Smallpox News and Research

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Smallpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the Orthopox virus family. It is one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity, with a mortality rate as high as 30%. In 1967, the World Health Organization embarked upon an intensified vaccination campaign to eliminate smallpox, which culminated in the successful eradication of the disease globally by 1980.

By the mid-1980s, there were only two known repositories of variola virus: the Institute of Virus Preparations in Russia, and the US CDC. The events in the US in September and October 2001 highlighted the risk that the variola virus might be used as an agent of bioterrorism. Governments around the world are taking precautionary measures to be ready to deal with a potential smallpox outbreak.

EMA's CHMP issues positive opinion for Cangene's Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin product

Cangene Corporation today reports that it has received a positive opinion from the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use ("CHMP") regarding the immunoprophylaxis indication of Cangene's ImmunoGam(TM) (Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin).

18 Dec 2009

La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology awarded $18.8M NIH grant for infectious diseases study

Researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology will take aim at several of the world's most dangerous infectious diseases - tuberculosis, malaria and dengue virus -- in a five-year, $18.8 million federally-funded set of projects seeking to make new inroads toward vaccines against the disorders.

17 Dec 2009

New data from NanoBio's nanoemulsion-based adjuvant platform to be presented

NanoBio Corporation announced today that its CEO and Founder, James R. Baker, Jr., M.D., will present new data from studies of its nanoemulsion-based adjuvant platform during the World Influenza Congress, taking place from December 7-9, 2009 in Brussels, Belgium.

8 Dec 2009

Positive results from NanoBio's recombinant H5N1 flu antigen-nanoemulsion vaccine combination study

NanoBio Corporation today announced positive results from studies in mice in which immune responses were evaluated following administration of 5µg doses of recombinant H5N1 pandemic flu antigen combined with the company’s novel nanoemulsion vaccine. These studies are unique because the adjuvant was administered for the first time by subcutaneous (SC) and intramuscular (IM) injections.

3 Dec 2009

Bavarian Nordic to file a NDS for IMVAMUNE with Health Canada

Bavarian Nordic A/S announced today that the company expects to file a New Drug Submission (NDS) for its third-generation smallpox vaccine, IMVAMUNE(R) with the Canadian Authorities, Health Canada in 2010. If successful, this would be the first marketing approval of IMVAMUNE(R).

30 Nov 2009

Elsevier journal Vaccine releases a supplement dedicated to vaccines for biodefense

Last week during the 'Vaccines for Biothreats and Emerging and Neglected Diseases Symposium' in Galveston TX, USA, the Elsevier journal Vaccine released a supplement dedicated to vaccines for biodefense (www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0264410X).

20 Nov 2009

Malaria experts urge Congress to increase funding for malaria programs

While efforts to control and eliminate malaria have made great strides during the past five years, the looming specter of drug resistance heightens the importance of continued research and development for new tools to assure continued success, according to malaria scientists and public health experts appearing today on Capitol Hill.

19 Nov 2009

Bavarian Nordic awarded a new contract for developing a freeze-dried version of its IMVAMUNE smallpox vaccine

Bavarian Nordic A/S announced today that BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority) has awarded a new contract to Bavarian Nordic for the development of a freeze-dried version of its IMVAMUNE(R) smallpox vaccine with a total prospective value of USD 40 million.

17 Nov 2009

Third-quarter 2009 results announced by Response Biomedical

Response Biomedical Corporation today announced financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

10 Nov 2009

USPTO awards Peregrine Pharmaceuticals patent for anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine targeting antibodies

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent Number 7,611,704, which includes broad claims covering anti-viral uses of phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibodies including Peregrine's lead clinical compound, bavituximab. PS is a unique marker exposed on the surface of virally infected cells that can be targeted to treat a broad spectrum of virus infections.

5 Nov 2009

News outlets examine challenges with expanding global child immunization campaigns

Wednesday's release of the WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank joint report on childhood vaccines highlighted gains in recent global vaccination campaigns and also found that nearly 24 million infants worldwide don't get the recommended first-year vaccination.

23 Oct 2009

FDA grants Response Biomedical a Special 510(k) clearance for the RAMP Influenza A/B Assay

Response Biomedical Corporation announced that the Company has been granted a Special 510(k) U.S. FDA clearance for an update to the Company’s RAMP® Influenza A/B Assay Package Insert to include analytical reactivity information for a strain of the 2009 H1N1 virus cultured from positive respiratory specimens.

22 Oct 2009

Cangene Corporation announces financial results for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2009

Cangene Corporation today reports financial results for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2009.

22 Oct 2009

Cangene to acquire U.S. commercialization rights for HepaGam B

Cangene Corporation today announces that it has signed an agreement with its majority shareholder, the Apotex Group, under which Cangene acquires all U.S. commercialization rights for HepaGam B(R) (Hepatitis B Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human)). HepaGam B(R) is Cangene's hepatitis B immune globulin, which is approved for treating two hepatitis-B-related indications in the U.S.

20 Oct 2009

Research study on cowpox virus

In the annals of medicine, Edward Jenner's 1796 vaccination of a young boy against smallpox, using fluid from cowpox blisters, remains a landmark case. In a new study, Kathryn Sykes, a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute and her colleagues have taken a fresh look at cowpox.

19 Oct 2009

UT Southwestern Medical Center awarded $15.7M NIH contract to develop a new virus database

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $15.7 million contract to UT Southwestern Medical Center and Northrop Grumman Corp. to develop an open-access national online database and analysis resource center that will help scientists study and combat viruses such as those that cause hepatitis, encephalitis, smallpox, acute respiratory distress and dengue fever, as well as newly emerging pathogenic viruses.

15 Oct 2009

NanoBio to receive a $4.1M subcontract for developing nanoemulsion-based mucosal vaccine adjuvants

NanoBio Corporation today announced an award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a Division of The National Institute of Health, to fund vaccine research associated with “Innate Immune Receptors and Adjuvant Discovery.” NanoBio is the principal subcontractor for the $9.3 million contract awarded to the University of Michigan.

14 Oct 2009

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals establishes a new Anti-Viral Research Group

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has established a new Anti-Viral Research Group in its R&D organization.

7 Oct 2009

Inviragen, SingVax merge their complementary vaccine pipelines

Inviragen and SingVax have merged their complementary vaccine pipelines and their international product development capabilities to create a company that is developing a wide range of vaccines for infectious diseases prevalent in emerging economies.

6 Oct 2009

Aphios awarded NIH grant to develop pathogen inactivation technology for blood products

Aphios Corporation today announced that it has been awarded a RC-1 Challenge grant (No. 1RC1HL102822-01) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute of Health’s (NIH) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to develop a generally-applicable pathogen inactivation technology for blood products.

30 Sep 2009