Streptococcus pneumoniae News and Research

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Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Pneumococcus, is a very common bacterial infection in both industrialized and developing countries. In particular, young children and the elderly represent high-risk populations of developing pneumococcal infections. According to the WHO, the bacterium kills up to one million children under the age of five years each year worldwide. It accounts for many Bacterial Meningitis cases in adults and it is the most common cause of Bacteraemia, Pneumonia, Meningitis and Otitis media in young children.

British Columbia first in Canada to include Prevnar 13 in routine child immunization program

British Columbia is leading the way in vaccinations to protect children from serious disease. The province is the first in Canada to include Prevnar 13, the vaccine that provides the broadest coverage available against Streptococcus pneumoniae that may cause invasive pneumococcal disease, in the routine child immunization program.

21 May 2010

FDA approves ZYMAXID ophthalmic solution for treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis

Allergan, Inc. today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved ZYMAXID (gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution) 0.5%, a topical fluoroquinolone anti-infective indicated for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis caused by susceptible strains of the following organisms; Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis group, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus pneumonia.

20 May 2010

BUSM professor receives Individual Biomedical Research Award

Richard Goldstein, PhD, a professor of pediatrics, division of pediatric infectious diseases, at Boston University School of Medicine, has been awarded an Individual Biomedical Research Award by The Hartwell Foundation and will receive $300,000 over three years as a Hartwell Investigator for his project titled, "A Vaccine Against Streptococcus Pneumoniae Based on Bacterial Surface Proteins Phylogenically Certified as Highly Conserved."

23 Apr 2010

Preclinical study of DAS181 for treatment and prevention of ILI published

NexBio, Inc. announced today the publication in the Journal of Infectious Diseases of a preclinical study suggesting that treatment with DAS181 (Fludase®) may reduce the risk of secondary bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection.

30 Mar 2010

Pfizer to supply pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for infants and children

Pfizer Inc. today announced it has signed a 10-year Provisional Supply Agreement to supply Prevenar 13* (Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed]), the company’s 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, for infants and young children in the world’s poorest countries under the terms of the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) pilot project against pneumococcal disease.

24 Mar 2010

GSK joins GAVI Alliance in the Pneumococcal disease vaccine drive

GSK has become one of the first manufacturers to sign a unique agreement with the GAVI Alliance that has the potential to save millions of children from dying in the world's poorest countries. GSK will supply up to 300 million doses of its vaccine Synflorix, for invasive pneumococcal disease, to GAVI over a ten year period. Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of death in children under the age of five in developing countries.

24 Mar 2010

New understanding of cell in immune system may guide creation of effective flu vaccines: Study

A new understanding of a certain cell in the immune system may help guide scientists in creating better flu vaccines, report researchers from the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Immune Disease Institute at Children's Hospital Boston.

23 Mar 2010

Genocea Biosciences acquires global license for novel Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens from Children’s Hospital Boston

Genocea Biosciences, a vaccine discovery and development company, today announced an exclusive worldwide license for developed countries to a portfolio of Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens from Children’s Hospital Boston. PATH and Genocea retain certain co-exclusive rights to the antigens for use in developing countries under their collaboration agreements with Children's Hospital Boston.

18 Mar 2010

Prevenar 13: Immunogenic and well tolerated in young children previously vaccinated with Prevenar

According to results from a Phase III safety and immunogenicity study presented today, Prevenar 13 (Pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine, [13-valent, adsorbed]) was shown to be immunogenic and generally well tolerated in healthy young children who had received at least three prior doses of Prevenar (Pneumococcal Saccharide Conjugated Vaccine, Adsorbed). These data were presented today at the 7th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) in Tel Aviv, Israel.

17 Mar 2010

FDA provides guidance on Restanza clinical program in treatment of CABP

Advanced Life Sciences Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of novel drugs in the therapeutic areas of infection, oncology and respiratory diseases, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has provided guidance on the clinical program required to assess the approvability of Restanza™ (cethromycin), a novel oral once-a-day antibiotic, in the treatment of outpatient community acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) as well as biodefense indications including anthrax, plague and tularemia.

11 Mar 2010

Advanced Life Sciences Holdings reports decrease in net loss for full-year 2009

Advanced Life Sciences Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of novel drugs in the therapeutic areas of infection, oncology and respiratory diseases, today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2009.

11 Mar 2010

Intercell AG's revenues for full year 2009 increase 10.6%

Today, the biotech-vaccine company Intercell AG announced its financial results for Q4 and the preliminary results for the full financial year 2009, and presented an update on the Company's development programs.

2 Mar 2010

FDA approves Pfizer's Prevnar 13 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for Prevnar 13™ (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]), the Company’s 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

25 Feb 2010

FDA approves Wyeth Pharmaceuticals' Prevnar 13 pneumococcal disease vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine for infants and young children ages 6 weeks through 5 years. Prevnar 13 will be the successor to Prevnar, the pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine licensed by the FDA in 2000 to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and otitis media. The new vaccine extends the protection to six additional types of the disease causing bacteria.

24 Feb 2010

PATH to pay FDA $480,000 to speed creation of pneumococcal vaccine for developing world

The FDA on Monday said it's entering into a collaboration with the nonprofit group PATH "to speed creation of a pneumococcal vaccine for children in developing nations," United Press International reports (2/1).

3 Feb 2010

FDA and PATH collaborate to advance pneumococcal vaccine development for children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a collaboration with PATH to advance development of a vaccine to protect children against diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), especially pneumonia.

2 Feb 2010

Good bacteria may help counteract negative effects of antibiotics in humans

Scientists have long pondered the seeming contradiction that taking broad-spectrum antibiotics over a long period of time can lead to severe secondary bacterial infections. Now researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine may have figured out why.

27 Jan 2010

Current research suggests flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections

Current research suggests that the flu may predispose to secondary bacterial infections, which account for a significant proportion of mortality during flu pandemics. The related report by Lee et al, "A mouse model of lethal synergism between influenza virus and Haemophilus influenzae," appears in the February 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

22 Jan 2010

Presence of Streptococcus pneumoniae could predict risk of severe disease in H1N1 pandemic influenza

The presence of the Streptococcus pneumoniae in samples that can be easily obtained in clinics and emergency rooms may predict risk of severe disease in H1N1 pandemic influenza.

31 Dec 2009

Pfizer provides update on Prevnar 13

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet completed its review of the Biologics License Application (BLA) for Prevnar 13™, (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]), the Company’s candidate 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.