Immunodeficiency News and Research

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Immunodeficiency (or immune deficiency) is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease is compromised or entirely absent.

Can preventative vaccines curb the rising numbers of HIV cases?

According to a recent United Nations study, HIV infection rates among high-risk groups such as gays, drug users and sex workers are on the rise around the world.

17 Mar 2010

Progenics Pharmaceuticals to advance oral methylnaltrexone for OIC into late stage clinical development

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it plans to advance oral methylnaltrexone for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) into late stage clinical development and will commence a phase 2b/3 clinical trial of a methylnaltrexone tablet in chronic-pain patients in the second half of 2010. Progenics also announced data from a clinical trial of this methylnaltrexone tablet.

15 Mar 2010

StockPreacher.com announces investment report featuring GenVec

StockPreacher.com announces an investment report featuring GenVec Inc. The report includes financial, comparative and investment analyses, and industry information you need to know to make an educated investment decision.

15 Mar 2010

Ardea Biosciences' revenues total $8.3M for three months ended December 31, 2009

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: RDEA) a biotechnology company focused on the development of small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of gout, cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), reported recent accomplishments, announced fourth quarter and full-year 2009 financial results and provided key upcoming clinical development milestones and financial guidance for 2010.

12 Mar 2010

False positives in screening tests

In many jurisdictions, tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are required screening for pregnant women. Some even suggest screening the entire population for HIV. The rationale is to administer powerful antiretroviral drugs to healthy individuals to "prevent transmission."

10 Mar 2010

Chimerix initiates CMX001 Phase 2 clinical trial in stem cell transplant patients for CMV

Chimerix, Inc., a biotechnology company developing orally-available antiviral therapeutics, today announced the initiation of a multi-center Phase 2 clinical trial designed to evaluate CMX001 in stem cell transplant recipients who are seropositive for cytomegalovirus (CMV).

9 Mar 2010

New reservoir for hidden HIV-infected cells identified

University of Michigan scientists have identified a new reservoir for hidden HIV-infected cells that can serve as a factory for new infections. The findings, which appear online March 7 in Nature Medicine, indicate a new target for curing the disease so those infected with the virus may someday no longer rely on AIDS drugs for a lifetime.

9 Mar 2010

U-M scientists identify new reservoir for hidden HIV-infected cells that can serve as factory for new infections

8 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

Elsevier releases special issue to mark the 25th anniversary of antiretroviral drug development

Elsevier, the world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, released a special issue of the journal Antiviral Research (www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01663542), marking the 25th anniversary of antiretroviral drug development.

4 Mar 2010

Ichor, Profectus announce agreement for clinical development of DNA vaccine programs

Ichor Medical Systems (Ichor) and Profectus Biosciences (Profectus) announced today that they have entered into a long-term development, license, and supply Agreement providing Profectus with commercial access to Ichor’s TriGrid™ Delivery System (TriGrid™) for the clinical development of its DNA vaccine programs, with an option for Ichor to co-develop.

3 Mar 2010

Merck's Isentress HIV/AIDS drug pricing: CalSTRS and CalPERS express concern

Today AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) announced that the two largest public pension funds in the nation, the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), have sent letters to Merck and Co. Pharmaceuticals expressing concern over the company’s pricing for its key HIV/AIDS drug, Isentress—now the most expensive first-line AIDS treatment in the U.S.

2 Mar 2010

α-defensins1-3 may be potential prophylactic agents in treatment of HIV / AIDS

HIV/AIDS remains one of the world's most significant public health challenges, particularly in developing countries. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1), the variant responsible for the pandemic, has the ability to infect different cell types such as T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells (DC). These latter cells are crucial in the defense against infectious agents and play a major role in viral pathogenesis.

25 Feb 2010

Nevirapine taken to protect fetus from HIV should be avoided for one year after childbirth, say researchers

Women given the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention drug nevirapine to protect their fetus should not use an HIV-drug regimen that contains nevirapine for at least one year after childbirth, say researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

25 Feb 2010

News outlets examine HIV vaccine research, cervical cancer screening data presented at conference

Several news outlets examine the latest reports out of this week's Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco.

20 Feb 2010

VIRxSYS announces results from prophylactic HIV vaccine study at 2010 CROI conference

VIRxSYS Corporation, a privately held company developing vaccines and RNA therapies for serious human diseases such as HIV and cardiovascular diseases, announced results from its prophylactic HIV vaccine (VRX1023) study in Rhesus Macaque monkeys during a presentation today at the 2010 Annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco, CA.

19 Feb 2010

GeoVax Labs presents results of preclinical study on prototype HIV/AIDS vaccine at CROI

GeoVax Labs, Inc., an Atlanta-based, biopharmaceutical company developing vaccines for diseases caused by HIV-1 (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), today announced that it presented the results of a preclinical study on a prototype HIV/AIDS vaccine at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in San Francisco.

18 Feb 2010

Special issue reviews current state of science in fetal therapy

Repairing birth defects in the womb. Inserting a tiny laser into the mother's uterus to seal off an abnormal blood flow and save fetal twins. Advancing the science that may allow doctors to deliver cells or DNA to treat sickle cell anemia and other genetic diseases before birth.

17 Feb 2010

Octapharma initiates Phase III studies for new, high purity IVIG in treatment of primary immune deficiency

Octapharma AG today announced the start of the first of a series of Phase III studies for its new 10% high purity intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The study will investigate the efficacy and safety of this novel immunoglobulin in the treatment of primary immune deficiency and, together with results from additional upcoming studies, will support its regulatory filing in Europe and the US.

16 Feb 2010

HIV transmission among male partners: CFAR scientists discover origin of strains

A team of scientists, led by a virologist from the University of California, San Diego's Center for AID Research (CFAR), has discovered the origin of strains of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among men who have sex with men. The study, which may be important in developing prevention strategies for HIV, will appear in Science Translational Medicine on February 10, 2010.

12 Feb 2010