Interferon News and Research

RSS

Combination of 2 antiviral drugs improves outcome in monkey model of MERS-CoV infection

National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists report that a combination of two licensed antiviral drugs reduces virus replication and improves clinical outcome in a recently developed monkey model of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.

10 Sep 2013

Reversing inflammation in fluid near brain's cortex may provide solution to Parkinson's disease

Reversing inflammation in the fluid surrounding the brain's cortex may provide a solution to the complex riddle of Parkinson's, according to researchers who have found a link between pro-inflammatory biomarkers and the severity of symptoms such as fatigue, depression and anxiety in patients with the chronic disease.

29 Aug 2013

HCV treatment with sofosbuvir and ribavirin results in sustained virologic response

Treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection with the interferon-free regimen of sofosbuvir and ribavirin resulted in a high sustained virologic response rate in a patient population with unfavorable treatment characteristics, according to a study in the August 28 issue of JAMA.

28 Aug 2013

Pazopanib drug shows improved quality of life and safety in metastatic kidney cancer patients

Two oral targeted drugs approved for metastatic kidney cancer worked equally well, but one proved superior in tolerability, according to results of a large international clinical trial led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

22 Aug 2013

Powerful mechanism helps viruses evade body's immune response

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have discovered a powerful mechanism by which viruses such as influenza, West Nile and Dengue evade the body's immune response and infect humans with these potentially deadly diseases. The findings may provide scientists with an attractive target for novel antiviral therapies.

19 Aug 2013

New treatment technique uses nanoparticles to attack cancer

Researchers at the University of Georgia are developing a new treatment technique that uses nanoparticles to reprogram immune cells so they are able to recognize and attack cancer. The findings were published recently in the early online edition of ACS Nano.

16 Aug 2013

Boehringer Ingelheim completes patient enrolment of two pivotal Phase III interferon-free hepatitis C clinical trials

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced that enrolment of over 950 treatment naïve genotype-1b patients in the pivotal Phase III interferon-free HCVerso™ 1 and 2 trials is complete.

15 Aug 2013

Multiple sclerosis patients see "rapid expansion" of effective new treatment options

After decades of research, multiple sclerosis patients are seeing a "rapid expansion" of effective new treatment options, according to a review article in the journal Neurologic Clinics.

14 Aug 2013

Interferon-free treatment for genotype-1b hepatitis C patients: an interview with Professor Wulf Boecher, Boehringer Ingelheim

Genotype 1 is, worldwide, the most prevalent genotype of the hepatitis C virus. It accounts for around seventy percent of all hepatitis C infections.

30 Jul 2013

GlaxoSmithKline receives CHMP positive opinion for REVOLADE

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated partner GlaxoSmithKline announced that today, the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use issued a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization for GSK's REVOLADE (eltrombopag) as a treatment for low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) in adult patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, where the degree of thrombocytopenia is the main factor preventing the initiation or limiting the ability to maintain optimal interferon-based therapy

26 Jul 2013

Monash University researchers provide novel pathways to develop treatments for diseases

Monash University researchers have gained new insight into the early stages of our immune response, providing novel pathways to develop treatments for diseases from multiple sclerosis to cancer.

22 Jul 2013

Researchers discover new functions for PTPN22 gene linked with autoimmune disease

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have identified infection-fighting and inflammation-suppressing functions for a gene associated with human autoimmune disease.

20 Jul 2013

Biogen Idec announces acceptance of marketing applications for review of PLEGRIDY

Today Biogen Idec announced that U.S. and EU regulatory authorities have accepted the marketing applications for the review of PLEGRIDY (peginterferon beta-1a), the company's pegylated subcutaneous injectable candidate for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis.

19 Jul 2013

Researchers identify new cellular source for disease-fighting protein

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report the identification of a new cellular source for an important disease-fighting protein used in the body's earliest response to infection.

11 Jul 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

Idera Pharmaceuticals reports Phase 1 clinical trial results of IMO-8400

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced results of a Phase 1 clinical trial of IMO-8400, a first-in-class antagonist of Toll-like Receptors 7, 8, and 9 being developed for potential applications in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

2 Jul 2013

EMA's CHMP issues positive opinion for approval of Genzyme's LEMTRADA in Europe

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has issued a positive opinion for approval of LEMTRADA (alemtuzumab) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis with active disease defined by clinical or imaging features.

28 Jun 2013

Genetic process that promotes cervical cancer warns about anti-viral therapies in certain cases

A new understanding of the genetic process that can lead to cervical cancer may help improve diagnosis of potentially dangerous lesions for some women, and also raises a warning flag about the use of anti-viral therapies in certain cases - suggesting they could actually trigger the cancer they are trying to cure.

20 Jun 2013

Vitamin D deficiency can increase asthma and allergy risk in obese children and teenagers

One reason why obese children and teenagers are more likely to have hard-to-control asthma and allergies may be vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds. Results of the study will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

18 Jun 2013

Mount Sinai researchers present several new studies at ENDO 2013

Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai will present several new studies at ENDO 2013, The Endocrine Society's Annual Meeting & Expo from June 15-18 in San Francisco.

17 Jun 2013