating denosumab administered subcutaneously versus Zometa(R) (zoledronic acid) administered as an intravenous infusion in the treatment of bone metastases in 1,776 advanced cancer patients with solid tumors (not including breast and prostate cancer) or multiple myeloma. These results were presented today at the 2009 ECCO 15 - ESMO 34 European Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin, Germany (Abstract Number: 20LBA).

21 Sep 2009

ICTs play a major role in the health care sector

Today the GridTalk project launches its 8th GridBriefing at the Enabling Grids for E-sciencE (EGEE) conference in Barcelona. The report covers how information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly computing grids, are used in the health and biomedical sectors of European research. EGEE has supported this research community since the project's birth and it is the second largest user group after physics research.

21 Sep 2009

Nine countries pledge H1N1 vaccine donations to developing countries

...

21 Sep 2009

H1N1 infected people continue to shed live virus days after the symptoms

ABC News and other outlets are reporting that two studies released on Tuesday suggest that people infected with the H1N1 virus continue to shed virus after the point where current recommendations say they can resume their normal activities.

19 Sep 2009

Quidel's updates information on its Influenza A+B test package insert

Quidel Corporation, a global leader in point-of-care (POC) rapid diagnostic tests, issues clarification regarding the Special 510(k) clearance for an update to the Company's QuickVue Influenza A+B test package insert.

19 Sep 2009

Mass notification systems to relay pandemic outbreaks

As students head back to school, the CDC is reporting increasing influenza activity across the U.S. (http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/). With the H1N1 vaccine not yet available, what can schools do to ease parent's minds? Communicate.

18 Sep 2009

New Healthier Habits Rewards Program educates families on healthy hygiene routines

LYSOL((R)), the number one pediatrician recommended brand, announced today the launch of the Healthier Habits Rewards Program, an initiative to educate families on healthy hygiene routines. Through the Healthier Habits Rewards program, parents can learn valuable tips to help protect themselves and their children from potential illness-causing germs at home or at school.

18 Sep 2009

In Massachusetts, fears about public health vaccination proposal

The Boston Globe reports on the dramatic and fearful response to a "seemingly prosaic piece" of pending Massachusetts state legislation "that aims to better define - and, in some respects, restrict - the emergency powers of the state's public health officials."

18 Sep 2009

Meridian Bioscience to update its TRU FLU test package

Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio today announced that the company has been granted a Special 510(k) clearance to update the TRU FLU package insert to include analytical sensitivity claims with two strains of 2009 H1N1 virus cultured from positive respiratory specimens. TRU FLU is a rapid test which identifies influenza A and B in human specimens.

18 Sep 2009

WHO in talks with developed countries about sharing H1N1 vaccine with developing nations

The recent news that a single dose of H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine can protect adults against the virus has sparked conversations between the WHO and developed countries about sharing their vaccine stockpiles with developing countries, Bloomberg reports.

From Baxter International Inc. 18 Sep 2009