Infectious Diseases News and Research

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Autism-vaccine link study – Complete fraud

There has been a controversy regarding the causative link of vaccines with autism. A report appeared in the British Medical Journal this Wednesday that stated that Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the lead author of a major study to imply such a link had falsified the medical histories of all 12 patients in his study and that he was “hoping to sue vaccine manufacturers and to create a vaccine scare.”

9 Jan 2011

Study supports two-dose vaccine regimen for protecting children from chickenpox

Two doses of the varicella, or chickenpox, vaccine provide excellent protection in children against this highly contagious and, in some cases, severe disease. To be published in the February 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the findings support the two-dose vaccine regimen recommended in the United States since 2006.

7 Jan 2011

IDSA releases MRSA treatment guidelines

Physicians now have help in their battle against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a potentially deadly infection that initially was limited to hospitals and health care facilities but has become a growing problem in healthy children and adults. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has released its first guidelines for the treatment of increasingly common MRSA infections.

7 Jan 2011

Cell Medica enters EBV-associated cancer research collaboration with CAGT and Baylor College of Medicine

Cell Medica, a leading cellular therapeutics company which develops, manufactures and markets cellular immunotherapy products for the treatment of infectious disease and cancer, is pleased to announce an exclusive license agreement and research collaboration with the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy (CAGT), Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas), for the commercialization of an innovative cell-based treatment for cancers associated with the oncogenic Epstein Barr virus (EBV).

7 Jan 2011

DARPA grants million dollar to IDRI to develop single dose influenza vaccine

The Infectious Disease Research Institute today announced it has received a multi-million dollar grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Army Research Office, both parts of United States Department of Defense.

7 Jan 2011

Extreme obesity a powerful risk factor for death among 2009 H1N1 patients

For those infected with the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus, extreme obesity was a powerful risk factor for death, according to an analysis of a public health surveillance database. In a study to be published in the February 1, 2011, issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers associated extreme obesity with a nearly three-fold increased odds of death from 2009 H1N1 influenza. Half of Californians greater than 20 years of age hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 were obese.

7 Jan 2011

Ligand, Chiva Pharmaceuticals enter strategic relationship to develop multiple Ligand assets, technology

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that it has entered into a strategic relationship with Chiva Pharmaceuticals, to develop multiple Ligand assets and technology in China and potentially worldwide.

7 Jan 2011

MacroGenics commences MGAH22 Phase I trail for patients with HER2-positive cancer

MacroGenics, a privately held biotechnology company that develops immunotherapeutics to treat autoimmune disorders, cancer and infectious diseases, today announced that it had administered drug to the first cohort of patients in a Phase I clinical trial of MGAH22.

6 Jan 2011

Lab21 acquires Microgen Bioproducts

Lab21 Limited, the Cambridge, UK-based specialist in personalised medicine and clinical diagnostics, has announced that it has acquired Microgen Bioproducts Ltd a UK company specialising in the development, manufacture and sale of diagnostic tests to identify diseases and organisms which pose a threat to health.

6 Jan 2011

Symphogen closes €100 million stock to a group of investors

Symphogen, a private biopharmaceutical company developing superior antibody therapeutics to treat cancer, infectious and autoimmune diseases, announced today that it closed a €100 million placement of Preferred Stock to a group of investors.

6 Jan 2011

Profectus BioSciences commences GENEVAX IL-12 phase 1 study for HIV

Profectus BioSciences, a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against infectious diseases and cancers, and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group announced today the initiation of a phase 1 study of Profectus' multi-antigen HIV plasmid DNA vaccine administered with various doses of GENEVAX™ interleukin-12 pDNA adjuvant and delivered using the electroporation based TriGrid™delivery system developed by Ichor Medical Systems.

6 Jan 2011

Impact of flu vaccine opt-out is being seen as A(H1N1) returns to Europe

As the UK and a number of European countries are now experiencing epidemics of influenza, including A(H1N1) which was the 2009 pandemic virus, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) warns that the consequences of non-vaccination could emerge as a new flu emergency and are calling for greater efforts to encourage vaccination, not only for at risk groups but also health care workers.

6 Jan 2011

Scientists identify prognostic biomarker to treat patients with HCV

Scientists at Inserm and Institut Pasteur have performed biomarker discovery on patients being treated for chronic hepatitis C infection. Their work, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, demonstrates that the plasma levels of the protein IP-10 predict, prior to treatment initiation, the efficacy of treatment with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin.

6 Jan 2011

IRIS ships 3,000th iQ200 Automated Urine Microscopy Analyzer to Sarasota Memorial Hospital

IRIS International, Inc., a leading manufacturer of automated in-vitro diagnostics systems and consumables for use in hospitals and commercial laboratories worldwide, and a provider of high value personalized diagnostics testing services through its CLIA certified molecular diagnostics laboratory, has shipped its 3,000th iQ200Automated Urine Microscopy Analyzer.

5 Jan 2011

Two doses of varicella vaccine provide higher antibody levels than one

When vaccinating children against varicella, researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found, two doses are better than one. In fact, the odds of developing chicken pox were 95 percent lower in children who had received two doses of the vaccine compared with those who had received only one dose.

5 Jan 2011

Six new experts join National Biodefense Science Board

Six experts from outside the federal government will join the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB), a federal advisory committee which provides expert advice and guidance on preventing, preparing for, and responding to adverse health effects of public health emergencies to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). The new members replace members whose 3-year terms expire Dec. 31.

4 Jan 2011

Quantum mechanics technique against flu

With the current outbreak of the flu season in Israel, hospitals are reporting overcrowding, and doctors are advising people who have not yet been vaccinated against flu to get their shots.

3 Jan 2011

Genocea announces close of $35 million Series B venture financing round

Genocea Biosciences Inc., a vaccine discovery and development company pioneering a new class of T cell-based vaccines, today announced that it has closed a $35 million Series B round of venture financing, with new investors Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC), Skyline Ventures and MP Healthcare Venture Management, Inc. (MPH) joining existing investors Polaris Venture Partners, Lux Capital Management, SR One, Cycad Group, Auriga Partners and Morningside Ventures.

3 Jan 2011

Immunitor reports positive safety imm01 clinical trial against tuberculosis

Immune Network Ltd., advises that Immunitor has published data from the first half of the 120-patient imm01 clinical trial of its V5 immunomodulator product against tuberculosis, including difficult-to-treat forms of the disease.

30 Dec 2010

Low levels of microbe-killing molecules improve survival rate of people with CGD

Investigators at the National Institutes of Health have observed that the survival rate of people with a rare immunodeficiency disease called chronic granulomatous disease is greatly improved when even very low levels of microbe-killing molecules are present.

30 Dec 2010