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Johnson & Johnson second-quarter sales increase 0.6% to $15.3 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $15.3 billion for the second quarter of 2010, an increase of 0.6% as compared to the second quarter of 2009. Operational results increased 0.1% and the positive impact of currency was 0.5%. Domestic sales declined 2.8%, while international sales increased 4.1%, reflecting operational growth of 3.0% and a positive currency impact of 1.1%.

20 Jul 2010

Abbott presents 48-week PROGRESS study results at 28th International AIDS Conference

Abbott today presented 48-week findings comparing an HIV regimen of its protease inhibitor (PI), Kaletra® (lopinavir/ritonavir), and Merck's integrase inhibitor, Isentress® (raltegravir), to a traditional HIV regimen of Kaletra and the nucleotide/nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in Truvada® (tenofovir and emtricitabine) in antiretroviral-naive adult patients. Efficacy data were collected over the first 48 weeks of the 96-week PROGRESS (PROtease/InteGRasE Simplification Study) study.

20 Jul 2010

Maternal, infant ART drives down mother-to-child HIV transmission through breast-feeding, studies show

According to two new studies, "giving pregnant and nursing women triple antiretroviral drug therapy, or treating breast-fed infants with an antiretroviral medication, can dramatically cut transmission rates, enabling moms to both breast-feed and to protect nearly all children from infection," HealthDay News/Bloomberg Businessweek reports (Goodwin, 6/16).

18 Jun 2010

Researchers underscore role of jumping genes in maintaining genetic diversity

Using high-throughput sequencing to map the locations of a common type of jumping gene within a person's entire genome, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found extensive variation in these locations among the individuals they studied, further underscoring the role of these errant genes in maintaining genetic diversity.

4 Jun 2010

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

Researchers testing a vaginal microbicide based on a new type of anti-HIV drug found it provided monkeys significant protection against infection with a virus similar to HIV, according to a study reported at the International Microbicides Conference in Pittsburgh today.

24 May 2010

Avexa halts HIV drug trials

Melbourne-based biotech Avexa has announced the closure of its lead HIV program for apricitabine after failing to attract a licensing partner for the Phase III drug.

12 May 2010

Gilead announces bioequivalence of Truvada in combination with Tibotec Pharmaceuticals' TMC278 NNRTI

Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced today it has obtained data supporting bioequivalence of a formulation of the fixed-dose combination of Truvada® (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Tibotec Pharmaceuticals' investigational non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) TMC278 (rilpivirine hydrochloride, 25 mg).

29 Apr 2010

Updates on development of Truvada and TMC278

Gilead Sciences, Inc. provided an update today on the development of the fixed-dose combination of Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Tibotec Pharmaceuticals' investigational non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor TMC278 (rilpivirine hydrochloride, 25 mg).

21 Apr 2010

Discovery of two new compounds opens new approach to drug design against HIV protease

A team of researchers at the renowned Scripps Research Institute has discovered two new compounds that prove the existence of new binding sites on HIV protease. Associate Professor C. David Stout, senior author of the study, explained "These results open the door to a whole new approach to drug design against HIV protease," which is an enzyme used by HIV to create new, infectious viral particles.

2 Mar 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

The Infectious Diseases Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog examines U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby's recent address to the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) where he reemphasized the Obama administration's commitment to "'maintaining, extending and increasing' the U.S. response to global AIDS." Goosby reflected on the lessons drawn from PEPFAR to date and presented components of the 5-year PEPFAR strategy, the blog notes.

20 Feb 2010

Phase 3b ODIN study of once-daily PREZISTA in HIV-1 adults presented at CROI 2010

In a new study of treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected adults with no PREZISTA® (darunavir) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs), 72 percent of patients in the PREZISTA/ritonavir (r) (800/100 mg) once-daily arm achieved undetectable viral loads (<50 copies/mL) compared with 71 percent of patients in the PREZISTA/r (600/100 mg) twice-daily arm. The study met its primary objective of non-inferiority. These data from the Phase 3b ODIN study were presented today at CROI 2010, the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, in San Francisco.

18 Feb 2010

Study: sdNVP can lead to HIV treatment failure in women receiving drug to prevent infant infection

A new international study reported in PLoS Medicine confirms that a single dose of nevirapine (sdNVP) can lead to HIV treatment failure in women who receive the drug to prevent transmission of the AIDS virus to their infants. However, the increased risk of failure could only be detected in women who began full HIV treatment within about a year after receiving sdNVP.

16 Feb 2010

MU researcher develops EFdA compound that is more potent than current HIV therapies

With the help of effective drug therapies, HIV patients are living longer, healthier lives. Now, researchers want to improve these drug therapies and develop alternative preventative strategies, such as vaginal gels and creams that contain the same or related compounds used in treatments for people infected with HIV.

27 Jan 2010

Researchers develop automated system to differentiate strains of influenza

Researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Children's Research Institute, and the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin have developed a rapid, automated system to differentiate strains of influenza.

30 Dec 2009

Matrix Laboratories receives FDA tentative approval for Efavirenz NDA under PEPFAR

Mylan Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Matrix Laboratories Limited has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for its New Drug Application (NDA) for Efavirenz Tablets, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg. These innovative pediatric dosages in tablet form were developed by Matrix for use in treating pediatric HIV/AIDS.

22 Dec 2009

New treatment options for leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders introduced

Leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders are serious and often deadly blood cancers. Research presented today at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology introduces potential new treatment options and improved diagnostic methods for patients suffering from acute promyelocytic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and myelofibrosis that are based on a better understanding of the underlying genetic causes of these conditions.

6 Dec 2009

Genomic Health to present its Oncotype DX multi-gene expression test studies at the 32nd SABCS

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced that the company will present results from five studies at the 32nd Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), taking place December 9-13, 2009, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

5 Dec 2009

Tibotec Therapeutics' INTELENCE granted FDA traditional approval

The FDA granted traditional approval for INTELENCE® (etravirine) tablets, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI). INTELENCE is the only NNRTI specifically indicated for use in treatment-experienced adults who are experiencing virologic failure with HIV-1 strains resistant to an NNRTI and other antiretroviral (ARV) agents.

25 Nov 2009

New findings on human genome may be useful for developing specific AIDS drugs

The AIDS virus inserts its genetic material into the genome of the infected cell. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center have now shown for the first time that the virus almost entirely spares particular sites in the human genetic material in this process. This finding may be useful for developing new, specific AIDS drugs.

13 Nov 2009

DKC establishes link between genetic mutation affecting telomerase function and human disease

The human genetic disease dyskeratosis congenita (DKC) is an autosomal dominant disease that leads to abnormalities in tissues with a rapid cell turnover - the skin, nails, bone marrow, lungs and gut. Patients with DKC experience life-threatening symptoms. Bone marrow failure increases their risk of fatal infections and cancer. Many die before the age of 30 and management of the disease is limited to trying to treat its symptoms.

19 Oct 2009