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.

Bristol-Myers Squibb receives FDA approval for Nulojix to prevent organ rejection after kidney transplant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Nulojix to prevent acute rejection in adult patients who have had a kidney transplant. The drug is approved for use with other immunosuppressants -- specifically basiliximab, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids.

16 Jun 2011

Article reports on bright future and enormous need for stem cell therapeutics

An article in the current issue of Technology & Innovation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors - reports on the bright future and enormous need for stem cell therapeutics that may offer hope for those suffering from debilitating and deadly diseases.

9 Jun 2011

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease after liver transplantation

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease continues to be the most common indication for liver transplantation (LT) in the United States accounting for nearly 50% of all liver transplants. Recurrence is universal in patients viremic at the time of transplantation with histological hepatitis developing in the majority of patients. Although the natural history of recurrent HCV is difficult to predict, it is widely accepted that cirrhosis from recurrent HCV occurs in up to 30% of patients within five years of transplantation.

8 Jun 2011

New positive Cimzia phase IIIb study data on rheumatoid arthritis presented at EULAR meeting

UCB today announced data which showed that the addition of Cimzia to current therapy was associated with a rapid and consistent clinical response in a diverse group of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

30 May 2011

Alemtuzumab as effective as other more expensive immune suppressants for kidney transplants

In the first head-to-head comparison of the three most common drugs used at the time of a kidney transplant to prevent organ rejection, researchers found that the least expensive drug - at one-half to one-fifth the price - is as safe and effective as the other two, according to a paper published by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers in the May 19, 2011, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

19 May 2011

SYMBICORT long-term comparative study data in African American asthma patients presented at ATS 2011

AstraZeneca today announced results from a long-term study comparing SYMBICORT Inhalation Aerosol 160/4.5 mcg with budesonide pressurized metered-dose inhaler 160 mcg in self-reported African American patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma.

17 May 2011

Journal of Rheumatology publishes positive results from Cimzia Phase III trial in RA

UCB announced today results from a post hoc analysis of the RAPID 1 study published in the Journal of Rheumatology. The results suggest moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with Cimzia, the only approved PEGylated anti-TNF, together with methotrexate, achieved a rapid response associated with improved long-term outcomes one year after treatment began.

11 May 2011

Two DIFICID Phase 3 study data in C. difficile presented at ECCMID conference

Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of two abstracts at the 21st European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases conference in Milan, Italy highlighting additional analyses of the Phase 3 data of DIFICID for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infection.

11 May 2011

Diabetes cell implant company approved for Argentina clinical trial

Living Cell Technologies Limited, a company pioneering the development of a cell implant to treat diabetes, has obtained approval to commence a Phase II DIABECELL clinical trial in Buenos Aires, Argentina, DIABECELL's third jurisdiction to date which has approved human trials. Up to eight adult patients with Type 1 diabetes, including those with unstable diabetes and severe hypoglycaemia, will each receive two implants of DIABECELL, three months apart with a dose seeking component. The trial is expected to begin in the second half of this year.

3 May 2011

Hospital patients with AUDs are at increased risk of developing HAIs: Study

Hospital patients with alcohol use disorders are at an increased risk of developing healthcare-associated infections, which affect 1.7 million patients annually in the United States. HAIs are infections that patients acquire during their hospitalization and that were not present at the time of admission to the hospital.

16 Apr 2011

New results from largest multicenter clinical trial for heart transplant patients be released at ISHLT 2011

New results from the largest multicenter clinical trial for heart transplant patients will be released this week at the International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation 31st Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions in San Diego. Results show clinical benefit for the use of Everolimus in heart transplant patients.

16 Apr 2011

Hartwell honors UCSD scientists with Individual Biomedical Research Award

Three scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are among this year's 12 winners of Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Awards, honoring researchers whose work advances children's health.

7 Apr 2011

Diseased human hepatocytes successfully reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells

Study shows, for the first time, the successful reprogramming of diseased human hepatocytes into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC).

1 Apr 2011

Smoking withdrawal after liver transplantation may protect against neoplasia development

Spanish researchers have found that liver transplant recipients who quit smoking have a lower incidence of smoking-related malignancies than patients who keep smoking.

30 Mar 2011

Smoking cessation after liver transplantation reduces incidence of malignancy

Spanish researchers have found that liver transplant recipients who quit smoking have a lower incidence of smoking-related malignancies (SRM) than patients who keep smoking. In fact, SRMs were identified in 13.5% of deceased patients and smoking was associated with a higher risk of malignancy in this study. Full findings are published in the April issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

29 Mar 2011

Scientists receive AACR Team Science Award for HPV research

The Fifth Annual AACR Team Science Award will be given to a team of internationally renowned molecular biologists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians and clinicians from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington who have worked together on human papillomavirus for more than 20 years.

28 Mar 2011

New PTLD Guideline highlighted at NCCN Annual Conference

A new Guideline detailing diagnosis, workup, and treatment options for Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder, as well as stronger recommendations for therapies in follicular lymphoma, topped the list of highlights in a presentation of the updated NCCN Guidelines for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas.

14 Mar 2011

Stem cell research updates

Two studies have been published this Wednesday in the journal Nature that show that work remains before so-called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are ready for use in laboratory studies or clinical therapies. These iPS cells are body cells that are programmed to unwind back into an embryonic state. Like embryonic stem cells, they have potential to develop into any other type of cell in the body. However researchers are showing that these cells do not reprogram perfectly.

3 Mar 2011

EPO to grant patent for Apricus MycoVa product to treat nail fungus

Apricus Biosciences, Inc. announced today that the European Patent Office will grant a patent for the company's MycoVa product for treating onychomycosis.

2 Mar 2011

Leading foundations support Australian diabetes treatment

Two international charitable foundations, New Zealand-based Cure Kids and U.S.-based Children with Diabetes Foundation, have each pledged to provide US$140,000 to fund the final two patients in a Phase II clinical trial in New Zealand that has the potential to transform the treatment of Type 1 diabetes.

15 Feb 2011