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Pharmasset receives fast track designation from FDA for PSI-7977

Pharmasset, Inc. has received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for PSI-7977 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. PSI-7977 is an oral uridine nucleotide analog polymerase inhibitor of HCV. Pharmasset recently completed dosing in a 28 day Phase 2a trial to evaluate PSI-7977 in combination with Pegasys (pegylated interferon) plus Copegus (ribavirin) in treatment-naive patients chronically infected with HCV genotype 1.

12 Aug 2010

Vertex reports results from Phase 3 ILLUMINATE study of telaprevir-based therapy for hepatitis C

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced results from the Phase 3 ILLUMINATE study, which was designed to evaluate whether there was any benefit to extending therapy from 24 to 48 weeks in people whose hepatitis C virus (HCV) was undetectable at weeks 4 and 12 of treatment (extended rapid viral response or eRVR).

10 Aug 2010

Array BioPharma fiscal 2010 revenue increases to $53.9 million

Array BioPharma Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2010.

10 Aug 2010

Anti-viral drug addition to standard treatment regimen increases cure rate for hepatitis C

Adding a direct acting anti-viral drug to the standard treatment regimen for hepatitis C significantly increases the cure rate in the most difficult to treat patients, according to a research report published Monday in the online edition of the journal The Lancet.The research team, led by Paul Kwo, M.D., of Indiana University School of Medicine, reported that adding the drug nearly doubled the treatment's effectiveness when given for 48 weeks in one treatment arm of the study.

9 Aug 2010

ZymoGenetics second-quarter net loss declines to $3.8 million

ZymoGenetics, Inc. today reported substantially improved financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010. For the second quarter of 2010, the company's net loss declined to $3.8 million, or $0.04 per share, a $23.2 million improvement from the $27.0 million loss, or $0.39 per share, reported for the second quarter of 2009. The improvement resulted from higher revenues as well as reduced operating expenses.

4 Aug 2010

GG genotype may increase severity of multiple sclerosis symptoms: Study

A new study shows a gene variant may increase the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. The research will be published in the August 3, 2010, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.For the study, researchers screened the oligoadenylate synthetase gene in 401 people with MS, 394 people without MS and 178 people receiving the MS treatment beta interferon.

3 Aug 2010

Anadys Pharmaceuticals reports SVR12 data for ANA598

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that six of six patients (100%) in the ANA598 200 mg twice daily (bid) arm who were randomized to stop all treatment at Week 24 in an ongoing Phase II trial maintained undetectable levels of virus 12 weeks after stopping treatment, referred to as Sustained Virological Response 12, or SVR12.

30 Jul 2010

Antigenics second-quarter net loss attributable to common stockholders decreases to $5.2 million

Antigenics Inc. reported today its results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.

29 Jul 2010

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

Merck announced a non-exclusive license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings for the commercialization of a genetic test that may help predict the response of patients with Hepatitis C virus infection to peginterferon alpha-based therapy.

28 Jul 2010

InterMune second-quarter total revenue decreases to $5.9 million

InterMune, Inc. today announced results from operations for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. InterMune also highlighted its recent clinical development and business activities, and provided forward-looking financial guidance for 2010.

28 Jul 2010

Researchers reveal biological rationale for why corticosteroids help people with lupus

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have uncovered the biological rationale for why large doses of corticosteroids given repeatedly over several weeks may help individuals with lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects more than 1 million people in the U.S.

27 Jul 2010

Singapore hepatitis C therapeutics market revenue to increase to $4.5 billion by 2017

The Singaporean government's emphasis on raising awareness on the benefit of frequent health check-ups have significantly raised the number of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) diagnosed cases in the country, expanding the patient pool. Therapeutics companies have a challenging task ahead for improving treatment for this market as current treatment requires high dosage frequency, but potentially has serious side effects.

27 Jul 2010

Idenix second-quarter total revenues decrease to $1.3 million

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today reported unaudited financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010. At June 30, 2010, Idenix's cash and cash equivalents totaled $51.0 million.

27 Jul 2010

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange reported today that a significant decrease in HCV viral load was detected in 3 patients with liver cancer who are treated daily orally with CF102. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). The results announced today relate to data which came out of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

26 Jul 2010

Achillion nominates ACH-2928 NS5A clinical candidate for treatment of HCV

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the discovery and development of treatments for the most challenging infectious diseases, today announced the nomination of a lead clinical candidate in its fourth proprietary program against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The candidate, ACH-2928, is an NS5A inhibitor that in preclinical studies has demonstrated excellent potency against HCV RNA replication, as well as good pharmacokinetic and safety profiles.

22 Jul 2010

Depressive symptoms in patients with HCV infection overlooked

Researchers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland (the NORDynamIC project group) have observed that depressive symptoms in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are commonly overlooked in routine clinical interviews, and that treatment-induced depression compromises the outcome of HCV therapy. A second U.S. study found that patients with chronic infection had lower (work) productivity and incurred higher medical benefit costs than those without HCV.

21 Jul 2010

Biogen Idec second-quarter revenues increase 11% to $1.2 billion

Biogen Idec Inc., a global biotechnology leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of innovative therapies, today announced its second quarter 2010 results.

20 Jul 2010

Study on how cellular defence systems keep themselves in check from damaging cells themselves

When cells are attacked by bacteria they use all means at their disposal to defend themselves. But cellular defence systems can damage the cells themselves and so need to be kept tightly in check. Recent results help us to understand how this is done and give pointers to new ways of combating disease. Matthias Farlik in the group of Thomas Decker at the Centre for Molecular Biology of the University of Vienna (Max F. Perutz Laboratories) and Mathias Müller of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna have published these findings in the current issue of the journal "Immunity".

16 Jul 2010

Neurologists more aware of Merck Serono/EMD Serono's oral cladribine than Novartis/Mitsubishi Tanabe's FTY-720

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that surveyed neurologists have low awareness of Novartis/Mitsubishi Tanabe's FTY-720 (Gilenia) among the surveyed oral emerging therapies for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).

16 Jul 2010

New findings on macrophage activation can facilitate development of early diagnosis tools

Immune system cells called macrophages spring into action to surround and destroy threats such as viruses or cancer cells. But sometimes the would-be protective response leads to persistent inflammation, which, in turn, can cause disease.Scientists don't know exactly how macrophages cross the line from being good cops to bad cops, but researchers at the University of Florida recently unearthed several clues about the mechanisms involved. Through the lens of two inflammation-related diseases, HIV and rheumatoid arthritis, they identified changes in specific proteins linked to the action of macrophages, white blood cells that are key to the body's natural defenses.

16 Jul 2010

Interferon News and Research

Pharmasset receives fast track designation from FDA for PSI-7977

Vertex reports results from Phase 3 ILLUMINATE study of telaprevir-based therapy for hepatitis C

Array BioPharma fiscal 2010 revenue increases to $53.9 million

Anti-viral drug addition to standard treatment regimen increases cure rate for hepatitis C

ZymoGenetics second-quarter net loss declines to $3.8 million

GG genotype may increase severity of multiple sclerosis symptoms: Study

Anadys Pharmaceuticals reports SVR12 data for ANA598

Antigenics second-quarter net loss attributable to common stockholders decreases to $5.2 million

Merck signs non-exclusive license agreement with LabCorp for commercialization of genetic test

InterMune second-quarter total revenue decreases to $5.9 million

Researchers reveal biological rationale for why corticosteroids help people with lupus

Singapore hepatitis C therapeutics market revenue to increase to $4.5 billion by 2017

Idenix second-quarter total revenues decrease to $1.3 million

Can-Fite's CF102 decreases HCV viral load in liver cancer patients

Achillion nominates ACH-2928 NS5A clinical candidate for treatment of HCV

Depressive symptoms in patients with HCV infection overlooked

Biogen Idec second-quarter revenues increase 11% to $1.2 billion

Study on how cellular defence systems keep themselves in check from damaging cells themselves

Neurologists more aware of Merck Serono/EMD Serono's oral cladribine than Novartis/Mitsubishi Tanabe's FTY-720

New findings on macrophage activation can facilitate development of early diagnosis tools

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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