Immunosuppression News and Research

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Immunosuppression involves an act that reduces the activation or efficacy of the immune system. Some portions of the immune system itself have immuno-suppressive effects on other parts of the immune system, and immunosuppression may occur as an adverse reaction to treatment of other conditions.

Smoking-cessation in HIV-positive individuals: an interview with Dr Ellen R. Gritz, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

In the general population, current smoking prevalence is 18%. Persons living with HIV/AIDS smoke at a rate 2 to 3 times higher, up to almost 70% in some studies.

16 Sep 2013

Cellular Biomedicine Group reports interim results of Phase I/IIa clinical trial for Knee Osteoarthritis

Cellular Biomedicine Group, Inc. today announced the interim results of its Phase I/IIa clinical trial for human adipose-derived mesenchymal precursor cell (haMPC) therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis, which tests the safety and efficacy of intra-articular injections of autologous (patient's own) haMPCs in order to reduce inflammation and repair damaged joint cartilage.

6 Sep 2013

Apoptosis can reactivate latent herpesviruses in dying cell

Researchers have found that apoptosis, a natural process of programmed cell death, can reactivate latent herpesviruses in the dying cell. The results of their research, which could have broad clinical significance since many cancer chemotherapies cause apoptosis, was published ahead of print in the Journal of Virology.

6 Sep 2013

Argininosuccinic aciduria (ASA) and gene therapy: an interview with Dr Julien Baruteau, UCL Institute for Women's Health, London

This rare genetic condition can theoretically affect patients at any age but symptoms are more often observed in childhood and even uncommonly during the first days of life.

2 Sep 2013

Researchers develop ddPCR technology to quantify rejection biomarker in organ transplant injury

A recently reported blood test for the early detection of organ transplant injury could enable more timely therapeutic intervention in transplant patients and thus help to avoid longer term damage. As described by scientists at the University Medical Center G-ttingen and Chronix Biomedical, a molecular diagnostics company, the new method uses Bio-Rad Laboratories' Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR-) technology to overcome the obstacles of earlier tests, which were both time-consuming and costly.

28 Aug 2013

Study: Apoptosis triggers alternate replication pathway in HHV

Washington, DC-Researchers from Children's National Medical Center have found that an alternate, "escape" replication process triggered by apoptosis-the process of cell death or "cell suicide"-appears to be common in human herpesviruses (HHV).

28 Aug 2013

Hope for hand amputees: Researchers test new method for local immunosuppression

Hope for hand amputees: researchers at Inselspital and the University of Bern have successfully tested a new method for local immunosuppression.

23 Aug 2013

Noninvasive urine test can accurately monitor risk of kidney rejection

Levels of a protein in the urine of kidney transplant recipients can distinguish those at low risk of developing kidney injury from those at high risk, a study suggests. The results also suggest that low levels of this protein, called CXCL9, can rule out rejection as a cause of kidney injury.

23 Aug 2013

Novartis starts shipment of 2013-2014 seasonal influenza vaccines to US customers

Novartis announced today that it has begun shipment of its seasonal influenza vaccines to customers in the US market for the 2013-2014 season. Novartis plans to ship a minimum of 30 million doses of its influenza vaccines to the US market, including Fluvirin (Influenza Virus Vaccine), approved for use in people 4 years of age and older, and Flucelvax (Influenza Virus Vaccine), approved for use in adults 18 years of age and older.

22 Aug 2013

Study shows ART has reduced immunosuppression and viremia among PHIV youth

The advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed HIV from a death sentence into a chronic disease. In one of the largest studies of perinatally infected HIV (PHIV) patients to date, Agwu, et al, found that the proportion of patients on ART has increased and rates of viremia and advanced immunosuppression have decreased. But the rates of both markers in older patients are higher, according to an article in the Fall issue of The Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS).

20 Aug 2013

Second GSK intramuscular quadrivalent influenza vaccine approved by the FDA

GlaxoSmithKline plc [LSE/NYSE: GSK] announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved FLULAVAL® QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Virus Vaccine) for the active immunization of persons three years of age and older to help prevent disease caused by seasonal influenza (flu) virus subtypes A and B contained in the vaccine.

19 Aug 2013

New bio-artificial "encapsulife" pancreas points to cure for diabetes

The Squash Diabetes Campaign, launched by the Georgetown University Women's Squash Team* in December 2012 and sponsored by New Generation Foundation, today announced a $125,000 grant provided by the Chicago-based Chauncey and Marion D. McCormick Family Foundation.

8 Aug 2013

Bayer Collaboration Could Net $540M+ For Compugen

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6 Aug 2013

Compugen, Bayer sign collaboration and license agreement for antibody-based cancer immunotherapies

Compugen Ltd. announced today the signing of a collaboration and license agreement for the research, development, and commercialization of antibody-based therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy against two novel Compugen discovered immune checkpoint regulators.

5 Aug 2013

NIH-funded study finds that rituximab is as effective as standard therapy for severe vasculitis

Administering the drug rituximab once weekly for one month provides the same benefits as 18 months of daily immunosuppressive therapy in people with severe forms of vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels, a study has found.

1 Aug 2013

3-gene signature test will improve care of kidney transplant patients

A breakthrough non-invasive test can detect whether transplanted kidneys are in the process of being rejected, as well as identify patients at risk for rejection weeks to months before they show symptoms, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

4 Jul 2013

Research: Systemic dose of dendritic cells prevent rejection in kidney transplantation

A single systemic dose of special immune cells prevented rejection for almost four months in a preclinical animal model of kidney transplantation, according to experts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

1 Jul 2013

Study: Pluripotent stem cell line-derived neurons survive and respond to cues in the primate brain

A team of researchers from Rush University, Yale University, the University of Colorado and the St. Kitts Biomedical Research Foundation transplanted human embryonic stem cells into primate laboratory animals modeled with Parkinson's disease and found "robust survival" of the cells after six weeks and indications that the cells were "well integrated" into the host animals.

29 Jun 2013

UCI researchers receive $2.27M to develop innovative methods of treating Type 1 diabetes.

Two UC Irvine research groups have received $2.27 million from the JDRF to develop innovative methods of treating and possibly curing Type 1 diabetes.

27 Jun 2013

Investigators recruit subjects for Boston Children's Hand Transplant Program

Boston Children's Hospital today announced that investigators are now recruiting subjects for the world's first pediatric hand transplant program. The Boston Children's Hand Transplant Program, led by principal investigator Amir Taghinia, MD, and William Harmon, MD, is a research-based program that will offer bi-lateral hand transplants for children living without two functioning hands.

17 Jun 2013