Retrovirus News and Research

RSS

Study questions suitability of anti-retroviral drugs for the young

According to a new major study one in eight children born with HIV becomes resistant to the three main classes of drugs used to suppress the virus within five years of starting treatment. This is the first major study that looks at drug resistance in 1,000 European children born with HIV. It raises questions about the suitability of anti-retroviral drugs for the young.

25 Apr 2011

GeoVax Labs to update its HIV/AIDS vaccine status at World Vaccine Conference

Harriet Robinson, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at GeoVax Labs, Inc., will provide an update on the status of the Company's therapeutic and preventative HIV vaccines at the 2011 World Vaccine Conference at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington DC on Thursday, April 14.

8 Apr 2011

New discovery in cancer and gene therapy

DNA's role as the master blueprint of the cell means that even small sequence changes can have catastrophic consequences. For this reason, much of our understanding of cancer development comes from studying how cells copy DNA and repair sequence errors--and how these processes can go wrong.

8 Apr 2011

Retrovirus XMRV may not be associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the central nervous system

There has been substantial mystery surrounding the origins of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a condition affecting as many as four million Americans and marked by symptoms that include a sense of weariness that sleep does not improve and difficulty with memory and concentration.

6 Apr 2011

HIV/AIDS drugs shortage with rise in cases: An update

According to Australia's Ambassador on HIV/AIDS, Murray Proctor, Asia is falling short on HIV/AIDS treatment as almost 400,000 new cases are reported each year. He was attending a regional conference on universal access to treatment for AIDS where he said availability and price of vital anti-retroviral or anti- HIV medications remain a challenge for the region.

31 Mar 2011

HIV uses base excision repair pathway to insert DNA into host-cell genome

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS, makes use of the base excision repair pathway when inserting its DNA into the host-cell genome, according to a new study led by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Crippling the repair pathway prevents the virus from completing this critical step in the retrovirus's life cycle.

25 Mar 2011

State News: Study highlights problems in Mass. Connector

Los Angeles officials Thursday unveiled what Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa termed a landmark tentative labor agreement that would greatly increase healthcare and pension contributions for thousands of municipal workers and put an end to some furloughs caused by the city's budget crisis.

25 Mar 2011

Apotex passes Bill C-393 to fix Canada's Access to Medicines Regime

Apotex Inc, Canada's largest pharmaceutical company, today underscored the need for Members of Parliament to fix Canada's Access to Medicines Regime by passing Bill C-393 when it comes up for final vote tomorrow, March 9, 2011.

9 Mar 2011

Pediatrician unveils latest findings of IMPAACT HIV/AIDS study during 2011 CROI

A clinical study of anti-HIV/AIDS medicines in the developing world is on the verge of turning "the whole treatment world on its head," according to Dartmouth pediatrician Paul Palumbo.

4 Mar 2011

BigThink.com launches breakthroughs: Discussion highlighting cutting-edge cancer research

Everyone knows someone that has been touched by cancer. Over one and a half million Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in 2011, and more than 560,000 will die from the disease, accounting for 1 out of every 5 deaths.

2 Mar 2011

Viruses that are natural part of human genome may retrovirus culprit

A retrovirus that inserted itself into the human genome thousands of years ago may be responsible for some cases of the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gherig’s disease. The finding, made by Johns Hopkins scientists, may eventually give researchers a new way to attack this universally fatal condition.

2 Mar 2011

Scientists at retrovirus conference present findings on microbicide gel, Truvada, male circumcision, ART care by nurses

At the annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston on Monday, researchers "suggested the potential" of a gel containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir to reduce the risk of anal HIV transmission, TIME's "Healthland" blog reports.

2 Mar 2011

Cancer-causing retrovirus prolongs survival of host cells

A cancer-causing retrovirus exploits key proteins in its host cells to extend the life of those cells, thereby prolonging its own survival and ability to spread, according to a new study by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James) and Ohio State's College of Veterinary Medicine.

23 Feb 2011

NHGRI's new strategic plan to identify genetic bases of most single-gene disorders

A new strategic plan from an arm of the National Institutes of Health envisions scientists being able to identify genetic bases of most single-gene disorders and gaining new insights into multi-gene disorders in the next decade. This should lead to more accurate diagnoses, new drug targets and the development of practical treatments for many who today lack therapeutic options, according to the plan from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

14 Feb 2011

Positive results from Glenmark's crofelemer Phase 2 study in acute watery diarrhea

Napo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is pleased to announce the positive results of a successfully completed Phase 2 study of crofelemer for the treatment of hospitalized adult patients with mild to moderate acute watery diarrhea conducted by its partner Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd..

14 Feb 2011

HIV trials and tribulations

A report published online February 8 in PLoS Medicine shows that mass behaviour changes could be credited with helping to remarkably reduce the number of people infected with HIV in Zimbabwe in recent years. These changes include declines in extramarital, commercial, and casual sexual relations, as well as a decline in multiple partners. These have been triggered by increased awareness of AIDS deaths and fear of infection and to some extent by the country’s economic deterioration.

13 Feb 2011

International AIDS Society urges donors and governments to continue funding

Following the publication of several media reports which seriously distort the extent of fraud discovered in grants financed by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the International AIDS Society (IAS) urges all donors and governments to continue their funding.

9 Feb 2011

Technique that cleared mouse of HIV-like virus sparks hope for new therapy

In a breakthrough, Australian researchers have developed a method to boost the immune system. This technique is seen to be capable of clearing an “HIV-like” infection from a mouse. This could in future lead to a cure for HIV and other chronic viral infections in humans. The findings from Melbourne’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute are centred on a naturally occurring cell signalling hormone called interleukin-7 (IL-7).

6 Feb 2011

HIV drug used by drug abusers in a deadly concoction

In a sad and rather ironic situation in South Africa, where many are fighting a battle against HIV/AIDS with shortage of Anti-retrovital drugs, there is a new drug craze. South Africa has the world’s largest population of HIV infected citizens - nearly 6 million.

27 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